Capitol Hill — The National Legislature is seeking a one-week extension to its extraordinary session, originally set to end on September 19, 2024, in order to finalize the delayed recast national budget. If approved, the session will extend to September 26, 2024.
House Speaker Fonati Koffa confirmed the move during a session on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, emphasizing the need for more time to resolve budget issues. "The Finance Committee is meeting with the Minister of Finance to finalize the remaining budget items, and they expect to finish by Friday. We need 18 signatures for the petition, so I encourage everyone to sign it at the Chief Clerk's office," Koffa urged.
The petition, requiring signatures from lawmakers, would allow President Boakai to issue a proclamation extending the session. Koffa explained, "Once we have the signatures, the President can make the proclamation, and we can secure the necessary certificate to extend the session."
The extension request comes amidst controversy over the recast budget. Lawmakers are particularly dissatisfied with the Ministry of Finance's decision to remove a $100,000 allocation for legislative engagements, which they argue is crucial for outreach to constituents. This disagreement has stalled progress on the budget.
"We are hopeful that by Friday, we will have passed the recast budget, and the Senate will agree. But we need the signatures to extend the session by a week," Koffa added. He stressed the importance of passing the recast budget to align national spending with current revenue projections.
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The dispute over the $100,000 allocation has heightened tensions between lawmakers and the Ministry of Finance. Legislators are frustrated by what they see as a lack of consultation on the removal of the funds, intended to support their engagement with constituents. Critics, however, argue that these funds are often misused.
The extraordinary session, which began on August 29, 2024, was called to address mid-year fiscal adjustments, including the recast budget. These adjustments are necessary to ensure that government spending reflects current revenue and expenditure levels. However, ongoing disagreements have delayed the budget's passage.
The delay in finalizing the recast budget risks disrupting government operations and undermining fiscal stability. Without the extension, lawmakers may not have enough time to resolve outstanding issues, which could hinder the government's ability to manage its finances effectively.
