OPPOSITION Leader Jeremiah Manele wants to see investment in infrastructures distributed evenly to all the provinces in the country.
Mr Manele made this call following government’s allocation of $244 million to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development in its 2017 Budget.
Mr Manele said over the years Solomon Islands Government basically maintain existing infrastructures rather than building new ones.
“It is our donor partners that have been building new pieces of infrastructures for us.
“While we need to maintain and upgrade existing roads, airstrips, wharves, we also need to build new ones to open up new economic opportunities and activities for our people,” he said.
Minister of Finance and Treasury Snyder Rini said government recognized the importance of ensuring benefits of inclusive growth are shared by all, especially those in the provinces.
However, Mr Manele said while he agreed with Mr Rini, the government need to put in place a strategic infrastructures investment plan for all provinces and build the infrastructures if they are to really share in the benefits from inclusive growth.
He said in Isabel, the Kaevanga-Kilokaka Road and Kaolo Airstrip are among the priority infrastructure projects identified by the Isabel Leaders’ Summit last year.
“Both are strategic projects that could open up new opportunities for growth in the agriculture, transport, tourism and mining sectors in the province which will in turn benefit our country as a whole.
“The proposed Kaolo Airstrip is on San Jorge Island, at the centre of nickel prospecting sites and also at the border between Gao-Bugotu and Hograno, Kia, Havulei constituencies,” he said.
Mr Manele said surveys for both projects, design and costing of the Kaolo Airstrip have been done by previous governments.
He said funding support is required to start construction of the Kaolo Airstrip and for the design of the Kaevanga-Kilokaka Road.
“Certainly, the Kaolo Airstrip will not cost the government more than $6 million.
“It will be half of that.
“There is also opportunity and real possibility for public-private partnership in the construction of these two projects,” he said.
Mr Manele said he had written to the Prime Minister and relevant ministers for funding support in next year’s budget.
“I was courageous in making the above submission knowing very well that my chances are very slim given competing demands and priorities and knowing also that in this country politics takes precedence over being strategic or commonsense,” he added.
In the meantime, he acknowledged the inclusion of Suavanao Airstrip as on the airstrips listed for upgrading under the New Zealand Government Aviation Support Programme.
He said this upgrade will certainly increase tourists’ arrivals and activities in the western part of Isabel and contribute to the growth of tourism in the country.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
