THE Australian-funded emergency road repairs project to improve accessibility for the first 42km of Malaita’s South Road is now complete.
Commencing in July 2024, the emergency repair works reached Mao’a Bridge at the end of November 2024, one month ahead of schedule.
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development contracted Trades Transformation Company Ltd (TTC), a local Malaita-based company, to complete the road works.
Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Mr Allan Lilia, acknowledged Australia’s long-standing support in the infrastructure sector.
“South Road is a key arterial road linking the southern region of Malaita and connects four constituencies, including Aoke/Langalanga, Central Kwara’ae, West Kwaio and West Are’ Are,” Mr Lilia said.
“The recent improvement to the road access had brought much relief to the communities along the South Road Corridor, who can now access the road as far as Hauhui in West Are Are.”
Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Rod Hilton, recognised the importance of maintaining critical transport infrastructure for communities.
“The Solomon Islands-Australia Partnership prioritises connectivity – connecting people to essential services such as healthcare and education and markets for their produce,” High Commissioner Hilton said.
“Tendering infrastructure contracts into smaller packages, like this project, also benefits the Solomon Islands construction industry by creating jobs for Solomon Islanders,”
Provincial Secretary of Malaita Provincial Government, Mr Eric George Ongoa, commended the Australian Government’s timely funding support in response to the needs of Malaita’s people to improve the poor conditions of the road.
“The emergency road maintenance has provided better road connections to the transport service owners and the surrounding communities, resolving their hardship and frustrations in transport services on the southern road corridor,” Mr Ongoa said.
“I am delighted to observe the positive impact the road improvement has had on the local economy and the people of Malaita, with farmers now able to take their produce to the Auki market on a regular basis.”
The completion of the emergency road repairs now paves the way for Trades Transformation Company Ltd to shift to routine maintenance, which will commence in January 2025 and be carried out for six months to ensure the road corridor is appropriately maintained.
Australia provided SBD11 million to the Solomon Islands Government through the Solomon Islands National Transport Fund for the Malaita Emergency Road Maintenance Project.
Australia is also delivering the Auki-Bina Road Rehabilitation Project, a longer-term upgrade to the Auki-Bina section of South Road, for which the design is currently underway through the Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program.
