National’s PEDA backdown wastes time of Pacific communities

It has taken three months and the glare of Parliamentary scrutiny for the Government to finally come to the realisation that it was wrong to hand over nearly $5 million to the Pacific Economic Development Agency (PEDA) in an uncontested process, Labour’s Associate Pacific Island Affairs Su’a William Sio said today.

“From the time the fund was announced on Budget Day the Government has been on the defensive over the lack of transparency in the process,” Su’a William Sio said.

“The Government has now realised it was wrong and has opened up the fund to a contestable tender.

“National has wasted three months hopelessly trying to defend its awful decision to directly fund PEDA.

“With Pacific unemployment at 14.1 per cent Pacific communities need help now.

“This embarrassing u-turn by the Government highlights the fact that National has no plan to tackle unemployment or grow a stronger economy that gets all Kiwis back into jobs.

“National’s motivations to fund PEDA were purely politically and driven by John Key and Bill English.

“National was found out. But unfortunately for the Pacific community they are forced to wait longer for the help they desperately need.”

ENDS