"Financial Empowerment"

Finance is perhaps the most enabling tool when it comes to helping people to help themselves. Financial help has got to be such that is free from any attached commitments on the part of the donor.

A Donor or provider of finance can be Government, Aid Donors, Politicians or Donor Agencies.

In Solomon Islands donor money has flooded the Nation, but the impact of such assistance is few and far in between. Despite such feelings, real or perceived, donors expect support for its assistance; our leaders sometimes feel compelled to express such support publicly in international forums – others are done privately when government Heads hold talks.

Such an approach is also true for our politicians, entrusted with millions of dollars to help the rural population. The general expectation is that they will get support come Election Day. Voters sometimes openly express their support while others are reminded privately by supporters to remember the 'kind' assistance offered. Such help can be withdrawn, if the political expectations are not met. The above scenarios are short term resultant expectations.

So how can we, Solomon Islanders, be financially empowered?