2011 Budget - No Super Hospital for PNG

There will be no super hospital established outside Port Moresby and there is no budget allocated for it for 2011.

That was the blazing message from the Finance & Treasury Minister, Mr Peter O'Neill.

I attended the Budget Breakfast organised by the Badili Club and PWC (PriceWaterhouse Coopers) at the Crowne Plaza in Port Moresby yesterday and that was one flashing news that stood out for me.

The minister said the hospital would not go ahead. There is certainly a plan but there is no intention to build it. Instead, Mr O'Neill said money will be spent on much-needed renovations and improvements at the current hospitals such as ANGAU in Lae, Boram in Wewak and the Port Moresby General Hospital in the National Capital.

Hospital upgrading is one of the key priority areas that has been included in the infrastructure budget.

Medium Term Development Plan roll out in 2011 Budget: PM

Five year development plan to create approximately 315,200 jobs in PNG’s biggest nation building program in its history

 

The Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare said the 2011 budget to be brought down in parliament next week will represent the start of the MTDP (Medium Term Development Plan) for the first five years to 2015. Without pre-empting initiatives to be announced in the budget, I would like to lay out for the nation the overall direction being planned for the economy. Under the MTDP, the government is targeting development expenditure of K36 billion over five years to create an additional 315,200 jobs throughout PNG by 2015.

Sir Michael said the MTDP was also the first five-year stage in the Government’s broader strategy of the 20-year Development Strategy Plan (PNGDSP) and realisation of the Vision 2050 program, which provides the overall direction of PNG’s development initiatives for the next 40 years.

“These programs collectively form the building blocks for economic development and prosperity of our nation for future generations,” Sir Michael said.

“The government has every confidence in the integrity and efficacy of the Medium Term Development Plan and is very excited to be announcing this significant allocation of funds which will directly increase the standard of living of every PNG citizen,” he said.

“Importantly, the plan will aim to achieve an average economic growth of 8.5 per cent a year which will result in a healthy rise in the average GDP per person from K3430 in 2010 to K4638 by 2015,” the Prime Minister said.