PREMIER MAPULI ALLEGED TOURISM FUNDS DIVERTED
Overlooking the Tulagi Barbour, from where the Number One House is located. Photo credit: SIBC.
The Provincial Premier for Central Islands Province Hon. Selwyn Mapuli has questioned the diversion of the $1 million fund allocated to construct the British Number One House in Tulagi.
Reconstruction of the British Number One House in Tulagi is the National Tourism Project in Central Province.
Premier Mapuli told SIBC News, the Ministry of Tourism initially budgeted the amount for the Tulagi Tourism project but was diverted to the National contingent of the Guam Festival of Pacific Arts.
He calls on the Minister for Tourism and Member of Parliament for Ngella Constituency Hon. Bartholomew Parapolo to explain the diversion if it’s true.
“Information collected from some informants from the Ministry had it that the money has been diverted to the festival of the Pacific Arts in Guam recently on the approval from the Minister of Culture and Tourism. I am calling on the Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture to explain why the funds for the Number One House has been diverted to the Guam festival and thus, what assurance can inform Central Provincial Government when similar funding would be made available so that the work on the Number One House project should kick off.”
The Provincial Premier said the project has been budgeted for by the National Government over the past three years.
SIBC News will run a separate story on Minister Parapolo’s response.