A former harbor supervisor at the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) said that the State-Owned Enterprise should prioritize infrastructure development at its domestic port to serve the needs of the local shipping industry than to invest in a flagpole.
The former harbor supervisor Rex Dodo raised the concern to this paper on Saturday.
“My comment is the flag pole is a wrong infrastructure at the wrong place, at the wrong time and it serves no purpose at all in terms of ports services to the shipping industry both locally and internationally.
“The infrastructure that the shipping industry might need is a 50-meter wharf at Point Cruz to serve our local shipping industry because of the increasing number of ships and the need for more berthing spaces,” said Mr. Dodo.
He added that the flagpole has no use or serve no purpose as far as a port is concerned.
He further iterated that the money would be better use if it is spent on improving the deteriorating structures at the domestic wharves.
“One of the evidence is when you go down to the wharf; you will see ships berthing alongside each other, waiting for any available space before offloading or loading.
Mr. Dodo said that such situations should ring a bell as to the urgent needs that require addressing and not a flagpole that claims to represent unity.
Mr. Dodo added the removal of the harbor’s office to give way for the flagpole is also putting SIPA in collision with International Shipping and Ports Security Standards (ISPS).
“Sadly the harbor’s office now relocated and housed in a four container building between the Marines’ office and the Ports’ warehouse.
Dodo claimed that the new location is not in compliance with the ISPS standard code practices in ports the world over.
Dodo called upon the Ports Management to prioritize infrastructure that will benefit the shipping industry to the public and SIPA and not a flagpole that merely flies in the wind with nothing tangible to offer the community.
He added the flagpole’s supposed to be situated at Rove, National Parliament, or Lawson Tama.
The flagpole was official officiated on 6 July and weighs 25kilograms, measures 15 meters in length and 7.5 meters in width.
The flag pole stands at 50 meters (180 feet) in height and weighing 12 tons of steel.
By ESTHER NURIA
