The Managing Director of Tropical Glass and Aluminium (TGA). Justin Fuo____o has strongly urged the donor community to invest more in infrastructure and education instead of giving cash.
“Please give my country Infrastructure and Education.
“Stop giving us cash, we don’t need it.
“It’s destroying us economically,” Mr Fuo____o said in his presentation at the 9th Australia-Solomon Islands Business Forum in Honiara this week.
He said the country’s poor infrastructure is makes it too costly for the manufacturing sector to compete with suppliers of finished products.
“So more investment in quality infrastructure and education is what the country needs to ensure medium and long-term economic growth.
“We need quality roads, reliable energy supply, reliable and economical telecommunication service, reliable water supply, reliable international seaport services, reliable international airport services and quality education,” the experienced local glass and aluminium manufacturer said.
He said Solomon is a developing country with an economy heavily dependent on raw resources for export such as timber and copra but it can expand its economic base by adding value to these raw products before exportation.
“SOLTUNA products are an excellent example of value-added products. We need more SOLTUNA-like businesses in this country,” Mr Fuo’o said.
Touching on the Agriculture sector, Mr Fuo’o spoke of the Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Limited (GPPOL) as a provider of more employment opportunities for locals and there is more potential for such positive development in the sector.
However, he said development in the agriculture sector is hindered by by poor infrastructure and this is something that the government, private sector and donors must collaborate if the potentials therein are to be unleashed.
Mr Fuo____o also spoke of unskilled workers as an issue that continues to be a huge challenge to development and economic growth and the way forward in addressing this problem is ensuring greater investment in the education sector.
“With due respect to education, I recommend that Solomon Islands as a developing country should not provide free education for its citizens to a certain level to ensure a high literacy rate,” he added.
Mr Fuo____o said the health sector is also another crucial sector because the lack of quality health system, the country would not have a healthy population and workforce to proactively engage in economic development.
He also spoke on the importance of law and order to boosting investment confidence in the country.
Mr Fuo____o said said it is only through an effective enforcement of law and order that corruption can be stamped out from the government and private sector.
TGA is one of the few local companies recogniseed internationally for their quality products.
By TEDDY KAFO
