MALAITA Provincial Premier Daniel Suidani has defended the USAID SCALE Project in Malaita Province on the floor of the Malaita Provincial Assembly this week.
Speaking at the Provincial Assembly, Premier Suidani responded to critics by telling them to “allow the implementing partners to do the best they could in implementing the activities of the project”.
Mr Suidani said the support rendered by USAID Project will help Malaita move away from the handout mentality syndrome by encouraging people to “tilt the soil”.
He said there are people who are of the view that the project is too slow in its implementation.
“…let me remind those who hold the view, you tell me which big commercial projects we have here in Malaita have successfully implemented and are still in operation?
“Which evidence are you relying on to make such assumptions on the implementation of the USAID SCALE Project?
“My message to you is that let’s allow the implementation partners to do the best they could in implementing the activities of the project,” Mr Suidani said.
He said there are already projects given to a number of recipients under the Forest Development Fund Scheme and some will be announced in the coming months.
“In similar situation, there are those that have raised issues of fair distribution of projects to all parts of the province.
“While this is a fair call, it must be noted that the nature of the project is to encourage private section competition.
“The project is not a charity project; it is a project that encourages private sector innovation and competition.
“…what is the use of distributing the project equally to all parts of the province even though the project may not meet the required requirement of the projects?”
“In such case we have already failed before we start,” Mr Suidani said.
By WILSON SAENI in Auki
