In the latest Premiers' conference, eight provincial premiers and the Honiara City mayor have agreed that the government should increase service grants.
The Premiers, in the latest Lake Tegano Communiqué, described the existing Service Grants as "grossly inadequate" and insufficient to provide basic services to the population.They urged the government to clarify and review the allocation criteria, stressing on the need for an immediate increase to a percent agreed by both the national government and provincial governments.
The Premiers request that the new agreed percentage be included in next year's national budget.
They also requested from the national government that revenues collected through goods sales tax be transferred to the provinces where such sale had taken place.
The Premiers have also called for a greater say in the planning process and in the determining development expenditures and that such resources be made available in a more accessible manner.