30 December 2021The Ulukolu Corporative Society for the first time received a vehicle for transportation funded by the People’s Republic of China through the North Guadalcanal Constituency
The vehicle gifted to Ulukolu Corporative is worth more than $370,000.
Speaking at the handover ceremony Member of Parliament for North Guadalcanal Constituency Samson Maneka confirmed that this vehicle is for transportation for people and also commodities so people in communities can be able to sell their local produce to earn a living.
“With this, I urged you to please take good care of this vehicle and respect leaders that are given authority to look after it,” Maneka said.
In response managing director of the Ulukolu Corporative Society Felix Garimane said he believes the Ulukolu Association knows what is best for its people.
“We have no doubt that Ulukolu association can run this project successfully that is my strong declaration promised through faithful and honest leaders. Eyes of the constituency are upon Ulukolu today I wish the constituency a prosperous peaceful future,” Garimane said.
The Chairman of Ulukolu Association Casper Kanai on the same note thanked Maneka for the gift and promised they would take good care of it and use it for its rightful purpose.
On the same event a women representative Madalyn Limola said the handover of this vehicle will now address the long standing needs for women vendors in terms of transporting their commodities for sell at the Honiara Central Market.
Source: Island Sun newspaper.
Comment
Touching upon politics, which I vowed not to do, and which by all rights as an “outsider,” I should not be doing I have to question whether or not the gift of the truck to a grateful cooperative society, and a gift to greatly support the community that will use it, is an overt act by the PRC to extend its influence, or a means of giving people a better chance of improving their livelihoods, when for years they have gone without because “allegedly” there was a misuse of funds that should have seen tangible results for the people.
There will be those who will claim an overt act by the PRC. On the other hand there will some in the country saying it was not politically motivated.
It is certainly not my place to judge the situation although a situation that has wider political implications and perhaps a response might be forthcoming from the Chinese Embassy and maybe the government.
I simply say, most assuredly, like any investment even in kind, there are likely to be problems but that is the reason countries have governments; to ensure that the broader interests of its citizenry, including sovereignty, are protected from any investor irrespective of their origin.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
