Australia is giving $A11 million (about 25 million Kina) to help fix roads in the Solomon Islands.
This is happening as the Solomon Islands gets ready to host the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders summit in September.
Australia’s Minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy, said this money will be used by local Solomon Islands companies.
“We are making sure our projects are delivered by local companies,” he said.
“This is the best way we can ensure economic benefits flow to Solomon Islands from day one, and that these projects create more jobs for locals.”
This means that the work will create jobs and help the economy of the Solomon Islands directly. This is different from how some other countries do things, where they might bring in their own workers for projects.
Fixing Roads and Connecting Communities
The money will fix 12 roads: four on the island of Malaita and eight in the capital city, Honiara. Honiara’s roads often get very busy, and heavy rain can cause floods because of poor drainage.
Minister Conroy said that good roads are very important.
“We know the impact of deteriorating roads for getting to work, getting produce to market, getting children and family members to school or health services,” Mr Conroy said.
He mentioned that in Malaita, some communities were cut off for two years because the South Road was too damaged to use.
“Communities along Malaita’s South Road were effectively cut off from essential services for over two years due to the South Road being impassable,” he added.
“Farmers of Malaita’s sweetest pineapples could not get to Auki market, women could not get to hospital for complicated child births, many children stopped going to school, and the price of goods doubled.”
He said Australia helped fix the South Road last year, which made a big difference.
“The reopening of the South Road last year – with support from Australia and the great work of local contractors – has restored that vital link from Auki to Bina and beyond,” he said.
Boosting Power and Protecting Our Seas
Australia also announced another $A7 million (about 16 million Kina) for a big power project called the Tina River Hydro scheme.
This project, which Australia has given a lot of money to already (now totaling $A70 million), will provide most of Honiara’s electricity when it’s finished.
Finally, Australia also promised to double its money to help watch out for illegal fishing in the Pacific region.
Minister Conroy has been visiting different Pacific countries this week, including Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
In Fiji, he was the first Australian minister to attend a special meeting for Melanesian countries.
In Port Moresby, he was there when they announced the new board for the PNG rugby league team that will join the NRL competition.
Source: Australian Associated Press
Comments are closed.