BY BEN BILUA

Gizo

CHINA has donated 40 OBMs to Western Province as part of ongoing relationship between Western Province and Fujian Province.

First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Honiara handed over the OBMs to Premier of Western Province yesterday.

In his speech, Charlie Song said the OBMs cost around SBD720,000.00 as a gesture of friendship to Western Province.

He said China has already donated and will continue to support the recovery and rehabilitation efforts after cyclone Maila.

“This reflects the responsible attitude of the Chinese Government and its international humanitarian spirit and also a vital practice of building a community with a shared future for humanity as advocated by Chinese President Xi Jinping,” Song said.

Premier Billy Veo acknowledged the donation saying that Western Province is indeed honoured to receive the donation.

He said the donation marks another milestone in the relationship and cooperation between our province and the People’s Republic of China particularly through the sister-province relationship between Western Province and Fujian.

“I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the government of the People’s Republic of China, to the Excellency the Ambassador and the Chinese Embassy in Solomon Islands and especially to Fujian for this timely and meaningful support,” Veo said.

He said Western Province is geographically disperse across many islands and communities and that sea transport is not simply a convenience – it is essential.

“It connects our communities to schools, health services, government offices, markets, banking services and development opportunities,” Veo said.

He said the OBMs will greatly strengthen the province’s capacity to reach its people more effectively and improve service delivery throughout the province.

Veo said the OBMs will also support efforts in responding to urgent community needs, strengthening transport links and promoting economic activities across the islands.

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PM Wale secures more assistance and promises from Australia in maiden international engagement

BY IRWIN ANGIKI

Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s choice of Australia as his first country to visit has paid off with hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and the assurance of support for his government’s agendas.

Both countries have also agreed to elevate bilateral relations, which Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said was at the behest of PM Wale.

A ‘comprehensive strategic treaty’ was also agreed upon, both leaders saying they have tasked their foreign affairs ministers to immediately work on.

A press statement by the Solomon Islands PM Press Secretariat yesterday described the treaty as a ‘key highlight’, adding that other highlights include:

-Australia will provide SBD$200 million (AUD$35 million) to assist Solomon Islands in responding to Tropical Cyclone Maila and addressing the problem of fuel price increase – impacts of global energy shocks.

-In recognition of the Government’s strong focus on education, Australia will double training and vocational scholarships to 1,500 by 2027.

-Australia will work with partners to support Solomon Islands goal of achieving free education, helping to secure a brighter future for the next generation.

-The number of Pacific Engagement visas allocated to Solomon Islands will increase to 300 in the next programme year.

-Both countries welcomed continued cooperation to strengthen the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, including the planned completion of a new police academy in Honiara by 2028.

-The policing partnership will continue under the next phase of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force–Australia Policing Partnership Programme.

Australia’s huge list of gifts for PM Wale was accompanied by words of gratitude by its leaders towards Wale choosing Australia to be his first country to officially visit as Solomon Islands’ prime minister.

In parliament yesterday, Australian PM Albanese welcomed PM Wale and his ministers to the Australian parliament and described Wale’s visit as an ‘honour’.

“This is a very significant visit for Australia indeed. One of the most significant that we have had during my time as prime minister that we could possibly have. Because the Solomons is of course very close neighbours to us.

“At a time of global disruption, respectful engagement between equal partners looking to solve shared challenges and seize shared opportunities is more important than ever – in education, in security, in tackling climate change and economic resilience and in economic development. Because it’s through these relationships based in mutual trust, respect and dialogue that we will build and strengthen our shared future as members of the Pacific family, and bring security and opportunity to our peoples,” Albanese told the Australian parliament yesterday.

The vibrant Australian parliament chamber which is an arena of heated debates over laws and domestic affairs, yesterday saw a rare solemn moment of unity among the legislators as they welcomed PM Wale and his delegation.

Albanese also said that he looks forward to reciprocating Wale’s visit later this year to Honiara.

A joint statement by the two leaders following their dialogue yesterday said Australia stands ready to support the agenda of PM Wale’s Government for Reform, Empowerment, Accountability and Transformation (GREAT).

