Source:

The National, Monday August 19th, 2013

 PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will meet heads of departments and government agencies starting today for a review of their performance.

O’Neill said in a statement that he was keen to get a status report on how the 2013 budget was tracking, and the implementation of priority projects each department and province identified and signed up to implement at the start of the year.

The prime minister told a brief meeting last week, attended by Planning Minister Charles Abel and Chief Secretary Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, that he was pleased with the 2013 mid-term economic outlook Treasurer Don Polye announced two weeks ago.

But he wanted to meet with each department and sector heads to discuss progress and difficulties they might be having in implementing the budget and key policies.

“I expect all departments and sectors to have status reports by today.

“It is important that at this stage, we know their position on the release of funds, the progress of their key projects and difficulties they might have so we can address them as we move along.

“I’m particularly keen on progress in the Education, Health, Police and Transport sector, where our key policies are being delivered,” he told the meeting.

For instance, the prime minister was concerned when he learnt that K20 million to fund the free health care programme this year was still sitting in the Health Department in Waigani, and not disbursed to hospitals in the country.

“This is the kind of red tape, no-care attitude, incompetence or whatever you call it, that can impede the delivery of vital services to our people and affect their well being,” he said.

O’Neill was briefed that while cash flow was managed well at Treasury and Finance, some departments needed to step up to achieve their targets this year."