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Ling defends Mamara house design, quality

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

METROPOLIS Pacific Pte Ltd has defended the construction of new houses at the Mamara New City in North West Guadalcanal.

General Manager William Ling said the housing construction techniques adopted for the MAMARA houses are modern techniques originating from Australia and New Zealand, with capacities to withstand earthquakes of magnitude 12 and typhoons.

Ling said the materials were selected for their high-quality environmental protection, fire resistance, heat insulation, and termite prevention.

“In only two months, a new town complex with 50 fully-functional novel villas will be built on what was previously completely barren land.

“The speed of construction would be impossible to achieve without the hundreds of local employees who are working hard to bring a new standard of housing to Solomon Islands,” he said.

Ling said the houses currently underway are intended for civil servants and ordinary citizens.

“It has always been our intention to ease the housing shortage that has plagued Honiara for a long time.

“For civil servants who wish to purchase these houses, they need only put a down payment of 20%-30% of the house price, and after obtaining a mortgage loan from the bank or finance company, shall only spend half or two-thirds of their current rental outlay to serve the monthly mortgage repayment amount,” he said.

Ling said it is their own choice as to whether to continue to pay rental or to put a portion of their earnings into purchasing their own home

Furthermore, Ling said the current development plan comes after many years of planning, discussions, setbacks and adjustments, finally receiving approval at the 8th and 9th sessions of the annual Mamara Council Meeting.

“We have persevered through many obstacles, including the Covid pandemic in order to finally kickstart the Mamara project.

“It is only possible through the cooperation and support of the central government of Solomon Islands, the provincial government of Guadalcanal, and their people,” he added.

The Mamara project and the development of Mamara-Tasivarongo-Mavo land is based on Solomon Islands Law No. 145.

“While Metropolis Pacific Pte Ltd is the company that is party to an Agreement made under this law, Metropolis Mamara Development Limited is our wholly-owned subsidiary that has been incorporated and registered in Solomon Islands for the specific implementation of the Mamara project in terms of development and construction,” Ling said.

The original shareholders of Metropolis Pacific Pte Ltd (and thus, Metropolis Mamara Development Limited) occupy two seats as Council Members on the Mamara Council, out of the three Council seats assigned for the developers.

Ngedea back in court today

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A man accused of lying and demanding money from a retired doctor will have his case heard in court again today.

This is the case of 45-year-old Sam Ngedea who was accused of obtaining more than $40,000 from a retired doctor in 2018 and 2019.

His case was listed to appear before Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison.

Prosecution charged the accused with 25 counts of false pretence and 21 counts of demanding with menace.

This is regarding the allegations between December 3, 2018 and July 20, 2019 where he lied to an elderly doctor and obtained more than $40,000.

Prosecution said the accused collected the monies from the victim on various occasions as compensation, accusing the victim trying to have sex with a woman he claimed was his mother.

Prosecution also alleged Ngedea during those times would appear using names such as George Ben, John Lake and Peter.

It was also alleged that the incident was made-up by the accused making prior arrangement with the woman to meet the victim on the case.

Steward Tonowane is appearing for the Crown while Lazarus Waroka from the Public Solicitor’s office is representing the accused.

Choiseul adapting to covid-19 regulations

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Taro Island

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

COMMUNITIES in Choiseul Province are said to be slowly adapting to covid-19 regulations.

Deputy Provincial Secretary of Choiseul Province, Nelson Tanito said Choiseul Provincial Disaster Operation Committee (PDOC) is working closely with the national team to ensure the safety of communities.

He said community leaders have been briefed with the country’s covid-19 regulations and taken onboard responsibilities to support the national government.

Administration officer of Choiseul, Abel Kutukana said community leaders are cautioned of any new comers to their villages, especially those crossing from Shortland Islands to Choiseul.

“People in the communities now absorbed how fatal covid-19 is. People are afraid of the virus and now takes active measures to make sure their communities are safe,” he said.

