BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

SOLOMON Islands needs to generate 125,000 additional international visitors before logging activities can be replaced.

Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela said this in reference to a long standing national vision that tourism will one day replace logging as a sustainable driver to the economy.

PM Hou said, “To replace logging receipts Solomon Islands will need to generate 125,000 additional international visitors.”

He said the spin-off from these extra arrivals is huge and can positively affect Solomon Airlines equipment acquisition, agriculture and fisheries sectors to increase production to feed the country’s guests.

“To do this in the shortest period of time will require active participation from all key stakeholders including total government support, willing resource owners and keen and capable investors to commit to the destination.

“Absence of good and quality accommodation in the Capital and the Provinces is identified as one of the main obstacle to growth.

“The disruptive approach is to saturate Honiara and selected Provinces with quality accommodation so inducing market forces to dictate play, effectively making Solomon Islands a more affordable destination compared to its Pacific neighbours.”

Recognising the important contribution of tourism to Solomon Islands’ economy, the Prime Minister pledged that his government would continue to develop the tourism sector through development and introduction of a national tourism legislation.

“This would include plans to implement range of activities under Tourism Division Capacity Development program to ensure consistency in tourism standards and quality management.

“Also enabling increased visitors satisfaction levels and improving industry competitiveness.”

SIVB CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto said there is a need for a change the status quo which requires collaboration and partnership to meet the country’s longstanding vision.

“We cannot go on the way we are if we want to grow our tourism sector,” Mr Tuamoto said.

“We have done pretty well considering the challenges we face but we really need to develop leisure market and hopefully by the end of this year, if we can achieve that, we will have finally cracked the 25,000 international visitation mark.”

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

THE Mataniko Clinic has temporary closed on Monday for a three-month rennovations.

Honiara City Council’s Works division has been tasked with this important facelift.

Patients are advised to go to nearby clinics for medical attention.

The refurbishment of the HCC Mataniko Area Health Centre will be both interior and exterior.

HCC also explained its members can still access Council’s health centre because they are already aware about the renovation which the construction.

Pregnant mothers, scale/child immunisation and family planning are advised to use the Mbokonavera clinic, the Mataniko Clinic Nurse in Charge Mrs Gretal Sendersley said.

Sendersley adds, pregnant mothers who are members of the Mataniko clinics are allowed to visit the Mbokonavera clinics temporarily, and ‘their medical cards already transferred there’.

Patients from out-of-town boundary who use the Mataniko health centre, Mrs Sendersley encourages all to use the Good Samaritan Clinic on Guadalcanal province.

Sendersley said if the clinic reopens they will let the service users know.

By TANNY E VAHI

WORK on the old Matanikau bridge is progressing well.

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) is understood to have engaged three local contractors and has signed an agreement with those companies.

At the east bound bridge near Fijian Quarter (the old China Town Bridge), there is one establishment which is now on its working progress.

It is understand that the work on the bridge is one fundamental issue in terms of transportation.

The new bridge is said to bring about improvement to traffic and also allow better flowing for the river, which usually swells during rainy seasons.

The integrity of the bridge had come under fire after receiving damages from the recent flashflood of 2014.

The bridge is said to be open by November this year.

BY JARED KOLI

HONIARA’S iconic Commonwealth Street is being littered with betelnut stains, prompting calls for vendors to “move out” from the area.

Wlliam Kere, Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) auxiliary worker manned to clean up the recently renovated street said they are faced with huge pile of rubbish every day.

Mr Kere said the public should respect Commonwealth street.

“I want to appeal for the public to have respect for this area. We must change our attitude and respect public properties that are made for us,” Kere said.

He said he reminded vendors nearly every day to stop selling betelnut in the area but all his words are thrown in deaf ears.

Kere said the area should be kept clean all the time, because it is the first place cruise tourists visiting Honiara would set their eyes on.

“This is a gateway to the capital so it must be kept clean all the time. We should appreciate what others have done for us and respect it by throwing wastes in bins provided,” he said.

“Currently, vendors also use this spot for selling betelnut and cigarette, some even sell bottle of mineral water here for as low as $3.00, this should be stopped immediately,” he said.

Kere called on the Honiara City Council (HCC) to do routine check on the vicinity and apprehend betelnut and cigarette vendors.

Commonwealth Street was renovated in 2012 and was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they set foot in Honiara in September 2012.

The street holds the “Pride of Our Nation” memorial monument honouring Solomon Scouts and Coastwatchers.