GUADALCANAL Provincial Premier Francis Sade wants to see the involvement of resource owners in any development taking place in the province.
Mr. Sade said this is a new kind of partnership they want to forge and his executive government is keen on having a strong partnership in terms of development.
Speaking at the handing over of houses by the Solomon Water at Kongulai last week, he said it is not enough to just give money to the people of Guadalcanal for their resources.
“I think to me and my people what is important is the partnership which Solomon Water has started to forge to them.
“Partnership will build ownership and trust and I think this is a way forward that I want to acknowledge the SIWA board and management to take on.
“There have been a lot of issues in the past regarding the Kongulai trustees, landowners, the Solomon Water, and the government, and I have seen those issues as only because we have pushed people aside,” he said.
He said this is something that has happened in the country for so long when investment and development come in we usually put people on the sideline and we do some things that we think it is best.
“People have been complaining so much that they have been sitting down watching when development took place.
“So it’s about time that we have to relook at the way we do development, the way we look at investments we have to be partners and I think it is the best way forward where all of us will be involved.
“I think if we can forge such partnership we will have no issues where landowners usually came and cause a disturbance,” he said.
He said his executive government will continue to support such a partnership where all of us come and work together.
“We are responsible for the development of this country and all of us have to take responsibility, thus the active inclusive involvement of the people is important here,” here said.