“Both leaders also agreed to continue discussions on how Australia could further support the new government’s agenda based on the vision for the relationship shared by Prime Minister Wale with Prime Minister Albanese,” the statement said.

“Australia, as a committed and reliable partner to Solomon Islands and the Pacific, agreed to provide SBD200 million (AUD35 million) to assist Solomon Islands with the response to Tropical Cyclone Maila and the impacts of global energy shocks.

“In recognition of the priority Prime Minister Wale’s government places on education, Australia agreed to double the number of training and vocational scholarships to 1500 in 2027. Australia committed to work with all willing partners to help Solomon Islands achieve the new government’s goal of free education and provide the next generation of Solomon Islanders a brighter future. Leaders also discussed other opportunities to deepen the education partnership going forward. Leaders welcomed the impending opening of the Australian-funded Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre in Honiara.

“Leaders celebrated recent growth in our economic relationship, including the contributions of Solomon Islands PALM workers in Australia. Leaders also agreed to increase the number of Pacific Engagement visas to be offered to Solomon Islands to 300 for the next year of the program. This increase represents a doubling of Solomon Islands’ Pacific Engagement visa allocation and will further strengthen people-to-people ties and encourage greater cultural, business and educational exchange.

“Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Wale reaffirmed the importance of the Solomon Islands–Australia security partnership. Leaders welcomed the continued partnership to grow the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, including the planned completion of a new police academy in Honiara in 2028. The Leaders agreed to maintain the policing partnership through the next phase of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force – Australia Policing Partnership Program.

“Noting Australia’s longstanding investment in Solomon Islands’ sovereign security capabilities, including multiple projects across the country, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Wale acknowledged that Solomon Islands’ Western Border Outpost was nearing completion. The new facility will bring together police, customs, and immigration officials in a single location, enhancing Solomon Islands’ border security and maritime surveillance capability,” the joint statement said.

Photo credit: Australian High Commission (AHC)

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BY NED GAGAHE

Chairman of the Isabel Provincial Youth Forum, Karlos Saliga, calls on young people to take on an active role in shaping the future of Isabel Province through education, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Speaking during the 42nd Second Appointed Day celebration at the National Museum Auditorium in Honiara yesterday, Saliga said Isabel’s young people must not only benefit from development but also contribute to driving it.

“We have a vital role to play in shaping the future of our province.

“We must not only be beneficiaries of development, but also active contributors to it,” Saliga said.

He said Isabel Province possesses unique strengths and opportunities that can support sustainable development and prosperity.

“We have a rich culture, strong values, natural resources, resilient people and a spirit of unity.

“We have many assets for driving sustainable development and prosperity for the province,” he said.

Saliga said the Isabel Provincial Youth Forum remains committed to empowering young people and creating opportunities for meaningful participation in development.

He said the forum continues to promote unity among Isabel youths while helping preserve the province’s cultures and traditions.

“We believe that when young people are empowered, supported and given opportunities, they become very powerful agents of positive change within communities.

“Give them opportunities. Build them. Help them. Big change will happen,” he said.

Saliga also acknowledged the support of national leaders, development partners and individuals who continue to invest in the well-being of young people.

He said that the Isabel Provincial Youth Forum has grown significantly and now boasts more than 12,000 members.

Addressing fellow youths, he urged them to uphold the values that define Isabel people.

“We must always be respectful and humble, but we must work hard too.

“Integrity, faith and service must continue to guide us,” Saliga said.

He said the future of Isabel Province depends on the actions taken today and he calls on all Isabel people to work together towards a stronger and more prosperous province.

“Together we can build a province that is united, prosperous and full of opportunities for generations to come,” he said.

The Second Appointed Day celebration brought together Isabel people living in Honiara and other parts of the country to commemorate the province’s history, identity and achievements.

Photo credit: CW Rubaha

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BY NED GAGAHE

Former Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has urged the people of Isabel Province to pursue economic development that benefits future generations while safeguarding the province’s natural resources.

