BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Premier of Malaita province, Elijah Asilaua has lauded the tarsealing project for Auki’s roads as a booster for the province’s economy.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for Auki Road tar-sealing project held last week in Auki, he shared the priority of his government for proper and quality infrastructure in the province.  

“I am optimistic, improving this current road condition with sealed road will provide efficient transport and logistical movement with goods and services to boost commerce, trade and economic activities in productive sectors like agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

“Connecting our population in urban and rural areas with quality and reliable road infrastructure.

“As we are charting and mapping our vision for economic prosperity through a regional development master plan,” he said.

Asilaua added that his executive had recently endorsed a proposal – a master road plan for the province, and project such as Auki Road sealing will guide them towards its development perspectives.

“It will strengthen active participation of the rural population in our northern, eastern, southern, and central regions of Malaita Province.

“It intends to ensure acceleration in trading and economic activities through economies of scale, which will connect our Malaita Outer Islands in the fisheries sector,” he said.

According to the premier, the master plan also looks at partnership program to support the implementation of its resettlement proposal for Malaita Outer Island near Auki town.

He reiterated that reliable tar sealing roads will bring better social and economic benefits to people to economically maximize their resources and grow the economy.

“As we are striving together to establish key potential economic development projects like the Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant, Suava Economic Growth Centre, Maluú CEMA Buying Centre, Fotana Fishery Project, Dala Farm Modernized Agricultural Research Centre, Nati-Fote-SINU Agricultural University, Afio township development and potential social and economic investment projects around the five regions of Malaita Province,” Asilaua said.

Meanwhile, he thanked national government and People’s Republic of China for the unwavering support and cooperation between the two countries.

“We achieved fruitful, valuable milestones with a shared future within just a short period of five years after establishing our diplomatic relations in April 2019,” Asilaua said.

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The PRC Auki Road tar sealing project will cover a total of 9.258 kilometres of road improvement in Auki town, Malaita province.

According to Minister for Infrastructure Development, Manasseh Maelanga, the project will involve an extensive repair and rehabilitation of the existing 3.796km main road, stretching from Kilu’ufi hospital on the northern side of Auki town to Kwaibala Bridge on the southern side,

He added that it will covers 16 connecting roads within Auki Town, totaling 5.462 km.

“Among these crucial connecting roads is the vital link to Kilu’ufi Hospital, ensuring that essential services are readily accessible to our community.

“In total, we are looking at an impressive 9.258 km of road improvements,” he said.

Maelanga also mentioned the design of the main highway has been carefully crafted to accommodate vehicle speeds of 40 to 60 km per hour, with a pavement width of 3.5 meters per lane.

“The branch roads, similarly designed for safety and efficiency, cater to speeds ranging from 20 to 40 km per hour, depending on specific site conditions.

“One of the key aspects of this project is the use of high-quality materials, identical to those used in our roads in Honiara City.

“Each road will feature an asphalt concrete pavement with a thickness of 50 millimetres, ensuring durability,” he said.

The minister noted with proper maintenance, these roads will serve the community effectively for 10 to 20 years, creating a lasting impact on transportation network.

“We are also committed to ensuring the infrastructure is well-equipped to withstand the challenges of our environment.

“As part of this project, drainage systems throughout Auki Town will be improved, allowing for efficient water management and safeguarding our roads against erosion and flooding,” he said.

Maelanga highlighted that the commencement of the project will provide the citizens with a smooth and enjoyable driving experience within Auki Town.

He said the project represents the investment of national government and PRC in roads and also in the future prosperity of communities in the province.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Opposition Leader Mathew Wale has stated that the only way to strengthen the Solomon Islands’ currency is for the country to engage more in exports.

“There was a time when 1 U.S. dollar was equal to 0.80 Solomon. The Solomon Islands dollar was stronger than the U.S. dollar. And that wasn’t because we were exporting more—it was simply because we pegged the dollar. But any artificial measure like that is not how we want to run our economy,” said Wale.

Speaking recently on the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) Youth Podcast,Wale emphasized that to strengthen the Solomon Islands’ currency, the country must produce more and invest more.

