The government spent MOP18.08 billion in the first quarter under the Investment and Development Expenditure Plan (PIDDA), in line with the budget allocation for the period, the Legislative Assembly’s Follow-up Committee on Public Finance Affairs said yesterday. In a meeting held yesterday afternoon, the committee finalized its analysis of the PIDDA report for Q1 and the centralized management of public procurement. In the media briefing following the meeting, committee president Becky Song explained that total expenditure in Q1 of this year was MOP18.08 billion, essentially the same as the budget allocated for the period, and noted that spending was in line with the budget. The committee noted that the government should procure such equipment closer to the actual acquisition date to avoid resource waste caused by outdated quotations. Regarding centralized public procurement, the committee issued six recommendations to the government.