Opposition MP Jone Usamate has called on the Government to reduce the number of ministries, arguing that funds needed to improve government services could already be available within existing operational budgets.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Usamate questioned the need for additional funding while suggesting that resources were being directed towards maintaining too many ministries.
“Some of the money that you are looking for is already in your operational budget. Remove the number of ministries that you have,” he said.
“Hopefully, as a result of all the things that are happening now, we might not be creating more ministerial positions.”
His comments prompted an objection from Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau, who raised a point of order under Standing Order 61 on relevance.
“He is referring to the number of Ministers which is not in the Report,” Mr Tuisawau told Parliament.
Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko upheld the relevance concern, directing Mr Usamate to address the report under debate.
However, Mr Usamate maintained that his comments were directly related to the Ministry’s request for additional funding.
“Well the Report does say, Sir, that the Ministry requires more funding, and I am saying that the funding is already there, but it is being used for the wrong thing,” he said.
“If you remove it, take it out of operation, you could fund it, and that would be the same for all other ministries.”
