By EDDIE OSIFELO
MEMBER of Parliament for South Guadalcanal, Rollen Seleso, has taken a proactive approach to assist his constituents who have been grappling with the aftermath of nearly five months of continuous rainfall, resulting in landslides and flooding.
In response to the delayed National Government response to this humanitarian disaster, Seleso has personally procured 4,000 bags of rice to distribute to the affected villages within his constituency.
The relief efforts commenced last Thursday with the arrival of the Constituency’s vessel, ‘MV Southern Coast,’ which transported an initial batch of rice supplies to various villages:
Komate village received 765 bags of rice.
Horobau was allocated 130 bags of rice.
Kolina benefitted from 390 bags of rice.
Viso received 179 bags of rice.
Additional rice deliveries are scheduled to reach Peochakuri, Kolehula, and Haliatu over the weekend.
The comprehensive delivery of rice supplies from Maleheti to Malahisu in Talishe ward is expected to conclude by the upcoming Wednesday.
Seleso explained his decision to intervene was driven by the extended bureaucratic processes involved in obtaining assistance from the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO).
Typically, this entails an assessment conducted by a team organized by Guadalcanal Province, followed by the submission of a report to NDMO, which then engages with the government to secure funding from donors for relief support.
However, Seleso noted that this process had previously resulted in delays, leaving his constituents in need.
Seleso stressed the importance of facilitating NDMO’s assessment process and underscored the necessity of having an official report in place to coordinate assistance efforts.
He acknowledged that, following the cessation of heavy rains, his constituents would face approximately three months of food shortages due to the adverse effects of the rain and climate change on their agricultural endeavors.
Consequently, he welcomed support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) while emphasizing the requirement for a comprehensive report to streamline relief efforts effectively.
