BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
Solomon Islands national university (SINU) has opened its $120million complex.
The new complex belongs to SINU’s Faculty of Education and Humanities, and was fully funded by the national government.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said, “we all value this occasion and cherish the new FEH complex because each one of us contribute to the achievements of this complex.
“The Solomon Island National University is now in a position to use and enjoy. What we witnessed today (yesterday) is the outcome of the vision and hard work contributed by initiators and implementers of this project.”
Sogavare acknowledged the continuing support of development partners and development stakeholders for their contribution to the SIG and SINU initiatives to advance the social and economic development that would improve livelihood of all Solomon Islanders.
Dr Jack Maebuta, acting vice chancellor of SINU, said the newly opened complex is a gift from the Government to the people of Solomon Islands.
“Prime Minister Sir, we all are proud Solomon Islanders to be gifted this complex by our very own Government. As a Solomon Islander, and the Acting Vice Chancellor I’m very proud of our National Government for such a magnificent multimillion dollars investment.
“This is a testament to the fact that we as Solomon Islands Government, we as Solomon Islands leaders, we as Solomon National University and we as Solomon Islanders, we all can do it. We all together can build our National University to that of international standing. Yes we all can if we are all together in it,” Maebuta said.
“Prime Minister Sir, through you I want to also render my sincere gratitude and appreciation to your other colleague Members of Parliament for your strong for the university,” Maebuta said.
He adds, CCECC in course of this project issued stop work notices to SINU when SINU did not pay them due to cash flow problems.
“However, in our tok stori with Mr Huang we were able to come to common understanding and keep the work going,” Maebuta said.
He said when the pandemic hit last year SINU was unable to practise the social distancing here in Panatina campus due to big student numbers and limited classroom spaces.
Maebuta said Huang, the Project Manager for CCECC, in good faith gave SINU the permission to use the classrooms when the building was not yet fully complete.
He also thanked the Kramer Ausenco for the architectural design and the management of the project. The contractor CCECC for their tireless effort in constructing the complex.