A police officer spoken to said similar understanding now invading communities and household living close to the boarder.

“It was very difficult for us to control border crossing at the beginning of our operation as some people from Shortland Islands have close connection with people from Bougainville.

“These people have been enjoying close relationships, exchange of foods and normally came face to face with each other, so it was really difficult to put a stop this practice which has existed over the past years,” the officer said.

Police border review team meets in Gizo

Written by
Press Release
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THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) review team met with Gizo Police and Provincial Disaster Operation Committee (PDOC) in Gizo, Western Province, this week.

The meeting as part of their review in relation to the COVID-19 operation that has been ongoing since April last year in the Shortland Islands.

A police statement said the meeting comprises of representative from respective sectors operated under the PDOC, these are Health, Education, National Disaster Committee, Save the Children, livelihood [Ministry of Agriculture], CSSI and RSIPF.

AC Pogeava speaks during the meeting in Gizo

Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Capital and Crime Prevention Simpson Pogeava says the review team has been to the western border between Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (SI-PNG) to assess how the RSIPF operation has impacted the communities with in the western border and to develop the next approach.

“By so doing, it will strengthen police operation for the betterment of this country in terms of security in assisting the Ministry of Health Medical Services (MHMS) of this health crisis,” Pogeava said.

“During the operations minor review has been made based on the intelligence reports and recommendations provided by the Commanders on the ground,” he added.

PDOC and RSIPF during the meeting in Gizo

“However, our team were here for a full review that we have commenced for the past few days in Shortland Islands and Taro, Choiseul.

“Now we here in Gizo to meet with your team (PDOC) who is also one of the key stakeholders to the RSIPF COVID 19 Western Border Operations and have the oversight of the Western Province COVID 19 Response Operations.”

Pogeava thanked officers in Western Province policing as they are the ones overseeing the Shortland Islands and Choiseul Province for the support of deploying their officers to be part of the COVID-19 Operation at the border.

During a meeting with the PDOC in Gizo, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Evelyn Thugea says they want to hear comments, recommendations and honest feedback from the committee that will help the review team.

“Since we have been working together at the beginning of this operation your team has been on the ground observing what has been done concerning our contribution into this COVID-19 issue,” Thugea said.

“Critics will be more appropriate and important so we can step up to what the expectation of those concerned citizen here in the western border.”

Camp Managements Coordinator, Western Province Lizzy Wong during the meeting says they have their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when it comes to certain level of COVID-19.

Review team with Police officers in Gizo

“When we go out to the community isolations, we highly need police presence to provide safety for us,” Wong said.

“It will bring confidence to women and children living around the quarantine and isolation sites,” she added.

“I want to thank police for their support in terms of logistic and security.

“And we are looking forward for their continues support and work together for more upcoming events regarding this COVID-19 operation.”

Pogeava in return acknowledged the presence of PDOC and the effort they have put in to continue activate their committee.

“This demonstrates how concern we are about the health wellbeing of our people here in Western Province.

“Thank you for the issues raised that will enable us to improve in our border operation and will continue to give support to each other.”

–POLICE MEDIA

NCDs impacting services and resources at NRH

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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National Referral Hospital. Photo supplied

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

Diabetes and non-communicable diseases (NCD) are heavily impacting the limited resources and services at the national referral hospital (NRH).

This was uttered by Dr George Malefoasi Chief, NRH executive officer at the recent opening ceremony of the new Diabetic Centre, NRH.      

“These statistics showed burden of the diabetes and other NCDs is having an impact on the limited resources and services of the NRH and Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS),” Malefoasi said.

He reported from 2015 to 2020 the NRH admitted an average of 14,146 patients. Within the same period there was average of 11,500 discharges. In 2019-2020 there were 11,556 to 12,568 admissions (9-10 percent of the Honiara population).

“The medical ward (adult ward) is one busiest department in terms of length of admissions (1,090), as well as patient day care (13,468) in 2020. Besides maternity and special care nursery, medical ward has one of the highest bed occupation rate of 88 percent in 2020.

