By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The National Assembly on Thursday approved a $1.1 billion budget for 2007 after three days of heated debate on the floor of parliament.
Eighty-four out of 92 lawmakers present raised their hands in favor of passing the budget, which also allows for the government to borrow about $300 million from donors over the next 12 months. The remaining lawmakers voted neither for nor against the budget.
The budget is 25 percent higher than 2006, for which the budget was $926 million. For 2007, the Education Ministry has been designated $132.7 million, while the Ministry of Health has been earmarked $81.9 million. The Defense Ministry has been designated $77.9 million and the Interior Ministry is set to receive $45.4 million.
SRP lawmaker Keo Remy voted for the law, but told parliament that the government has not yet collected adequate tax revenue to allocate such a large national budget.
He also called on Prime Minister Hun Sen to reduce the multiple responsibilities of Cabinet Minister Sok An if he wants money to be spent more efficiently.
"[Sok An] has too many jobs and he also controls most of the jobs in the ministries, so having too many jobs there is no work efficiency," Keo Remy said.
Sok An could not be contacted for comment but CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said by telephone that Sok An's decision to take on many responsibilities has saved the government a great deal on salaries for other officials.
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay, who abstained from voting, told the Assembly that the government should be more cautious about borrowing money from foreign countries.
Government officials are bending the facts when they claim China is providing loans without strings attached, he said. China is insisting that Chinese firms are contracted to build infrastructure projects with Chinese loans, he said adding that the resulting projects are often of inferior quality and are significantly overpriced.
CPP lawmaker Ek Sam Ol responded that Chinese infrastructure projects in Cambodia are good quality.
"I appreciate the Chinese achievement," he added.
Eighty-four out of 92 lawmakers present raised their hands in favor of passing the budget, which also allows for the government to borrow about $300 million from donors over the next 12 months. The remaining lawmakers voted neither for nor against the budget.
The budget is 25 percent higher than 2006, for which the budget was $926 million. For 2007, the Education Ministry has been designated $132.7 million, while the Ministry of Health has been earmarked $81.9 million. The Defense Ministry has been designated $77.9 million and the Interior Ministry is set to receive $45.4 million.
SRP lawmaker Keo Remy voted for the law, but told parliament that the government has not yet collected adequate tax revenue to allocate such a large national budget.
He also called on Prime Minister Hun Sen to reduce the multiple responsibilities of Cabinet Minister Sok An if he wants money to be spent more efficiently.
"[Sok An] has too many jobs and he also controls most of the jobs in the ministries, so having too many jobs there is no work efficiency," Keo Remy said.
Sok An could not be contacted for comment but CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said by telephone that Sok An's decision to take on many responsibilities has saved the government a great deal on salaries for other officials.
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay, who abstained from voting, told the Assembly that the government should be more cautious about borrowing money from foreign countries.
Government officials are bending the facts when they claim China is providing loans without strings attached, he said. China is insisting that Chinese firms are contracted to build infrastructure projects with Chinese loans, he said adding that the resulting projects are often of inferior quality and are significantly overpriced.
CPP lawmaker Ek Sam Ol responded that Chinese infrastructure projects in Cambodia are good quality.
"I appreciate the Chinese achievement," he added.
2 comments:
One can thank the CPP for the mounting debt. The CPP can also be thankful that they have only weak oppositions.
SiS
A couple more million for the rich and powerful people to give to their kids to spend it on anything they choose, along with drugs and firearms to hurt the inferior cambodian society...
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