More PCDF fund assured by Minister

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

Minister for MPGIS, Hon Nestor Ghiro

The Government could increase its development assistance in rural villages under its Provincial Capacity Development allocation (PCDF) pending a new proposal requesting for additional funds allocation.

The Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Nestor Ghiro revealed this during his recent trip to Lengana village in Simbo Island last Friday.

The Minister was optimistic PCDF still is a very vital development aide and forward looking strategy in the rural village where the commitment by provinces was basically to delivery and where still as lot can be achieved using PCDF.

Ghiro made a two-day visit to the Western province coinciding in the final phase of a fortnight long and intensive induction and orientation exercise organised by the main ministerial staff. The two week long workshops were organised specifically meant for all twenty-six MPA who were voted into the Assembly a month early.

The seminars, discussions and debated looked into the Financial Instruction, the Finance and Management Ordinance and the governing amended legislation, of 1997- Provincial Government Act.

Mr Ghiro made a trip to westward which got him and a small delegation to Simbo Island, where he was host to the local building- Committee taking charge by what would most likely be a successful 12 unit classroom structure under one roof which once completed is a new primary school building.

The new classroom project is regarded a pilot project in the Western Province where PCDF funded health and clinic projects as well as school building have more often ended up doomed therefore failed. In the western province there are more failed project than successful ones.

In his brief remarks near the project site, Mr Ghiro told members of the Local Building Committee of Government plans for an increase of funds to be allocated under PCDF to cater for continued programs.

He said his Ministry is working on that proposal and Mr Ghiro promised them he will push it through Cabinet, seeing that PCDF is alive and well in the rural village like in Lengana of the classroom block drawing community support right from its start.

It was a maiden trip Mr Ghiro described as his first to the Western Province.

He urged people in the western Province to work and support each other.

Mr Ghiro was impressed of the classroom project in Simbo Island most especially the manner it has been properly managed reaching almost half way before completed. The Lengana project can be an example of a project though far removed in terms of geography people stood up many challenges like collection of everything before the actual construction began was done outside of the project site as Simbo islands. Almost volcanic forest and vegetation with little or nothing else in terms of materials Simbo Island is almost a neglected part of the Western Province in terms of direct Government assistant.

He praised the Simbo people for showing good examples to the rest of the country in the successful use of limited funds such as for the classroom structure at Legana. He said he has seen many failed Government funded project in recent times.

Mr Ghiro said that he was impressed the project will be completed but the same time urged them to support one another.

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