Del. Secilil Elbedechel, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means stated “we didn’t have the answers,” when asked why it was questioning certain provisions the president made in his proposed Fiscal Year budget.
He said that the House cannot approve the changes without knowing its justification.
Elbedechel stated that among the questionable provisions that the president inserted in the proposed budget referred back last week is a section that will allow him to reprogram funds retroactive to Fiscal Year 2010.
He also noted that another provision inserted was that the president wants to repeal the law which requires reporting of expenditures and obligations of all funds received from outside sources to the Olbiil Era Kelulau.
The delegates also questioned the president’s proposal to appropriate or disburse Protected Areas Network funds the 2011 fees collected.
Elbedechel said, this provision is questionable since there have already been funds collected in 2010.
“Where is the 2010 PAN budget,” Elbedechel asked the government.
The president also wants the Compact Review Office services purchased with the funds appropriated to it to be exempted from competitive procurement requirements.
Elbedechel said the president should have also stated within the original budget he proposed, instead he proposed a financial package $331,000 higher that his original proposal.
Palau may go into a continuing resolution after President Toribiong did not sign the OEK version of the budget but instead returned the bill to the lawmakers.
In his referral letter to the Congress leaders, the president said that there was a $2 million Compact fund oversight by the OEK which caused a shortage in the funds.
However the lawmakers said that they error was a typographical one and that the budget is still balanced.
The OEK version authorized a sum of over $55 million but President Toribiong now wants a $56 million budget from his original proposal of $54 million.
The president in justifying his new version said the OEK’s error “forced me to reevaluate the funds that will be available for expenditure in the coming fiscal year.”
He said that he was able to balance the budget by combining the proceeds from the sale of the land in Guam, funds anticipated from the collection of green fee and enhanced projection in the local revenues.
Toribiong is in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly. He is expected to return to Palau this week or at least a day before FY2010 lapses.
The delegates also did not agree to the president’s slash of the states grants by at least 10 percent.
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