Vanimo, West Sepik province, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
The Papua New Guinea government is giving MPs control of all finances within their districts and provinces.
The Post Courier newspaper reported the move has angered the bureaucrats affected, who call it a breach of the constitution.
Politicians already have direct control of some public money through the District and Provincial Support funds, which have sometimes been wasted or misspent, earning the soubriquet, 'slush funds'.
The government's new Form 11 restructure requires all payments for goods and services at the district and provincial level to be approved and signed off by the governor or district MP.
Thirteen of the 22 provincial administrators, seven district administrators and five provincial finance managers, who all wished not to be named, on Tuesday told the Post Courier's Gorethy Kenneth it was an unconstitutional move.
They fear that having this political power over funding will lead to politicians funding their supporters, undermining service delivery.
The PNG government defended the move, saying the public service is undergoing a major restructuring because of increased level of funding to districts and provinces.
