DEAR EDITOR, the Ministry of Rural Development is one of the controversial ministry that raised huge public criticism due to its duplications of functions, enhancement of environment for conflict of interest that mounted to corruption in leadership with its higher yearly funded budget from national government and ROC while the other productive line government ministries experience budget cut that badly affect basic services delivery in the nation.

The huge funds made available for most projects under MRD is implemented under the discretions of the politicians – the 50 MPs.

While the nation suffered a lot from important deteriorated basic services such as the poor state of road experienced nationwide due to lack of fund with MID and the growing issues of high rate of unemployment and urban migration since the poor existing of socio economic infrastructures in rural areas raise a huge question by the public about the sole purpose of establishing the MRD.

Where is the huge funds channel through MRD ended up since the establishment of MRD almost 10 years ago?

The functions of MRD need to be scrutinised for the good of the nation.

If the 50 legislators are making the right decision for this nation the establishment of such a policy as ministry of rural development MRD is a very bad strategy as it only creating corruption within the national governance and legislative, the highest body of the land.

The truth about the establishment of MRD is questionable for the following reasons:

The MRD is only duplicating the functions of other line government productive ministries when it comes to service delivery and rural development.

The establishment of MRD only create a huge cost in many ways to be footed by the poor tax payers of this nation.

The lack of financial mechanism and human expertise in MRD that necessarily important to uphold transparency and accountability key pillars of good governance and management is doubtful and waste of resources when planning and implementation of huge public funds within MRD.

How many MPs and CDOs nationwide have produced constituency development plan profiles that give road map for the proper usages of RCDF funds for socio economic development in our rural areas?

Almost all MPs fail desperately in this regard may be because of poor visionary mindset or educational background that engulf by lack of leadership qualities and self-interest mounted to corruptions.

The MRD is creating good ground for a conflict of interest mounted to corruption in the national leadership when the MPs both become financial controller and national legislators at the same time two total different fields of work. Even the Holy Bible has wisely warn us that love of money is the root of all evils.

Due to accessibility to huge funds and privileges most MPs are putting their priorities and interests on money matters more than what they have been elected for as the MP legislators of the nation. It badly affect the performance of the MPs indicated with high rate of absenteeism and very poor policy debating in the parliament meeting.

Where is the mouth of the nation to speak out loud against the uncontrolled flow of foreigners that reap and benefit a lot from our resources at the expenses of our local citizens in forestry, fishery, mining and so forth?

Due to lack of monitoring system with public funds within government most MPs are manipulating the governance system as establishing MRD to gain themselves financial strength to hold on to the political power by luring the huge uneducated population with public funds to win the next national election. What a corrupted attitude in leadership!

The nation need good policies that promote best working government that address the nation harmony and prosperity for the good all citizens.

Jacob Ofasia Savaleni

Talise Market

DEAR EDITOR, last week I wrote a letter in the form of an appeal in respect of work that was needed at the Red Cross Special Disability Centre at Riffle Range in the outer suburb of Honiara.

I explained in my letter that the centre was regularly flooded and the classrooms inundated with water and mud causing classes for the 74 special needs children to be suspended and, often, the children sent home without their important lessons.

The Secretary-General of the Red Cross Association has given me a quotation of the work needed to build a buffer wall that could put an end to the water intrusion into the centre’s premises.

The cost is estimated, from a first quotation, to be about SBD$118,000. (A$20,000)

That sum of money would be sufficient to acquire the necessary building materials, such as cement, reinforcing steel rods and plastic sheeting.

The actual construction of the wall would be done by volunteer labour the Red Cross Association would engage.

It is my earnest wish that the sum of $118,000 can be donated by all those concerned in the community about the ongoing situation at the centre and the plight of the young, special needs pupils that are deserving of a right to an education and a fitting premises in which to learn.

Any donations made to the Red Cross Association would need to be accepted and processed in accordance with the Red Cross Association’s laid down, standard procedures for the acceptance of public donations.

If you can help with donations, please get in touch with Mr Thomas Bebeu the Secretary General of the Solomon Islands Red Cross Association on telephone number +677 25299 or send him an email to [email protected]

Thank you and please do help.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

DEAR EDITOR, the Western Provincial government continues to make some bold steps to improving the environment having announced a ban on plastics to be enforced in the province very soon, the upgrading of the Gizo Market and now, according to a report in the Island Sun newspaper on May 4, resurrecting six provincial farms to improve the province’s agricultural sector and assist local farmers.

Agricultural development to increase the productive capacity of the agricultural sector is a powerful way to help people meet their food needs and it is very much hoped the national government will assist with funding.

Investing in small-scale farmers and rural development can improve global food production and safeguard the environment.

As the Western Province Premier was reported to have said in the Island Sun story, “There are significant challenges for surrounding islands in the province especially for copra farmers in Ranonga, Vella la Vella. Kolombangara and Rendova who have to transport their copra to markets in Gizo and Noro.”

In any new farming plan envisaged by the Western Province Provincial Government, providing access to markets to enable farmers to transport their produce to where the consumers or buyers are, at minimal cost with minimal waste and earn a profit will be essential, but costly due to the road infrastructure requirements.

I wish the Western Provincial Government much success with the envisaged farming plans for when farmers have the right conditions to succeed; they can contribute to higher food production and to safeguarding the environment.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

DEAR EDITOR, a feature article in the Island Sun on May 3, 2018, referred to a ground breaking ceremony in Honiara, yesterday, for a new Diabetic Centre, a Specialist Clinic and a Nurses Hostel.

Initiating the ground breaking ceremony was a Minister from the Taiwan Embassy in Honiara, Mr. Calvin Yen, and the CEO of the National Referral Hospital (NRH), Dr Steve Aumanu and other persons from the Embassy and the NRH.

The entire project is expected to be borne by the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and cost SBD $6.5 million.

The Diabetic Centre will replace the NRH’s old facilities and refurbish them with a diabetic centre and specialist clinic.

In echoing what I have often said, My Yen was reported to have remarked, “Health care is a basic human right while diseases have no boundaries.”

Mr Yen added, “As a member of the global community, Taiwan will continue to uphold the objectives of health for all.”

Mr Yen went on to say, “The health and medical cooperation between Taiwan and Solomon Islands remains cordial and has been successful over the past 35 years. “

“More than 10 million US dollars have been invested to build the NRH throughout several construction stages, and this year, we are also celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Taiwan Health Centre.”

I feel sure all appreciate Taiwan’s generous support to the Solomon Islands medical services and I offer my personal thanks.

In recent letters to the Solomon Islands media I have stressed in several articles the need for local people to eat the right balance of nutritional foods in order to reduce the growing trend to non-communicable diseases (NCD’ s) which lead to obesity, heart failure, diabetes and high blood pressure and, sadly, many premature deaths.

The increasing avoidance of traditional foods and the consumption of imported foods and drinks have, noticeably led to a vast increase in NCD’s over the last decades in the Solomon Islands.

It would be my wish that the ROC Government begin giving nutritional advice in cooperation with the local MOHMS well in advance of the completion of the proposed Diabetic Clinic in order to minimise the health risks in the communities and I would go further to say such nutritional advice should begin in schools with teachers and parents being involved.

It follows that health prevention is better than having to seek a cure when it might already be too late to have prevented the onset of diabetes.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT