BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The bottom line of any government implementing policies is to create jobs.

Leader of the Independent Group Peter Kenilorea Jnr said this when contributing to the Sine-motion in parliament last year.

“The bottom line should be that all that we do needs to have a benchmark for employment,’’ he said.

“How many people are going to get employment if we give this investment opportunity and the incentives that they need?’’ said the MP.

He said that many youths have been left without jobs.

“What’s the future for them? How can their lives be more meaningful?  How can they contribute? How can they feel more valuable when they have income through jobs,’’ concludes Kenilorea.

 He said that he thought the benchmark should still be employment and job creation.

“I would like to hear speeches from the government during finance and presenting a budget to talk about how the budget will provide 10,000 jobs, 15,000 jobs. These are the kinds of data, these are the kinds of indicators that get people excited,’’ he said last year.

He said that he hasn’t heard as much from the government ministers when they present the budget.

“We know that job creation is part of the private sector.  But the government has a role in enabling those jobs to be created through several policy interventions,’’ he said.

“I’ve been waiting to hear anything here about tax credits, I haven’t been hearing much about tax credits. All I’ve been hearing about is tax exemptions. We know there’s a difference, and quite a bit big of a difference, particularly for investors,’’ said Kenilorea.

He said that some prefer to be part of a regime that provides tax credits rather than tax exemptions, a tool available for the government of the day under the policy and the right policy mix.

“I’m sure GNUT and your political analysts, and political appointees are thinking about it because this is very important for us as a nation moving forward,’’ he said.

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By Loretta B Manele

Foreign affairs minister Peter Chanel Agovaka has thrown his support for the tax credit system.

“It’s a good system and I think it’s something that we the government should dwell into.”

Agovaka, the minister for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) was referring to the tax credit system whilst speaking at the Sine Die Motion in parliament on Thurs, Dec 19, 2024.

He expressed that at Gold Ridge they used tax credit to build a bridge.

Agovaka voiced that it is a good system and he thinks that it is something that the government should dwell into.

He added that the tax credit system can help projects that take place in constituencies.

The member of parliament for Central Guadalcanal constituency said by using the tax credit system, government can help constituencies build schools, hospitals, bridges, water supply and so forth.

“So, for us, we have benefited from this tax credit scheme by building a bridge.”

Agovaka reiterated that government should also use this tax credit scheme.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said the Government for National Unity and Transformation will continue to focus on the productive and resource sector.

PM Manele said that these are critical sectors going forward.

“We must focus on the fisheries sector, the agricultural sector, and the tourism sector, which received a big slice in terms of its budget compared to previous years,’’ he said when he concluded the Sine die motion last month.

He also urged Members of Parliament to use constituency development funds (CDF) in these areas to boost productivity.

“We now have access to the Australian and Chinese markets export. We must utilise these trade arrangements to grow our economy,’’ he said.

He also highlighted the importance and the need for a balanced distribution of resources among all provinces.

“Coming back to agriculture, I welcome the Cocoa and Coconut Revolving Fund, alluded to by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock. This is an opportunity for registered cocoa buyers, traders and farmers involved in the value chain to apply for financial support,’’ PM said.

He said the fund aims to enhance the export capacity of indigenous businesses engaged in cocoa and coconut trading by providing financial assistance.

“This is for the purchase of cocoa, and coconut, as well as their operational expenses, tools and equipment for fermenters and dryers to improve bean quality, hence meeting export standards,’’ Manele said.

He said that he also understands the ongoing progress within the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources for the export of seaweed to China.

He urges officials from the Ministry (MFMR) to work hard to ensure that seaweed farmers can start exporting to China this year.

 “I note we have a budget for seaweed under the Ministry of Fisheries. This is an area where the government and private sector can also work together. Transforming the nation is not only the Government’s responsibility but also the responsibility of individuals as well.

“To transform our country, we too must transform our attitudes,’’ said Manele.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Peter Kenilorea Jnr the Leader of the Independent group has urged the Government for National Unity and Transformation to look beyond its achievements.

He made the statement highlighting key priority areas that would enable the Solomon Islands to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) group.

Kenilorea said that one of the core indicators emphasised regarding the LDC was the country’s Human Development Index (HDI).

“We have heard of achievements that the government has already done in the short time that they’ve been in government since the election,’’ he said.

He said that the Solomon Islands will continue to struggle to face challenges.

“That will continue for a while. We will continuously have to deal with as we move forward as a nation,’’ he said.

“Congratulate GNUT, Cabinet, ministers of the Crown, and backbenchers for leading the nation over the past few months. But I would also like to add the importance of looking at other indicators, beyond just these listing of achievements. And these are the Human Development Index or the HDI, one of those main ones that also governs whether we qualify to graduate from the LDC group,’’ he said.

“If you analyse that HDI over the past few years, you will find that we have been struggling, perhaps sluggish, perhaps in some of the sectors we have been going backwards a little bit,’’ he stated.

He said that the government should keep an eye on these indicators to get the people and the nation on track towards graduation.

He said that the HDI allows the Solomon Islands to see its scores based on United Nations assessments and analyses allowing the Country to guide its policies to focus a little bit further on ongoing work and work done.

He said that the field of education is one particular sector that needs more focus based on the HDI index.

He said that health and education are the two biggest factors within these HDIs as they focus on the social aspect of a nation.

“So, the idea that we need to look into these sectors is something that the Parliament is fully aware of, because, as we know, the biggest parts of our budget are education and health,’’ he said.

He said that reflects the focus on the need to lift the country’s scores and ranking as a nation in the Human Development Index.

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

MINISTER of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) Tozen Leokana recently highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the Solomon Islands in meeting global education standards.

His comments came during the signing of the new Stronger Education Together (SET) agreement between Australia and the Solomon Islands.

Leokana emphasized that providing access to education, ensuring quality, and achieving strong learning outcomes remain significant hurdles.

He pointed to challenges such as late school entry, a low Year 12 completion rate, inadequate school infrastructure, and persistent gender disparities.

Despite these challenges, Leokana acknowledged that the primary education sector has made significant progress, particularly in improving literacy and numeracy.

The Minister also expressed appreciation for the support from both the Australian and New Zealand governments, which have helped the MEHRD implement reforms and initiatives that have benefited teachers and the education sector as a whole.

“While we have made strides, there remain substantial challenges in meeting global education standards, especially in areas such as access, quality, and learning outcomes,” Leokana added.

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