NEWLY elected Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Guadalcanal Ethel Vokia says funding for her constituency under the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) will be distributed accordingly when received.
Mrs. Vokia said at the moment the constituency’s account is still not cleared therefore, she is yet to receive funding from the Economic Stimulus Package in the constituency’s account.
The government’s ESP stimulus package funding for North East Guadalcanal was heavily criticised after Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) revealed that $1.2million was allocated for the constituency even though the constituency was without an elected Member of Parliament.
Mrs. Vokia was elected to fill the vacant seat after winning in last month’s by-elections.
Speaking to Solomon Star Ms. Vokia said once the account is cleared and funding from the stimulus package came through she will be disbursing it for her constituency.
Mrs. Vokia made this comment when donating two generators, two lawnmowers, and five chainsaws with their frames and chains to churches and communities in her constituency yesterday.
Tau and Lulunga Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Churches received the generators, Kamau and Samaria youths received the lawnmowers while the chainsaws were given to Nanini, St Mary, and Beghotahi communities for their housing project.
Mrs. Vokia wasted no time since her win in continuing to fulfill the constituency’s development plan.
Two days after her election she donated three ray boats with their outboard motors and last week she delivered building materials for some 200 houses within the 19 polling stations of her constituency.
“We are working on 30 houses per polling station and we already finish three polling stations.
“Work on putting up posts is already progressing,” Mrs. Vokia said.
She added that the delivery of project materials will continue into the New Year and the next group to receive materials are the churches under the church grant.
One of the recipients said this was the first time they have received such assistance from a Member of Parliament.
The teacher, known only as Remu, was among those who received building materials from the MP.
“Over the past 12 years, for most of us, it is our first time to get such huge assistance from our MP and we really thank her for her leadership and consideration to our rural living,” the Numbu Community High School teacher said.
He said all constituents are aware of the constituency’s development plan and they will be working closely with their MP to ensure all these plans are fulfilled within the time frame.
“With the new leadership of Mrs. Vokia and her husband’s support as our former MP, it seems that the constituency is moving forward in terms of development and we hope to be somewhere up there in the coming years,” he said.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
Newsroom, Honiara
