BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
SOLOMON Islands is the first Melanesian country and second in the Pacific to launch a State Owned Enterprises (SOE) website which contains information regarding SOE portfolio, financial statements and annual reports.
The website was launched yesterday by the Government of Solomon Islands at the Mendana Kitano hotel in Honiara.
It will now provide profiles of each of the country’s eight SOEs featuring their financial performance, board members and links to relevant legislation, as well as overall performance of SI’s SOE portfolio.
Asian Development Bank (ADB), in a press statement, said the initiative carried out is part of a continuing programme to improve SI SOE’s portfolios which has seen it become one of the best performing in the region.
Also it demonstrates the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability to making key information about the public enterprises available online.
Head of Solomon Islands ADB unit Mr Amila Salgado adds, the launching marks another important milestone in Solomon Islands SOE reform programme.
A programme which ADB has been privileged of being closely involved with since the inception of the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) in 2018.
Moreover it was developed to make information readily accessible for public to obtain.
Present in the launching were heads of the SOEs and donor partners.