“Medical ward also have some of the longer stays in the hospital in 2019 it was 14 days average length of stay which slightly reduced in 2020 with 11.8 days,” Malefoasi said.

He said the NRH admission records showed an increase of NCD cases of 31 percent (187) from the 2018 total of 590, to 777 totals in 2020. The WHO STEPS survey in 2O15 flagged primarily changing lifestyles including eating habits, diet, physical activities as common causes of hypertension and diabetes.  There are also secondary contributing factors such as low socio-economic challenges that influences the prevalence of NCDs.

Malefoasi stressed the number of admissions of Diabetic cases made up the majority of NCDs by around 60percent and hypertension 40 percent of the total since 2018.

He said 283hypertension were admitted in 2020. Whilst the total of 494 were due to diabetes. Of this total the majority 97 percent were type-2 non-insulin diabetes cases (483) and insulin-dependent of (11).

“According to the deaths record at NRH from 2018 to 2020, the medical ward which makes up 34 percent of all cumulative deaths record of 1,688 in total over the three years period. And most of these deaths were due to end-stage and NCD complications.

The medical department is one priority area for consideration – upgrading and improvement at all level,” Malefoasi said.

NCD increases at 15-20 percent rate every year

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is increasing at a rate of 15-20 percent every year.

Dr Jones Ghabu, head of Internal Medicine Consultant Physician Responsible for NCD and Diabetic Centre, said this is according to NCD statistic admission.

“Our local Statistic showed NCD admission to NRH is increasing at a rate of 15-20 percent every year and is becoming a common knowledge to all of us that NCD has hit a crisis point for the health system in our happy isles,” Gabu said.

He said each day clinicians diagnose, admit and certify NCDs (diabetes) among our people.

“Diabetes is the number-one cause of death for all ages in Solomon Island over these past years, increasing at the rate of 4.83 percent each year.

“We need to arm ourselves for war against NCD (diabetes) at all levels of health system and services. We have a WAR to fight. In war, we need trained soldiers or commandos, we need ammunitions, and we need battle ships and tankers. We need the standard operation guide or the battle field plan,” Gabu said.

He adds that doctors, nurses and paramedics have been trained under the SolPEN programme.

Chief Executive Officer to National Referral Hospital Dr George Malefoasi when speaking of hospital statistics also mentioned some of the NCD admission related figures.

Malefoasi said the number of admissions of Diabetic cases make up the majority of NCDs by around 60 percent and hypertension 40percent of the total since 2018. 

In 2020 the total of 283 hypertension were admitted. Whilst the total of 494 were due to diabetes.

“Of this total the majority 97 percent were type-2 non-insulin diabetes cases (483) and insulin-dependent of (11),” he said.

Malefoasi said to the deaths record at NRH from 2018 to 2020, the medical ward which makes up 34 percent of all cumulative deaths record of 1,688 in total over the three years period. And most of these deaths were due to end-stage and NCD complications.

He said these statistics showed burden of the diabetes and other NCDs is having an impact on the limited resources and services of the NRH and MHMS.

The above statements were stressed at the opening of a diabetic clinic at the National Referral Hospital.

COVID vaccination call

Written by
Press Release
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ALL persons living in Honiara and on Guadalcanal who are 18 and above are welcome to visit the Central Field Hospital in Honiara for their COVID-19 vaccination.

Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) made the invitation, Monday.

“Essential workers, including public transport drivers and crews you are strongly advised to also come forward for vaccination,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added the decision by the COVID-19 Vaccine National Coordinating Committee (NCC) to open vaccination for this group was reached after assessing current status of vaccination coverage for all frontliners, vaccination of people with underlying disease and vaccination coverage along the western borderline communities.

“The decision was also based on the operational and logistics challenges and the cost of rolling out the vaccine.

“In total over 15,000 doses of COVID-19, vaccines have been administered so far.

