Transparency Solomon Islands calls for answers on the SB$75 million Cyclone Maila recovery programme and delayed family support.
Government promised recovery. Families are still waiting for answers. Transparency Solomon Islands renews its call for answers on the Government’s SB$75 million Maila recovery programme. Families in Western and Choiseul provinces deserve clear information on when assistance will arrive and how recovery funds are being used.
For many families in Western and Choiseul provinces, recovery from Tropical Cyclone Maila remains unfinished. Months after homes were damaged or destroyed, families are still waiting to learn when assistance will arrive and what support they can expect.
The Government’s SB$75 million recovery programme was announced as a major commitment to help affected communities rebuild. But for families living with damaged homes and uncertain futures, recovery cannot be measured by announcements, funding allocations or public statements. It must be measured by whether assistance reaches the people who need it.
Transparency Solomon Islands has previously called for greater transparency and public reporting on the management of Maila Recovery Funds. Yet despite those calls, limited information has been made publicly available about the operation of the Special Fund Account, how much funding has been transferred or spent and when affected families can expect assistance.
That is why Transparency Solomon Islands is raising these concerns again.
The issue is no longer simply whether recovery funding has been approved. The issue is whether families who have already waited so long for support can finally begin rebuilding their homes, livelihoods and sense of security.
Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale and the GREAT Coalition Government have committed significant public resources to the recovery effort. The challenge now is to demonstrate that those resources are reaching affected communities fairly, efficiently and without unnecessary delay.
Recovery must be more than a promise. It must produce results for the families still waiting.
FROM ANNOUNCEMENT TO ACTION
Media reports published on 5 and 6 October 2026 outlined the Government’s plan to manage the recovery funding through a National Disaster Special Fund under the National Disaster Council framework.
A report published by The Island Sun on 5 October stated that the appropriation had not yet been utilized because arrangements for the Special Fund account were still being finalized.
While that explanation provided important context, it also left a number of questions unanswered. Is the Special Fund Account now fully operational? Have funds been transferred? Has procurement commenced? When will building materials and other assistance begin reaching eligible households?
These are not merely administrative details. Behind every unanswered question is a family waiting to know when rebuilding can begin.
Despite previous calls for greater transparency, there has been little public information on the progress of the fund or the delivery of assistance. As of 28 October 2026, TSI had not independently verified the operational status of the Special Fund Account or confirmed the rollout of assistance to affected households.
TSI therefore calls on the Government to publish a clear progress update outlining what has been completed, what remains outstanding, how much funding has been committed and spent, and when affected families can expect support.
Providing such information is not about assigning blame. It is about ensuring that communities affected by disaster can see that recovery commitments are being translated into action.
THE PUBLIC DESERVES ANSWERS
The Government has identified the National Disaster Council and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury as key institutions responsible for managing the recovery programme. Officials have also indicated that the fund will be subject to audit by the Auditor-General.
These safeguards are welcome, but they do not remove the need for regular public reporting while the recovery programme is underway.
The public should be able to understand whether the Special Fund is operational, how much money has been transferred, committed and spent, what assistance has been delivered, and what work remains to be completed.
The Government should also provide clear information about procurement decisions, project implementation and progress on housing reconstruction. Communities should not be left relying on rumours, speculation or occasional media reports to understand the status of a programme funded with public money. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance is urged to provide the correct information to the public and the taxpayers of Solomon Islands on a regular basis.
Recovery funding exists for a specific purpose: helping affected families rebuild their lives. Public reporting helps ensure that purpose remains at the centre of the programme.
Just as important as financial reporting is reporting on results. How many households have received assistance? How many homes are under construction? How many have been completed? These are the measures that matter most to families waiting for support.
WHO WILL RECEIVE ASSISTANCE?
Initial assessments identified approximately 1,300 affected homes in Western and Choiseul provinces, although final figures remain subject to verification.
For affected communities, the most important question is straightforward: will the assistance reach the people who genuinely need it?
The Government has outlined plans to provide building materials and labour assistance to eligible households. The success of the programme will depend on ensuring that eligibility decisions are fair, transparent and based on verified need.
Families should have clear information about how eligibility is determined, how damage assessments are verified, and what options are available if they believe decisions have been made incorrectly.
Strong safeguards are also needed to minimize the risk of favoritism, political influence, duplicate claims or the diversion of building materials.
Raising these concerns does not imply wrongdoing. It reflects the reality that a programme involving significant public funding and assistance to vulnerable communities must be designed to prevent problems before they occur.
TSI believes no eligible family, community infrastructures should be overlooked because it lacks connections or influence, and no household should receive preferential treatment at the expense of another family facing greater need.
For families who have already lost so much, fairness is not a secondary consideration. It is fundamental to a credible recovery effort.
PUT PEOPLE BEFORE INSTITUTIONAL DEBATE
The recovery fund has also prompted discussion about the role of provincial authorities. Western Province Premier Billy Veo has called for greater provincial involvement, while the National Government has maintained that the programme will operate through the National Disaster Council framework.
These discussions are important, but they should not distract from the central objective of helping affected families recover.
National oversight can help ensure consistency and accountability. At the same time, provincial governments and local communities possess firsthand knowledge of affected households and the challenges of delivering assistance across remote locations.
The focus should not be on which institution exercises the most control. The focus should be on whether the arrangements in place help assistance reach eligible families quickly, fairly and effectively.
Whatever framework is adopted, roles and responsibilities should be clearly explained. Communities deserve to know who is responsible for approving expenditure, monitoring delivery, responding to complaints and addressing delays when they occur.
Institutional arrangements should support recovery, not slow it down.
RECOVERY MUST REACH THE PEOPLE
The GREAT Coalition Government deserves the opportunity to demonstrate that its recovery programme is working. But families affected by Cyclone Maila also deserve clear answers about when assistance will arrive and how public funds are being used.
TSI has made these calls before. Yet significant questions remain unanswered about the operation of the Special Fund Account, the progress of the recovery programme and the delivery of assistance. In the absence of regular public updates, uncertainty continues for families who are trying to rebuild their lives.
TSI therefore calls on the Government to publish a comprehensive progress report on the SB$75 million recovery programme. The update should explain the status of the Special Fund Account, how much funding has been received and spent, what assistance has been delivered, and when outstanding support will reach affected households.
The purpose of disaster recovery is not to establish accounts, announce funding or debate administrative arrangements. It is to help people rebuild their homes, restore their livelihoods and regain security after disaster.
For families still waiting for support, recovery cannot be measured by commitments alone. It must be measured by results.
PUBLISH THE UPDATE. ANSWER THE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. DELIVER THE ASSISTANCE. HELP FAMILIES REBUILD.
SOURCE// Transparency Solomon Islands Statement
