BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale has highlighted telecommunication as one of the key factors contributing to the high cost of living for ordinary Solomon Islanders.
In a recent interview on Insight, Wale called for urgent policy changes to improve the quality of telecommunication services and make them more affordable.
He said telecommunication services in the country are among the most expensive in the Pacific and, in his view, are of the poorest quality.
Wale pointed out that while he has raised the issue repeatedly, regulators have been slow to act and doing nothing about it.
He suggested that the government should consider revising policies to encourage more competition and enhance service quality.
One example he cited is the undersea cable, which is now five years into its 25-year lifespan but has yet to reach even one percent of its data capacity.
Wale emphasised that the service provided by the undersea cable is far too expensive, and called on the company to lower costs.
He urged the company to take risks and absorb losses in the short term, suggesting that expanding service availability could lead to long-term profit.
“By making the service cheaper, more people will be able to access it, and the company will see greater returns,” Wale explained.
Wale also addressed the ongoing discussion about a second undersea cable, calling it beneficial for redundancy, but questioning its economic viability.
“We’re only using one percent of the current cable’s capacity. If a second cable is introduced, how much of it will we actually use?” he asked, emphasising that this needs crucial consideration.
He noted that the high cost of telecommunication has contributed to the overall high cost of living and makes doing business in the Solomon Islands also more expensive.
Wale urged the government to take immediate action on this issue for the benefit of ordinary Solomon Islanders.
