Take the initiative and be enterprising, don’t sit and wait for others: Manele

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

We are living through challenging times and as a government we must always be ready to act quickly and be flexible to bring about fresh thinking and to evolve our responses as appropriate and needed.

This statement was made the Member of Parliament for Hograno, Kia and Havulei constituency and Minister of Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Hon Jeremiah Manele who was speaking during the government house debate on Monday.

In relation to the above, he expressed that as we continue to encourage more investments in infrastructure to encourage growth, we must be critical thinkers about the kinds of infrastructure the country needs in order to compete in today and tomorrow’s economy.

“We need to raise our ambition if we want to spur economic growth for our economy and our people. We need to make the right investments in people that are critical for the country to be competitive,” Manele said.

He also pointed out that we must also ensure that these investments benefit all Solomon Islanders.

Moreover, the Minister of Planning shed some light on the financial progress in the implementation of the 2017 development budget.

“I am pleased to inform the house that as of the end of October, about 74 percent of the total funds in   the 2017 development budget have been disbursed as actuals from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury,” he said.

Manele added that the government is confident that as much as over 80 percent of the 2017 development budget will be expended by the end of the 2017 fiscal year.

He explained that some of the major programs and projects initiated and commenced in the 2017 budget will roll over into the 2018 development budget and progress and completed in 2018 and thereafter.

In closing remarks, Manele said that as we look forward for the 2018 financial year, we must take the lead and responsibility in developing our country.

“We must take the initiative and let us be enterprising. Let is not sit back and wait for others,” he said.

Manele also took the opportunity to salute Solomon Islanders who have in one way or the other taken the risk to be prosperous while contributing to the development of the private sector and our economy as a whole.

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