THERE is a need for the urgent review of the Gizo Town Council (GTC) ordinances to properly address issues within the township that have been left unaddressed for the last 30 years.
That’s according to the current Gizo Town Clerk, Charles Kelly.
In an interview with the Solomon Star, Mr Kelly said to review an Ordinance of the province is not an easy process as it seems.
“The reviewing of ordinances is a legal process and legal people with the collaborative efforts from other necessary stakeholders need to be engaged to ensure that the ordinances are properly discussed and reviewed.”
However, he said with the current zoom meeting opportunities with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the issue of ordinances has been highlighted during the latest meeting.
“With the greenlight from ADB, they will be working closely with the Gizo Town Council as well as Noro and Munda.
“And so, their view of the ordinance is that they must be reviewed because they are now 30 years old.
“Therefore, ADB and other external lawyers will look at this issue and they are now undertaking this process.
“This is only at the preliminary discussion and so we are hoping for a better outcome after further discussions and involvement between all the stakeholders, including the National Government, who will take part in this reviewing process for the ordinances of GTC, Western Province,” Mr Kelly added.
Mr Kelly further added that he hopes that the new Executive of the Western Province that will take office after the provincial assembly election on December 14 will take on board the new ordinances that will emerge from the review.
“The review of the ordinances is very important because as we know one of the priorities of Western Province is tourism.
“And if we want to promote tourism, all the service delivery issues in the province must be properly addressed and be updated to suit international tourism standards.
“And business houses, market vendors, individuals must obey the GTC Ordinance, whilst the GTC must also ensure its services to the people are efficient and meet the needs of residents,” Mr Kelly said.
GTC hopes that by next year the review of the ordinance will be done.
The non-review of the ordinances has resulted in the popping up of illegal market stalls everywhere, which GTC and the Western Provincial Government have tried to discourage but to no avail.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
