A District Development Authority (DDA) Watch website was recently launched by advocacy group Act NOW, for ordinary Papua New Guineans to access information and know what is happening within their respective district authorities. Act NOW Information Coordinator Ms. Cathy Tukne, who was at the forefront of establishing the DDA Watch website, explained that the website is an information hub for the public. Ms. Tukne stated that anyone with a smart phone can go to www.ddawatch.org and access the website. She said, whoever that goes on that website can type any DDA and all the 93 districts in total, excluding NCD and two Bougainville districts, will appear for them to get information on what is happening in their district. She also highlighted that there is a criteria on the website where one can rank their DDA’s performance. “There is a strict criteria to rank each DDA, based on their availability of key documents such as the 5 years plan, annual budget, acquittal report, inspection report and the audit report.” “These documents makeup 70% of the score and the other 30% is where the public can give their own satisfaction score based on their own judgments on what they observe and the scores are rates as Very Bad, Bad, Ok, Good and Very Good.” Ms. Tukne added that if people are not sure of what the function of a DDA is, then this website is the place where people can go to learn more about DDAs and their functions. “Every year K10million is given to each district and just recently, our government has announced an additional K10million for infrastructure and that is a total of K20million to each district every year.” “Sadly, there is accountability on how these monies are spent, thus this website is an advocacy tool created to provide information for transparency purposes.” She encouraged DDAs to see the platform as a way forward in promoting transparency and accountability with regards to the use of the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) funds and also a way to keep the district informed. Act NOW Campaign Manager Eddie Tanago highlighted the importance of research and data to substantiate facts regarding any development agenda. Mr. Tanago also emphasises that instead of the local members and their DDAs holding back public information in regards to their work in their district, they should consider this as a positive platform for their own benefit too. “After 5 years, MPs do not need to campaign, they can just tell their people to go on the DDA Watch and see for themselves what he and the DDA have done in the last 5 years,” he said. All DDA’s are encouraged to submit their 5 Year District Plans, Annual Budgets, Acquittal Reports, Inspection Reports and Audit Reports to Act NOW to upload on the website Tanago also encourages the media to work closely with NGOs to put these facts out and hold leaders accountable and encourage transparency at all levels.