29 Nov 2002

Solomons Opposition wants to know where the public money has gone

4:35 pm on 29 November 2002

The Solomon Islands Opposition leader Patteson Oti says the Government is not transparent in how it spends public money.

Mr Oti heads the Public Accounts Committee and he says when Parliament meets from next Monday, he will be demanding that the Government reveal how it has allocated the money.

Mr Oti says while the Government has struggled to pay for services and staff, the information his committee has is that 97 to 98 percent of the projected revenue has been collected.

"the question is if that is the rate of collection, where has the revenue gone ...what has the government financed that it continues to delay its due payment of salaries and wages, and the other very vital service needs of the government"

Patteson Oti.

He says the Committee also wants to see the Government bring in a supplementary appropriations bill to cover three consecutive years of budget over runs.