29 Jan 2003

Niue opposition MP hopes for low deficit

5:38 pm on 29 January 2003

The size of the Niue government's deficit is expected to be revealed before MPs attend their first parliamentary session of the year, next week.

An opposition MP, Terry Coe, says he hopes it isn't too high because the deficit stifles development on the island and there's a lot of repairs to roads and maintenance for buildings that need to be done.

Mr Coe says there are also questions over whether the government's sources of revenue deliver sufficient income.

"One would be Q-Tel, how much money you were foing to receive over those two months, departure tax and selling fuel to the airlines is up considerably. So it's just to see twhaty has happened over that December/January period."

Mr Coe says there is a question mark over Q-Tel because it isn't paying the full revenue for the phone lines that it promised to the government.