THE Leader of Opposition, Hon. Matthew Wale, has rubbished the response by a faceless official within the PMO to his statement on the $200,000 PRC funding under the shameful so-called National Development Funds.
“Of course you expect that kind of response from political operatives, whose interest is only their jobs and not wider national interest”, Hon. Wale said.
The Opposition Leader said, if the shameful NDF is open to all then publish the list of beneficiaries who received these funds in 2019 and 2020.
“I am calling on the Prime Minister to publish the list of beneficiaries and corresponding amounts received in 2019 AND 2020.
“It really is very disappointing that the PRC is continuing this practice and funding. If they are requiring some accountability, that is an improvement. However, the fact that these funds are only for MPs who support the PM clearly shows these are political patronage funds,” stressed Hon. Wale.
He said the Minute signed by the Prime Minister dated 25th August 2021 is clear. The NDF is only for 39 MPs, adding that the list of those 39 MPs contain only MPs in government. This is political funding. And it is SHAMEFUL!
Hon. Wale went on to add that, “There is no way to hide it under anything else. Why this attempt to cover it up and make it sound better than it is? Why this blatant unashamed attempt to deceive the Solomon Islands public about the true nature of the shameful so-called National Development Funds? Why mock the ordinary people of Solomon Islands who are struggling on a hand-to-mouth situation? It is disrespectful of the people of Solomon Islands”.
The Opposition Leader further added that the shameful so-called National Development Funds undermine Solomon Islands sovereignty, and the fact that the Prime Minister does not see as such, is even worse!
