Honiara: 6 March 2018
Letter to the Editors, Island Sun and Solomon Star newspapers.
SERVICE TO OTHERS AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF LEADERS
An article in the Island Sun newspaper on Tuesday this week cited a claim that voters in a certain Ward in Malaita province had questioned their MPA about the ward grant the MPA had allegedly received over a period of eight years and how he had spent that money, allegedly about $1.6 million over that time.
Without going into specifics, the voters of the ward in question raised concerns because they claimed they had not received any assistance from the particular MPA.
In keeping with previous comments I have often made in writing to the local media, MPs, whether those sitting in the National Parliament or MPA’s in Provincial Assemblies are first and foremost servants of the people they are elected to represent and are duty bound to serve the interest of the voters.
If allegations of corrupt practices in the administration of the country are to be resolved then those who represent the people must be held to account and in the case of the distribution of ward grants or the disbursement of CDF funds subject to close supervision and auditing of all monies they receive on behalf of their constituents.
It is all too common to read of allegations of corruption involving leaders and perhaps unjustified in some cases, but to counter such allegations it would be in the best interest of all to be open and accountable for all dealings.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
