The announcement of the care taker government of the country’s zero growth economy recently reflects the past government’s poor governance, says Ma’asina Malaita Forum (MMF) technical head Martin Housanau.
Housanau said the government should not be making excuses with the recent April floods and the closure of St Barbara mining company for the current economic situation the country has gone through.
“The closure of Gold Ridge mine and the April floods are only happening few months ago. So the government should not use that as an excuse to cover up for the country’s zero economic growth. The truth is the zero growth is the measure of the past government’s performance,” Housanau said.
He said one of the main contributing factors to the country’s poor economic performance was because of the government’s establishment of too many economic extractive institutions.
He stressed that these institutions were established to draw millions of public funds that should have been used for other socio-economic activities other than for those self serving individuals.
“A very good example is the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission. All the Members of Parliament have worked out from parliament with $400,000 each. Even the wife of the Prime Minister benefits from these funds,” Housanau said.
Addin,g these funds could have been used for development and improvement of social services and yet sucked into MPs’ pockets.
Housanau stressed that these are the institutions that draws public funds and as a result affects the economy.
He said if these institutions are abolished, millions could have been save and used for better economic activities than what is actually unfolded before the eyes of all Solomon Islanders.
By DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
