A delegation from the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is in Munda, Western Province to conduct consultation with its stakeholders on the first ever Solomon Islands Constituency Development (SICD) Policy.
Led by the Deputy Secretary Technical (DST) of the Ministry, Hugo Hebala, the team arrived today in Munda onboard Solomon Airlines flight ahead of the consultation which will be held at the Agnes Lodge, Munda tomorrow (Thursday) till Friday.
The team also comprised MRD Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) officers who will be deployed to two constituencies as of tomorrow to monitor and assess Constituency Development Fund (CDF) funded projects in the constituencies.
The two constituencies are; South New Georgia and West New Georgia. The M&E activity is expected to conclude on Wednesday next week while the consultation on the SICD Policy will end on Friday 9th September, 2022.
An inaugural consultation workshop on the SICD Policy was held in Isabel Province on 24-25th August, 2022.
Similar consultation is also underway in Tulagi, Central Island Province since yesterday (Tuesday 6th September, 2022) led by MRD, Director of Governance Hickson George while another team led by the MRD Permanent Secretary Dr. Samson Viulu will also commence similar consultation for Guadalcanal Province stakeholders at Captains Point in West Guadalcanal tomorrow Thursday 8th September, 2022.
DST Hebala said his team is looking forward to the consultation tomorrow to ensure they gather needed information for the formulation of the SICD Policy framework.
The purpose of the consultations is to enable MRD to gather invaluable inputs and recommendations from its stakeholders to assist them (MRD) towards the formulation and design of the SICD policy framework.
The policy framework will set the bases for MRD internal taskforce to develop the drafting instructions of the proposed review on the CDF Act 2013. It will also further enhance the planning, coordination, implementation and management of the CDF.
“Vision of the CD policy is to achieve safe, clean, healthy, friendly, peaceful and vibrant rural communities all throughout Solomon Islands by 2035,” Permanent Secretary for MRD Dr. Samson Viulu earlier said.
PS Viulu said that views from the wider public including from rural folks will be gathered from these consultations and a policy working draft will be distributed to all the relevant stakeholders for their invaluable inputs.
Other main features of the policy are identification of main thematic focus areas, allocation of financial resources, constituency governance, improved and more focused delivery mechanisms and proper coordination, planning and sustenance of income generating projects.
PS Viulu further stated that the CD policy is intended to guide how development can be sustainably implemented and harnessed throughout all constituencies in collaboration with relevant line ministries and other stakeholders.
“The new development policy will make more emphasis in the productive and resource sectors including essential services to address the issues and challenges faced daily by rural dwellers thereby activating an additional percentage of the productive population to contribute to the national revenue consequently grow our local and national economy.”
Similar consultations will be conducted in Malaita and in the remaining provinces in the coming weeks.
