Japan is building a new hospital for Malaita Province as early as the end of this year
WORK is expected to start soon on a new hospital for Malaita Province, thanks to Japan.
Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Solomon Islands, Miwa Yoshiaki, confirmed this in an exclusive interview with Solomon Star yesterday.
Ambassador Yoshiaki said Japan and Solomon Islands would sign the agreement on the project soon so that work can begin on the Kilu’ufi Hospital two-year project.
Foreign Affairs officials from both countries are sorting out a mutually agreed date for the signing which would take place in Honiara later this year.
Details of the project are sketchy. But the Ambassador stressed the project is a goer. Work is expected to start at the end of this year,” he said.
The Kilu’ufi Hospital is not the only multi-million-dollar project Japan is undertaking in Solomon Islands.
According to the Ambassador Japan is also looking at establishing an integrated Research Centre at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU). Areas of focus will be agriculture and forestry, he said.
Ambassador Yoshiaki said a Research Centre would help academia contribute to development in rural communities.
“It is true academia is delivering education but a research centre would do even more,” he said.
Among the many projects Japan has completed is the new international terminal at Henderson International Airport. Japan is also completing the second phase of tar-sealing the main highway from Kukum to the International Airport.
It has also built a hospital at Gizo, the capital of Western Province.
By Alfred Sasako
