Malaita Premier Martin Fini has declared Malaita Province’s readiness to engage with the National Government and other development stakeholders meaningfully
MALAITA is ready to engage, Premier Martin Fini, has declared after initial discussions with the National Government and other development stakeholders.
“I am pleased to announce that Malaita, under the Malaita New Government Fundamental Redirection [MNGFR] Policy, is ready to engage in a meaningful way,” he told Solomon Star yesterday.
“We are ready to engage with everyone … the National Government, donors, government ministries, the people of Malaita, women, Churches and resource-owners of Malaita.
“I am pleased to say that the feedback we have received since taking office a month ago, has been very encouraging,” Premier Fini, said.
“One of the pleasing outcomes from my government’s initial engagement with the national government is the creation of the Malaita Economic Development Initiative, MEDI, for short.
“MEDI is a vehicle to help facilitate the new engagement I am talking about. It will help negotiate, settle and discharge its functions and responsibilities using Sections 27 and 30 of the Ministry of Provincial Government Act 1997.
“However, this will be done on a case-by-case basis based on Court of Appeal decided cases.
“This is to ensure every action taken is based on the law,” the Premier said.
He said MEDI would be instrumental in dialogue in pursuit of what is mutually beneficial for both Malaita and its stakeholders.
“Unity is what my government is all about. In fact, this is what any government should be doing, working to unite people at all levels,” he said.
“Development in any form is about working together, not about the pursuit of divisive actions.
“The Malaita New Government Fundamental Redirection (MNGFD) policy is about intervention. It underlines three factors – One Hour, One Policy, One Direction.
“One Hour denotes the urgency of time to move forward. One Policy refers to the fundamental redirection policy my government has embraced and One Direction simply shows there is no other way. There is no going back on this new direction,” Premier Fini said.
“The One Hour, One Policy and One Direction approach simply underlines our commitment as a new government to deliver even at the 11th hour,” he said.
“To sum it all up, the Malaita New Government Fundamental Redirection Policy approach is about Nation-building, Intervention, Redirection of Policy, Advancement, Development, Strategy and Legal Issues.”
“We believe only a strategic approach based on law as we have adopted can open the door to a new beginning, a new dawn for Malaita,” Premier Fini said.
By Alfred Sasako
