THE Solomon Islands National University (SINU) on Friday unveiled the site for its Science Research Complex under the School of Natural Resources and Applied Science at Kukum Campus, despite government’s failure to give it its promised grant of $50 million do this year.
Ground breaking was done by the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Jimi Saelea.
“This building complex is part of the university’s plan to improve the facilities of the school,” Acting Vice-chancellor Professor Basil Marasinghe said.
He added that this Science Research and Teaching Complex is a very expensive one and will be costing them SBD12.0 million and will provide adequate space for lecture theatres, laboratories and offices for staff.
SINU received University status in January 2013. The first three (3) years were designated as “Transition Period” and SINU did not embark upon much of infra-structure activities during that period.
He added that with the guidance of the SINU Council and the support of the Pro-Vice Chancellor Corporate Mr. Donald Malasa and the Senior Managers, during the last 12 months we were able to embark upon a significant number of accelerated infra-structure activities.
Mr Marasinghe said that recently, School of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences have introduced a number of new programs to their academic programs.
Among the new programs are Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor of Agriculture, Diploma of Forestry and Diploma of Environmental Science. Academic staff of this school also conduct considerable amount of research in these areas. This month two members of staff made presentations in a workshop organized by Coral Triangle Initiative based in Indonesia. Their expenses where paid by CTI.
Another member of staff will be presenting a paper at an Agriculture Conference to be held in PNG in September 2017.
Another member of staff has been invited to present a paper in Osaka in Japan. With the support of the Ministry of Environment, Disaster Management, Climate Change & Meteorology this school will hold an International Conference on Environment on 4th and 5th of October 2017.
In the past these staff have been conducting teaching and research without having adequate space and facilities.
Therefore SINU management have started supporting this school as best as it can.
For example, scientific instruments worth $300, 000 are on their way and money has been paid.
Another $330, 000 has been allocated to purchase a spectrophotometer. Another $30, 000 has been spent to purchase a Fume Cupboard.
This Science Research and Teaching Complex costing $12 million will provide ample space.
“I am grateful to Solomon Islands Government for supporting this national university.
“I also like to convey thanks to foreign Governments including Australia, South Korea and Republic of China for their support,” Professor Marasinghe added.
“We can assure the national government and foreign governments and the council, that the money we receive is well spent because we have carried out all these infra-structure projects without using even one dollar from this year’s SIG development grant of $50 million.
The acting Vice Chancellor said he hopes the Minister of Education and Human Resources Development, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock and the Chair of the Council, who is also a Member of Parliament can persuade their colleague Minister of Finance to kindly give SINU this year’s grant without further delay, so that they can complete all these projects.
By LESLEY SANGA and LYNNISSHA RUNA
