According to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), various departments of the institution would be seriously affected if ¢ 3,923 million are cut off its budget, following legislator’s proposals for the 2017 national budget.
The MOPT highlights the issue of cutting budget items that allocate resources to ongoing contracts with which the Administration made commitments. Failing to honor said commitments would create possible claims.
The impact of the budget cut would affect different areas:
-The Traffic Police would lack resources to get equipment and uniforms, to perform operational control, breathalyzer tests and other important tasks.
-The decrease in the purchase of fuel and lubricants would virtually paralyze the production of asphalt processed in the 5 plants managed by the MOPT.
-With the reduction in subheading fuel, the operation of heavy machinery used for road maintenance and construction, and river works by the Division of Public Works would be seriously affected.
-Cutting travel expenses would limit Traffic Police control, the cleanup of landslides and the inspection of road and port projects.
The MOPT claims that it won’t have the resources to purchase the steel piles needed for the construction of bridges, or buy spare parts for repairing traffic lights.
Maintenance and repair of computer equipment and other information systems is one of the ongoing contracts, included within the financial amount allocated to MOPT by Treasury. These areas are considered vital for the institutional functioning.