BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
THE people of Western Province have celebrated their 37th Second Appointed Day with pride.
It was celebrated with the theme “Navigating and persisting through unprecedented challenges”, at Noro, Township in Western Province, yesterday.
Guest of honour Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his speech at the opening said the theme is very relevant now more than ever before.
“We are living in a challenging and unprecedented time Covid-19 has drastically changed how we do things.
“Somehow we do things, it has been a blessing in disguise.
“It has made us sit back and re-look at how we are doing things and where we want to be in the future, my good people of Western province.”
He said the Western provincial government has also re-directed its policies as a way of navigating through these unprecedented times.
Sogavare said, “We will go to parliament early next year with a budget that reflects and incorporate our policy re-direction.
“That said, I must say the government alone cannot navigate let alone persist through these unprecedented challenges.”
He said the government needs the support of the people, private sector and the provincial government.
“We can only navigate and persist through these uncertain times if we are united solidarity in our efforts.”
Sogavare was pleased that the occasion is a manifestation of concerted collaboration between the Western provincial government and the private sector, in particular National Fisheries Development and Soltuna.
“This is the kind of partnership that the Government wants to encourage and nature,” he said.
Sogavare said to Western province’s Premier David Gina, “to successfully navigate ourselves and persist during these unprecedented challenges times we must have a robust and vibrant economy”.
The official opening witnessed by delegates from the Ministry of Provincial Government and Strengthening, Rollen Seleso, MP for West New Georgia, Vona Vona, Tausinga, other MPs, Premier of Western Province David Gina, executive Members of the Western Provincial Assembly, members of the Assembly, Church leaders, permanent secretaries and senior government officials, provincial police commander and RSIPF officers, business houses and reps from various companies and organisations operating in the province, leaders, chiefs of communities within the regions of the province, organising committee for the event, other NGOs and civil society organisation, women, youth and community groups in the province.