“In Honiara the initial 7000 doses of AstraZeneca allocation for the capital were fully utilized, in fact over 7000 doses were administered with a coverage of over 70 to 80 percent of all frontline health workers including all other frontliners.”

The statement said in Western Province, vaccination was carried out for all frontline workers, which also included public figures such as community and church leaders in Gizo, Noro and Munda were also vaccinated.

In Shortlands, the target group was entire population 18 years and above and nearly 80% of the population has received their first vaccine.  

“All communities were reached with COVID-19 vaccines and all eligible persons who came forward received their first jab.

“In Choiseul, vaccination has reached all 6 catchment areas or group of communities facing the western border.

Over 3,000 people vaccinated in these catchment areas; however, the vaccine uptake has been low (34%).

“We have still kept some doses of AstraZeneca vaccine for launching campaigns in near future.

“With this, we would like to inform that there are still some frontliners and persons 18 years and above along the western border that still needed to get their first vaccine dose.”

However, the statement said health cannot simply put on halt all other groups simply to wait for them, thus roll out for all 18 years and above will now commence in Honiara, Guadalcanal and then Western Province, MOI, Choiseul, and other provinces.

“With the current vaccination at the Central Field Hospital, 25,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine were available and since the launch of the Sinopharm vaccine last week Friday, nearly 2000 doses have been administered meaning less than 23,000 doses now available.

“Therefore, health is calling on all persons 18 years and above in Honiara and parts of Guadalcanal that can easily access the Central Field Hospital to come forward and receive your COVID-19 jabs.

“We are also working on the outreach programmes to reach far off communities to promote vaccination.

“Second round of vaccination for all persons who have received their first dose of AstraZeneca will commence as of Wednesday this week.

“However, your date is flexible and you can come for vaccination anytime within 2 weeks of your dose being due.

“For any further information pertaining to vaccination at the Central Field Hospital please call our toll free line, 115 and speak to one of our operators who will direct you to the best person available to address your needs.”

Chinese companies and domestic politics

Written by
Admin
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AN OBSERVER

THE row between the national government and the Malaita Provincial Government (MPG) has degenerated to a level that is politically unhealthy and could have an adverse impact on infrastructure developments on Malaita.

There is enough blame to go around on both sides. But there is a need to resolve it promptly before it infects the entire country.

At face value, this is a dispute over the Solomon Island Government’s decision to sever diplomatic relation with Taiwan and recognize the People’s Republic of China.

The MPG has been adamant about its opposition to the China relationship. Other Solomon Islanders have also expressed concern about the relationship. This is the most widely debated diplomatic relationship.

However, many acknowledge that international relation is a prerogative of the national Government and have therefore moved on, even if they are still concerned about the China relationship.

The MPG has refused to do that and has written its anti-China crusade into the Auki Communique. This has since become an issue of tension between the MPG and the national Government.   

The most recent blow-up is over allegations that the tender for the construction of the Fiu Bridge in Central Kwara’ae has been awarded to the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and assistance for Premier Daniel Suidani’s medical treatment.

The tension between the MPG and the national government manifests itself at three levels with intersecting issues.

First, there is a genuine opposition to the diplomatic relation with China. The MPG, like individual citizens, have the right to express their concerns, which they did.

The anti-China sentiment is fueled in part by Solomon Islanders’ negative perception of China.

This is influenced by their encounters with Chinese shop owners, logging companies, Chinese goods, etc.

It is also influenced by a sentimental connection to Taiwan after 36 years of diplomatic relation.

Furthermore, there are the rhetoric associated with the geo-political competition engendered by China’s increasing influence.

Second, the tension between MPG and the national government is a classic example of an appropriation of international relations to frame and express domestic politics.

It is therefore more about domestic politics and the relationship between the national and provincial governments, than it is about China, Taiwan, U.S., Australia, etc.

Those countries have become pawns in Solomon Islands domestic politics.

At the same time, Taiwan – and much less explicitly the U.S. – are exploiting this rift to promote their agendas.

