BY KHAMA LINCOLN
ISLES MEDIA FREELANCE REPORTER IN GIZO
COVID-19 National Response Plan must be nationally focused and broad, based in real life, not just mainly confined to Honiara Business rehabilitation according to Western province Premier, Christian Mesepitu demands.
The Premier made the statement in light of risk imposed by possible community transmission of the coronavirus in Noro and Munda towns that would also affect Soltuna and the National Fisheries Development (NFD) employees at Noro industrial town.
He pointed out that Noro town must be a priority area of focus inclusive of economic recovery plans for Soltuna and NFD.
“The much talked about COVID-19 National Response Plan must be nationally focused, broad-based and not just littled to Honiara-business rehabilitation. It must have economic recovery strategies for soltuna and NFD,” He said.
Mesepitu insisted that National Response Plan must be inclusive of all economic sectors in the country and not only that of wholesale and retail sector rehabilitation of Honiara City.
“Similarly, the importance of Munda cannot be undervalued. Munda is an important infrastructure development plan for the country. It hosts the second international airport and is a key player in tourism sector development.
“Noro- Munda response plans must form a critical component of Solomon Islands National Response Plan on COVID-19,” Premier Mesepitu said.
He added that, any meaningful response plans cannot be topdown. It must be collective, consultative and participatory to ensure ownership by all players in the economy.
“As such, western provincial Government, Soltuna, and NFD Management looks forward to the collective, consultative and participatory planning process of developing a truly ‘national response to coronavirus.
“The country is caught off-guarded by increasing numbers of positive coronavirus cases each day, but that should not rule out the collective, consultative and participatory nature of the COVID-19 National Response Plan,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Four days lockdown in Rukutu and Seghe in the Marovo Lagoon, and Noro, Munda and the Provincial Headquarter, Gizo, will be lifted at 6.00pm on Monday, 31 January 2022.
