Celebration of the 46th Independence anniversary to be centralized in Honiara due to financial constraints
THE nine provincial governments will not receive any assistance to mark the country’s 46th Independence celebration this year.
Unlike the 2023 Independence anniversary, the Independence Committee has not allocated $20,000 to each province of the nine provinces for this year’s event.
Vice Chairman of the Independence Committee, Willie Misibini informed the media yesterday that this year’s celebration will be centralized in Honiara.
Mr Misibini explained that although there was an intention to celebrate in the provinces, financial constraints made it unfeasible.
Approximately $2 million has been allocated for the event, which will kick off on Saturday with entertainment, followed by a thanksgiving service at the Saint Barnabas Cathedral on Sunday and an official ceremony on Monday at the National Stadium at King George VI.
Mr Misibini stated that the main parade will take place on Monday at the National Stadium, followed by the inauguration of the Governor General-elect, Reverend David Tiva Kapu and the first independence anniversary speech of Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele who was elected on May 2.
Prior to the official program on Monday, there will be a vehicle float parade from 6:30 am to 7:30 am.
The float parade will include government ministries, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), foreign diplomatic missions and others.
It will be divided into two groups: one to begin at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) and another from the Henderson Police Station in Central Guadalcanal.
Additionally, the Director of Culture in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Dennis Marita announced that there will be two parts to the entertainment.
The police band will perform after the official program on Monday, followed by a special performance by the youth.
Each performance will be allocated 25 minutes.
There will also be a display of the Solomon Islands flag and cultural diversity.
Live band performances, string bands, and cultural groups will start on Saturday at the Youth Hub at the Multipurpose Hall from 2 pm to 8 pm.
Gospel performances will take place on Sunday from 6 pm to 9 pm, with live performances resuming on Monday.
The Honiara City Council Deputy Clerk Jefferson Patovaki said stalls will be set up at the Youth Hub to sell food.
He encouraged vendors wishing to sell their food in the stalls to apply to the Tourism Division of Honiara City Council as there are few spaces available at the moment.
Furthermore, Mr Patovaki announced that a major cleanup will begin today.
He urged Honiara residents, government bodies, SOEs, faith-based organizations and schools to collect rubbish and place them along the road for the HCC’s garbage vehicles to pick them up.
The theme for this year’s Independence Celebration is “Charting our United and Transformative Future Together.”
On 7 July 1978, the once British Solomon Island Protectorate became an independent nation within the Commonwealth of Nations with Queen Elizabeth II (late) as the Head of State.
The ceremony was organized by a retired British Army Officer Colonel Eric Hefford, who previously organized the same event for Nigeria, Mauritius, Surinam (Dutch Guiana), Barbados and Sierra Leone.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester represented the Queen. Senator John Glen represented the United States, Michael Somare represented Papua New Guinea and Andrew Peacock represented Australia.
Chief Minister Peter Kenilorea of the Solomon Islands British Protectorate Legislative Assembly became the first Prime Minister and then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communication, Baddeley Devesi was elected by the Legislative Assembly as Governor-General.
By Eddie Osifelo,
Solomon Star, Honiara
