200 more towers for country

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Government is progressing in its effort to establish 200 telecommunication towers in the country.

Ministry of Communication and Aviation permanent secretary, Moses Virivolomo told the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament this week that the 200 towers are in the design stage.

Virivolomo said discussion on the actual locations will take place this week.

He said they are also experiencing some delays.

Further to that, Virivolomo said the ministry submitted proposals to some donor partners and they have responded and requested some information.

He said funding request go together with the proposal as well

Minister, Peter Shanel Agovaka told Parliament last December that these are 200 new broadband 3/4G towers expected to be ready before the Pacific Games in 2023.

He told Parliament that the government has passed a Cabinet Paper to construct 200 new broadband towers in all the 5o constituencies and parts of the country.

He said the towers will be constructed in areas as far as Anuta, Ontong Java, Shortlands, and Renbel.

He said the Australian Government is also supporting the Ministry of Police to construct a number of towers in Shortlands and Ontong Java.

Constructing of mobile towers around the country has been an expensive exercise for the telecommunication provider such as Our Telekom and Bemobile.

Recently Member of Parliament (MP) for East Guadalcanal Bradley Tovosia has stepped in to fund the construction of two new 3G towers in his constituency to ensure communities there have access to telecommunication.