39 Government MP’s to receive a 7.8 million PRC RCDF Funding Assistance

The government caucus has approved a SBD7.8 million for 39 constituencies from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) CDF assistance.

A Caucus minute signed by the Prime Minister, SIBC News sighted states the fund is the remaining balance of PRC CDF assistance for the 2020 fiscal year.

Under the approved 7.8 million each MP is entitled to receive $200,000 to support their constituencies.

The CDF fund is intended to support constituencies COVID-19 economic recovery efforts.

The fund is held at the ESCROW Account jointly operated by Solomon Islands Government and the Embassy of People’s Republic of China.

The minute further stated, Jimson Tanangada is handling the matter with the PRC Embassy confirming that all administrative arrangements with PRC for the release of this additional project funds have been completed.

Attached in the minute sighted by SIBC News is a schedule outlining the constituencies that will benefit from the Additional CDF assistance. 

The Prime Minister’s Office will soon release a formal media statement to clarify the issue.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition, Hon. Matthew Wale described the continued funding of the National Development Funds (NDF) by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) directly to support the Prime Minister and his MPs as shameful. 

“These funds are not for national development at all. The title of National Development Funds is to mock the people of this country. The Fund was started by Taiwan and is being continued by China. The funds are purely political, used by the Prime Minister to maintain his office. And the fact that the funds are paid by a foreign power is an egregious breach of Solomon Islands sovereignty and undermines the government’s ability to maintain any semblance of independence in its foreign policy, says Wale.

He says, the Solomon Islands sovereignty and national interest has been undermined when a foreign power finances the political interests.

“It is shameful! This Prime Minister has built his reputation as the champion of sovereignty when he fought hard to resist RAMSI in its early days, but it seems he has no problem at all receiving direct foreign power funding to secure his political interests, without the slightest thought of the impact on the sovereignty he often pretends to protect,” the Opposition Leader stressed.

The Opposition Leader said he is extremely disappointed in the PRC Embassy in continuing the NDF in this way.

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