Here, domestic and international politics intersect, which is not uncommon, but this case could be diabolical for everyone.

Third, the tension is a result of personal differences that have histories beyond the diplomatic relation with China. These include dismissals and connections to past and future elections.

The MPG refuses to accept the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the Fiu Bridge project, which will affect Malaita people’s access to quality infrastructure.

The project could be awarded to another contractor, but that could delay it, or perhaps no other contractor wants it.

CHEC has previously had contracts in Solomon Islands, including the Transport Sector Flood Recovery Project on Guadalcanal.

In fact, Chinese SOEs have, in recent years, been successful in bidding for infrastructure projects in Solomon Islands.

This includes China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) contract to build the SINU Panatina complex and the proposed Moga Bridge in Northeast Guadalcanal.

Perhaps Chinese SOEs are successful because they are bigger and can outbid and undercut other contractors.

In the future, they will probably dominate the construction market.

Or perhaps it’s because the value of the contracts are comparatively small. Other companies are therefore not interested.

For example, the Fiu Bridge project is less than US$10 million and the SINU complex is about US$12 million.

Maybe the Chinese companies are bigger and therefore can absorb the cost and still make money.

Chinese SOEs have been in Solomon Islands prior to 2019 and have helped grease the switch in diplomatic relations.

This is not unusual. We have seen similar practices elsewhere.

For example, On 3 September 2019, the Guadalcanal Provincial Government Executive met with Yao Ming, the Chinese Chargé  D’affaire to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

The meeting was part of Beijing’s attempts to persuade provincial governments about the potential benefits in switching diplomatic relation.

The Chinese delegation included representatives of China Railway International Group Co. Ltd., CHEC PNG Ltd. and two representatives of subsidiary companies.

This is a complex saga with multiple layers, issues and characters. 

In trying to make sense of it, it is important to go beyond the exchanges between the MPG and the national Government and be immersed with the nuances of the stories.

This cocktail of personal differences, domestic politics, international relation, and Chinese companies could leave Solomon Islands with a nasty long-term hangover. 

The dilapidated state of Honiara

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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Is it too late to modernize our capital city?

PETER FORAU

Honiara

IT is not an exaggeration to say that the state of debilitation facing Honiara reflects the state of poor governance at the HCC. 

It will be a national shame not to do anything to improve Honiara and present to our visitors a modern and clean capital city when the Pacific Games starts in late 2023. 

I’m hopeful there is time to turn things around but certain things have to be done now. 

First is, recruit a new City Clerk. It’s good to see a process is already underway for this. 

Hopefully an active and visionary person will be recruited on merit for this important role. 

Secondly, the current HCC works supervisor, with due respect, is entirely incompetent and must be replaced. 

The state of Honiara reflects the individual’s incompetence.

Thirdly the CAUSE project must now be refocused to fund and drive most of the modernization activities around Honiara especially in paving walkways in central public areas, such as from ITA to NPF Plaza and the opposite side of the road.

Also, all drains along the main streets of Honiara must be covered.   

Other priorities can include the following:

