12/3/08
The increase in aid assistance to the Solomon Islands, announced by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has been met with skepticism by Opposition Leader Manasseh Sogavare. Despite welcoming the increase, Mr Sogavare stated that most of the money will go back to Australia. “At the end of the day, the assistance they give, about 80 percent of that is spent back in Australia…some people have referred to it as boomerang aid,” Sogavare said. “Recent reports of comments made by the Leader of the Opposition, Manasseh Sogavare, had understated the value of Australian aid,” the Australian High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Hooton, said yesterday in response to the media statements made by Sogavare.
