13 Feb 2013

Solomons government urged to ensure correct use of aid money

1:46 pm on 13 February 2013

Transparency International Solomon Islands is urging the government to ensure relief money donated for the tsunami and earthquake relief effort in Temotu province ends up in the right hands.

Aid money for last week's disaster continues to flow in, with Taiwan adding almost 200,000 US dollars to the half million already contributed by Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.

Transparency's executive officer says a report by the auditor general into relief spending following the 2007 tsunami in Western province found two million US dollars missing.

Daniel Fenua says the report, which is no longer publicly accessible, shows that much of the funding from donors was given to MPs rather than the National Disaster Management Office.

"Our big concern is that we build a way forward to ensure that this money won't go again through these MPs accounts but rather it should go through the provincial government or the NDMO or national organisations that are more responsible to spend this money accordingly."

Daniel Fenua says the report on the 2007 disaster relief spending implicates influential government politicians, including the prime minister.