Series Of CDF Act Awareness Underway In HKH Constituency

A two-week series of awareness on the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) Act 2023 is currently underway in Hograno-Kia-Havulei Constituency (HKHC) in Isabel Province.

The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is conducting the awareness in collaboration with the HKHC office.

Community leaders and chiefs from the constituency’s six (6) wards namely Kolomola, Kolotubi, Susubona, Samasodu and Baolo are representing their respective villages at the awareness sessions which will be held at six different sites within the constituency wards.

The awareness coincides with the validation of HKH Constituency Development Plan (CDP) by the participating community leaders. The HKH Constituency Office is represented by the CDO Apollos Manegere. The CDP will be valid for the rest of this year 2024.

The awareness is part of the ministry’s ongoing activity to raise awareness and educate people on the new CDF legislation.

MRD believes that such awareness program does not only provides the right information about the new Act to our people and communities but it creates a better understanding on the constituents’ roles and responsibilities under the new legislation.

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A first session to kick off the awareness activity was conducted at Kolotubi community within Kolotubi Ward 14 on October 26, 2024. Over 40 leaders and chiefs representing their respective villages within the ward attended the first session.

It was a very informative and interactive session as participants/constituents were given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss openly with MRD on the areas which they wished to have clarifications on.

The awareness session with the HKHC have clarified many misperceptions about the Act and how it is applied.

The Team Leader, MRD Director of Rural Development Division (RDD), Milfred Delemani was able to cover various provisions of the act including appointment and role of constituency officers, constituency development plan, signatories to constituency bank accounts, constituency assets and reporting, offences and penalties, and other important provisions of the law.

Mr. Delemani said that by reaching out and sharing right information to our people who are mostly the beneficiaries of this law will help them understand it and as well apply it in their association with the CDF and the application of it in our constituencies.

CDO Manegere explained that after the sessions, leaders (participants) will return to their respective communities and share the information learned to further educate their villagers of the new CDF law.

Mr. Manegere also thanked MRD for accepting the constituency’s office invitation to carry out the awareness in HKH constituency.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Chief Johnson Leamana appreciated the MRD team and the constituency office for the important and informative awareness program.

He said such awareness is very important as it educates us (constituents) on the new Act, offers right information about CDF and how it has been managed over the past years, and how it will be operated under the new Act going forward.

Mr. Leamana emphasised that teamwork is the only way forward for HKHC adding the responsibility now is on all constituents to work together with the Constituency Development Committee (CDC) and the constituency office under the leadership of the Member of Parliament for the betterment of everyone.

“To fulfil our desires and move HKHC forward we must work hand-in-hand- with our CDC and constituency office in accordance with the new CDF legislation.”

He also acknowledged MRD and the then DCGA government for the CDF Act 2023.

Those who attended include community leaders and chiefs from various villages in Kolotubi ward.

The new CDF Act 2023 was passed by Parliament on 22 December 2023 and came into commencement on the 5th of January 2024.

The purposes of the new CDF Act 2023 are; to strengthen good governance; to ensure improved and effective delivery mechanisms of the Constituency Development Funds and to promote equal and inclusive participation of all Solomon Islanders in development.

MRD will continue to undertake similar awareness talks in other constituencies and communities across the country in the future.

The MRD team also expresses their appreciation to the Member of Parliament for HKH constituency and our Prime Minister Honourable Jeremiah Manele for his support for this awareness program to be undertaken in his constituency.

Commenced on October 26, the series of awareness at HKHC will run until November 8, 2024.

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