By EDDIE OSIFELO
THE 12 councillors of Honiara City Council (HCC) are still waiting for their $500,000 promised by the Government.
Secretary to Prime Minister, Dr Jimmie Rodgers assured HCC last month that the Government will give half a million each to the 12 wards to implement regular clean-ups in their respective ward ahead of the Pacific Games in November.
The $6 million is part of a total $12.5 million the government had said it will support HCC with.
The other $6.5 million will go towards purchasing garbage trucks and equipment to support the clean-up campaign.
In order to access the money, HCC has to submit the work plans of the 12 councillors to the Government Services Integration Committee (GSIC) to approve it.
HCC is also a member of GSIC.
Rodgers said under the programme, they want to see daily clean-up programmes, at least two hours a day, in the wards by youth groups, women, schools and churches to clean Honiara.
However, Chairman of Naha 3 community, Robert Pisu calls on the government to fastrack the payments because the “message has gone wild in the community”.
He said it is only few months to go before the Pacific Games, therefore, the wards need to start doing the clean-up campaign.
Furthermore, Pisu said rubbishes are piling up at Naha 1.
“We ask the responsible authority to come and collect the rubbishes because it poses health risk to the communities,” he said.
Island Sun understands, HCC City Clerk Justice Denni submitted the work plans of the 12 wards to the Government last week.
However, when the government will response with the payments is still unclear.
Apart from that, the Government agreed to support the HCC enforce its bye laws beginning on May 1.
Rodgers said the legal instruments are there but what is needed is the support for HCC to enforce them.
With the enforcement, the HCC will once again re-enforce the ‘on the spot fine’.
