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Nena proposes deletion of reference to Budget Office

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): March 20, 1998 - President Jacob Nena, on March 11^th, transmitted to Congress Speaker Jack Fritz, a proposed legislation, amending section 203 of title 2 of the FSM Code, as amended, to delete the requirement that the Budget Unit be contained in the Department of Finance and Administration.

The specific reference to the Budget Unit States, "which shall contain among other units, a unit for the Budget"; is to be deleted if adopted by Congress.

Nena told Fritz that by deleting that language, he will be free to transfer the Budget Unit or office from its present location in the Department of Finance and Administration and relocate it in the Department of Economic Affairs by simply amending the Presidential Order No. 1, as amended, to accomplish the proposed relocation of the budget office.

The Deputy Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs Patrick Mackenzie was the former Director of Budget under the old organizational structure, an independent office.

To relocate Budget Unit in the Department of Economic Affairs would theoretically expand the department's responsibilities and control over budgetary process over other equivalent departments.