Member of Parliament for Temotu Vatud Constituency (TVC) Honourable Freda Rotutafi Rangirei has received eleven 15-horse and two 40-horse power outboard motor engines (OBM) from the Government Preferred Supplier, Fleet Solomons a locally owned company.
The engines will go towards the constituency’s fishing and transportation project, which costs more than $300,000.
Communications and Public Relations Unit (CPRU) officers under the Ministry of Rural Development witnessed the official handover in Honiara last week.
Honourable Rangirei upon receiving the outboard motor engines acknowledged the local supplier for their timely response in supplying the much-needed engines for her constituency.
She also acknowledged the Ministry for Rural Development for its role in administering the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) program so that it reaches its intended purposes as we witnessed today.
“As I have said the funds used for this fishing and transportation project comes from the Constituency Development Fund program.
“CDF has helped a lot especially when we try to improve the livelihoods of our rural people in the respective constituencies,” MP Rangirei expressed.
She further added that under CDF she was able to support individuals, families, communities, and churches in her constituency for the past years as an MP for Temotu Vatud.
“My priority for the past years and I will continue with it this year 2022 is putting more resources into my constituency human resources funded by CDF program and other related funds,” she added.
“I believe CDF program has played a vital role in improving the lives of our people but the onus is on individual MP leaders to do the right thing by improving the livelihoods of our rural people,” she added.
MP Rangirei also commended MRD for administering the CDF program.
Meanwhile, MP Rangirei confirmed that many in her constituency had already benefited from similar projects in the past and some more will get support under the current batch with others in the years ahead.
“Fishing and transport is paramount and I will continue to support them through such projects to help them improve their livelihoods,” she said.
She also stated that transportation between their remote Islands is very difficult and challenging therefore she also wants to address this need under the CDF programs SIG Support to Constituency Development (SSCD) project.
Constituency Development Officer Justin Faka Tanema on that matter further added that the recipients have been identified with schools amongst those to benefit.
“Our office will also receive fiberglass boats from one of the governments preferred supplier, JQY soon for each outboard motor engine,” he confirmed.
He urged the recipients to look after their outboard motor engines and boats and use them for their intended purposes.
Mr Tanema assured the people that the engines will be delivered with the rest of other projects to the constituency this month.
MRD the administrator of CDF program also continues to work very closely with the approved preferred suppliers making sure they deliver materials what is expected of them.
Fleet Solomons Company Managing Director Kensley Manu who handed over the OBMs thanked MRD for engaging his local company. Fleet Solomons Company had won the right to supply the engines under the MRD’s preferred supplier arrangement in 2021.
Manu said this is not the first time as he had already supplied OBMs to Temotu Vatud constituency in the past.
Fleet Solomon’s also delivered development projects materials to Malaita Outer Island and Temotu Pele constituencies last year.
“Therefore, I would like to register my sincere appreciation to the government through MRD for their trust and confidence not only to work with our constituencies but seeing it fit to support our local companies,” he added.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development thanked Honourable MP for Temotu Vatud Constituency for her continuous commitment towards supporting and improving livelihoods of people in her constituency.
He said making sure rural people participate in such socio-economic activity to improve their livelihoods is important.
PS Daonga again acknowledged the continuous active commitment of TVC MP and her project team and constituency officers in delivering such socio-economic improvement project in the constituency that would surely ease transport in and out of the constituency as well as engage in more economic opportunities or activities.
MRD is responsible for the coordination of the rural constituency development fund program in close collaboration with 50 constituencies towards delivering tangible development results in rural areas.
MRD is fully committed to seeing that all rural Solomon Islanders become meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihoods.
