MRD Delivers Enriching, Successful CDF Act Awareness For EMC Communities

The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) delivered yet again another successful and enriching series of awareness on the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) Act 2023 for constituents and communities of East Makira Constituency (EMC) from December 15th – 24th, 2024.

This followed a series of similar awareness programs conducted by MRD on the new CDF legislation in some constituencies last year.

For this awareness activity, it was made possible through the collaboration between MRD and East Makira Constituency office.

The awareness sessions were held right across the constituency’s eight (8) wards.

EMC is one of the biggest constituencies in the country with a total of eight (8) wards but with no roads to connect its communities and people.

The only means to reach most of the coastal communities is by boat/OBM through the rough seas and rugged coastal areas which can be detrimental to people’s safety and costing lives in some cases. Despite the environmental and economic challenges, the people in this area face, the communities there have developed resilience and co-existed with these factors over the years.

During the series of awareness in the communities visited, positive sentiments were echoed in support of the CDF Act 2023.

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The participation of communities in the awareness proves EMC’s eagerness to learn about the new legislation and to realise changes to how this is intended to be implemented to improving social and economic livelihood of people in the communities.

A retired Publc Officer, Christopher Ragaruma of Tora village in Star Harbour said, “the past government must be acknowledged for these changes.

“This new CDF Act, compared to the CDF Act 2013, is much better and maybe in the near future the ministry responsible will continue to amend it to suit our present and future development aspirations.

“It is time we hold leaders, public officers and fund recipients accountable for such public funds that were supposed to help the rural people in this country,” Ragaruma expressed.

Former Makira/Ulawa Provincial Premier, Thomas Weape also shared similar sentiments.

He said the people of Maniate village and its surrounding communities will respect this new law and work closely with their Member of Parliament (MP) and MRD to see the smooth implementation of CDF in their communities.

“This is a good piece of legislation and we must acknowledge the ministry responsible for such law to govern the use of CDF and its administration.

“We have to shift our mindset and stop depending on CDF, we ourselves make us to become more dependent on CDF. We cannot blame the government for our own doings. We have the land and resources, let us start to depend on it and use CDF to boost what we want to develop,” he said.

In the Weather coast of EMC, most women stood up and commended the awareness and also EMC and MRD officers for visiting their communities.

“This is the first of its kind and you are bringing the government to us, we feel we have been left our due to our remoteness. But coming to us and to talk about this new law is something we the women really appreciated.

“This law talks about inclusivity and we believe it is high time EMC and the ministry responsible include us women in rural areas to participate in development,” a women representative in Mage community expressed during the question-and-answer session.

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

MRD believes that such awareness program creates a better understanding on the constituents’ roles and responsibilities under the new legislation.

It was an informative and interactive sessions as constituents were given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss openly with MRD on the areas which they wished to have clarifications on.

Meanwhile, Chief Communications and Public Relations Officer, Andrew Fanasia Jr on behalf of MRD expresses appreciation to the Member of Parliament for EMC and Minister for the Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock (MAL), Honourable Franklyn Derek Wasi for his support for this awareness program in his constituency.

Mr. Fanasia also thanked communities and constituents in the eight wards for their participations and everyone involved which ensued in the success of the series of awareness programs.

Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Timan Tauni acknowledged MRD for accepting the constituency’s office invitation to carry out the awareness in EMC.

“EMC constituents fully support this new law and will support EMC Office in its CDF implementation in their communities.

“We want to make sure that the implementation of CDF in EMC is fair, inclusive and equitable,” Mr. Tauni said.

He further said that the awareness in collaboration with MRD is part of the constituency’s office preparatory efforts to ensure constituents have a better understanding and information about the new CDF law before any implementation of the CDF program could be carried out in the constituency.

The 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.

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