The Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG) will be considering a Rehabilitation Package for the 2014 April Flash Flood victims at the Cabinet level for approval.
The Prime Minister’s Office revealed this in response to the call made yesterday by the Opposition Leader Jeremiah Manele who urged DCC to approve the Rehabilitation Package for the flood victims.
Mr Manele said the Opposition understands that the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination had already finalised the rehabilitation package and wants the DCCG Cabinet to swiftly approve the rehabilitation package for the flood victims.
But a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said it is astounded by Mr Manele’s call for swift action in approving the Rehabilitation Package as Mr Manele was the very one to be blamed for the government’s delay in facilitating the rehabilitation package.
“It is beyond belief that the Opposition Leader saw it fit to call on the DCCG Cabinet to take swift action in approving the rehabilitation package when he did little as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Development and Aid Coordination in the former NCRA Government to put together a Cabinet Paper to ensure the facilitation of this rehabilitation package.
“Any right minded person would question why the Opposition Leader was not concerned about a swift cabinet approval of the Rehabilitation Package when he was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Development and Aid Coordination.
“If he is truly concerned about the delay of the Rehabilitation Package having a ‘rippling effect’ on peace and social harmony, then the package would have been long approved by the NCRA government.
“This is a clear show of passing the buck,” it said.
The statement said the Democratic Coalition for Change Government’s decision to discuss the rehabilitation package at the Cabinet level indicates the significance it attaches to addressing this issue.
As to the Opposition Leader’s concern over the tender of the April Hill, the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the decision to tender the April Hill was made by the NCRA Government and not the DCC Government.
“It is also beyond belief that that the Opposition Leader was trying to blame the present Government for the decisions of the NCRA Government,” it said.
