14 Feb 2013

Solomons disaster minister unclear about aid money allocation

4:37 pm on 14 February 2013

The Solomon Islands minister for disaster management says although the government is working to ensure that international aid money is accounted for he is unclear about its allocation process.

Taiwan, Sth Korea, New Zealand and Australia have donated close to three-quarters of a million US dollars to the relief effort underway in Temotu province, following last week's deadly tsunami.

Transparency International Solomon Islands says a report into the spending of overseas aid on the relief effort in Western province after the 2007 tsunami found two million dollars missing.

But Bradley Tovusia says now, all international aid funding should be funnelled through non-governmental organisations.

"I think, I'm 50 percent sure, I'm not really sure, but I think that's what is the directive from the government, that money has to be channelled through the NGOs or to channel to the people, to the rural people."

Bradley Tovusia says he believes his ministry's permanent secretary along with the ministry of finance are monitoring the allocation of overseas aid money.