OUR Party President Manasseh Sogavare says the country and its aid donors can reach a common understanding on the use of aid money to address poverty alleviation and sustainable development through the adoption of its multi-decade development plan.
Mr Sogavare was speaking at the launch of OUR Party in Buala, Isabel Province last week.
He said OUR Party would like to see aid money focussed on education, health and infrastructure development instead of being thinly spread across all sectors including those that are not necessarily important for Solomon Islands that in the end becomes an avenue whereby donors pursue other agendas in the country.
Mr Sogavare said OUR Party supports the global objective that aid money should be used for poverty reduction through sustainable development and education, health and infrastructure development are the sectors directly concerned with that objective.
He said the political party would like to see more Solomon Islanders trained overseas to boost the country’s human resources base, more schools built to cater for the country’s ever increasing population and the health infrastructures throughout the country upgraded to move quality health services right down to the grassroots.
The former Opposition leader and East Choiseul MP said part of the reason for the apparent lack of control over the use of aid by the country is that it is unclear about its priorities and where there appears to be priorities.
He said the long-term objectives and how the prioritised areas fit into the overall development strategies are ambiguous.
Mr Sogavare said aid donors are mindful about their strategic and national interests and will always ensure that the conflicting priorities are measured against their interests.
“OUR Party believes we can overcome these differences and arrive at a common understanding on the use of aid money through the formulation and adoption of a long-term multi-decade development plan that will clearly outline the use of aid money in Solomon Islands.”
Mr Sogavare said OUR Party believes the adoption of the long-term multi-decade plan will also instil some control over the operations of the non-governmental organisations in the country who are right now only accountable to organisations and aid donors financing their operations.
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