BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
THE Western Provincial Government (WPG) has clarified that Out-Board Motors (OBMs) donated by China’s Fujian Province will be distributed fairly and accordingly across Western Province.
The clarification follows an article published last week questioning the distribution process of the donated OBMs.
In the article, concerned individuals from Western Province alleged that some of the OBMs, particularly the 60-horsepower units, had been allocated to provincial executives while deserving community groups had not yet received any.
The article raised concerns over fairness, accountability and transparency in the allocation process.
“If public assets intended for the people are instead being allocated to those already in positions of authority, then serious questions must be asked about fairness, accountability, and transparency,” the article stated.
The concerned individuals also questioned whether there had been any public disclosure of beneficiaries, allocation criteria, or a transparent process to distribute the donated equipment.
“At this stage, no official public disclosure has been made regarding the list of beneficiaries, the allocation criteria, or whether a competitive and transparent tender process has been followed. The public therefore deserves clear clarification from the Provincial Government on whether any pre-allocation has taken place, and if so, under what authority and process such decisions were made,” the article added.
Responding to the concerns, WPG said in a statement that the OBMs were a gift from the Fujian Provincial Government under the sister-province relationship between the two governments.
According to the statement, the allocation of the OBMs was an executive decision aimed to improve transportation services throughout the province.
WPG explained that all 26 wards in Western Province have been allocated OBMs to support transportation needs within their respective areas.
The provincial government further stated that the remaining OBMs will be distributed to selected schools, clinics and substations that have already submitted formal requests.
“WPG is currently finalising the allocation to the respective institutions,” the statement said.
The provincial government maintained that the distribution process is ongoing and that the donated OBMs are intended to improve access to essential services across communities in Western Province.
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