‘All Constituents entitled for CDF’
All constituencies in the country are entitled to the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).
Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Maelanga clarified in a Government statement saying, it is in the Government’s interest that all provinces receive and benefit from funds committed to the development of all constituencies.
He said recent media references to the issue were published without official consultation or verifying the facts.
Hon. Maelanga said the Government also has to respect the Auki Communique.
Clause 7 of the Communique ‘rejects the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its formal systems based on atheist ideology’, along with statements by the Malaita Premier Hon. Daniel Suidani who has openly refused to recognize PRC in the local and international media.
Mr. Maelanga said this provincial position will be respected saying, CDFs currently being disbursed only consist of funding provided by the People’s Republic of China.
Meanwhile, the MP for East Malaita said the exclusion of certain constituencies from PRC funding is due to the Auki Communique and the decision by MPs who supported the position taken by Premier Daniel Suidani following the diplomatic switch.
The Government understands, what transpired in the Auki Communique was purported to be in the best interest of Malaita Province and not just a few who might be using the recent diplomatic switch to lure support for personal interest.
But Hon. Maelanga said the Government will work to collectively address proposals raised in the Communique and ensure all constituencies receive available support from the government and development partners.