CHARLES KARAORI – the pro-transparency campaigner on the disbursements of the government’s Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) – has issued a “please explain” to the Minister of Finance and Treasury, the Permanent Secretary, and the Secretary of the ESP Oversight committee.
“It is enough misleading the people of Solomon Islands. It is time the Minister, his Permanent Secretary, and the Secretary of the ESP tell the people the truth. Please explain,” Mr. Karaori said.
Mr. Karaori, who earlier this week described the ESP as a “scam”, said the government has engaged in spreading misinformation about the ESP since it was launched last year.
“Take for example the statement by the Minister two weeks ago. He informed the nation then that some $114.5 million in ESP funding was still unused. What I had found out from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury was the complete opposite.
“Officers have confirmed to me the ESP has run out of funds. And I believe them because if there was money still in it, why did the government sell treasury bonds to the National Provident Fund to the tune of $60 million only last week?
“This to me shows the government no longer has any funds left for the ESP and those who are still waiting for news on their application I fear will be waiting forever,” he said.
Mr. Karaori also produced a copy of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which stipulated the conditions of the offer of assistance under the ESP.
His group, Charles Karaori & Gremah Alben requested $336, 000 for Alben Recovery Fishing Project to be based at Ughele Village, Western Province. While the letter said that the Project has been approved, the government offered only $5, 000 “as support to the Recipient for the purposes of activities stipulated under the letter of offer.”
Mr. Karaori said the confidentiality clause in the offer is merely adding salt to the wound.
“What can you do with this kind of money? I have signed a lot of Technical Agreements in the past and this kind of money simply represents a token of appreciation prior to the disbursement of the full funding,” an angry Karaori said.
“This is not a private affair so that it carries the confidentiality clause. The ESP is a publicly funded facility. The only confidentiality clause it should carry should be transparency. Unfortunately, transparency is missing in this whole affair from day one,” he said.
Meanwhile, an applicant from Sandly, Ngela whose Association has also missed out on ESP funding assistance told Solomon Star Members of the Sandfly Group Association were “deeply disappointed.”
“We applied for just $200, 000 to help us in our fishing project because our fishermen provide fish for Honiara consumers on a daily basis. Others do it on a weekly interval or when there is transport.
“But for us on Sandfly, fish is our source of income. The fact that we provide the Honiara market-fresh fish every day should have registered. Unfortunately, our service meant nothing to the government,” a member of the Association said.
Solomon Star was unable to get a comment from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury yesterday.
By Alfred Sasako
Newsroom, Honiara