  •  beautify two tourist zones at Point Cruz, one from the ACOM Head-office to the Dennis Building and the second one from the former ANZ building to the Visitors’ bureau office. These zones will be declared as tourists zones by ordinance and all shops there will be required to upgrade their shop fronts and will be required to be specialist shops.  These zones will be paved and lined with green palm trees.  Beetle nut and cigarette roll sales will not be allowed in these zones.   Also, there won’t be any street vendors allowed to sell in these zones.  The two underground walkway shelters at Point Cruz CBD will be dismantled and permanently closed. The location of the structures will be landscaped and planted with flowers. 
  • One of the major projects that HCC must be involved with has be the development of the roundabout in front of the HCC Office into a non-visit park.  An architect should be engaged to design the park so that it will be fit for purpose. A water feature will be nice to be installed in the park and so as flag poles from which will fly the national flag and all the Provincial flags and Honiara City flag.  Also if feasible HCC should discuss with  MP Bodo Detke the possibility of buying back  land at the Mataniko river bank that was previously sold to him. The land should be used to locate a  fun park complete with amusement activities such as a merry -go-around, artificial horse rides, bucket floats, food outlets, shopping,  grocery shop and convenience facilities.
  • On traffic management, a lot of work needs to be done on this front but as a start take off all mini-buses from the main road enclosed within the white river bridge and east end of the Lunga bridge. 
  • In this regard all minibuses will only service all feeder roads.  So licences will be issued according to the feeder roads.  For example licenses will be provided for minibuses to serve all Mbokonavere roads ending at the HCC parking area which should be upgraded as a bus exchange. All feeder roads will have a mini-bus serving it. The main road as designated in the boundary defined above will be served by five big buses that will be bought and operated by the HCC.  No licences will be issued to any mini-bus to operate a public transport service in the main road. Guadalcanal routes Mini-buses coming into town from either side of the defined boundary will have to drop off and pick-up their passengers on either ends of the boundary and the passengers will then catch a HCC public transport into town or to catch their respective transport at either end of the main road. 
  • Similarly taxis should be allowed to only operate from taxi bases.  No taxis will be allowed to drive around town looking for passengers who will have to call in by phone to the bases for taxi pick up.
  • To help increase revenue generation, parking meters should be installed around the CBD area.
  • Given the poor control of revenue by HCC, revenue collection should be outsourced to be managed by a competent agency (through an open public tender).  ISIA can very well perform this function.
  • In addition working closely with MID, some roads will have to be upgraded and opened up to traffic.  For example Ashley street will be opened up from the west bound lane of Mendana Avenue.  An entry and exit junction will be introduced from and into Mendana Avenue. Also east bound traffic out of Lawson tama will be closed. Instead only west bound traffic can enter the main road and east bound vehicles will have to use the HCC round about to head-back east.
  • In consultation with the Chinese Association the main china town street will be upgraded and opened up as a two way street. Parking meters will be installed along the street and CCTV cameras will also be installed in strategic locations along the street complete with street lights.  
  • Funds permitting (will discuss with CAUSE), bus shelters will be built along the main road.
  • Also the fish market at the main market will be relocated, or better managed for cleanliness, to another location as the product is causing bad stench at the market.
  • Finally, HCC will appoint street wardens whose job it is to patrol the streets and issue on the spot fines for people caught littering or spitting beetle-nut juice on the street. The wardens will be empowered by ordinance to do their jobs. 

They will also be doing routine street cleaning jobs such as street sweeping and de-dusting etc. For the main road cleaning gangs of 3-5 people will be employed and the gangs will be allocated a specific stretch of the road to clean every day. So the main road will be covered.

Each gang could be responsible for say cleaning both sides of the main road for up to 5km of the road and then another will be responsible for another 5 km of road and so forth. 

All feeder roads and suburbs will be covered by mobile gangs. That way the entire city is covered. 

For street sweeping the HCC will purchase three street sweeping vehicles which will be used mainly to de-dust the side streets and main road while the street gangs will be responsible for cutting grass and weeds etc.

  • Also, to help with the general cleanliness of the city all old vehciles left by any roadside will be towed away by the HCC for a fee.  Sometime will be given to the owners to clear away the old vehicles.

At the lapse of this time, HCC will clear-away the vehicles at a fee to the owners. The same will apply to any illegal structures constructed on the roadside. 

The HCC will give time for owners to dismantle these structures failing which HCC law enforcement will perform this function at a fee to the owners.  

All these are part of a holistic effort to clean Honiara. 

The effort will include a dismantling of all structures used for side street hawking.

The overhead walkway at the NRH will be dismantled as are the two structures on the underground walkway at Point Cruz which are an ugly eyesore.

Some buildings in town will have to be condemned as these have become too old and deface the image of Honiara as the capital city.

Hopefully we will all cooperate to modernize Honiara in the short-time left before the games start in late 2023. 

