THE Rannoga and Simbo (RANOSI) Leaders Forum held in Gizo ended on Thursday 3rd of October and was hailed successful after dialogues between National and Provincial Government Leaders produced resolutions on the development plans for RANOSI’s constituency, ward and village levels.
The historic inter-governmental dialogue sessions for the first time placed the RANOSI Constituency Development Strategy Plan priority and delivery under strong scrutiny.
Eight resolutions were agreed upon during the final day of deliberation that essentially would ensure the timely formation and linkage of Village (VDC), Ward (WDC) and Constituency Development (CDC) Committees.
The program did not only see the MP and MPA members at the discussion table but also had WDC Chairpersons and Secretaries present and eliminating second information on critical issues.
RANOSI’s Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Sigoto said the resulting resolutions have proven the viability of the forum and has set precedence for future dialogues that will assure the people of RANOSI receive priority developments efficiently.
Sigoto exclaimed that a ridiculous assumption harboured by many political leaders is the caution of working with each other in the fear that one may use the collaborated assistance to oust the other in a coming election.
“We have to realise that our first and foremost responsibility is the wellbeing and welfare of our people and all ingenuous fear must be put aside for the people,” clarified MP Charles Sigoto.
The linkage between committees will bridge the voice of people living in the village so that they may have a say in the development of their home land and has become the vital component to the resolutions reached.
Village Development Plans (VDP) would be the sole responsibility of the VDC’s giving control to village people to decide what they see as critically in need.
Consequently the direct involvement of villagers through their Village Development Committee would enable them to partake in hard decisions made daily by political leaders on prioritizing projects.
Partaking in such developmental processes would allow villagers to appreciate and understand why projects are often chosen over others and why it is important to care for existing assistance.
Sigoto says the ultimate objective is to build upon the independency of individuals and families living in Rannoga and Simbo and the implementation and linkage of the VDC, WDC and CDC is a step forward in reaching the goal.
RANOSI Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Mr Amon Pallay explained that the introduction of the leader’s forum has been timely as his office had already finalized by policy in 2014 a Constituency Development Strategy (CDS) with submitted Village Plans (VP) and were entering its implementation phase.
Pallay said a courtesy visit by provincial members of Rannoga and Simbo to the management office in Honiara prompted the need for the forum.
“Visiting MPAs to the management office emphasized their intention of entering in a collaborative system and the motivation was welcomed by the MP who saw it as a missing component of effective development delivery rural areas.”
Constituency Project Officer (CPO) Mr Morris said that in the past it has been common to be mis-informed on the capacity, capability and jurisdiction differences of national and provincial government leaders when it comes to money and projects.
“For the first time we have been able to sit down together to share, discuss and explain to each other what we as leaders are able to do and why this is so.”
“More so the forum has enabled us to hear and understand our short falls and strategize on what is achievable by bringing our available resources together,” said Morris.
A working framework to better merge the different timelines and timetables of national and provincial government feasible year is to be created and is expected to be completed under the resolved timeframe in the coming months.
Rannoga and Simbo is often perceived as being two rural and remote islands despite its proximity from Gizo but has become the first to have openly taken the step into linking government leaders to ensure the fair and efficient delivery of development to its people.
By TERENCE ZIRU
In Gizo
