BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
China will be funding the tar-sealing of Auki township roads.
Premier of Malaita Martin Fini confirmed this in his address yesterday; the full assembly will this week sit to deliberate on the 2023/2024 revised budget.
He said, “We negotiated with national government and China to fund the Auki tar seal road.
“I had signed an agreement on behalf of my government, the national government and PRC.
“I wish to announce that PRC will soon fund the Auki Tar Sealing roads.”
Fini said this is a major achievement for his government and it needs support from stakeholders in the province to make it happen.
Also, in a recent statement the MPG said the national government had issued $10 million to Malaita provincial government.
MPG clarified that the $10m was also for Auki Road, but it would only be for road-improvement within the town.
“The 10m was not for tar-seal. It is only for road improvement in Auki township.
“From the road improvement will then come the tar-seal. It is in preparation for tar-seal in Auki town,” MPG said.
MPG also mentioned in the statement that tender for Auki road-improvement should have already been finalised, eyed to begin before 2024.
Auki tar-seal and Fiu bridge were captured in the first phase of the SIRAP programme, but has not been implemented.
