MRD conducts awareness on new CDF Act 2023 in Reef Islands

The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) has successfully conducted an informative awareness on the new Constituency Development Funds (CDF) Act 2023 for communities in Reef Islands, Temotu Province on Thursday 22nd February 2024. 

The awareness is part of the ministry’s ongoing provincial outreach programme to raise awareness and educate rural people and citizens on the new CDF law. 

Held at Nopali village on Lomlom Island, the awareness was a great success and also an educational session for the communities as the MRD awareness team made presentations on the content and provisions of the new Act and past practices under the old 2013 Act.

People from six (6) wards in Temotu Pele Constituency attended the awareness which included community leaders, chiefs, church leaders and elders, women leaders, youths and children.

The awareness which intends to provide right information about the new Act will not only help our rural people and communities better understand their roles under the new law but will also help them to use it accordingly. 

The new CDF Act 2023 was passed by Parliament on 22 December 2023 and came into full force on 5 January 2024 after the Governor General Sir David Vunagi passed it and signed by the then MRD Minister Hon. Duddley Kopu on 30th December 2023.

A Gazette legal notice declaring the CDF Act 2023 came into force was already published on 30th December 2023 by the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC). It replaced the CDF Act 2013. 

Director Rural Development Division of MRD Milfred Delemani who led the awareness team said by reaching out and sharing the right information to our rural people who are mostly the beneficiaries of this law will help them understand it.

He said despite the bad weather and rough seas, the team managed to reach Reef Islands on Tuesday and deliver the program and educate our rural people on the new CDF Act.  

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. 

Setting the scene for the awareness, MRD Rural Development Division (RDD) Deputy Director George Balairamo presented to the attendees the CDF practices under the old CDF Act 2013, its pros and cons, challenges and the way forward for improvement through the new CDF Act 2023.

The awareness was a great success. A very informative and also an emotional one as constituents including community leaders, chiefs, church leaders and elders, women leaders, youths and those in attendance openly expressed themselves through commentaries in acknowledging the then DCGA government for passing the new Act.

They also expressed profound gratitude to DCGA through MRD team under the guidance of PS Dr Viulu for their priceless and diligent efforts and everyone who contributed to the success of the new Act for the bravery and commitment towards the formulation of the Act from consultation right up to its passing in Parliament despite the ultimatums and challenges faced throughout the course. 

Walking constituents through the new Act was Director RDD Milfred Delemani who delivered a mesmerizing presentation on the main sections in the new Act which include governance, appointment of constituency officers, misconduct in office, Inclusivity, constituency development plan, signatories to constituency bank accounts, constituency assets and reporting, offences and penalties and how the law will be functional as stipulated in the new CDF Act 2023.

The awareness cleared many doubts and questions Pele constituents have for the CDF program with some describing the new CDF Act 2023 as a way forward for rural development in the country to improve livelihood. 

Some commented that the new Act is the hope for the country as Rural Development and decentralization of government services in the rural areas is concerned through the establishment of Constituency Development Growth Centres (CDGC) as provided for in the new Act.

Speaking on behalf of the more than 600 attendees, retired Senior Public Servant Solomon Palusi thanked the MRD team for the awareness program. 

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

Mr Palusi further acknowledged the caretaker DCGA government, stakeholders, individuals and everyone who supported MRD through the course of the development of the CDF Act which is now being enforced.

MRD will conduct similar awareness talks in other constituencies and communities across the country in the coming months.

ENDS///

MRD