BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
THE Commodity Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) is looking at establishing two additional trading centers, to bring the total number to six.
In an interview with SunGizo, Team Leader of Cabinet Sub-committee consultation taskforce who is also a director of CEMA, Martin Housanau said the taskforce is looking at Gojoruru in Isabel Province and Taro in Choiseul province.
He said consultations to set up ground work before opening these two proposed buying centres will be held around August.
Housanau said the team will first travel to Isabel to meet and discuss with the Isabel Provincial government before reaching out to Choiseul province.
“I’ve been to Buala Isabel, during the Isabel Province Second Appointed Day and have carried out preliminary assessment at Gojoruru,” he said.
“Potential to reopen Gojoruru buying centre is already there, we just need to tap the process with positive outcome,” he said.
Housanau adds that the team has similar projection for a Taro Buying Centre.
He explained that Cabinet and CEMA Board will go with any Buying Centre that is ready to open before the end of this year.
“Other buying Centers who are not ready to open this year will expect to carry forward to 2022,” Housanau.
The team travelled to Noro yesterday to see firsthand the state of the Noro CEMA buying Centre.
This paper understands that the CEMA Revitalisation and Recapitalisation Strategy 2021 – 2027 was launched by the Hon. Prime Minister early this month.
A budget allocation of SBD26 million dollars is estimated for the implementation of priorities specifically for the first and second phases of the strategy.
