BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Premier of Rennell Bellona province, Derek Pongi has reflected on the challenges and progress the province has gone through and made since embarking on the journey as a province back in 1993.
Speaking at the celebration of the Rennell Bellona province’s 32nd 2nd Appointed Day held at Tingoa on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, he highlighted the need for both people and government of Rennell Bellona to be committed to make a change for the province.
Celebrated under the theme “Celebrating Reform and Progress in Rennell and Bellona”, the province marked the day with reflection on the progress it has made over the past years.
In his remarks, Pongi said it is a time for reflection to see how far they have come since their establishment as a province as well as an opportunity to highlight the challenges they face so that they can find solutions to address them together.
He stated the Rennell Bellona province began its journey in 1993 with high hopes and ambitious aspirations.
“From the outset, the province aimed to foster development, improve governance, and enhance the well-being of its communities. The initial optimism was fuelled by a sense of opportunity and a desire for progress,” said Pongi.
He stressed that however, over the years, the province encountered numerous challenges that hindered its development.
Pongi said a significant factor that contributed to these difficulties was the non-adherence to proper governance and administrative practices.
“Issues such lack of transparency, and inefficient management hampered effective decision-making and resource allocation.
“These governance shortcomings often led to mismanagement, reduced accountability, and diminished trust among stakeholders and our people,” he said.
Pongi mentioned that when his government assumed office in 2024, they inherited numerous challenges such as governance and administrative compliance issues and lack of consistent revenue streams.
There were also no PCDF funds due to repeated failures to pass the PCDF assessments, and no ward grants to support WDC development plans.
“Recognizing the urgent need for reform and progress, our new government adopted the name “Alliance for Reform and Progress Government” (ARPG), a reflection of our commitment to positive change in Rennell and Bellona.
“We also want to regain the credibility of the provincial government and restore the trust and confidence of our national government, development partners, investors and the people of Rennell and Bellona in our provincial government,” Pongi said.
He emphasized that progress and positive change in Rennell and Bellona province cannot be achieved without reform.
“As a government and as a people, we need to shift our mindsets and attitudes. We must change how we approach our responsibilities—from prioritizing self-interest to serving the interests of the government and the people of Rennell and Bellona,” Pongi said.
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