TSI appalled as 600K Stimulus Package only goes to Gov’t MPs

Information in the mainstream media and the revelation at the Public Accounts Committee hearing that the Opposition Members of Parliament were left out in the distribution of the Economic Stimulus Package released under the COVID 19 SOE responses.  An amount of $600,000 of the Stimulus package was released through members of parliament in the name of Constituents or people of the constituencies that could not meet the criteria for the Stimulus package such as being a registered business etc.  Unfortunately, OUR Party-Political Party Machine under the guise of Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement, and in the interest of its own advancement has discriminated against the distribution of the said funds and amount to Members of the Opposition Group and Independent Group.  Transparency Solomon Islands is not only appalled but deeply disturbed, and that Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement has become a power unto itself using the situation to either lure more MPS to OUR Party or to punish them and their constituencies and derive them of the Economic Stimulus Package.  Under the State of Emergency Powers Regulations, they have made use of the huge power they now have to keep themselves in power come election days and perhaps to lure more opposition members across or for whatever other reasons it had. Transparency Solomon Islands hopes and prays that Opposition Parliamentarians can see through this and ensure democracy survives.

It is disgraceful that only 29 MPs within the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) received the funds in the name of Economic Stimulus Package intended to assist the people in the constituency.

Transparency Solomon Islands calls on the Prime Minister to put aside what differences he may have with the Leader of Opposition and serve the people of Solomon Islands.  Since what you have decided is to put these funds through Members of Parliament distribute the same amount to the Opposition and Independent MPs. Not doing that would not only add weight to the disappointment expressed by the Leader of the Opposition group at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting last week and could be speaking loudly of the true intention behind the $600,000 pay out.

The $600,000 paid out to each MP in the name of Economic Stimulus Package to assist constituents during this covid-19 pandemic raise more questions, after it was revealed that only those in the DCGA government received the fund.  The explanation given by Secretary to Prime Minister Dr. Jimmy Rodgers that the category of people targeted in this funding is for people in the villages who engage in commercial activities but were operated without a registered business or a license is nonsense and does not answer the questions raised in that forum. Obviously being away for a number of years he has lost touch with the people he speaks so superficially about. Transparency Solomon Islands here reminds the Secretary to Prime Minister about these people that he speaks about and the reason why they deserve more attention than the registered and licensed entities.

Majority of our people live in the rural area [85%], where there is no hunger, but subsistence affluence. They own houses and have the type of freedom, peace, sharing and caring that the government should build upon and improve.  These people get food from their garden and forest, fish from the sea and feed themselves.  A lifestyle often denied by national leaders for their own benefit and forgets about after being elected. This lifestyle and village resilience that is now looking after the people must be acknowledged as the biggest safety help to our efforts to deal with corona virus. Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) believes that they are the real strength of our country and one that we should value, protect it and merge it into any stimulus package or development plan for Solomon Islands. Denying them through the member of parliament they voted in because they are not in your OUR Party is denying them their citizenship, and their basic human rights. Help them in the way they wanted to be assisted.

Rural farmers supply both consumable goods in the local market and contribute to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country during these hard times, by continuing to produce exportable commodities such as copra, cocoa, kava and most importantly taking care of their own food security.

The game has now changed from subjecting constituents to the common culture of only voters to only MPS of OUR Party to be allocated is gravely disturbing. It seems now layer upon layer of obscure selection criteria under SOE.

Whilst the process is already cumbersome obscure, and difficult already for people to access these funds, it is now doubly difficult for constituencies whose members are not members of OUR Party. Transparency Solomon Islands is concern to hear complainant who confirmed that whilst  fund is to assist those who do not meet the criteria set for the stimulus package, the message that the $600,000 is under their discretion to decide means it is for their voters only.

Transparency Solomon Islands recognizing the role the rural people play in our economy and in feeding themselves unlike countries that are dependent on employment holds the view that the $600,000 channeled to MPs should be aimed at circulating funds in these communities and food security.

Around 13 MPs from the Opposition and Independent group were denied the pay out and their constituents are hopefully waiting to have a share of the $600,000. But only 29 Members of Parliament in the Government side received $600,000 each; a payout which was done on June 20. This totals up to $17.4 million; which was reportedly paid to the 29 MPs to help them with their constituency programs during this covid-19 crisis.

