In a recent letter the Leader of the Opposition in the SI Parliament, the Hon. Mathew Wale, called on the government to create more jobs.
It is something we have all waited to see happen for two decades and more to my knowledge but until development, infrastructure and investment, including private investment occurs in the country I cannot see the government doing more in terms of large scale jobs other than supporting and encouraging the seasonal workers projects on offer from Australia and New Zealand.
I was hoping that by now the much talked of ‘downstream processing,’ especially in the logging industry would have seen jobs created but little has happened.
The Tina River Hydro Power Project has allowed for local people to find some work and construction of the National Stadium and accommodation for intended participants in the 2023 Pacific Games, together with work at SINU helped some with work, albeit it has been alleged local craftsmen have not been given the opportunities for work on those projects that might have been expected.
In separate news today, nearly 300 Ni-Vanautu seasonal workers have arrived in New Zealand, through the country's newly opened one-way travel corridor.
Also today, the Malaita Provincial government has announced nine projects that will be implemented under the US SCALE program in Malaita Province.
Of the nine projects; seven of them are small scale projects, while two are major scale projects.
The premier announced seven small scale projects under the US SCALE program as follows; Multi warehousing, Taro Processing Facility, Livestock Mini-feed Mill, Fishery Storage, Kava Processing Facility, Cocoa Solar Processing and Coconut Mill.
The two major large scale projects are; Bonale Pineapple manufacturing and Luaniua Ontong Java wharf.
If the proposed projects get off the ground there should be opportunities for local jobs.
Sources Radio New Zealand, Solomon Star NEWS and Island Sun newspaper.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
