BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
MALAITA Provincial government is looking forward to the construction of its tourism facility project which will begin early 2022 in Auki.
The establishment of the facility will be a testament to the MOU the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) and MPG signed in 2020 and following a ground breaking held in 2015 towards the establishment of the facility in the province.
Malaita provincial tourism officer, Rose Masibata told Island Sun yesterday that since the ground breaking ceremony, nothing was done especially on the facility and by way of strengthening it an official MOU was signed last year.
She said the MOU was signed to pave way for development of the industry in the province and the establishment of the facility becomes a priority component of it.
Masibata said the multi-million-dollar facility will be referred to as a “cultural building” and if completed will house the provincial tourism office, provincial archive and museum and other related sectors to the industry in the province.
She said progress so far on the project was; MCT has already tendered the project and recently they retendered it not finding suitable contractors to award with the project during its first tender.
Masibata said process regarding the retender of the project is currently dealt with and will complete soon ahead of the construction of the facility next year.
She said the establishment of the facility will be no doubt a milestone towards the development of the tourism industry on Malaita province.
Masibata said Malaita province is one of the least provinces to benefit from the industry in the country and MCT’s plan to partner with MPG on the sector is welcoming news.
She said there are lots of tourism operators and potentials in the province, however they lack support that hinders the grow of the industry in the province.
Masibata said the development of the industry in the province rests heavily on the support from national government, MPG and resource owners towards it’s thrive in the province.
She said her office through Malaita provincial government looks forward to working closely with MCT through the national government to ensure terms under the MOU are materialized.