According to information circulated in the media the 29 MPs who receive the $600,000 each are

Baegu Asifola Constituency	Lau Baelelea Constituency
Central Kwara’ae Constituency	West Kwaio Constituency
East Kwaio Constituency,	Ngella Constituency
Fataleka Constituency	South New Georgia Rendova Constituency
East Malaita Constituency	East Guadalcanal Constituency
North Malaita Constituency	Maringe Kokota Constituency
North West Choiseul Constituency	Ulawa Ugi Constituency
South Guadalcanal Constituency	Central Makira Constituency
Temotu Nende Constituency	Russell & Savo Constituency
East Choiseul Constituency	Temotu Pele Constituency
Gao Bugotu Constituency	Gizo Kolombangara Constituency
North East Guadalcanal Constituency – Vacant
West Honiara Constituency,	Temotu Vatud Constituency
West Guadalcanal Constituency,	, Marovo Constituency,
Rennell Bellona Constituency	Hograno Kia Havulei Constituency.

None of these MPs are from the parliamentary opposition group or the Independent bench. Interestingly, North East Guadalcanal is without an MP but is receiving the package.  Who will be in charge of the management and administration of this fund?  Will it be James Vokia who was disqualified as an MP in the High Court.  None of these make any sense. Another question already raised centers around if the MPS that were left out representing the people in the constituencies who voted them into parliament? Are those constituencies no longer part of Solomon Islands?    Is the fund coming from China resulting in those MPS who question the switch left out with their constituencies?  Provide some believable answers Secretary to Prime Minister. As a medical doctor are you saying when the direct flight from China comes back it is only likely to bring COVID 19 back to Solomon Islands and only the 29 MPs constituency will be put at risk.  The best should be to channel these funds through the provincial government who know their people.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Voters in the 21 constituencies whose MPs did not receive the Economic Stimulus Package have already raised the questions on the $600,000 payment.  They are curious to know and asking their Members of Parliament why they missed out and if they did receive funds for their constituencies.  It is obvious that their MPs could not provide the much-needed assistance from this economic stimulus package, simply because he is not a member of OUR Party and nor in the DCGA regime.

Also, according to the Secretary to Prime Minister Dr. Jimmy Rodgers’ explanation at the PAC meeting last week he said there are commercial activities in the constituency that are not registered, so the $600,000 is purposely to assist those constituents who did not meet the criteria. He went on to explain the stimulus package is to help businesses in terms of tax rebates and incentives used to stimulate the economy and save the country from the current covid-19 crisis. These measures were taken by the government to counter the impact of global recession and stimulate the economy. You convince no one especially the Parliamentary Committee you appear before.  It seems you are more interested in keeping your job than doing the right thing by the people of Solomon Islands who pay your salary.

While the explanation by Dr. Rodgers make no senses at all to the question of why 21 constituencies were left out from this assistance released under COVID 19 SOE Response.

Where is fairness in this distribution of Stimulus package to 50 constituencies in the country? In the absence of fairness Transparency Solomon Islands like others believe, this is a strategy for luring more MPs to join OUR Party which eventually will kill Democracy.  Using COVID 19 SOE response and public funds for that is grossly unacceptable.  If not, then it is to keep them in power come 2023 election.

The selective payments of $600,000 to each MP in the DCGA government only revealed the true purpose of the fund. And that is to keep the MPs in the DCGA regime intact for political expediency. If the fund truly a gift from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) then this is another means of keeping the numerical strength of the DCGA government on the side of PRC to win the tug of war between Taiwan and China.

Hence, Transparency Solomon Islands for democracy, transparency and accountability urge the DCGA government to treat all constituencies the same represented by their MPs.

Transparency Solomon Islands want to remind the ruling government to leave aside politics and work together with the opposition group, in order to address many challenges facing the country, at this time the impacts of the pandemic take its toll on the global economy. Both the government and the opposition group need to work together to ensure there is accountability in the way funds are being spent, seeing that this MPs stimulus package is just another irresponsible manner of handling money intended to help the country’s cash flow at this difficult time.

If we are hell bend on going directly to China to bring our people back, your action on a large number of your citizens leaving out the 21 constituencies the $600,000 makes no sense.

The requirement for the MPs that did not receive the $600,000 revealed during PAC meeting that the MPs who did not receive the $600,000 pay out need to fill up two forms, one with the Ministry of Finance and the other form with the Office of the Prime Minister is not only inexplicable but weird to say the least.   It only shows different rules for different groups and show lack of care, lack of transparency and accountability, bad governance, false pretense bad leadership under the guise of covid-19 and gross negligence of needs of the people and the nation they represent as leaders.

Transparency Solomon Islands is duty-bound to reiterate call for the DCGA government to treat all constituencies fairly when distributing funds or other forms of aid during this State of Public Emergency (SoPE). COVID 19 is not going to be selective once it arrives in the country and DCGA is doing all it can to bring it in by its direct flight to China.

Transparency Solomon Islands will continue to advocate for justice, fairness, good governance, transparency, and accountability and ensuring that corruption and its high prevalence in Solomon Islands is minimize.

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