Nearly two months after the hosting of the APEC Summit, a number of officers and contractors involved in the international meet are yet to be paid.
When asked by journalists, Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan confirmed that some allowances and payments are still outstanding, hence they have asked the APEC Authority to compile a list.
“We want to know exactly how much is outstanding so that we can seek some funding through the budgetary process,” Ngangan said.
He highlighted that the planned public tender of APEC assets and vehicles is an income-generation exercise.
“The exercise is still continuing but we’ll make sure that we’ll settle all the service providers, including the allowances, at the conclusion of this exercise.”
Meantime, Ngangan described the 2018 closing of Government accounts as ‘clean’ and ‘well-managed’.
“We were able to open the 2019 accounts yesterday. Treasury will now be able to issue warrants for government programs like the tuition fee free, medicals, health and the government departments as well.
“Warrants should begin to go out this week so we’re in business.”
(Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan)