By RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

The Trades Transportation Company has completed repair work on four wooden bridges along the South Road in Malaita Province.

The wooden bridges were repaired after road users and vehicle owners raised concerns over the bridges’ strength, as they were built long ago. 

In a media release yesterday, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) thanked the Trades Transformation Company (TTC) for successfully repairing the four key timber bridges along the South Road.

The Trades Transformation Company is also grateful that the bridges have been repaired to improve safety and accessibility for road users across the Central Region of Malaita Province. 

MID encourages the community near the road assets to take ownership and look after them.

“I encourage the community members living near these bridges to look after them. These are road assets for the good of all travelers on the South Road,” he said.

It was said that another bridge is slated for repair soon, though it is under the contingency allocations.

In the meantime, the repair and maintenance of the Maoa to Hauhui section (33km) will be completed soon.

The bridges repair work, road upgrade and maintenance are possible through the National Transport Fund (Australia) and the World Bank; building durable climate-resilient infrastructure.

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By RODRICK DESURI

Auki

More than 50 cloth vendors, mainly mothers in Auki, Malaita Province are asking what had happened to the $30,000 they had given to the Malaita provincial government.

The money was purposely for the provincial government to locate a space for the vendors to sell clothing.

The vendors last year contributed more than $30,000 and submitted the money to the Malaita Provincial Government last year, purposely to support the establishment of a new market area.

However, to date there is no progress on the proposed area near the betelnut market as construction work stopped in December.

In an interview with one of the vendors, Tafilia Lui said they are being left in the dark and are worried that their contributions may have been lost and used for other matters,

She said if the provincial government is not prioritising their need, they should not accept and agree on the agreement they made last year.

She said the hearsay information they heard is that Malaita Provincial Government is facing a hard wall as funds are not available to progress any work.

“This is frustrating when we have given our earnings (money) to establish a permanent market area, but the work isn’t progressing.

“We also worry that our contributions (money) might be gone and used for other matters without prioritising our need.

“Only what we head from the government staff and officials is that the government doesn’t have money and is waiting for their first quarter fund,” she said.

In the meantime, she appeals to the Malaita Provincial Government to quickly work on the area as they have waited for long.

She said they (cloth vendors) need the area to be cleared and fully fenced before they can restart their marketing.

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The national government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID), is working to revive the Public Works Department (PWD).

This move follows the recognition of the need to re-establish the crucial department, which was previously operated and then abolished by the government several years ago.

Minister for Infrastructure Development, Ricky Fuo’o, announced this important initiative during a press conference held by the ministry last week.

Minister Fuo’o explained that MID is actively working to re-establish the PWD to improve planning, construction, and maintenance of public infrastructure, such as roads and bridges.

The initiative is designed to address the inefficiencies associated with over-reliance on private contractors, starting in Honiara and gradually expanding to provincial areas.

A statement from MID outlines that, as of May 2025, the ministry will be in the planning phase, developing business plans and case studies to guide the return of the PWD. The department is expected to begin operations in Honiara before extending to the provinces.

The re-establishment of the PWD will take over routine maintenance, emergency repairs, and quality control of infrastructure, reducing the dependency on private contractors.

The scope of the department’s work is expected to cover road maintenance, drainage systems, and public buildings.

Minister Fuo’o revealed that MID is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, as well as the Ministry of Police, National Security, and Correctional Services, to establish an authority that will house the new department.

He pointed to the example of Fiji’s Land Transport Authority as a model, suggesting that a similar approach could be adopted in Solomon Islands. This would provide the financial backing needed for the department’s operations.

“We are working closely with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that part of the revenue generated from road usage is allocated to fund this new authority.

Minister Fuo’o said they are grateful for Australia’s DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) for supporting this important undertaking.

Photo: Supplied

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By RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

Cloth vendors in Auki, Malaita Province, are pushing for space as they wait for the establishment of their new market area.

The vendors are frustrated and are advocating for space in Auki to sell second-hand clothes after they were forced to leave the NPF area earlier this year.

One of the vendors, Tafilia Lui said they are struggling as they are really trying their best to earn money to support their families.

She said that it shows the Malaita Provincial Government is turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to their struggles.

“Now we don’t think that our provincial government is seeing our struggles. But this is the only way that we can earn money to support our families and children’s tuition fees.

“The government is turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to us,” she said.

Lui also questioned why the provincial government has not acted on their agreed agreement from last year.

“We have agreed and contributed more than 30 thousand dollars to the government in the hope that the money will kick-start the work on the new market area for us, but to date, the construction work on the new area has been stopped since last year,” she said.

Meanwhile, she said that if the government is focusing on other matters, an assurance should be given to them.

The vendors are now looking for any space in the Auki town area to kick-start their small business operations.

Island Sun reached out to the office of the Malaita Provincial Government last night, but there was no response.

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID), through the Lands and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP), will be carrying out comprehensive maintenance on the stretch of road from Heritage Park Hotel to the Honiara City Council (HCC) roundabout.

This section of road is one of the oldest and most deteriorated in Honiara, requiring a full upgrade to ensure durability and safety for vehicle use.

In a recent press conference, Minister for Infrastructure Development, Ricky Fuo’o, emphasized the importance of maintenance on this road section, explaining that the ongoing patching work is a temporary solution until the full upgrade can be completed.

