Budget Shortfall of $77m

[posted 08 October 2004, 12:00]

Minister for Finance and National Planning, Ratu Jone Kubuabola, moved for approval of supplementary appropriation bills in the Lower House, last night.  The bills include $15.6m for the military, $11.2m for the Ministry of Health, and $10.8m for the Ministry of Education.  

He is expected to seek an additional $38.9m to cover government spending until December 31st of this year, bringing the figure to $77m.

The inability of the SDL government to control spending of public funds has been highlighted already in the Auditor-General's report.  These new requests for funds are largely attributed to unbudgeted salary commitments.  The RFMF made its requests in part to deal with 302 surplus members of the force.  The Ministry of Education failed to budget for the salaries of a surplus of 231 teachers.