BY GEORGE MANFORD
AUKI
THE World Bank is stepping in to help Malaita province improve its roads, airport runways, terminals and bridges, it is reported.
A short consultation meeting between the World Bank and the Malaita provincial government and stakeholders was held at the Malaita provincial conference room in Auki yesterday.
The consultation meeting is mainly about the Malaita road improvement and maintenance programmes.
During the consultation World Bank’s Malakai Kaufusi said the World Bank has been working with this project for almost six years in the Solomon Islands.
He said for Malaita province the World Bank will focus on roads, including airport runways, terminals, and bridges.
“Our proposed plan is to upgrade the Auki road to Dala and to be sealed with tar.
“Other roads that connect from Dala to Fouia in north east Malaita and the Atori road in East Malaita will be upgraded and properly gravelled.
“Same as the Bina road in the south road and all the way to Hauhui in west Are’are will also be upgraded and do proper graveling on those roads.
“We will focus on the seven kilometer road from Gwaunaru’u to Dala with quality and proper tar sealing.”
Kaufusi added they will also be looking at re-tarsealing the Auki road and do proper patching on bad sections along the Auki roads.
This project will commence with its operations next year and is estimated to cost over $60 million.
Speaking on behalf of the Malaita provincial government and on behalf of the Premier, Mr Rodney Fono from the planning division department in Auki thanked the World Bank for their plans for Malaita province through infrastructure.
“Infrastructure is one of the basic needs and issues that really affecting Malaita province regarding poor conditions of roads especially for travelling public
“If we have better roads our people will travel safely and enjoy riding on smooth surfaces comfortably.
“The Malaita provincial government is looking higher to work together with the national government and the World Bank for this major infrastructure development in Malaita.
This is the first consultation meeting held in Auki by the World Bank with the Malaita province government and other stakeholders in Malaita.
The next consultation meeting will be organised later this year.
