BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Matthew Wale says the GREAT Coalition government aims to progressively achieve 100 per cent onshore tuna processing to ensure more benefits from the country’s fisheries remain in Solomon Islands.
Speaking during the recent launch of the government’s policy statement, Mr Wale said for decades Solomon Islands’ tuna has been exported for processing overseas, denying the country jobs, technology, tax revenue and other economic opportunities.
“The time has come to change that trajectory,” Mr Wale said.
He said the government’s plan will be supported by the development of the Bina Harbour Industrial and Fisheries Project, which is expected to position Solomon Islands as a leading tuna processing nation in the Pacific.
Mr Wale said the policy not only aims to increase exports but to also create skilled employment, strengthen supporting industries, expand local manufacturing and ensure more value from the fisheries sector remains in the domestic economy.
He said the same approach will also be applied to tourism, manufacturing, transport, aviation and the digital economy, with each sector expected to create more opportunities for Solomon Islanders to own businesses, develop skills and secure employment.
The Prime Minister said economic resilience depends on a diversified economy, with agriculture, fisheries, tourism, manufacturing, technology and small businesses all contributing to sustainable growth across the country.
Mr Wale said the government’s ambition is to build an economy that rewards enterprise, encourages innovation, supports local industries and enables more indigenous Solomon Islanders to become business owners, investors, producers and exporters.
He added that long-term national progress should be measured not only by economic growth but by whether ordinary families experience greater opportunities, security and hope for the future while the country’s natural resources are managed sustainably.
Photo credit: Ned Gagahe
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