BY LORETTA B. MANELE
It is high time for Solomon Islands to wake up from aid dependency and think about how each and every one of us can be productive for the country.
The sentiment was voiced by Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka in parliament last week.
The Member of Parliament for Central Guadalcanal constituency said the country has been receiving aid since independence.
“How long are we going to depend on aid?”
Agovaka said it’s now time that each and every one of us step up and measure up to the challenge of how we can turn around this aid dependency to trade dependency.
He said as the minister for foreign affairs and external trade he signed a number of trade protocols regarding agriculture for products like roasted beans, cocoa beans, coffee and also two protocols on cultivated marine products which enables our people to work.
Agovaka stressed that people should stop wasting time on things like card games or facebook everyday but be involved in something productive for the country.
He added that people have to think about what they can bring to the table instead of talking down about the government.
“I challenge each and every one of us, citizens of Solomon Islands, leaders alike right down to the villages to create something for this country.
“What can we bring to the table? You cannot just come and say the government didn’t do any work, bring your constituency.
“Come on Solomon Islands, wake up. We cannot just talk and not do anything. I challenge everyone in the other 49 constituencies, come up with what you can produce for this country.”
