I have been reading this morning an article by Peter Forau which featured in the Island Sun newspaper and which focused on what the writer described as “the dilapidated state of Honiara.”
Peter did some finger pointing and there was an element of politics in what he had to say, neither of which I would wish to comment on, nor indeed as an “outsider” would it be correct for me to do so.
My first impression on seeing the photograph of a section of the main road in Honiara, which accompanied the article, was there was a substantial difference for the better than I knew it 23 years ago.
What I can agree on, as I have often said, is the need for a greening of the city and landscaping to turn Honiara centre into a pleasant tree lined environment conducive to many of the cities one now finds in Japan, China, South Korea and especially in the garden city of Singapore.
Both Japan and China have many talented landscapers that could be asked to help green the city ahead of welcoming visitors for the 2023 Pacific Games.
City planners could work alongside such talented urban landscapers but there is some urgency if the turnaround is to be seen in 2 years time.
With the planting of already mature trees and shrubs I believe the landscaping could be achieved, helped of course, by a suitable climate.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
