BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
Choiseul Province Premier Hon. Harrison Benjamin said it is a great challenge for leaders at this stage to work hard at the ‘legislative and governance level’.
This is because of the current threats that trigger the huge undesirable impacts on the socio, economic, and spiritual development and aspiration of societies in the country.
Mr Benjamin said from the perils Solomon Islands is facing, two years of combating Coronavirus (Covid-19), the riot in Honiara at the end of last year 2021 and the onset of Covid-19 transmission and infection in the country in January this year has greatly affected society.
In his opening government speech at Choiseul’s Provincial ‘Assembly Meeting’ last week, Mr Benjamin said these impacts are substantiated by the Central Bank Press Release (PR) of March 5, ‘monetary policy stance for March 2022’ on the recent assessments of economic conditions and outlook.
Choiseul’s Premier said the report has described that the domestic economic activity remained weak since last year 2021, indicating that the economy faces significant uncertainties and risks holding back recovery.
“The report further claimed that recent economic indicators, remained subdued and uneven with a broad range of indicators still struggling to recover from the economic fallout from the pandemic, as well as the November riot.
“Thus it is projected that growth for 2022 to decline by minus 7.3 percent. The report also indicated that inflation is projected to rise by 3.2 by the end of 2022. The report indicates that risks including prolonged supply disruptions and rising commodity prices could potentially increase prices beyond the inflation outlook,” said Benjamin.
“These are real threats Mr Speaker, that pose greater challenges that we as Leaders have to work hard at the legislative and governance level to address. These challenges Mr Speaker requires policy redirection, proper planning and closer cooperation between our rural populace, the provincial, national government and development partners. Our government is working and determined to explore attainable strategies and solutions,” said Hon. Benjamin.
In a summary, in response to these emerging calamities, Choiseul’s Premier outlined that the provincial government has;
1. Supported the three constituency repatriated Choiseul people due to the riot and threats in Honiara
2. Activated the provincial disaster committees on full mode and operational as of 21st January 2022
3. The provincial health emergency operation committee is also in full operation mode to coordinate and strengthen Covid -19 community transmission response activities to prevent the entry of Covid-19 into the province and to contain and limit the spread
4. allocate the sports centre and PS residence for the quarantine centre and field hospital
5. Virement of the provincial budget to support disaster management
6. Continue to liaise with the national government to complete the quarantine centre and build taro hospital and Wagina area health centre. Tender for taro hospital and Wagina to be advertised this week
7. Support rehabilitation of Sirovanga rural health clinic in this year’s budget and partnership with health will strategize improvement and establishment of health infrastructure and services as part of the overall policy redirection of the provincial government
8. Support operations of shipping services to bring in goods and supplies to our communities and back loading of commodities like copra, cocoa, timber to buyers in Honiara and,
9. Revisit the draft provincial policies to set achievable strategies with development priorities in the short, medium, to long term.
“Mr Speaker despite the challenges and the limited resources at our disposal I am confident that in partnership with our people, the national government and partners, we set and implement the provinces’ development pathways towards protecting, and empowering our people in the short, medium to long term,” said Benjamin.
It is understood that Choiseul’s Provincial ‘Assembly Meeting’ has passed on the floor its ‘Appropriation Bill’ of $21, 156, 177.00.
The ‘Budget’ had gone through process accordingly from the Executive deliberation to the proper scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) before tabling to the ‘Assembly’ and passed by the majority on Wednesday according to Choiseul Province Clerk to Assembly Christopher Makoni.
Due to Covid-19 protocols, to adhere to the Choiseul provincial assembly as per its Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) before the assembly, Choiseul’s Province Clerk said all of Choiseul’s 16 Member of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) and officials had to go through RAT tests.
“Out of the more than 50 tested, only 1 tested positive and all tested negative before the commence of the ‘Assembly Meeting’,” said Makoni.
