THE People’s Republic of China (PRC) through its Embassy in Honiara has made crucial donations to the Marunga Community of East Makira Constituency on Thursday.
The donations included 80 radios, 41 portable power sources with solar charging, 60 solar lights and 100 T-shirts.
The donations were received by a delegation from Marunga Community which visited the Chinese Embassy.
The delegation was led by the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Makira Constituency, Derek Wasi and Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Timan Tauni, who received the donations on behalf of the Marunga Community.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Cai Weiming expressed hope that these donated resources will improve the living and working conditions of the people of Marunga.
Ambassador Cai said each community in Solomon Islands is an important participant in the China-Solomon Islands friendship and cooperation and the Chinese Embassy is willing to offer more help within its capacity to more local communities to ensure more tangible benefits to ordinary Solomon Islanders.
He said the donations are a manifestation of the friendship and cooperation between China and Solomon Islands.
“A few days ago, we celebrated with our Solomon Islands friends the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between our two countries,” Ambassador Cai added.
CDO Tauni, in turn, said he was happy to receive these crucial donations for Marunga, given its remote location in the Weather Coast of East Makira.
He said the community has been disconnected from the rest of the country and the world for a long time due to the lack of telecommunication towers but with the donation of radios, it will be connected with the rest of Solomon Islands and the world through the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).
“Radios are the most crucial thing in these donations to our people in Marunga village. Now with these new radios, we will be always updated with the latest happenings around the country and will also have the opportunity to listen to our MP during Parliament sessions.
“Also, these donated solar lights will also light up our houses at night. So, for me, I would like to thank the PRC for these crucial donations and also the government for establishing our diplomatic relations with the PRC,” CDO Tauni added.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
