THE Joint Civil Society Groups & Concerned Citizens (JCSG & CC) strongly calls on Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo to honour promises and commitments made by his government to provinces and people.
The group’s interim chairman Barnabas Henson said Mr Lilo must honour promises given the very little time left to fulfil his obligations as promised.
“The recent call by the Premier of Temotu seeking answers to when Mr Lilo would deliver on the promises he made to the province is a stark reminder of many other unfulfilled promises and obligations made to other provinces in a similar manner,” Mr Henson said.
He said another similar pledge of $3million for Kilu’ufi Hospital, made on Christmas day 2013 is still being questioned by the Malaita public.
“Promises of millions of dollars for three (3) Economic Growth Centre infrastructure for Malaita also remain inconspicuous and yet to be seen.
“What about the national peace process and the TRC report? How many more unfulfilled promises are there?
“Just to juggle our memories, PM Lilo in his victory speech on November 16, 2011 said it was a new era for young people and people of Solomon Islands.
“He also said that his government would be open and transparent inviting civil-society groups and NGOs to work together with his government.
“The leadership he promised us then was to be based on a holistic approach adding that it was time the country had a stable government that would deliver services to the people. But how much of this is true?”
Mr Henson said the practise of saying one thing and doing another speaks of irresponsible governance and government.
He said making commitments that are meant to be broken is the worst kind of disservice a leader could do to his or her country.
“It would seem that PM Lilo’s promises are based on wishful thinking with no palatable options to work on.
“With the little time left, NCRA must now commit resources and time to concluding its unfinished obligations or the country will bear the responsibility for serious damage being caused not merely to progress but to the process of nation building more generally.
“We as a nation should be prepared to compensate the sectors of our society who will be adversely affected by these false promises.”
He said in the end, the decisions will be political.
“The effects of failing to deliver on promises and obligations could be pernicious. The coming weeks will reveal whether PM Lilo and NCRA will rise to the occasion,” Mr Henson concluded.
