One year remains for the first five years of the $1 million district development grants. There are mixed results about the success of the grants. It has helped some, and in other instances, it has been subjected to abuse.

It was revealed last week that delays in submitting audited reports for the use of the $1 million project are why more than half of the constituencies have not progressed to the third million rollout. This was confirmed by the Project Manager for the district development project, Unasa Viane Toala.  He said 25 districts had signed off on their financial agreement on the third million.

The other 26 districts are still in the process of submitting acquittal reports, audited reports and annual plans that are required to be done before moving on to the next grant. According to Unasa, the inspection showcased a lot of community-based projects such as the construction of access roads, village committees and school buildings and payment of students' school fees. He said the response from the districts demonstrated their support of the initiative and challenges they faced from the beginning, such as delays, as many were not familiar with the process.

We believe that the only way to prove that the money for the district grants has been used where they are said to be used is by making the financial reports public. No member of the public has yet viewed any of the financial reports from the district grant. We are now going on to the third million for 25 districts, and the 26 remaining will follow suit.

By the start of the last financial year for the current government, $2 million will remain for the 51 districts. This equals $110 million. There is a dilemma here. Will the government pay this money in a lump sum or will they only pay for one year?

Make the reports public, and show the people of this nation how transparent and accountable the district councils have been. The reports from each of these district councils on how they used the public funds given to them would give everyone an idea of how the money can be used for better things. It would be great to see how many of the district councils decided to use the money to pay their teachers better or in line with the government salary scales. How many used the funds to make education free for children in their constituencies?

How many district councils provided bus fares for children to reach school, and how many invested in a bus so people in rural and remote communities could access public transportation? Did any of the farming constituencies invest in tractors or agricultural equipment that would help farmers have a bigger yield? We as a nation need more agricultural products in our market. How many district councils invested in projects that would make money and help everyone in the district?

Have there been any chilling stations built for villages next to the sea, and boats purchased so more people could earn from fisheries? We are an island nation surrounded by the sea, yet the bounties from the ocean are not being used.

It would also be good to know if the funds were used to help families get access to electricity and water. The funds could have easily been used to make solar farms and connect homes to them. This would have reduced the burden on so many families and also helped the nation achieve its renewable energy goal.

The idea behind the district development grants is undoubtedly a good one. Villages and districts can get work done without having the bureaucratic red tape. However, this fund is of no use if it is not utilised for things that would not be an investment.

This is not free money that can be splashed around. If money is not being used wisely, then divert the money to improve the hospitals, pay the teachers and nurses, and make better roads. This money can be used to make a bridge for the people of Moamoa-fou, who just a day ago were landlocked because of floods.

Accountability and transparency are not something that comes in an envelope marked ‘For Your Eyes Only’. It is only transparent when everyone has access to it.