Rural people want access to money

Community leader, Philip Piri of East Wainoni, Makira Ulawa province has appealed for help to get aid into rural areas.

He says rural people need education about the type of funding assistance that is available to them.

Mr Piri says at the moment, many people in rural parts of the country are not getting funding that is intended for them.

He says this is despite the availability of millions of dollars of aid through various funding agencies intended to help improve the living standards of rural dwellers.

Mr Piri says the problem is caused by ignorance of assistance schemes and the procedures to obtain funding.

He says Government and non government organisation officials should distribute information to people about how they can obtain funding.

Mr Piri says most people who benefit from existing schemes are city and town residents.

He says people who live in the interior parts of the islands, not accessible by roads are the losers.

In another related news, Parliamentary Leader of Opposition Fred Fono is calling for strict controls on the distribution of new funding to help reduce poverty.

He says the government must provide guidelines and project criteria to the public and members of parliament for the use of the money.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare recently announced that another 400-thousand dollars will be made available to members of parliament through the Poverty Alleviation Fund.

Mr Fono says information is needed on how the public can access the funds. He says some members of Parliament are yet to set up their constituency development committee. Mr Fono says M-P's need to be familiar with funding criteria to approve viable projects.

Source: SIBC