BY SAMIE WAIKORI
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) is working on a proposal to provide free school bus services for students in Honiara by 2028.
MID Minister, Ricky Fuo’o shared this goal during a press conference on Tuesday, describing the initiative as part of the ministry’s broader support for the citizens of the Solomon Islands.
Fuo’o said recently the ministry donated four school buses to Honiara City Council (HCC).
He noted that this donation marks the beginning of a long-term plan that aims to provide free bus services for students in Honiara.
Fuo’o said MID does not have the mandate to charge fares, make a profit, or operate transport services and that’s why they partnered with HCC.
He said an agreement has been signed with HCC to operate the bus service for students. For now, students will pay a fare of $2 per trip while the interim arrangements are in place.
Fuo’o added that the ministry will closely monitor how HCC implements the service to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement. He stressed that if HCC overcharges students, there will be consequences.
Looking ahead, Fuo’o said the ministry’s plan involves HCC managing the bus service while MID assesses the operational costs and determines how many buses are needed to meet student demand.
He said as part of the ministry’s plan, they hope by 2028, they will incorporated plan into the recurrent budget.
Fuo’o said it is one of the ministry’s targets, and they are confident to meet this goal. By 2028, the ministry aims to provide free school bus services for our students.
Additionally, the minister highlighted a collaboration between MID and the Solomon Islands Infrastructure Programme (SIIP) under DFAT to support people with special needs with similar assistance.
“Work is ongoing, and our Director for Transport is overseeing the procurement of this bus, which we hope to deliver by the second quarter of this year,” Fuo’o said.
He emphasised that this plan is part of a comprehensive approach to support both students and individuals with special needs, a key priority for the ministry in fulfilling its mandate to serve the people of the Solomon Islands.
Photo: MID
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