Care-taker PM: CDF Act 2023 will deliver development to rural areas

The Constituency Development Fund Act (CDF) sets the foundation for the decentralisation of development programs to the provinces. 

Caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare made the statement in parliament when reflecting on his government’s push to have the Act passed. 

Mr Sogavare said the Act will see the deployment of public officers and resources to rural areas.

“This bill sets the foundation for comprehensive decentralisation of programs which will see public officers in the productive and resource sectors sent to the constituencies growth centers to implement the approved national rural development program. This policy is designed to address an important reality about where the strength of the country lies, which is in the rural areas,” Mr Sogavare said. 

The act is said will [to] also address one of the ongoing concerns that development programs and projects were only implemented in urban areas only. 

Mr Sogavare claimed, putting resources and development in Honiara is one of the causes of past civil unrest events.

“One of the powerful messages that comes out from the log of demands by the provincial governments and the people that caused the country to collapse in 2000 is the decentralization of developments which is concentrated in the urban areas for a longtime from which we paid dearly for this negligence,” Mr Sogavare said. 

He added the recently passed CDF Act is part of a comprehensive strategy will deliver development to rural areas. 

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By Sharon Nanau