In the last financial year, the Land Transport Authority recorded a deficit of $2.8 million, “as a result of a large road expenditure program leading up to the last national elections”, amounting to $53.3 million yet the Government grant was $50 million, under the HRPP governance.
This is outlined in the LTA annual report for 2021.
It states that the financial year under review has been “quite unlike” any other year for the LTA, signed by the Chairman at that time, Taua Paul Phillips.
The report says the transfer of the revenue generating functions of vehicle registration and licensing to the Ministry of Police in 2020 meant the “full dependence” of the Authority on Government grants and donor partner agreements for funding to fulfil its mandate to deliver a safe, sustainable and resilient land transport network.
Radio Polynesia points out that vehicle registration and licensing have been transferred back to the LTA.
The report says the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy has resulted in the reshuffling of government priorities and continued to affect funding for LTA as well as donor-funded projects.
