The Solomon Islands is looking to be Covid-19 free again very soon after many tests of those held in quarantine proved negative. The news is welcome and an indication of the government’s effective and stringent measures in combating the threat presented by a coronavirus. Also, one should not forget the work of the front-line personnel and doctors and nurses that have worked consistently for many months in support of the government’s health enforcement regulations.
Behind the scenes, the SIG has consistently been aided by its donor partners and international aid agencies with funding and equipment help.
Apart from the aid to combat Covid-19, I reflected today on the assistance rendered most recently by Australia, New Zealand, and by the Government of Japan.
I’ll briefly summarise some of that aid.
Through support provided under New Zealand funded Mekem Strong Solomon Islands Fisheries program (MSSIF) – is targeting a budget support programme to the Ministry
Remote communities in the Shortland Islands and Malaita Outer Islands, which are highly dependent on fisheries and marine resources, have had their normal trading routes impacted by border closures as a result of COVID-19.
TheNew Zealand's government has offered assurance for Pacific leaders in the region on their plans for the Covid-19 vaccine.
The New Zealand government has earmarked US$54-million of Official Development Assistance to support Pacific vaccine access, including purchasing, planning, and delivery.
New Zealand is currently working with Australia and other Pacific Islands Forum Members, as well as regional partners, to ensure Pacific countries have the total support required to run successful immunisation campaigns."
In relation to Australia, speaking in Honiara on International Women’s Day this week, Ms Julie McCallum, the Counsellor for Human Development at the Australian High Commission’s office in the Solomon Islands, said the Australian Government was proud to help improve gender equality for women and girls in the Solomon Islands.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and the Guadalcanal Provincial (GP)Health Authority, together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Australian High Commission officially opened a refurbished integrated safe space at the Good Samaritan Hospital this week.
The Solomon Islands has greatly benefitted for more than 30 years and more from the Australian Defence cooperation agreement with Australia which has seen the delivery of maritime patrol vessels to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, and the latest Guardian class vessel to be named ‘Taro’ is to be delivered in May this year.
Australia handed over another Guardian-class patrol boat to the government of the Solomon Islands in a ceremony held on 8 November last year at the facilities of shipbuilder Austal in Henderson, Western Australia.
Australia’s proposed permanent patrol base in the Shortland Islands is the latest aid from the Australian government and a base that was first hinted at in the Strategic Review of the Solomon Islands, conducted at the request of the Solomon Islands government and delivered to the then Prime Minister and his Cabinet in April 1999.
The Australian (and New Zealand) Governments will continue to support the tourism sector in SI but there is a need for more infrastructure to boost the tourism potential
Speaking at the Tourism in Focus 2021 last week Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Dr. Lachlan Strahan said, to get to the point where we can really tap into the potential in the tourism sector we need infrastructure.
It is understood that last year Australia provided SBD12 million to help Solomon Airlines meet its financial obligation
The Girls Rise Up! Project in the Solomon Islands is led by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in partnership with CARE International, supported by Australia through the Pacific Girl program, managed by Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women).
The Prime Minister said a couple of weeks ago that Honiara will become a modern city ahead of the Pacific Games in 2023 with the generous help of the Government of Japan with the construction of new road infrastructure to ease traffic flow following the massive injection of Japanese funding to continue Phase 2 of the Kukum Highway Project.
Recently, the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) signed a loan agreement of about SBD190M with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Honiara.
The concessional loan was given to purposely assist the work on the implementation of the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) and COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan of the country.
Today, according to reports in both the Solomon Star newspaper and Solomon Times Online the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has received three (3) sets of centrifuge technology and 358 blood pressure manometer provided by Japan.
Honiara city is expected to be transformed in the next 24 months, thanks to the government and people of Japan for the support of SBD$243,000,000.00.
The immense and very generous sum of SBD$243,000,000.00 gifted to the Solomon Islands by the government and people of Japan ahead of the Pacific Games to be hosted in Honiara in two years time will bring about not only Phase 2 of the Kukum Highway project but also go towards the city’s drainage systems, bus stations, streetlights, traffic signboards, and pavement markings.
It is also expected a proportionate sum of the money will be used to “improve the landscape.”
Coming on top of all the forgoing news is the prospect of more jobs being created for both skilled and unskilled workers locally with the building of the local USP Campus and construction of the facilities for the forthcoming 2023 Pacific Games being hosted in Honiara.
In addition, the ongoing development of the Tina River Hydro Power Project has already seen local people productively engaged and earning money.
Finally, with the help of donated fast craft vessels donated by Australia to the RSIPF, border surveillance operations are in force to prevent the incursion of coronavirus reaching the Western border communities from Bougainville where there has been an increase of Covid-19 cases most recently.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
