BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
GUADALCANAL Premier has pledged his support towards the Barana Community Nature Park as it will offer opportunities to people.
Premier Anthony Veke in his remarks on the World Environment Day yesterday registered its support for the Barana Community Nature Park because such initiative will offer tremendous opportunities that community can benefit from.
He said creation of the Barana Community Nature Park represents an opportunity that community can tap on for their sustainable livelihood and ecosystem.
Mr Veke said, “This is an opportunity to showcase our natural environment, showcase our efforts to sustainably manage our forests, showcase our biodiversity, our culture and showcase our small contribution to address the global impacts of climate change.
“As a province we will support the effort by SPREP in partnership with the community to ensure long term sustainability and its success.”
Veke said establishment of the nature park will also provide opportunities in terms of generating sustainable income from eco-tourism activities as well as other sources.
He said Guadalcanal provincial government is looking forward to work in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, SPREP, Barana community and other partners to ensure such project are successfully implemented and sustained.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management Dr Melchior Mataki appreciated that the Barana Community and Guadalcanal province have accepted such initiative to work with SPREP.
Mr Mataki thanked the Barana community and GP for their support in this kind of initiative that SPREP is promoting on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government for the establishment of a community nature park.
He adds, presence of SPREP PEBACC project at the Barana community is part and parcel of government efforts of promoting environment management and sustainable natural resource management through the country.
Besides, Mataki urged Barana community and GP to take ownership of the Nature Park that SPREP-PABACC project has established.
