PNG scores 6 out of 100 in terms of informing its citizens with opportunities to engage in the budget process.
This rank is lower than the global average score of 12 and is according to a survey headed by International Budget Partnership.
The Open Budget Survey Report assesses the degree to which the government provides opportunities for the public to engage in the budget cycle.
The open budget survey uses internationally accepted criteria developed by multinational organizations from sources such as the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, and the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency. PNG’s ranking of 6 is similar to that of China.
The citizen’s budget is a simple and less technical version of the government’s Executive Budget Proposal or Enacted Budget, designed to convey key information to the public. While GoPNG made an effort in 2018 to provide one, it has not done the same in the past.
Anti-Corruption Development Practitioner, John Toguata, said there is a need for Budget Information to reach the village level.
Mr Toguata said the majority of the people who live in the rural level have none or little knowledge about the National Budget and the process involved.
TIPNG’s Chairman, Lawrence Stephens, said public participation is vital to release the positive outcomes associated with greater budget transparency.
