The New Ireland Government passed its 2023 budget on Wednesday the 25th of January under the theme “Challenges in Changing Times.”
The budget was handed down by Deputy Governor and Chairman of Natural Resources Hon. Sammy Missen.
He said, “Budget estimates for 2023 is at K211,367,700 compared to K178,545,622 in 2022. Which is an increase of K32,822,078 (18%).”
Missen said revenue estimates is at K211,367,700 while expenditure estimates is also at K211,367,700 where Revenue is equal to expenditure and that is an equilibrium budget with no budget surplus or deficit.
“In the 2023 National Government budget the New Ireland Provincial Government was allocated total budget funding of K166,344,810 compared to K108,037,100 in 2022, an increase of K58,307,710 ( 35%).
The budget listings include K86,647,810 for recurrent grants, K78,000,000 for Public Investment Program and K1,697,000 for grants to Local Level Governments,” said Missen.
He said from the National Government Grants, K67 million is being allocated to the New Ireland Provincial Government.
K2 million will go towards Public Servants Leave Fares, K1 million for Teachers Leave Fares , K5 million for Functional Grants, K3 million for the Nimamar SSG, K2 million for NIPG SSG, K2 million for Namatanai SSG, K1 million for Simberi SSG, K10 million for NIPG Provincial Support Improvement Program, K20 million for Infrastructure Development Grants, K5 million for Kavieng District Infrastructure Development program, K5 million for Namatanai District Infrastructure development program,
K10 million for NIPG Infrastructure Program and K500,000 for Provincial Support Grant.Missen said with the gloomy and uncertainty due to raising inflation and falling growth rates in the country's economy, New Ireland Government has set its direction for socio economic growth in this budget by setting focus on Revenue Generation, Free Primary Health Care and continuation of Free & Subsidized Education for all New Irelanders.
He said the New Ireland Government has prioritized infrastructure as the pillar in previous budgets and continues in this budget with the total budget allocation of K113,700,000, an increased funding of K28,282,412 compared to K85,417,588 funding allocation in 2022 Budget. That is Sixty Nine percent of the total Development Budget.
“Our focus now is the transformation of West Coast Highway to have a better sealed road from where we have started with 5km sealing from Para Junction at Lamusmus to Panameko and will continue sealing for another 10km with total funding of K15 million in this budget.
“We would like to see Mining Operators of Lihir and Simberi Gold Mining to play more major roles in Infrastructure development for our New Ireland People under the Tax Credit Scheme to complete the sealing of the West Coast Road from Kavieng District all the way to Namatanai District.”
For the Economic Sector, with Wealth Creation and Revenue Generation as one of the pillars enshrined in the New Ireland Declaration K12.75 million has been allocated to grow the sector.
“We are allocating K5 million to acquire the 102 run down plantations in partnership with landowners and other stakeholders, starting with four plantations (2 in Namatanai and 2 in Kavieng) this year. We are also putting K500,000 under Sweat Equity for Women in the province to access it. We are allocating K5.3 million into Economic Development programs, including Cocoa and Coconut rehabilitation program, Commercial Food Production, Fisheries, Coffee, Rubber and Livestock Projects, including setting aside of K1 million for SME Credit Guarantee Scheme and K100,000 for Micro to Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Training in the Economic Sector.”
He said K3 million has been allocated for Power Lines through the Rural Electrification Program to reach Madina and continue to Konos and K2 million to reclaim land from Kavieng wharf to Malagan Hotel for the Kavieng Foreshore development.
While K3 million has been allocated to upgrade and build Kavieng and Namatanai Markets.
For the Education sector Missen said K12.695 million has been allocated.
Though funding had been an issue due to the cut in the Lihir Mining Royalty, K3 million will be put towards the Free and Subsidized Education program this year on top of National Government allocations.
Another K3 million has been allocated for School Rations for all Boarding High and Secondary Schools and Vocational Schools .
