Waena slams Ministry of Finance

Former Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena has said Government ministers can only perform their duties provided they have funds from the Ministry responsible for government finances.

Now People’s Alliance Party President, Sir Waena echoed the sentiments when reiterating his party’s disappointment over the termination of their government minister, and member of parliament for North Malaita, Hon. Jimmy Lusibaea.

Hon. Lusibaea was removed from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development in the recent government reshuffling.

A Government statement said the reshuffle exercise was undertaken to ensure Ministers effectively perform their duties and maintain effective service delivery to the people.

But reiterating their disappointment, Mr Waena said government ministers can only perform if they have the required funds to do so.

“Ministers can only perform their duties when the Government through the Ministry of Finance provided the funds approved under the national budget as they cannot use funds anywhere,” he said.

“So when our minister said that the Ministry of Finance was unable to provide the required funds to fix the roads, despite being in the office, the minister, his PS and their workers can do nothing without the funds approved by Parliament through the budget.”

Meanwhile, the PAP President describe reasons for the reshuffling as a “lame excuse”, saying they were most disappointed.

“They are being unfair to our minister by using that lame excuse to blame him in not maintaining roads,” he said.

“I just returned from Ulawa and they have contractors working on the roads there and if they are not paid, that’s the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance in not fulfilling its obligation,” he said.