BY NED GAGAHE
Minister of Finance and Treasury Harry Kuma says political instability has been one of the major obstacles to development in the Solomon Islands since gaining independence in 1978.
Minister Kuma made this statement during his contribution to the Motion of the Speech from the Throne in Parliament on Monday.
“This is the 12th Parliament since our independence and out of those 12, Solomon Islands has experienced political changes in about seven parliaments,” he said.
“That equates to approximately 28 years of frequent government changes out of the 47 years since independence, which we will mark this July.”
“Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is evident that we have had more years of political instability than of stable governance.”
He adds that the country’s journey as a sovereign nation has not been easy. In addition to internal political instability, progress has been further hindered by natural disasters, the ethnic tensions, the Global Financial Crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and the November 2021 riots.
“For the past 47 years, the Solomon Islands has continued to face major development challenges. These include low economic growth, weak governance, poor infrastructure, low levels of sanitation, an underdeveloped private sector, limited employment opportunities, high population growth and frequent socio-political instability,” Kuma stated.
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