MRD gets highest budget of $341m, Kuma says it must benefit everyone not just a few

The Government has allocated a total of $341.0 million to support rural development and growth initiatives through the constituency development programme in 2022, Minister of Finance, Harry Kuma announced last week in his budget speech.

This allocation is the single biggest provision to any other ministries in the government this year.

Kuma said: “Solomon Islands cannot realise its development and growth potentials if the majority of our people who live in rural villages with poor access to social services, communication technologies, infrastructure, and other much needed services are left out.”

He continued: “Government aims to improve sustainable livelihoods by implementing comprehensive development programs for rural areas where the majority of our people live. If we address rural development well, it can also contribute to reduce poverty in urban areas by reducing excessive population influxes from rural areas into Honiara and other urban centres.”

Kuma said armed with this conviction, the Government had decided to allocate a total of $341.0 million to support rural development and growth initiatives through the constituency development programme in 2022. This amount also includes a $20 million Budget support allocation from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).

Kuma cautioned: “In this regard, I call on all constituency office staff to be accommodative and inclusive in funding their various rural community projects. The Budget allocation under this sector is meant to benefit everyone in each respective constituency, and not just a few.”