Dear Editor – The existence of poor infrastructure such as poor state of road and the costly poorly bus service experienced currently in Honiara indicated very clearly that this very important ministry, MID, is no longer performing its role.
This ministry has an obligation to provide and improve transport infrastructure and services for the people that will enhance better business services for the nation at large.
So it is most important the government of the day must take an immediate step to address the non-functioning of that particular ministry.
Its lack of attempt to address the current poor road situation in Honiara clearly shows a kind of government that does not care for its people.
It is time the government of the day scrutinizes the work of people who are heading that particular ministry to see whether they are working or not and if possible reshuffle its staff.
It doesn’t make sense keeping people who cannot perform.
This is very important because although good policies and adequate funding are provided by the government within that ministry, those who are mandated to head that ministry are not doing what they are supposed to do.
Millions of dollars have been dispersed through the MID under transportation- road and shipping grant to purchase second hand vessels and road machineries for some of constituencies in the country improve transportation in our constituencies.
But why MPs in the three constituencies in Honiara are not utilizing the grant for the improvement of the roads?
Are Honiara constituency roads not so important under the grant compared to other constituencies nationwide?
During the 70s and 80s although the main road in Honiara was narrow with its size, rarely do you see pot holes from White River to Henderson.
Today is the opposite!
The Honiara road is going from bad to worse with pot holes everywhere.
And surprisingly, the MID is doing absolutely nothing about it.
Where are the taxes and fees collected from vehicle owners in Honiara?
The Ministry of Finance said this week Customs collected more than $1 billion during 2017.
Where is the money? Why are Honiara roads in a mess?
The head and staff of Ministry of Finance should be congratulated for well-done job done and that’s what the population expects from all ministries for the good of our country.
The other government ministries should do the same showing their potential work outputs.
While the Japanese government has put more of its effort in improving our transport infrastructure in our city, what’s wrong with our national government?
Just look at the state of road from Kukum SDA to Naha that serves thousands of citizens.
There are pot holes along that road that you can use to bury a dead person.
The deputy director of MID Mike Gagara, sitting in his cool air condition office, has given his sweet comments in the media, promising that maintenance of road in Honiara should start after the bad weather experienced during the last months.
But since then, nothing is happening.
The poor state of road infrastructure experienced today is truly shameful.
It has degraded the status of our young and growing capital city and the provinces that contribute towards the prosperity and the welfare of our local businesses.
Jacob Ofasia Savaleni
Talise Market
