BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The Malaita provincial assembly is deliberating a budget estimate of $42,704,960 anticipated to be passed by the end of this week.

The budget is the original budget for 2025/2026.

Introducing the budget estimate on the floor of assembly on Monday, Malaita province Minister for Finance and Treasury Lemuel Kevianga acknowledged admin for putting together the budget report.

“Let me appreciate the hard-working staff of the provincial administration, who ensure all these figures are accurate and here before us for debate.

“Let me announce the budget estimate as follows;

• The total revenue budget summary is estimated at $42, 704, 960

• The total expenditure budget summary is estimated at $42, 704, 960
• The total recurrent revenue for financial year 2025/2026 is estimated at $8, 963, 392, which reflects our continuous partnership with our rural populace and our national government for timely receipting.

“Of this total recurrent revenue, we have content that our local revenue will contribute at $6, 827, 135, SIG through service grant contributes $11, 990, 906, saving revenue of $57, 324 and other revenue, $2, 926, 028.

“From the difference of total recurrent revenue less total recurrent expenditure figures, we anticipate a surplus of $2, 838, 000 to cover the WDG in the capital expenditure for 2025/2026 budget,” he said.

Adding that the total original recurrent expenditure for financial year 2025/2026 is estimated at SBD $18, 963, 393.

The minister explained that the disbursement of these expenditures cover core expenditure levels of the provincial government as follows;

• Salary and wages, which accounts for SBD $5, 797, 859
• Staff travels, DSA, equipment and others account for SBD $3, 093, 900
• Operational costs accounts for SBD $4, 704, 635
• Utilities across the business stands at SBD $505, 000
• Assembly and executive expenditure account for SBD $3, 697, 999
• Debt servicing account for SBD $330, 000
• Repairs and maintenance stand at SBD $834, 000

He furthered that on the revised capital expenditure, the province will spend a total SBD $18, 277, 498, 40 for this fiscal year.

Kevianga noted the new original PCDF allocation stands at SBD $8, 299, 239 and has allocated and reviewed by PPDC according to sectors two weeks ago.

On the same note, Premier of Malaita province, Elijah Asilaua acknowledged the importance of the budget to support wards and regional development initiatives with the engagement of community participation.

He said this will economically maximize the recurrent and capital budget in implementing the strategic alignment with re-direction policies to engage ward communities, resource owners, national government, development partners, and investors for economic empowerment.

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