PREMIER of Central Islands Province is calling on State Owned Enterprises owning land titles at Tulagi through the commissioner of lands to surrender them back to province.
Stanley Manetiva made the call when delivering his speech on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary Second Appointed Day of Central Islands Province.
Premier Manetiva said the province needs the lands “for economic and provincial development of the economy to trigger infrastructures”.
Manetiva emphasized that the province must have the title and control over any entry point infrastructure facility.
“Therefore it is our call for a policy change on crown land in the province under COL (Commissioner of Lands), PE (Perpetual Estate) to transfer to premier for economic development purposes and SOE land to revert to LOC and back to the premier,” Manetiva highlighted.
He further calls on the government to revisit the previous policies or policy to transfer the Tulagi crown land to the Province for socioeconomic development purposes.
The premier also get the government’s attention on larger economy trigger infrastructure which he says is an overdue aspiration for the province.
In that regard, Manetiva calls on the national government “…to equitably and fairly share and distribute larger economy trigger infrastructures like the Tulagi road proposed project which again is long overdue”.
Manetiva said the improvement and tarsealing of Tulagi road will add value to the province’s tourism sector and to the comfort of visitors.
Premier Manetiva also used the occasion of the 40th Anniversary Second Appointed Day of his province to acknowledge government’s nationhood building and delivery of services to the rural people.
In particular, he thanked the government’s delivery of services in the traditional sectors of health and education followed by the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
On that note, Manetiva acknowledged various government delivery of services to the province, one of which is the refurbishment of the Tulagi hospital.
The premier also singled out government’s commitment to restore the number 1 house which was the British Solomon Islands Protectorate office.
Manetiva said the number 1 house’s restoration as a historical museum will add value to the tourism sector of the Province.
He further acknowledged government’s commitment in the Tulagi domestic wharf project which is jointly funded by EU, ADB through the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development.
He also suggested an alternative seaport to Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA), an idea worth pursuing into the future.
