BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Progress continues to be observed on infrastructure projects implemented under the Land and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP) in Honiara, Guadalcanal, Rennell and Bellona, and Makira-Ulawa provinces.
The projects mainly cover roads and wharves and are being executed through the coordination of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID).
Providing an update during a recent press conference in Honiara, Deputy Secretary Technical of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Mike Qaqara, said the LMCP is jointly funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Solomon Islands Government.
Qaqara said the project is currently working on the 31.7-kilometre Barande road section, with works nearly complete except for a remaining culvert at the Foxwood area.
He added that another key component under the LMCP is the 3.1-kilometre Tandai Highway, which has been upgraded from two lanes to four lanes.
“There is significant work happening on the Tandai Highway, and the good news is that the paved network is substantially complete.
“Only the roundabouts at Rove and Rifle Range remain to be completed. The project is around 92 percent complete and is scheduled for completion by April 2026,” Qaqara said.
He also highlighted the 1.7-kilometre road section from the Town Ground roundabout to the Honiara City Council roundabout, which is being implemented under the LMCP.
Qaqara said the work includes underground drainage, with some sections already completed while others are ongoing. About 300 metres of pavement works have been completed, and construction is currently in front of HP and BSP Bank.
Overall progress for this section stands at approximately 28 percent, with completion expected around July 2026.
Qaqara further noted that the LMCP includes wharf projects in the provinces, including Kirakira in Makira-Ulawa province and Ahanga in Rennell and Bellona province.
He said the Kirakira wharf is about 96 percent complete and is expected to be fully completed by May 2026, while the Ahanga wharf is approximately 41.9 percent complete.
Qaqara also mentioned that another major component of the LMCP is the Honiara Port project. The contractor took possession of the site on December 1, 2025.
He said overall work on the port project is about 50 percent complete, with completion targeted for October 2028.
Photo: Supplied
For feedback, contact: [email protected]
Editor: [email protected]
