The recent flash flood had brought so much damages to infrastructures in Honiara and parts of Guadalcanal.
Following the April 3rd disaster, many wharves, bridges, roads, water pipes and power lines were subsequently damaged.
The damages cost so much money and it was unexpected loss for this country.
The flood also causes so much inconvenience to many residents, business people, farmers, timber producers, fishermen, cocoa and copra producers who wants to transport their products.
In Guadalcanal the road and bridges are vital infrastructures that connects them to the Honiara city to do their trading and to sell their market produce.
It was a big blow for them when all these vital links are cut off denying them the opportunity to transport their products to Honiara to sell inorder to earn enough money to help sustain their family.
More than two weeks since the disaster and some of the infrastructures are yet to be fixed. In many parts of Guadalcanal in a desperate move to travel to Honiara, temporary bridges have been constructed by locals. In some parts vehicles just have to cross the streams and rivers inorder to get to Honiara for work and business.
It would take sometimes before some of these damaged infrastructures will be rebuilt.
On Sunday the Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo and the Opposition Leader Dr Derek Sikua have taken time off to visit some of the most affected regions of the Guadalcanal Plains including the Gold Ridge Mine.
And they have seen for themselves the damages that have been done to roads and bridges.
In Honiara damages being done to roads and bridges in some of the communities around Honiara is also affecting the commuters and vehicle owners.
Some of the feeder roads have been dug up by flood waters making the roads inaccessible. It was last year and the previous years that some of these roads have been repaired and upgraded thanks to the work of the Rapid Employment Project (REP).
But now some of these roads are in bad shape and state. Hopefully REP project officers will or have visited some of these roads and bridges by now to ensure work on repairing the infrastructures resume as soon as possible.
One of the bridges which need immediate attention is the old Mataniko bridge.
Since its washing away, theres nothing for the public and vehicle to cross. And this had also caused traffic jam and also people having to walk along way to cross the main bridge.
The offer by New Zealand government to send a Bailey bridge should ease the problem of people walking between Point Cruz and Chinatown. And NZ government should be acknowledged for stepping in with this portable bridge.
By now the extent of damages should be known. And government with the help of our outside friends should quickly address some of the immediate needs of the people to ensure that economic activities are happening again.
In the meantime let us thank those countries who have rendered help days after the disaster struck.
