Wale slams DCGA policies

Very ambitious, lacks focus – achieving them in 4 years will be a challenge

 By EDDIE OSIFELO

OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Wale says the Democratic Coalition for Government Advancement (DCGA) policies and strategies are very ambitious, and achieving them within a period of four years will be a challenge.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday in a motion moved by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare for Parliament to beg leave to offer thanks for the Speech which was addressed by his Excellency to Parliament on Monday, Wale welcomed the government’s 100 days policy.

However, he said the complexity, ambiguity and lack of focus of some of these policies would make it impossible to achieve and deliver results, affecting the desire to progress this country.

Wale said the DCGA 100 Days policies do not reflect core elements of a broad public policy, and does not have focus on core areas the country needs in relation to growing and development the economy.

“The government needs realistic polices, plans and most importantly money to supports its implementation.

“To me, the policies are extracts from individual ministerial work plans that previous government have failed to achieve,” he said.

Wale believes that most of those in the previous government are sitting down in the DCGA camp again trying to implement what that they failed to achieve under the previous regime.

“Let’s hope they realise their mistakes and work to complete the outstanding work to fulfil the promise made to the people of this country.

“I also understand that the government is fully committed to deliver other ambitious policy priorities in the interests of national unity and stability, lasting peace and economic advancement, but this can only be achieved if their fundamental and sectoral policy and other reforms and strategies are better accommodated or pursed through a realistic long term development strategy that focus on the country’s long term development plan,” he said.

Furthermore, Wale understands that the government also have a medium term plan to compliment the National Development Strategy 2016 – 2035 that maps out a strategic direction for the future development of Solomon Islands and enabling the country to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

He said the Strategic Framework focus on Social and economic livelihoods, and comprehensive objectives that aim at addressing the country’s main challenges in the next 20 years and a mid-term development strategies that will guide the Government’s development expenditure programme.

“However, as revealed in the Performance Audit Report on the Preparedness by the National System of Solomon Islands Government to Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals released by the Auditor General’s Office (OAG) on 6th December 2018, Parliament Paper No. 53 of 2018, SIG has an existing financing framework but the framework does not reflect SDG Programmes.

“The report stated that the SIG does not have a national financing framework purposely for the implementation of the sustainable development goals, the 2030 Agenda,” he said.

Wale said the framework is a vital tool to guide the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC) in identifying the needs and the required resources and capacities for implementing the SDG.

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