THE Director of Planning and Land Use Department, within the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, has come under pressure from his Permanent Secretary.

In a letter to the Director, Mr Jimi Saelea gave orders to the Director of Planning to make a report on all project recipients who had misused assistance in order to ensure correct information is made for decision making, as decision can be effective on proof and not hear-say and allegations.

He made the request following decision made by the Director not to provide application forms for the 2017 Cocoa and Coconut project.

“If you do not receive application how would you know who to assist?

“Do you have an assessment report of the projects you referred to who have misused the assistance provided under MAL Cocoa and Coconut Fund?

“I suggest you to make a report on all project recipients who had misused the assistance in order to ensure correct information is made for decision making, as one cannot base on decisions on hear-say and allegations,” he said.

According to Mr Saelea, there was no failed project stated on the outsourced evaluation report and that demonstrates that there is a need to assess application properly before endorsement from the field.

He stressed that the funds implementation processes must be strengthened to improve monitory system on how applicants implement their activities.

Mr Saelea stated that the “waka first pay later” strategy as suggested by the Director can be part of the implementation processes.

“Even if you want to take the “Waka first pay later” approach, you still have to receive application from farmers,” he said.

Mr Saelea fears that the Director’s decision not to provide application forms for the 2017 Cocoa and Coconut project will not go down well with the politicians and the public.

When contacted yesterday Mr Saelea said the matter is non-issue and that there will be a meeting held today to discuss and address the issue.