South Vella La Vella Constituency (SVC) in the Western Province is investing its Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation into major cooperative projects.
An investment that will not only benefit a handful of constituents but everyone in the constituency.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) that is administering the CDF programme had its three-member team visited SVC Constituency Development Growth Centre (CDGC) lately and were impressed with the developments that are happening at the economic growth centre located at Vonunu with funding support from CDF.
These projects include; construction of two clinics; Commodities Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) buying centre; a fisheries centre; Copra buying and storage centre; coconut crushing mill facility; Police Post; wholesale/cooperative society centre; Piggery project and construction of two new police staff houses.
All these projects are funded by CDF under the leadership of the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Vella La Vella Constituency Fredrick Kologeto who is also the current Minister for the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI). Since coming into leadership in 2019, MP Kologeto has focused on long term development plans for his constituency and people.
These developments are part of the government’s continuous commitment under the leadership of MP Kologeto to decentralize services closer to its rural people.
Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Lemech Tovavaki said construction work on some of the major projects like clinics, police station/post and staff houses are now in their finishing stages.
He said the projects are meant for the benefit of everyone in the constituency while brushing aside rumours that the MP is using the CDF to develop the centre for its private benefit.
Meanwhile, Mr Tovavaki clarified that work on the CEMA buying centre has been halted due to land issues while agreeing on legal processes to take its course.
On the fisheries centre, he said the centre will be used for storage and production of block ice (ice block).
“This fishery centre is envisioned to help our rural people especially fishermen and women who engage in fishing to generate income to support themselves and their families.
“The constituency also support the construction of two clinics. One new and the other one is an existing one which the constituency help upgraded it. Construction on both projects has reached their finishing stages. Both clinics are in ward eight (8),” he said.
CDO Tovavaki also added that work on the police post and staff houses are also in their finishing stages with full completion expected in two months’ time.
“The Police Post and staff houses are our top priorities as security is important in any development undertaking. Law and order (security) must be guaranteed at all time to make sure people (can) participate freely in economic activities,” Tovavaki said.
He emphasized the wholesale establishment at the centre is for all the small store/trade owners in the whole constituency. They are the ones that will take ownership over it.
“The wholesale will be operating like a cooperative society where every business owner (store/trade owners) in the constituency will become members.
“Constituency office will have no say in this wholesale undertaking. It belongs to its members. We just facilitate the establishment and let the members take responsible for its operation,” Mr Tovavaki explained.
MRD Director of Governance Hickson George commended MP Kologeto for his incredible leadership and his constituency office staff for the major undertakings which will definitely benefit not only a few but the whole constituency.
He said this is the approach constituencies should be taking by investing in communal projects to make sure it benefits everyone regardless of whether you are a supporter or non-supporter of the sitting MP.
Mr Hickson encourages SVC to continue with the good work and at the same time calls on constituents to continue supporting their MP and the constituency office to make sure important projects are delivered and established in their constituency to help improve their livelihoods.
Director of Rural Development Division (RDD) Milfred Delemani also shared the same sentiments.
He also applauded the constituency for delivering meaningful projects that will benefit everyone in the constituency.
“This is how CDF should be utilized, especially on community projects, and I must commend MP Kologeto for his leadership and his constituency officers for taking on the challenge to deliver such live changing development that will contribute to the betterment of our rural people’s livelihood,” he said.
Mr Delemani said focusing and investing the CDF into long term development projects is important as it will encourage and bring in long term benefits for the people of the constituency.
Due to time factor, the MRD team not able to visit the clinic and piggery project sites.
