Solomon’s Time

That some countries are less strict with being on time is nothing unusual. At least in Europe will nobody be surprised with the fact that more to the south you get, the more careless and easy going people are. More to the north you get, the more perfectionist approach within the society will be present. By coming to face the Solomon Islands institutions I knew that expect anything else than some version of south European carelessness would be very naive, but even though you are ready to face the reality, when the reality hits you it’s not easy to remain calm.

First time the term “Solomon's time” crossed my way, was just second day after my arrival to Honiara, when in the Heritage hotel took its place capacity development workshop for local ministerial employees. The workshop started one hour later and by that time I considered such a situation as meaningless delay which might happen anywhere else. The problem of Solomon Islands is that this easygoing attitude spills over to all the spheres of administrative places, institutions and everyday life situations.  

When I was assigned to the Guadalcanal Provincial Government, I got very early a chance to taste all the different flavors of local working environment. On one of our first meetings I got to know the Financial Treasurer for G-Province Patrick, who was supposed to finalize the financial report for period 2009/10 (fiscal year 2008/09 which was one of the reasons of disqualification of G-province from PCDF funding is not finished and this time wasn't even required from Financial Treasurer) and submit that to the Auditor General at MPGIS (Ministry of Provincial Governance and Institutional Strengthening). Reports, absence of which disqualified G-Province last year from receiving of substantial amount of money from PCDF (Provincial Capacity Development Fund). Financial Treasurer was supposed to report himself at the MPGIS the day before, but even though he assured provincial advisors who reached him on phone that he is on his way, he never got to the final destination. As the sum of 6,194,673,56 SBD was in stake, special arrangements were established and guidance necessary as the factor of help, control and supervising provided, so that no political pressure would disturb Patrick from efficiently performing his duties. He got one week to have it all done and even though the pressure was intensive from all the sides, it took more than a month until it was finally submitted to the Auditor General.  More than a month full of constant notifications about Patrick, who didn’t report to the ministry. 

For the fiscal year 2011/12 Guadalcanal province operates with 6,882,000 SBD service grant, 10,218,788 SBD from own revenues and 290,000 SBD from PCDF fund. Service grant and own revenues are used for financing of recurrent expenditures. Only fund available to finance development projects therefore is PCDF fund. The sum is so low because Guadalcanal, as the only one out of 9 provinces, didn’t qualify for the funding (even though G-province was 3^rd best and didn’t get the funding probably because of absence of Provincial Secretary at the general meeting, where the other PS’s could lobby for their province). In PCDF are considered all the sectors, but the priority is given to health, education and women’s sector, going along with Millennium Development Goals. How sustainable this policy is, whether local authorities will continue in this trend even after the qualification for additional funding and how much it will help the province, Honiara city and Solomon Islands out of the vicious circles of poverty – which I assume is one of the goals of UNCDF who as well contributes to the fund - is questionable. Let’s hope next year the G-province will qualify and local authorities will allocate this resources where the society needs it the most, to the causes of the problems.



After our assessment of projects located in South and West of Guadalcanal (as mentioned in the article below), there was another visit of projects on the opposite side of the island planned for 18^th October 2011. The factor of conditionality was present in this matter; first has to be planned workshop for Guadalcanal provincial heads of departments on development planning . This turned to be a crucial point as the planning itself was based on condition that people who are in charge of financial resources for G-Province have to agree on the allocation of money for the workshop. Details were supposed to be decided on the meeting first week in October.  I was told to be at work the next day at 10am ready for the meeting. At the time of the meeting some important  members didn’t show up and so the new instructions were to be there the next day at 10am. The day after the same situation occurred and so the following days. At the time of writing it’s almost one month since the meeting was supposed to happen and so far I was at work every day before 10 am, because what if... The workshop was at the end planned for last week of October, Thursday and Friday, without meeting. Unfortunately only one third of participants showed up, even though there were several notifications, reminders and announcements. My curious looks about “what is it this time” I got two answers: either 1) the heads of departments didn’t finish their reports, weren’t prepared for the workshop and decided not to show up, or 2) the lack of allowance at the workshop didn’t motivate them enough to please us with their presence (in Solomon Islands they have a tradition to pay money in form of allowance to participants of this type of programs) – lunch wasn’t obviously appropriate incentive.


I was sad for the people who organized this workshop as it turned to be temporary failure in Solomon style, but happy on the other hand as due to the abundance of pre-ordered lunches I had something to eat for whole weekend. The workshop is supposed to be postponed by one week which means it might happen again tomorrow. But one is much more cautious to count on anything in this environment. And so, even the trip to eastern part of Guadalcanal is somewhere in undecided future.The perception of time and strictness with deadlines (which are never reached) at Solomon Islands is very specific and nasty phenomenon. Inefficient institutions makes any attempts for improvement very insecure and from my current experience I remain very sceptical towards assumption that inflow of more capital will be effectively allocated and not mostly dissolved in the sea of provincial administration structures.

Supplement: 3/11/2011 - the day of planned workshop. Today was supposed to be first day of the workshop. Unfortunately it was called off for the lack of financial resources. The workshop is postponed for the week after 10th of November, as that day the assessment team comes to evaluate Guadalcanal Province and decide whether they are eligible for PCDF funding.

Supplement II.: 14/11/2011 - Last week was the assessment of the G-Province for PCDF funding. Province most probably qualified for PCDF. At the day of the assessment Patrick, the Treasurer called, claiming he can't come because he is sick. Monister of Finance of the province sent a car for him and within one hour was Patrick in the meeting room with us. The same the next day. Do they even need healthcare here? It looks like little threat can cure any kind of sickness.