Speaking as Guest of Honour at the 42nd Second Appointed Day celebration held at the National Museum Auditorium in Honiara yesterday, Manele said Isabel’s development aspirations must focus on sustainability, infrastructure and investment in its people.

Addressing provincial leaders, church representatives, youth and members of the Isabel community, Manele said the province’s wealth should not be measured solely by the resources extracted from its land and sea.

“For too long, the wealth of our province has been counted in what we take out of the ground and out of the sea, rather than in what we build for our children.

“Logs have left our shores, but lasting prosperity has too often left with them,” he said.

Speaking on the event theme, “Exemplifying Isabel Province’s Uniqueness Through Economic Development Aspiration,” Manele said Isabel possesses fertile land, rich fisheries, forests and mineral resources that can support long-term growth if managed responsibly.

He said that development must reach ordinary people in villages throughout the province.

“A road that reaches the market, a clinic that stays open, a wharf that lets a fisherman sell his catch, electricity and clean water that reach a home — these are the true measures of progress.

“Growth that does not touch ordinary lives is not development. It is only a number or statistics,” he said.

Manele also calls for responsible management of natural resources, warning against short-term gains that could compromise the future of coming generations.

“We are stewards, not owners. The land and sea were given to us in trust by those who came before us, and we must hand them on to those who will come after.

“Let us never trade our children’s inheritance for a season’s profit,” he said.

The former Prime Minister further highlighted the importance of education, skills training and youth empowerment, describing young people as the key drivers of Isabel’s future economic growth.

“No outside investor and no government grant can substitute for an educated, skilled and enterprising Isabel youth,” he said.

Reflecting on his rise to become the first Prime Minister from Isabel Province, Manele said the achievement belonged to the people of Isabel rather than to him alone.

“That was never my achievement alone.

“It belonged to every parent who sent a child to school, every chief who counselled patience and unity, every church congregation that prayed for our leaders, and every Isabel man and woman who believed that our small province could stand tall in the affairs of our nation,” he said.

The annual Second Appointed Day celebration commemorates Isabel Province’s identity, history and achievements while bringing together Isabel people living in Honiara and across the country.

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

PREMIER of Western Province Billy Veo calls on the Government for Reform, Empowerment, Accountability and Transformation (GREAT) to return all alienated land within the province to provincial ownership.

Mr Veo made the appeal during Prime Minister Mathew Wale’s recent visit to Western Province.

He said control over land is critical for the province’s development aspirations and long-term goal of statehood.

Veo said a recent assessment conducted by a land consultant revealed that Western Province has a total of 2,152 land parcels, with around 500 parcels eligible for transfer to the province under Perpetual Estate (PE) titles.

“We engaged a land consultant and found that we have a total of 2,152 land parcels. I was advised that Western Province can obtain the Perpetual Estate titles of 500 land parcels.

“Others are still registered under the Commissioner of Lands. What I want is to transfer the P.E. of these lands back to us,” he said.

Veo said previous attempts to secure the transfer of land titles had been unsuccessful despite repeated requests to former governments.

He said an application was also submitted to the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, but no positive response was received.

“At the moment, there are developments taking place without our knowledge because the titles are controlled by the Commissioner of Lands.

“We want the land titles so that development can be aligned with our plan and vision,” Veo said.

He said Western Province has consistently advocated for greater autonomy and statehood and that the return of alienated lands forms a key part of that agenda.

Veo said provincial ownership of land will allow Western Province to better manage development projects, improve service delivery and ensure investments are aligned with local priorities.

He said Western province is optimistic that all alienated lands will eventually be registered under the province, strengthening its readiness for statehood and enabling more effective governance.

Veo also highlighted the economic benefits of securing land titles, saying the province stands to increase its revenue through land rentals and other investment opportunities.

“The return of these lands will improve our revenue base and provide greater opportunities for development and investment,” he said.

Veo said Western Province will continue to pursue the matter with the current government, expressing hope that the GREAT Government will respond positively to the province’s longstanding request.

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