A local tourism operator has urged responsible authorities to maintain the Festival of Pacific Arts (FOPA) village in east Honiara.
The government built the village, which costs millions of dollars, as the central venue for the festival of arts, which the country hosted in 2012.
After the festival ended, the venue of the village was return to Solomon Islands National University (SINU), but it was left unkempt.
Ronly Unikana said it was sad to see the village left in such a state.
“We should be proud of this village and government should do something to protect the village and all traditional crafts inside,” Unikana said.
“FOPA village is our pride and government should do something about the village because millions of dollars have been spent to build it,” he added.
Unikana said the Sogavare government should avail funds to maintain it.
“The village should be treated as part of our history. To leave it to rot is to ignore our history.”
Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) John Wasi said FOPA village is not owned by the ministry so they have no right to do anything on the site.
“SINU owns FOPA and we have no right to do anything there unless SINU gave us instructions,” Wasi said.
“The concern raise by Unikana is very true and we also have the same concern for the state of the village,” Wasi said.
By DENVER NEWTER
