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Thursday, June 05, 2008

The Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) is politicised: Roughan

The Rural Constituency Development Fund is being misused by politicians now campaigning to retain their seat in Parliament at the 2010 national elections.

Roughan said that the sole purpose of the RCDF when the late Solomon Mamaloni introduced it was to act as an initiator for the RCDF to provide support for the people living in rural areas to help them trigger any business activities they want to venture into in Agriculture, Fisheries and other economic activities to stimulate their rural economy.

In an interview with Dr Roughan he said that any idea for the CNURA Government to change the purpose of this funding so that politicians can be directly involved in the decision making process on how this funding must be utilize is a broad day light robbery because politicians will use this funding for campaigning purposes.

Roughan said it’s a common knowledge and cannot be denied by the people of this nation that the RCDF has been used by politicians as free hand outs for things like school fees, buying of coffins and other personal needs for the people and this is total political scoring of points to gain massive support in their constituencies for the national elections.

He said that politicians want to stoop deep their hands into the RCDF because they will use it for their own purpose rather than to allow rural people to take control of the RCDF. One of the classic examples of how politicians have misused funding for the rural people was when the Development Bank of Solomon Islands was emptied by politicians in the early 90’s

In the 90’s when people arrived in Honiara to apply for projects through the Development Bank of Solomon Islands for the funding allocated for rural people, they were unable to get help because politicians had already used up available funds for loans with the DBSI. He said that it is obvious today that some leaders in the government become Million airs because of this RCDF.

There is an increase of funding for rural people and if politicians continue to involving in this RCDF after their four years term in government some politicians will become Millionaires. It is common that since the establishment of RCDF for each constituency receives SBD$1000, 0000, 00 and yet some people still complain because there is no tangible economic development found in their constituencies.

Source: Peoplefirst network

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