By Alfred Sasako
AT first they kept their distance. On Wednesday the distance vanished into thin air as North West Guadalcanal MP, Hon Bodo Dettke, drove the Noni farming message home.
And who could be better than Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela, his Deputy Manasseh Sogavare and other key ministers to be in your audience? Inside the Sir Paul Tovua complex at Vavaya Ridge was a captured audience of the powers that be?
It is here that the National Parliament House, often referred to as the Roundhouse, sits. It is here, the seat of power, was where North West Guadalcanal Constituency MP, Hon Dettke, had a congregation of sorts.
“I am very, very pleased about the outcome of our meeting,” Hon Dettke told Island Sun later.
“The meeting went very well and it seems even government ministers were all onboard,” he said.
Hon Dettke was on Wednesday night finalising a “thank you” letter to Prime Minister Houenipwela.
“That letter will list all the salient points made in the presentation, which explains the huge economic benefits that Noni farming could produce for individual farmers, families and indeed the nation,
“I simply told the Hon Prime Minister, his Deputy and others that the 140 plots we signed off earlier this week would produce $7 million a month, once we have started harvesting only after 18 months.
“Once we’ve signed up the remaining 160 others, we’ll be reaping $14 million a month. So tell me, is this no good for the country?
“It was a very good meeting and I thank the Prime Minister and his Deputy and other ministers for their time,” Hon Dettke said.
