BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The Honiara City Council (HCC) Clerk has said work on the new burial and landfill site is progressing.
Justice Denni made the statement amid ongoing debate on the land earmarked for these projects being involved in controversy, facing legal challenges and ongoing occupation by illegal squatters.
However, speaking to Island Sun, Mr Denni said that the new cemetery land is the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Lands and Housing.
He pointed out that a taskforce chaired by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was set up in 2022 for this national project.
According to Denni both the HCC and Guadalcanal Province Government (GPG) are members of the Taskforce.
“The taskforce met with GPG on three occasions. Land identified behind Gilbert Camp is owned by Solomon Islands Government (SIG), bought from local landowners is waiting on MHA to secure land for development of cemetery,” said Denni.
He also revealed that as for new landfill, the land already acquired or secured under Asian Development Bank (ADB) Project.
“The new landfill is led by Ministry of Environment, supported by Ministry of Lands,” he said.
“So, land already secured by government. Land is part of same parcel for new national referral hospital. Work pending now is for ministry of lands to complete master plan for the whole parcel to demarcate hospital location, access roads, cemetery. For landfill land, it is also secured,” he said.
Denni that the ministries responsible are progressing with the project.
He said that HCC and GPG will be recipients of these projects and the government ministries are the implementing agencies though HCC and GPG are members of respective project taskforces.
