You missed out the part where this is ahead of their goal. Instead of wasting money by trying an ambitious big-bang transition with according requirement for additional staff and support, they've purposefully planned out a gradual, and orderly transition.
As for "spending public money on a dubious cause", they're spending roughly as much as before, but they're spending it in the local economy instead of sending it to the US, before you even count any other benefits.
As for "spending public money on a dubious cause", they're spending roughly as much as before, but they're spending it in the local economy instead of sending it to the US, before you even count any other benefits.