Foreign Affairs provides $900,000 support for 2 local companies

Written by
Admin
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Permanent Secretary of MFAET Mr. Collin Beck and Managing Director of PZTR company Mr. Henry Kapu signing the SBD100,000 grant assistance for the Lata based PZTR company at the MFAET office.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) has acknowledged another mile stone achieved by the Solomon Islands Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Enhanced Capacity for Agriculture Trade (ECAT) project with the signing of two separate contracts by the EIF National Implementation Unit(NIU) on Thursday 27th May 2021.

The EIF is a multi-donor programme which supports Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in their effort of promoting economic growth and sustainable development by addressing their trade and trade-related constrains in order to build their capacity to trade and take advantage of global trade.

 Under the Solomon Islands EIF program a Tier 2 Project known as the Solomon Islands Enhanced Capacity for Agriculture Trade (SI-ECAT) was endorsed and currently being implemented by the EIF NIU which is based within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET). 

The focus of the SI-ECAT is on the Agriculture sector particularly in helping supply side constraints.

As part of the helping out local companies who are investing in local crops particularly cassava and Taro the EIF NIU team in March had travelled to Lata, Temotu Province to carry out an assessment on how the private sector in Temotu can benefit from the EIF project.

The EIF NIU team identified PZTR company as a company that has already build a large storage and Pack house facility in Lata.

 PZTR pack house will be used to process crops like Taro, Nambo, kava and so forth.

With the company already half way through construction of their pack house the EIF NIU recommended that assistance be provided to PZTR company to complete the two storey pack house.

On Thursday the Permanent Secretary of MFAET Collin Beck formally signed the assistance package of SBD$100,000 with the Managing Director of PZTR company, Henry Kapu.

 The assistance will be used to complete the storage and processing facility which will be very important for the private sector and farmers in Temotu province.

Speaking during the signing ceremony the Permanent Secretary for MFAET Collin Beck highlighted the importance of the Pack house facility in Lata saying that this vital infrastructure will help local farmers in and around Lata (Temotu) who have had a hard time trying to sell their crops to Honiara.

“With this new pack house I am sure a lot of farmers around Lata will benefit as it will mean farmers will not have to bear the expensive costs of sending their crops to Honiara via ships which is also not consistently travelling to Temotu province.

“I am happy that the EIF project has decided to help PZTR company as this processing facility will also be a very important infrastructure for Temotu province if the proposed Solomon Islands trade link with Vanuatu via Lata happens,” PS Beck said.

Meanwhile speaking on behalf of PZTR company, Henry Kapu thanked the EIF NIU for facilitating the assistance to his company saying that this will enable the company to complete its pack house and storage facility by the end of this year.

“This storage facility once completed will be beneficial for the farmers around Lata who have had to bear expensive costs of freighting their crops to Honiara.

“A majority of women will benefit from selling their crops particularly with bread fruit and a lot of job opportunities will be also available.

“Our company will strive to ensure that this facility is completed so that we can go into processing of local crops like taro, breadfruit and kava,” Mr. Kapu said.

Meanwhile also as part of its activities the EIF NIU project is also assisting the National Public Health laboratory (NPHL) with the building of a new office complex.

During the same ceremony the Permanent Secretary of MFAET Mr. Collin Beck also signed a contract with Motawa Enterprises to formally allow the company to start construction on the new office Complex for the NPHL at Kukum campus.

Motawa enterprises was selected out of 10 other companies that applied through the Central Tender Board(CTB).

The new office complex is fully funded by the EIF and will enable staff of the NPHL to have a new office space for which they have lacked for the last few years.

A ground breaking ceremony for the new office complex will be arranged in the coming week.

The total assistance that the EIF provided for the two projects is SBD$900,000.

The two local indigenous companies will also be monitored by the EIF team on how they will spend the money. This is part of EIF’s monitoring on how their funds are being spent.

EIF program is an AID for Trade program that Solomon Islands benefited from because of its status as a WTO member and also as a LDC.

–MFAET

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