11 March 2023
From the Solomon Star newspaper, I read the following piece, part of a lengthier article, and I quote.
‘”Malaita Premier Martin Fini has announced the creation of a body to help coordinate economic development activities on Malaita and to repair past differences between the National Government and the Province.
The move to establish the Malaita Economic Development Initiative – MEDI for short – is an intervention to bury the disruptive activities in the past and is part of the Malaita New Government For Fundamental Redirection (MNGFR) policy.
MEDI is the first step in reconnecting the province with the national government since 2019 when the stand-off between the MARA administration and the national government began.
The three-year stand-off cost Malaita Province well over SBD185 million in lost development funding approved by the Government, the Premier told the Provincial Assembly in Auki last Wednesday.
“The strategic intervention we had chosen to take is very important for the redirection of Malaita. I want to say here; it is enough of Business as Usual. We must move on to new direction and a ride into unchartered waters. We must step onto new grounds we had never put our feet on in the 38 years of Malaita journey.
“Therefore, I wish to state that meaningful development is only possible through dialogue and collaboration by all stakeholders. Cooperation is an essential ingredient in this mix. It must be at the heart of this collaboration. Nothing works without it,” he said.
“We believe that the measures we have taken in establishing the Malaita Economic Development Initiative (MEDI) is the right course of action to take.”
End of quote.
Source Solomon Star News.
Comment
If what the new Malaitan Premier has announced will genuinely bring about national unity then I am pleased to know of the proposals and wait to see how unity progress.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short.
