By Gary Hatigeva

MINISTER for the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Jeremiah Manele has revealed that there are so many reasons why the government should trim or cut off allocations under the Development Budget to line ministries for their implementation programmes.

It is understood that a 52 percent cut was imposed on all line ministries for allocations into their development programmes and projects in the Development Budget under the Appropriation Bill 2018, which is yet to be tabled.

Mr Manele says this is based on the ministry’s findings of the development budget implementation reports as well as the first performance report of the current NDS 2016-2035, there is huge challenge in line ministries’ capacity to implement effective programmes as targeted and this according to Manele, has been so for many years.

The MDPAC Minister explained that ministries continue to face similar challenges such as internal capacity, coordination, and management of project and programme activities, which he added that in many respects, these reports provide the platform and benchmarks for determination of the 2018 development budget.

Speaking on the floor of parliament yesterday, Manele revealed that there is a notable deviation of project funds to other unplanned activities and for some ministries, ongoing delays in the budgeting process, and capacity constraints within MoFT procurement has made accessing funds to implement activities as per project very difficult.

He then pointed out that capacity within individual ministries stands out as one of the primary reasons implementation on the ground is poor.

Parliament was also told that out of 91 programmes implemented in 2017, none has reached its targets. Many ministries blamed the poor cash flow situation in the third and last quarter of 2017 noting that this impeded the implementation of their 2017 Development Budget projects and programmes.

“However, given that the expenditure of 2017 was 91 percent, it has been reduced that many ministry programmes were not implemented for the reason they spent the allocation on unplanned activities and not on their approved work plans.

“And since the first Development Budget Implementation Report, it is clear that many programmes and projects with little or no researched validation continue to hinder progress towards achieving results planned under the development budget and the Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP).

“As a result, many development programmes continue to exist in the MTDP with no visible progress towards achievement of stated outcomes,” the MDPAC Minister added.

He further added that with the current design process and lack of data, they also contribute to the long-term negative challenges to the ministries, which includes issues such as land, Solomon Islands Government procurement process, and political interference, are taking more time for the ministries to deal with, than originally planned.

“Almost half of the ongoing projects continue to use SIG development budget with no clear evidence of achievement and progress towards target indicators.

“A number of planned activities under the programmes are beyond the capacity of the implementing line ministries per programme to implement and as a result, more than 90 percent planned activities are not implemented, and this continues to be repeated annually, since 2015,” Manele continued to reveal.

He however stressed that as for this government, ministries need to conduct evidence-based research or programme assessment and studies to support any concept/project plan before actual design and submission to MDPAC for approval and implementation.

He said this is because ministries’ implementation have not been effective and remain unsatisfactory in regards to the implementation rate as per project/programme logical frameworks.

He added there is also a number of programmes that continue to be implemented outside of their annual work plans, which make it difficult to measure performance and track progress.

He further stressed that it is unrealistic to continue funding a programme that provides no progress report and therefore, emphasised that in order for any programmes to continue receiving funds, ministries must demonstrate how they use their previous year funding to justify their request and value for money.

“Otherwise, any programmes and projects which have not produced any progress reports on their implementation, will see that their funding level be reduced or deferred.”

Meanwhile, the MDPAC Minister and MP for Hograno/Kia-Havulei suggested that the trend of unfinished businesses will continue and government money will continue to be wasted if no strategic action is taken to address the issue.

“Because with the current financial situation in 2017-18, it is estimated that this will provide much mixed results to the performance of a number of projects/programmes in 2018 and 2019.

“This means line ministries will need to prioritise, readjust and downscale on their programmes and projects.

“It is critically important, given the challenging financial situation, that ministries prioritise only the highest priority programmes now, and at the same time, continue to review activities to match the level of budget and target outputs to be delivered in 2018,” Manele explained.

By Gary Hatigeva

THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) will start posting newly graduated doctors from institutes around the region including those that have graduated from Cuba and Republic of China (ROC) Taiwan, to medical centres in the provinces starting next year.

