BY ALEX DADAMU
THE Solomon Islands Infrastructure Programme, Australia’s flagship 10-year SBD 1.5 billion partnership with the Solomon Islands is set to begin once again given the ease of the country’s COVID restrictions recently.
Australian High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Dr. Lachlan Strahan on Monday updated the Media that Solomon Islands Infrastructure Programme (SIIP) has started work in endorsing approved projects and additional projects are currently under planning and consideration.
Among the current programs that SIIP is focusing on, Dr. Strahan highlighted that the Programme is redeveloping markets across the country to grow local economies.
He said six locations are being assessed in Malaita, Isabel, Western, Guadalcanal, and Honiara, with locations in other provinces to be identified.
Besides the Provincial Markets Project, other projects that are currently in SIIP scope to implement include Noro Port Redevelopment and Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant.
The High Commissioner pointed out that SIIP is guided by five principles that are very important to them and all of their work going forward is guided by these principles.
The Principles are;
- What SIIP do, must first and foremost, address the priorities of the Solomon Islands.
- Inclusiveness: must be genuinely inclusive. Inclusive of things across the country, women, people living with a disability, etc…
- To deliver infrastructure, which is resilient to both climate change and natural disasters. To build stuff that is appropriate for the 21st century dealing with the fact that we have more adverse weather events when dealing with more natural disasters.
- Must take proper account of local content. So it means local content, for businesses, people, materials, and benefits.
- Everything built must be safe and not harm people or the environment. Will also be expected to comply with the new national building code which is pending.
“We have no interest in delivering substandard infrastructure.
“The people of Solomon Islands deserve so much more than that. So this program, we think is a unique partnership because it brings together joint decision making local content, and resilience. The whole aim is to build infrastructure, which the people of this country can be proud of.
“We want to demonstrate how it’s possible to do things better, to make sure that infrastructure can be built in a way, which meant to last.”
He said that they will also be considering opportunities for local procurement, local employment, and then local learning. And where possible, will upskill, filling skills gaps.
“I’d hope that the Australian location vocational and technical training programs APTC can play its role in the up-skilling.
All SIIP activities are decided by a high-level Solomon Islands-Australia Steering Committee, Co-chaired by the Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Australia High Commissioner.
Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC), and Finance and Treasury are also members.
The committee meets quarterly to assess and agree on projects SIIP will support, and review progress on activities already underway.
