Member of Parliament for Small Malaita Constituency Rick Hou has commended the Democratic Coalition for Change Government for their continuing assistance to his constituency.
Hou said he was pleased that through the Ministry of Rural Development, the Afio Economic Growth Centre project continues to feature in the government’s development plan and programmes.
“This is the core development project under our Constituency Development Plan and programmes,” Hou said.
“It has many components in several sectors, namely aviation, maritime, roads, and industrial sites, telecommunications, health, energy, police and security,” he added.
The former central banker stressed that the development of the township at Afio is at the centre of all development plans in his constituency.
“If we want tangible development devolved to the rural sector and to be seen by the majority of our population, we have to be ambitious,” Hou said.
“I applaud DCC Government’s policy drive towards rural areas.
“We in the southern region of Malaita Province still hold the DCC Government to its assurances on a number of projects including, firstly through the Minister for Health for the upgrading of Afio Health Centre to regional hospital.
“My people and southern region of Malaita Province thank the DCC Government for these firm commitments towards these very important projects.
“We are moving ahead with these projects. On the infrastructure component, with our CDF funds we have already acquired our first consignment of road machineries.
“Our plan is to construct a road network covering the entire island and connecting with our main sea ports,” he said.
Hou said the Ministry of Police and National Security also assured his constituency that the project on Maka police station and staff houses will be implemented, while the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs had committed to build a new court house for the southern region.
By ELLIOT DAWEA
