PROCRASTINATION OVER ECONOMY NOT HELPFUL: RARAWA
Denton Rarawa – Central Bank of Solomon Islands Governor. Photo credit: CBSI.
Central Bank of Solomon Islands Governor, Denton Rarawa has said the country seems to have a serious procrastination attitude, especially in pushing the economy forward.
Speaking last week to launch the 2013 CBSI Annual Report in Honiara, Mr Rarawa said expressions like “I’ll do it later” are quite common, which are not very helpful.
He said discussions were held at various levels of society in meetings and forums, about issues and challenges facing the country but things are much slower in terms of action.
“We discuss at different levels of society and during meetings and forums about issues and challenges facing our country and how overcome these challenges, but things never happen or if they do, they do very slowly. We are good at postponing or differing decisions or actions, such that things never get done. Earlier this year had a growth forum that was represented by a good cross-section of the Honiara based institutions. I observe that the same discussions that were echoed in other meetings on the growth topic were also repeated again at this forum. Maybe we should talk less and act more.”
He said Solomon Islands should focus its time, energy and resources on how it can get on with growing its economy than repeated talks about how it should.
Meanwhile, in support of Mr Rarawa’s comments, Finance and Treasury Minister Rick Hou said this is a lay-back attitude which is common in the country.
He said such an attitude may at times impede action adding, it is also present at government levels.
“This is a lay back attitude in the Solomons, like you don’t turn up on time and sometimes you don’t turn up to meetings, you don’t turn up to things or activities, this is that kind of activity which sometimes impede action and I do appreciate and recognise that in government you do have that attitude, but I think you can say that to almost everywhere in Solomon Islands there’s a lot of people, there’s a lot of young people that take that attitude, they roam the streets doing nothing.”