THE nation’s 50 Constituencies will equally share $340 million in CDF grants this year, according to figures obtained by Solomon Star.
Total CDF per constituency is $6.8M for this year.”
It is unclear how much has been paid out already but it was “highly likely they [MPs] were only paid an instalment of $0.4M only,” according to those in the know.
The $6.8 million for each Constituency would come from local taxpayers, unlike in the past when donor funding was sometimes used to top up any short falls.
Local taxpayers will foot the $340 million bill for this item, it is understood.
It is also understood that each Constituency may have already drawn the first instalment of $400, 000 of the grants.
All 50 politicians stand to get an additional SB$1.5M in project funding to be met by donors.
But the project component is strictly subject to quality of proposal submission and won’t be paid to constituency accounts – a move which reportedly angered many MPs.
Arrangement for the payment of project component would be made directly “to the recipients and contractors who will implement the projects.”
“The indicative amount is subject to change depending on assessments. Some may get the exact funding while others may get less or more as long as they meet the criteria. It is not like CDF where they [Constituencies] automatically get the indicative funding,”.
“Power to determine the funding under RSDP rests with Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) unlike CDF.”
By Alfred Sasako