While the Governor's School of Excellence program will be funded with K600,000 and International Training Institute (ITI) with K250,000.
“For Education Infrastructure, K3 million will be put into improving all of our Primary and Secondary Schools Infrastructure and K500,000 into the first stages of a new West Coast High School at Kulube,” said Missen.He said the New Ireland Government will continue to work on establishing the New Ireland University, upgrading of Namatanai and Fissoa Technical Colleges to Polytec and to work to establish New Ireland Teachers College and New Ireland Nursing College in partnership with mainline churches in the province.
For Health, Free Primary Health Care is a commitment by NIPG so K3 million has been allocated to kick start the process.
“We will continue to fund Tinkoris Hospital to bring it to world-class health care to our forgotten people in Matalai and Konoagil with funding of K7.6 million to finish and fully equip Tinkoris Hospital that had cost us more than K30 million which includes Doctor's houses and Nurses quarters.”
Missen said K1 million has been allocated to introduce the Mobile Clinic for the people on mainland while another K1 million for a Floating Clinic to serve our islands and remote areas.
“This Government cares for the sick and disabled and we are continuing our support for wheelchairs, crutches and delivery beds with funding of K300,000 in this year’s budget. And we continue to work on improving water supply and clean toilets for remote areas, with funding of K200,000 going to water and sanitation upgrading for rural areas. Our partnership program with the Australian Doctors International (ADI) continuous with another funding of K400,000 in 2023.”
Missen said altogether more than K12.75 million has been allocated to improve health care and health facilities in New Ireland in 2023 Budget.
In the community development sector the Government Subsidy Policy Initiatives are the trademark policies of NIPG.
The Old aged and Disabled policy will continue with funding allocation of K4 million. For Youth, Sport and Women in the province K2.15 million has been allocated. K2 million for the Lightning New Ireland policy.
K3 million for the State/Church Partnership program and K1 million to continue for the Roof over heads program.
Ward level grants will also be allocated.
The Deputy Governor admitted that Law & Order is now an issue in the province.
Thus an allocation of K3.917 million to address it. “We are putting K1.25 million for policing and to implement the resettlement and enforcement of Vagrancy Act, K1 million for Police/CIS, K500,000 for Provincial Law Enforcement and K1.017 million for Village Court and Land Mediation Officers.”
For the Local Level Government level he said K5.5 million has been allocated to build LLG staff houses for the Ten LLGs which will complement the Council Chambers already built at the LLG’s. K4 million will be allocated for ward level projects.
Operational funding of K714,000 for Namatanai District and the Six LLGs and K572,500 for Kavieng District and the Four LLGs.
Missen said the budget is 75% Development and made a call for Lihir and Simberi MOA’s to be reviewed.
“New Ireland Provincial Government as the host province "MUST" be respected and consulted in the dealings with Lihir and Simberi Gold Mines in MOA reviews or in the selling of the Mines. We strongly recommend that Kumul Mineral Holdings to fully participate in the negotiations of acquiring an interest in the sales of Simberi and Lihir Gold Mines on behalf of the Provincial Government and the Landowners. That is our position.”
He said since the split in Lihir Mining Royalty on February 2021 to December 2022 in a period of Twenty Three Months, the total royalty paid by Newcrest Mining Limited was K82,262,851, Kavieng and Namatanai DDA received K33,305,140 each while New Ireland Provincial Government only received K16,652,570.
“And in 2022 alone, total of K44,532,708 was paid as royalty but New Ireland Government only received K8,906,542 while the two DDAS received K17,813,083. This trend may continue and will have major impact on our 2023 Budget Implementation. Our destination is set but our journey seems tough and stormy. But this house, this Assembly must all unite to overcome it and reset our destiny of Autonomy which is the only way to get to our destination.”
The Deputy Governor then called on the Treassurer and Kavieng MP Ian Ling Stuckey who was not present during the passing of the 2023 New Ireland appropriation bill to ensure all monies due to New Ireland were released in a timely manner instead of being politicized. 
