THE Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) has commended the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Guadalcanal Constituency (SGC), Rollen Seleso and his constituency office for their continuous support and delivery of meaningful projects towards improving social and economic livelihoods of its rural people.
This was after MP Seleso who is the Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening handed over 17 fiberglass boats and 40 horsepower Outboard Motor Engine (OBMs) with their accessories to the first 17 communities in SGC in Honiara last Friday.
The boats and OBMs which cost SBD$1.7-million in Constituency Development Funds (CDF) were received by the 17 Chairmen representing their communities in the constituency. Actual delivery to the communities is set for this week.
The boats and OBMs were procured under the South Guadalcanal Constituency Emergency Transport Project 2022, emergency commitments.
Representing MRD during the official handover, Senior Officer and Principal Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Timoly Carter said the Ministry is confident that the 17 chairmen who received these assets will ensure the effective and efficient management of these assets to serve their rural people.
“MRD believes that the support you receive from your Member of Parliament Honourable Seleso will serve its purpose for many years to come,” she said.
Ms Carter said MRD through its Constituency Development Programme will continue its support to improve the rural basic infrastructure development for every Solomon Islander.
She also added that the 17 boats and OBMs were procured under the Constituency Development Programme through the Constituency Development Fund 2022, purposely for the 17 communities’ emergency commitments.
“Emergency Transportation is in line with MRD Strategic Goal 3; an integrated development process that facilitates a sector-wide approach and promotes genuine partnership for Rural Development.
“It also aligns with the Strategic Development Goal 9; Innovation and Infrastructure and National Development Strategy Objective 1; sustain and inclusive economic growth.”
Ms Carter further added that MRD is confident that this CDF support will further strengthen the collaboration that exists between the National Government and the people of the South Guadalcanal Constituency.
She affirmed that MRD is fully committed to see that all rural Solomon Islanders become meaningfully participated in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihoods.
Minister Seleso, in turn, thanked the National Government and MRD for the funding support.
“As your leader, I will make sure that these boats and OBMs serve their intended purposes in our communities.”
He said SGC has its own development plan for the constituency covering three main pillars namely infrastructure, social and productive sector and transportation.
He said because of the limited resources that the constituency has, it cannot provide boats & OBMs to individuals for now but only to communities.
“We already purchased a ship (Southern Coast 1) last year to service our people in South Guadalcanal. Now it is important that we deliver these boats to communities purposely for emergency purposes for our people to aid them when there is a need arise like transporting sick to the hospital or provide logistical support to community programs and activities.
“There are other communities that yet to received their support of boats & OBMs and we are planning to deliver their projects next year,” he said.
Minister Seleso urged the community committees that are responsible for the boats and OBMs to look after the assets well to make sure they serve people in the communities.
“A lot of development is coming up and we must continue to support each other and work together to ensure we achievement our development aspirations towards improving livelihood of our people in rural South Guadalcanal,” he said.
He further encouraged the 17 communities in his constituency to look after the properties and use them for the greater good of constituents.
Meanwhile, the community recipient representative, Francis Netana, thanked their Member of Parliament for his continuous support through the Constituency Development Programme and assured Minister Seleso that the communities will certainly look after the million-dollar assets.
Mr Netana thanked the national government through SGC for the generous gifts of the boats and OBMs which he said will ‘really’ help communities in times of emergency.
“This is a millstone achievement for us and we are so thankful for our MP and the national government for the assistance.”
An agreement to safeguard the use of the assets was also signed between the recipients (17 communities) of the boats & OBMs and the South Guadalcanal Constituency.
RM Fiberglas Engineering Company which is also a government preferred supplier built the boats. The locally owned company specialist in building of boat and cones, eskies, water tanks, chairs, and fiberglass sittings. OBMs were supplied by Y-Sato company.
The company also builds and supplies boats and canoes for other constituencies.
–MRD
