BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
NORO town in Western Province has been described as a strategic location, with almost every government ministry now establishing a presence in the thriving provincial town.
Speaking during the official opening of the Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) Building, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said Noro has evolved into an important hub—not only for the fisheries industry but also as home to key offices that serve the national interest.
He said the establishment of the MCS Office in Noro is both strategic and symbolic, reflecting the government’s broader vision to strengthen governance and operational capacity in the provinces.
“The facility adds significant value to the operational efficiency of the Port of Noro and directly supports the regulatory needs of SolTuna Limited—the only tuna cannery in the country and a major national employer.
“It brings regulatory oversight and enforcement capability right to the heart of the tuna industry. It enables our fisheries officers to monitor fishing activities more effectively, ensure compliance with national and international laws, and strengthen our collective fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” Manele said.
“It is a visible symbol of my government’s commitment to ensuring that the fisheries sector operates under fair, transparent, and sustainable principles,” he added.
Manele also highlighted the strategic importance of the newly established Noro Data Centre, describing it as a vital component of the country’s national ICT framework.
He said the Data Centre enhances national IT redundancy and resilience by ensuring that essential government operations can continue even in the event of disruptions at the main data centre in Honiara.
“The Noro Data Centre provides backup capacity and data protection for critical government systems and records, especially in times of major disasters affecting Honiara,” he explained.
Prime Minister Manele reaffirms his government’s commitment to decentralisation, noting that distributing essential national functions and services more equitably across the country is key to strengthening national unity, stability, and resilience.
“This is to ensure that development and governance are not centralised in Honiara alone but reaches all corners of our nation,” he said.
Photo: Supplied
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