10 Aug 2005

Temotu assembly gets more time to pass overdue budget

3:32 pm on 10 August 2005

The provincial government in Temotu in Solomon Islands has been given more time to summon its assembly and pass a budget or face the withdrawal of the services grant paid each month by the national government.

Temotu has been operating without a budget since April 1st and the provincial government ministry in Honiara says it is legally bound not to pay out the money if a budget is not in place.

The permanent secretary, John Tuhaika, says suspending the grants would be a regrettable move but they are bound by the legal requirements of the Provincial Government Act.

"We have more or less told them that this is the legal situation and we are giving them options of seeing if they can find some money somewhere and see if they can call the assembly and pass a budget which I understand is now ready to go before the assembly."