The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) through its Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit has successfully conducted Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) 2019-2021 funded projects in South Guadalcanal Constituency (SGC) recently.
The objectives of the M&E were:
- To verify the implementation status of projects funded by CDF program in the constituency from 2019- 2021.
- To establish community participation in the CDF funded projects in the constituency.
- To investigate the level of awareness of CDF among community members.
- To determine the level of satisfaction of community members in CDF funded projects.
Principal Monitoring and Evaluation officer, Timoly Carter said the monitoring exercise was a success.
“Establishing a neutral account of how SGC Office administer their Solomon Islands Government (SIG) Support to Constituency Development Fund (SSCD) project grants on their infrastructure projects is an integral part of the M&E activity. Our team conducted the M&E from 30th May-3rd June 2022. Projects monitored and assessed included those funded by SIG and Peoples Republic of China (PRC) since 2019”.
She said the monitoring exercise will enable MRD and the SGC office to take appropriate measures to identify shortfalls that might hinder the implementation progress of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 projects, from achieving its utmost desired outcome namely establishing permanent church buildings and community hall infrastructures for SGC communities.
Ms. Carter said it is obvious that SGC is very inclusive in its constituency development initiatives and approach as more importance and support is pitched towards community infrastructure projects such as church buildings, community halls, schools and clinics which benefits everybody. The M&E exercise was jointly implemented by MRD, the SGC office and MPA for Duidui ward Hon. John Stewart.
Constituency monitoring of CDF projects is part of the MRD’s ongoing activity on CDF funded programmes being implemented within the 50 constituencies.
“Relevant data/information collected will support the ministry in its undertaking to assess status of projects and impact’s the fund (CDF) have on the lives of constituents. Not only the data collected is important but gathering evidences on the ground by officers that constituencies utilized the funds as intended is paramount. There are positive and negative responses we have received and that is the main purpose of the activity, to get comments/feedback so that we can draw up recommendations for improvement and consider a way forward to guarantee every Solomon islander participated meaningfully in socio-economic development activities.”
MRD also understands that South Guadalcanal Constituency under their current member of parliament, has established a shipping company and a hardware shop as business arms of the constituency to assist with developing his constituency.
Ms. Carter on behalf of MRD thanked the SGC administration office, beneficiaries of the fund and communities in the constituency for the support rendered that resulted in the success of the monitoring exercise.
Hon. Rollen Seleso is the current Member of Parliament (MP) for SGC. He entered Parliament in 2019.
MRD is fully committed to see that all rural Solomon Islanders meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihoods.
