$6.8m each for MPs next year
By EDDIE OSIFELO
THE 50 members of Parliament will receive $6.8 million each next year in the form of Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
From the $6.8 million, $4.8 million will be projectised, to go through the preferred suppliers, while the remaining $2 million is for cash grants.
Minister of Rural Development, Duddley Kopu confirmed this when asked by Member of Parliament for East Are Are, Peter Kenilorea Junior during the committee of supply, in Parliament yesterday.
Furthermore, Kopu said about $80 million is allocated towards each constituency to apply for cash grants.
He said the $20 million in the Development budget that used to be supported by Peoples Republic of China (PRC), is replaced by Solomon Islands Government’s grant, where MPs can convert to cash grant.
Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete asked when each constituency will receive the $400,000 from PRC for this year.
Kopu said the delay is with the MPs who don’t retire their acquittals in time.
He added the ministry has managed to submit every acquittal to the PRC now.
Apart from that, he said $1 million is allocated to the ministry, where $500,000 are for reform and another $500,000 for monitoring and evaluation.
A total of $342 million is allocated for MRD in next year’s budget, with $261 million under Development Budget and $80 million for Recurrent Budget.
