THE Mataniko River Cleaning up program will be delayed until next year due to the delay allocating funds for the activity.
Program Coordinator Debra Pitakaka said that while waiting for funds availability, her office was in a process of contracting local contractors especially those living up and down Stream of Mataniko River.
“The actual cleaning up will delay but our office is working with communities and trying to contract households, communities and schools, alongside Mataniko river to work on that.
“We will also be working along with the Rapid Employment Project teams who have been very instrumental in their community work to carry out the work.”
She added that once selected contractors were allocated, they will organize a workshop to train the contractors to prepare them for actual work.
“A workshop to prepare the selected contractors for the work will be held around September and October this year.”
Honiara City Clerk said they have been working closely with the Ministry of Environment to ensure work on the project was done.
“We have been liaising with the ministry of Environment on the project.”
Development Waste Management and Pollution Programme is a major cleanup project worth $1.5 million to clean Mataniko River.
The Project was launched by Permanent secretary of the ministry of environment Dr Melchior Mataki last year 2014.
By CHARLEY PIRINGI
