Solomon Islands MRD: Interview For Constituency Positions Set For June 27-28

The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) has scheduled interviews for the constituency's various positions for this coming Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June 2024.

These positions include Constituency Development Officer (CDO), Constituency Project Officer (CPO) and Constituency Accountant Officer (CAO).

The interview venue will be at the Honiara Senior High School Hall in China Town.

Details about the interview and timing have already been communicated by the ministry to the successful and shortlisted candidates.

The ministry has been very busy over the past weeks with screening and shortlisting of candidates for this interview process for these very important positions, in compliance with CDF Act 2023 and the Public Service Commission (PSC) Regulation.

On April 25, the ministry put out an advertisement in the media for submissions from interested candidates for the constituency positions.

A total of 572 applications were received by MRD after submissions closed on May 16, 2024.

This was the highest figure the ministry ever noted compared to its previous normal recruitments.

The interview process and undertaking are part of the ministry’s commitment to implement the new Constituency Development Funds (CDF) Act 2023 requirements.

Meanwhile, the ministry would like to make it clear to the voters, constituents, and the public that the payment of the Constituency Development Funds (CDF) for this financial year will be processed when the minimum standards of the CDF Act 2023 to access the funds are met. The ministry is working very hard to make sure this will happen as soon as practicable.

This is because procurements of the CDF have to be according to the recently enacted CDF Act 2023, which was gazette end of last year following its ascension by the Governor General.

The CDF Act 2023 came into full force on January 5 this year.

The ministry therefore calls for understanding from voters and constituents to be patient with their Members of Parliament as due processes are being facilitated.

“Now that we have a new CDF Act, all procurements must now be according to the Act in support of the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA) 2013.”

According to the CDF Act 2023, the following has to be completed to qualify a constituency to apply for funding support under the CDF program. These are;

• Recruitment of Constituency Development Officer (CDO), Constituency Project Officer (CPO), Constituency Accountant Officer (CAO) by the Ministry of Public Service (MPS) through MRD. The ministry has received a huge number of applications for the three positions and has just completed the shortlisting of suitable candidates for these positions. Recruitment is expected to be completed by end of the month and according to merit as per the CDF Act 2023 and PSC Regulations.
• Appointment of Constituency Development Committees (CDCs) – Section 13 of CDF Act 2023 compels; respective Members of Parliament will submit an endorsement of at least five names of committee members to the Permanent Secretary of MRD for appointment. The constituency development committee shall be responsible for approval of the constituency's four-year development and work program along with its budget which is, to be funded by the CDF. So far, the majority of the constituencies have already submitted the names of their respective committee members and the ministry is now conducting a vetting process before their appointments will be made.
• Development Plan – each constituency is required to submit their four years development plan to the ministry for final approval and financing under the CDF allocation for each constituency. The development shall be prepared by the constituency officers and obtain approval from the committee before it shall be submitted to the ministry. Therefore, this particular requirement depends on the recruitment of the three officers and the appointment of the constituency development committee.
• Constituency Office – each constituency must have an office where it is convenient.
• Constituency Account – unlike in the past, constituency accounts will no longer be signed by Members of Parliament but by the accountable and accounting officers.

CDF is a program of the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) administered by MRD and is implemented through the 50 constituencies in the country purposely to improve the social and economic livelihoods of all Solomon Islanders.

MRD’s vision is to ensure all rural Solomon Islanders become meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihood.

Further information can be sought from the ministry by contacting these phone contacts: 25238/25239/25254.

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