RESIDENTS and business houses near the main Rove drainage system are complaining why a developer is allowed to continue blocking the outlet to sea causing high water and flooding during heavy rain.
According to Solomon Islands Weather Office, heavy rain will likely continue, causing residents and businesses to express concern about this in that part of the town.
This paper witnessed yesterday that the drainage was blocked which caused high water affecting the Bulk Shop, Good View shop, Rove Sea Front, and the residential area opposite Bulk Shop.
The question people living around the area are asking who authorized the developer to dig that particular area.
“We witnessed a foreigner was developing that area last year and we reported it to the Honiara City Council (HCC) to stop the development because of fear this might block the drainage outlet,” one resident said yesterday.
According to one HCC insider the developer was ordered to stop the development followed by a demolished order.
“But then the developer re-applied for a development permit from HCC Development Board after HCC demolished the initial development,” the insider told this paper.
When Solomon Star questioned who the members of the HCC Development Board back then were, the insider said that the Board comprised the City Clerk as Chairman and a representative each from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID), Solomon Water, Ministry of Environment, Solomon Power, Solomon Islands Chinese Association (SICA) and the head of the HCC’s Planning department.
Reliable sources said the developer’s application was approved in line with MID approval for drainage.
This means the approval was based on conditions approved by MID.
“And that is the approval is only for bag filling of the seafront in consideration drainage to properly factored,” the insider said.
Another source said approvals granted by the Board are usually signed off by the City Clerk which was believed to be the case here. It was done last December, the source said.
“The developer failed the expectation of the Board by interfering with the drainage system,” the source said.
The source said people living around the area will be affected by flooding and high water if heavy rain continued because the drainage system was tampered with.
By ANDREW FANASIA
NEWSROOM, HONIARA
