8 December 2010 Media Statement

What’s happened to Pacific development money?

Pacific Islands Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu remains ominously silent on what’s happened to the $4.8 million allocated to Pacific economic development in the budget, says Labour”s Pacific Islands Affairs spokesperson Su’a William Sio.

“The money was originally allocated to PEDA, an unknown and untested company, but after truckloads of questions from Labour the Government backtracked and then put the development money up for tender,” Su’a William Sio said.

“The Government promised a contract would be signed in September, but we are still in the dark about what’s happened to these funds.

“If National doesn’t know what to do with this money, it would be better off putting it into education since it has cut so much funding from early childhood education alone,” Su’a William Sio said.

“Whatever happens, however, Georgina te Heuheu owes it to the Pacific community to tell people something.

“Her continuing silence is high-handed and dismissive of the community’s well-being.”

ENDS

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