THE Malaita for Democracy (M4D) has called on the Malaita Provincial Government through its responsible division to retire the $660,000 allocated for the Malaita Provincial Second Appointed day celebration in August this year.
M4D President, Knoxly Atu and member Patrick Suri made the call through Solomon Star Auki yesterday, for transparency and accountability purposes.
They said all 33 Wards in Malaita Province were allocated $20,000 each to mark the Malaita Second Appointed Day celebrations in their respective Wards this year.
M4D said the $660,000 is public money, therefore, MPAs should be held accountable if they misused the money for other purposes.
They said that if some MPs in the national government can be prosecuted for misusing public funds, they do not see any reason why MPAs who commit the same offense at the provincial level can walk freely without being prosecuted.
“We want the MPG through its planning division to ask MPAs to show receipts of how they used the $20,000 allocated to each Wards,” the M4D group said.
The group said it is common knowledge that some MPAs have not conducted celebrations to mark the Malaita Second Appointed Day in their Wards.
“For this group of MPAs, it will be interesting to know how they used the $20,000 without hosting a celebration.
“If some MPAs misused the money then it is better that they are held accountable for their corrupt actions,” M4D insisted.
They said it is not fair when some Wards put the money into its rightful use while others are using the money for their personal gains.
By WILSON SAENI
Auki News Bureau
