Susuka Community in East Choiseul Constituency (ECC) will soon take ownership of a new massive ‘Community Hall’ funded by the government through the Constituency Development fund (CDF) in partnership with community support.
Located on the edge of ECC and Northwest constituency political boundary, Susuka like any other communities within the constituency is taking rural/community development seriously through its well-organized community setup and is very supportive to their Member of Parliament and the constituency office towards implementation of their community project.
“This two-story community hall 2020/2022 project comprised of six accommodation room upstairs, a big conference room for meetings and an office space. Ablution block (shower & toilet system rooms) located downstairs,” Community leader Edison Pitavato told the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) monitoring team that visited the constituency fortnight ago to assess and verify 2020-2021 CDF-funded and supported projects.
He said the establishment of the community hall complex is for the purposes that whenever visitors like government delegations and people from other organisations or any other visitors who might come around on work commitment and awareness purposes can use it for accommodation and even hire the conference room for meetings/workshops.
“It is unfortunate that often times, guests visited our community but we have no proper accommodation and meeting venue to accommodate them, and so with this new community hall complex, we hope it will address that need,” he said.
He said whatever little money that to be generated from the use of the hall will be for community commitments.
Meanwhile, Pitavato acknowledged government through their Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Manasseh Sogavare who is also the Prime Minister (PM) of Solomon Islands for his honest leadership, vision and commitment towards development aspirations of the constituency through the candid utilization of CDF.
He said have it not for the honest leadership and vision of their MP, East Choiseul would have not realized such community developments that continue to transform and impact livelihood and living standard of rural people in the constituency.
“Thank you, government, and our MP for the generous continuous assistance through the CDF programme that continue to touch our lives.”
Mr. Pitavato also thanked government through the constituency office for their unremitting commitment towards communal projects that can benefit everyone.
“We really appreciate government through our constituency office for supporting us with this new community hall which is a bonus for our community, and not only that but this project will go a long way for the advantage of our future generation.”
The project is supported by the government through the CDF programme with all -necessary hardware materials delivered at a cost of $129,109.00. Susuka community provided support through timber (s), sand, gravel and labour/manpower.
Mr. Pitavato said that partnership is the only way forward for us to realize true development in our rural communities/areas.
“Government cannot work alone. Communities cannot work alone. And for us to achieve our development needs, government and communities/people must work together. We must help each other and willing to shoulder whatever development responsibility that is charged on us. We must continue to support government development aspirations in whatever way possible for the betterment of our rural people. We must not perceive government as a service delivery body only but it is us citizens to always take responsibility in whatever development that is supported and delivered to us by the government for the betterment of our rural people and future generation,” Mr. Pitavato emphasized.
“We do not know what else more we can ask of the government through our MP. They have provided. They have assisted. Little or big, we just want to acknowledge our MP and the government for its unrelenting commitment and support through the CDF programme. We understand CDF is for everyone and to please everyone is not easy as anyone might ponder but we appreciated our MP for the fair distribution of projects to communities in our constituency.”
Mr. Pitavato confirmed that construction now reaches completion stage with only electricity wiring, laying of floor tiles, fitting of roof sealings and installation of proper ladder are outstanding jobs as they scheduled to complete the project by December, 2022.
Another project that government through the CDF programme ready to support is the construction of Susuka community new ‘Women Centre’.
Meanwhile, Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Collin Bemama Qalokisa said it is the commitment of the constituency office under the leadership of their MP Hon. Manasseh Sogavare to continue support and fund establishment of community projects that can benefit everyone.
“ECC put more emphasis or support into these communal projects to promote unity and community participation in our communities,” he said.
Mr. Qalokisa then thanked Susuka community for their continuous support and firm cooperation with the constituency office towards the implementation of their community project which will contribute meaningfully towards improving their social and economic livelihoods.
He said ECC office always believe in partnership and community participation thus will continue to work closely with all communities in the constituency to progress development initiatives that will benefit everyone.
Source: MRD Media