THE Constituency Development Funds (CDF) Act 2023 was passed by Parliament on 22 December 2023 and came into commencement/enforcement on the 5th of January 2024.
This means that whatever offence (s) committed by a recipient (s) of the CDF after the commencement date of the new Act will be subject to penalties.
Penalties as summed up in the flyer below apply to constituents, Members of Parliament (MPs), and Public Officers if they commit an offence (s).
In summary, the CDF Act 2023 specific offences are as follows;
A Member of Parliament (MP), or a Public officer or a fund (CDF) recipient commits an offence if he or she:
- Misappropriates any funds or assets from the fund; or
- Advances materials and cash from a supplier without prior approval from the responsible ministry; or
- Fraudulently converts project assets or materials to his own use or to the use of some other person; or
- Deliberately victimises non-voters by excluding them from receiving Constituency Development Funds projects and funds without justifiable grounds; or
- Assists or causes a person to misappropriate or apply the funds otherwise than in the manner provided in this Act and Regulations.
Now that we have a new CDF Act, the responsibility is on all of us to take responsibility and comply with the new CDF law to avoid legal penalties.
We (constituents) should not be fearful of this legislation as it is there to act as a guide to our conduct in working with and applying the CDF in our development processes.
The purposes of the new CDF Act 2023 are;
- To strengthen good governance;
- To ensure improved and effective delivery mechanisms of the Constituency Development Funds and
- To promote equal and inclusive participation of all Solomon Islanders in development.
Access/download e-copy of the CDF Act 2023 through link provided below:
Constituency Development Funds Act 2023
