Dear Editor – The recent study done at Lees Lake is a good sign of moving the community forward in terms of business, employment and general improvement of the people’s quality of life in the future.
The community is anticipating such visit by our local experts and government officials to play a leading role in the development of Lee’s Lake.
It is the right time for lake to be developed so that it can generate income for the community, province and nation as a whole as it has been a sleeping giant for many years.
However, as a concerned landowner of the lake and chief of Kolokarako ward, I would like to remind those organisers of the tour to make prior and procedural consultation, firstly with the committee responsible for the development of the lake and Guadalcanal provincial government, through its provincial representative here in Honiara before carrying out the site tour.
Since this visit is the first of its kind, the people and leaders of the community need to be aware of the aims and objectives of the visit and groups involved in the tour.
In any matter regarding the future development of the Lake, it is important to consult the provincial government as this is the normal process and procedure for the ongoing consultation regarding such tour as this will lead to further development of the lake in the future.
By-passing the provincial government would mean playing a ‘ignorance game’ which means any negative repercussions would have serious effects on the lives of the people and their resources.
Also it has been witnessed that there are overseas visitors making regular special individual visit to the lake, collecting stories, photos and video clips without prior consultation with the committee responsible for the development of the lake and the provincial government office here in Honiara.
Therefore such visit in the future must be stopped until proper formally selected committee that will be established and put in place mechanism that guides the interests, needs and aspiration of such visitors before the lake can be opened for foreign visitation.
The important task now is to support the development of the lake by setting up a committee that will oversee the initial process of the project by ensuring, all the landowners are consulted, regulations are formulated, facilities are ready, the Guadalcanal provincial government is consulted and relevant stake holders and people also involved.
I believe having this in mind will set a firm foundation for the future successful development of Lee’s Lake.
John Vouza
Chief and Landowner of Lee’s Lake