“And how do we export more? We produce more. And how do we produce more? We invest more. How do we attract that investment? By increasing public and private sector involvement,” he said.

“And how do we encourage private investment? We incentivize it. Private investors create jobs, and that’s how we build the economy from the bottom up. Other economies have done it. Other governments have done it.”

Wale further stated that the Solomon Islands government should follow these steps while also learning from past mistakes.

“However, that is not happening,” he said.

He also pointed out that the country is still operating within an outdated economic framework.

“We are still cutting copra. How many generations have been engaged in copra production to this day? Copra is perhaps the most accurate representation of our economy. We are stuck in an economy of the 1960s and 70s, when in reality, we should be progressing toward the standards of the 21st century,” Wale said.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Young people face the greatest challenges in the Solomon Islands, impacting them as individuals, as part of society, and within the economy.

“Firstly, there are more of you in the demographic. Secondly, you don’t have the same level of resources that our generation had,” said Opposition Leader Mathew Wale during a recent SIDP podcast.

He noted that youths have fewer resources and opportunities to fully realize their economic potential compared to past generations.

He also emphasized that these challenges extend to the mineral sector, where young people are particularly affected.

Wale highlighted the increasing number of young people leaving the education system each year, driven by a rising birth rate.

“I believe this will continue to be a challenge for the foreseeable future,” he said.

“I know this may sound pessimistic, but the reality is, this has been our situation for the past three decades,” Wale added.

Despite the economic and demographic challenges, he remains hopeful, stating that the high percentage of young people in the country presents a valuable opportunity.

“But of course, to unlock this potential, we need strong, rational, and pro-Solomon Islander economic policies that put our people first,” he stressed.

He emphasized that the Solomon Islands government must focus on empowering its citizens to take control of the economy.

However, Wale warned that the country’s current economic trajectory is turning Solomon Islanders into mere spectators rather than active participants.

“More and more Solomon Islanders are being pushed to the sidelines while others take control and reap the benefits,” he said.

“We are being reduced to renters—where all commercial and industrial property is owned by others. If you want to do something, you have to ask someone else for permission to rent their place. This marginalizes us from real economic activity.”

Wale further compared the country’s economic state to the biblical parable of Lazarus and the rich man.

“When we talk about empowering indigenous Solomon Islanders, we are really just giving them the crumbs that fall from the table,” he said.

“Our economy reflects what Jesus described in the parable—where the rich man feasts while Lazarus and the dogs wait for scraps under the table. That is exactly how Solomon Islanders, and especially our young people, are being treated today.”

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Opposition Leader Mathew Wale has described the Solomon Islands’ economy as one of the most expensive in the region.

Speaking on the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) Youth Podcast, Wale highlighted the high costs associated with essential services and infrastructure.

“This is an expensive economy—unnecessarily expensive. Telecommunication is the most expensive in the region. Electricity is the most expensive in the world. Freight costs from anywhere in the world are the highest in terms of miles or kilometres involved,” Wale said.

He pointed out that key drivers of productivity, such as telecommunications, electricity, water, infrastructure (particularly in productive areas), health, education, fuel, and transportation, all contribute to the high cost of living.

“Freight costs from anywhere in the world are too high. Air services and transportation are just too expensive. Once we tackle fuel prices, it will have a ripple effect on everything else,” Wale stated.

Wale argued that the cost of living could be significantly reduced through legislative measures.

“Why is it so expensive? Because profit margins are excessively high—more than 100%. The first step in addressing the cost of living is questioning why businesses charge such high margins. Why do they need such high levels of profit? They aren’t growing profit through productivity; they are making profits by overcharging customers. This creates a chokehold on the economy because these are essential services,” he said.

He stressed the need for government intervention through legislation to regulate profit margins and bring down the overall cost of living.

Wale also criticized the private sector, arguing that businesses prioritize profit over public needs.

“They don’t respond to public need; they only respond to profit. The government must legislate on these issues to protect consumers,” he said.

As Opposition Leader, Wale reaffirmed his commitment to holding the government accountable and raising critical policy issues to address the economic challenges facing the country.

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