The Minister for Health and Medical Services confirmed this following a supplementary question from the Member of Parliament for East Honiara and also Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete.

In Parliament, the East Honiara MP questioned the timeframe in which the government through the Ministry has in plan to start rolling out its programme, and that is posting out of doctors to the provinces.

But before asking the supplementary question, the PAC Chair acknowledged the former Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, who was also Prime Minister in 2006 and had initiated the programme to send doctors to Cuba, many of which according to the Health Minister, are ready to be engaged in the posting plan.

In his remarks, Mr Ete explained that the former and his government then came up with the programme with sole intentions to bolster the rural area health clinics and to ensure their accessibility to health services.

Meanwhile, when responding to the East Honiara MP, Health Minister and MP for Rennell and Bellona, Dr Tautai Agikimua Kaitu’u revealed that the ministry will begin to post out doctors to the provinces starting next year.

He further revealed that currently, a total of 58 graduate doctors are doing their internship at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), and 18 of them will be registered later this year.

He added that out of the 18, 11 will be posted at the National Referral Hospital while the remaining nine according to the minister, will be posted out to the provinces to start off the posting programme for the newly certified doctors.

And the minister said the ministry is hoping that by next year, the rest of the internships should be ready to be part of the major posting programme, 27 of which are Cuban trained.

However, the posting programme will depend very much on the initiation and completion of clinics and other health centres including required infrastructures for most of the provinces, some of which have yet to start construction.

Though with little allocation in both its development and recurrent budgets, the government according to ministry officials, is determined to see that all these programs are implemented and executed for the well-being of the 80 percent population in rural areas.

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

WESTERN Province Premier Wayne Maepioh has brought the issue of the country’s border with PNG to the attention of the national government and donors.

Speaking in the province’s second full assembly yesterday, Mr Maepioh said “We have a very volatile situation at our border in which it needs urgent attention and immediate actions by our national government and donor partners.”

Maepioh highlights the tense security situation at the border, saying that law and order there is fragile.

“We have incidents of the past that keep repeating and reoccurring that warrant urgent action by the government.

“Our appeal to the National government is to re-equipt and put more resources, logistics and capacity at the border so that we have some administration, management and control over the boarder issues.

“We are in dire need of permanent arrangement and occupations as it was in the past.”

Maepioh said that Western province needs to have the investors’ confidence, provide conducive environment and social security in which the people’s safety is guaranteed.

THE Deputy Mayor and Chairman for Health Division within the Honiara City Council (HCC) Cr Charles Aiwosuga has acknowledged the cooperation of the public at Kukum Clinic.

With the extended time of the opening hours, there have been much positive feedbacks and also the public have been very cooperative.

“I would like to acknowledge the Director of Health and staffs working on shifts at the Clinic.

“Also much appreciation to the public for their cooperation and also to respect those working during the night shifts,” he added.

He said the next clinic they will be focussing on is the Rove Clinic.

“This will be a good news to those at the western end of the City, that after all arrangement is complete, Rove Clinic will be also extend it’s opening hours until 10pm at night.

“Our standing committee will have to finalise arrangements before we can proceed,” he added.

Meanwhile Aiwosuga reminds the public to be safe during the current weather experienced in the country, and to keep their surroundings clean. He further urged everyone to be safe during the Easter festive session.

–HCC PRESS

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

LOCAL settlers within Tulaghi’s former fishing companies’ area are advised by Central Province Premier to apply for leftover plots of land from the area they are relocating Smoking residents at.

Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni gives this advice when there is still time to relocate before any new company operates soon in the former fishing companies based area.

Smoking residents, one of the fishing companies sector having settlers after since Solomon Taiyo and the National Fisheries Development (NFD) were operating in CIP are confirmed to move into a new plot of land allocated because work for a new domestic wharf is soon to commence there within July-August this year.

Currently, the whole of the fishing companies’ area is being occupied by settling islanders and indigenous people of the province as well.

“The plot of land that is allocated for relocation just uphill of Smoking area is huge and there are only less than 20 families that we will be allocating into 15 to 20 metres land each,” encourages the Premier.