8 Jul 2005

Solomons Government too focussed on next year's election to heed advice from EPG - commentator

10:37 am on 8 July 2005

A Solomon Islands commentator, John Roughan, doubts the Government will take the initiative called for in a critical report on the work of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.

The Pacific Islands Forum's Eminent Persons' Group compliments RAMSI on what it has achieved so far, but lists 25 recommendations for the coming year.

These include a call for the Solomon Islands Government to take more of a lead in rebuilding the country.

John Roughan, who is the advisor to the Solomon Islands Development Trust, praises the Government for making the report public, but says there's no one to take charge of implementing the recommendations.

"Their sights are set, almost unilaterally, on the next election in March 2006 - that is the only thing. There is nobody to take charge, nobody to see this as a blueprint for the future, who will say, O.K this is what we are going to do."