Property owners along Honiara’s coastline will soon pay rates to the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA).
The new rates, which are yet to be determined by SIPA’s board, are part of the current reform the state-owned enterprise is implement.
“SIPA is the rightful owner of Honiara’s seafront from the low water mark to the high water mark,” Leni told the Sunday Star.
“SIPA should be imposing rates on those with properties on the coastline for developing the sea fronts long time ago.
“But it has not done that.
“Now it would be hard to remove and compensate the owners of these properties. In fact SIPA has no intention of evicting them. The only appropriate thing to do is to impose rates on them,” Leni said.
He said property owners will be informed of the new rates when his board decides on it.
Meanwhile, Yow said current reforms are challenging but necessary.
“It’s extremely challenging from the start but is personally satisfying,” he said.
Yow said his first four months at SIPA hell, having to work under the close unbiased watch of the board and the executive.
“The challenges faced have put us on the edge; are tests that we managed to build a firm team and earn the loyalty of my executive,” he said.
“Now, we are one. We have to deliver and we will deliver. This is just the beginning.”
Yow noted the challenges including reforms will be seen negatively but promised to deliver with a SIPA team.
“My management and I will focus on reforms as priorities; in this short period of eight months, we have seen an impressive financial turnaround.”
SIPA last Thursday announced a $41 million profit made under the leadership of Yow within just eight months.
It paid $10 million in dividends to the government.
By BRADFORD THEONOMI