Minister Fuo’o stated, as many aware, the ministry has been carrying out patching work on the road from Heritage Park Hotel roundabout to the HCC roundabout.

He went on to explain that the road, one of the oldest in Honiara, has suffered from water infiltration and debris accumulation over the years, weakening its foundation.

Fuo’o sad due to this deterioration, regardless of whether the road is sealed with cheaper materials or asphalt, it won’t last.

However, for the time being, the ministry will continue patching the road until the LMCP project can fully address the issue. This approach will also help save costs in the short term.

He said the comprehensive maintenance will involve removing the existing road foundation and digging down 1.5 meters before compacting the base.

Only after this process will the road be properly sealed, ensuring its long-term durability, Fuo’o explained.

The minister acknowledges public concerns regarding the poor condition of the road and reassures the public that the ministry is working on a permanent solution. The road’s foundation is beyond repair with simple patching, and that’s why full maintenance is necessary.

Fuo’o calls for public understanding while the ministry, in partnership with the LMCP, works towards upgrading this crucial stretch of road in the heart of Honiara.

Photo: MID

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE Western Province Sailing Association (WPSA) is stepping up efforts to bring back the Vaka Tepe Festival to Gizo next year, more than 20 years after it was last held.

Plans to revive the historic festival are now taking shape following the establishment of the WPSA Steering Committee.

In an interview with Island Sun, Chairman of WPSA, Charles Kelly, said the committee comprises of tourism operators in Western Province, officials from the Western Provincial Administration and other key stakeholders.

He said the committee has been formally appointed and its future undertakings will be guided by the association’s constitution.

Kelly said the next step is to officially inform the Premier of Western Province and his executive about the association and its plans.

“As the president of the association, I was tasked to introduce the association to the premier and his executive.

“I will also present to the provincial government the intention of the festival, the benefits it will bring to Western Province and how the province can support the festival,” he said.

Kelly said the main intention of the Vaka Tepe Festival is to promote tourism in Western Province while reviving cultural practices and traditions that are slowly fading.

Culture Officer within the province’s Tourism Division, Mr. Kenneth Roga, said one of the key traditional initiatives under Vaka Tepe is the revival of crafting the Tomoko canoe.

He said the knowledge and skills required to construct an original Tomoko canoe have been diminishing over time.

“We are left with very few elders who know how to build the Tomoko canoe. It is our ambition to provide the necessary support so that the knowledge and skills can be passed down to the present generation,” Roga said.

He said plans have already been endorsed and one community has been identified to construct a Tomoko canoe ahead of the festival.

Chief Principal Officer of the Western Province Tourism Division, Mrs. Meria Paza, described the proposed Vaka Tepe Festival as more than just a cultural event.

She said the festival is expected to significantly boost the tourism industry in Western Province, with spillover benefits for the entire country.

“So, from what I gather, the festival will begin in Brisbane where all the yachts will cruise from Brisbane to Gizo.

“Families of these tourists will fly to Solomon Islands, especially to Western Province via Brisbane and Munda, and stay at our resorts — meaning money will be coming into the country.

“So, it is an exciting event and we will support it,” Paza said.

The association remains optimistic that with strong collaboration between government, tourism operators and communities, the return of the Vaka Tepe Festival will mark a new chapter for cultural revival and tourism development in Western Province.

Photo: Supplied

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BY NED GAGAHE

A team of lecturers from the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) visited the Tetere Species Recovery Centre (TSRC) on the Guadalcanal Plains to observe ongoing conservation efforts for the endangered Santa Cruz Ground Dove.

The visit on Tuesday, February 10, involved staff from SINU’s Faculty of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (FAFF) and the Department of Environmental Studies.

According to a statement from SINU, the team was led by FAFF Dean Dr Vaeno Vigulu and focused on TSRC’s captive breeding programme for the Santa Cruz Ground Dove, which is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

TSRC was established by Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Ltd (GPPOL) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) and Toledo Zoo in the United States. The centre’s main goal is to conserve the Santa Cruz Ground Dove.

SINU said the visit provided an opportunity to explore how TSRC can serve as a platform for research, training and capacity building in conservation breeding, animal husbandry and biosecurity.

The collaboration is expected to involve local and international students and researchers, supporting scientific studies to guide future translocations, habitat restoration, preservation of genetic diversity and long-term management of endangered species.

The visit was coordinated by Narelle Wilson, Conservation Advisor with Toledo Zoo and in-country advisor for TSRC. TSRC staff were led by Martin Prescott, Senior Aviary Keeper at GPPOL, who oversees the daily husbandry and welfare of the dove population.

TSRC maintains a healthy and genetically diverse captive population, serving as an insurance population and a resource for future reintroductions and genetic rescue.

The Santa Cruz Ground Dove, endemic to the Santa Cruz Islands and northern Vanuatu, was once common across the region but has declined sharply due to introduced mammals such as rats, cats and pigs. In Solomon Islands, the remaining population is now confined to Tinakula, an island historically free from rats and cats.

However, the species continues to face threats from illegal capture, volcanic eruptions and habitat disturbance caused by introduced pigs.

Both TSRC and SINU say building local capacity and academic expertise in managing captive breeding programmes is vital to strengthen conservation efforts in Solomon Islands.

TSRC welcomes and values SINU’s collaboration in these critical efforts.

Photo: SINU

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