BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
THE Lord Mayor of Honiara City Council, Councilor Eddie Siapu has made calls to the residents of Honiara to take a sense of ownership in making sure the city is clean, safe, and beautiful ahead of this year’s Pacific Games that is scheduled to kick off in November.
Mayor Siapu stated this while addressing the key government stakeholders and leaders, church representatives, diplomatic and development partners, and the public at the launching of the Pacific Games (PG) 2023 Safe and Green Games Strategy Plan at the Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara, on March 10, 2023.
The two key objectives of the strategy for the Games are to provide a safe and secure environment in our host city and support the Government to successfully host the PG 2023 and to beautify our Capital City to achieve a long-lasting legacy that lives beyond the Games for the benefit of our future generations.
Siapu appealed to Honiara residents to work closely with the Honiara City Council (HCC) in its preparations to provide the visiting Pacific athletes for this year’s Games with a safe, beautiful, secure, clean, and green environment that will leave a long-term legacy for the Solomon Islands.
“I know that it is not an easy task but through our unity and striving, we can make Honiara City clean, healthy, beautiful, and safe for the biggest sporting event in the Pacific Games 2023.
“Honiara City is our City and we are sons and daughters of the Solomon Islands, we have to take ownership of our City to prepare it for the Pacific Games 2023.
“We live in this City, so let us love our only City, and keep it clean, beautiful, and safe.
“HCC Ward Counsellors will be working with their respective ward committees to drive a clean-up and beautification program in each ward in Honiara, therefore, I appeal to residents of each ward to cooperate and support the clean-up and beautification programs put in place by your ward committees.
“The national government through the National Hosting Authority (NHA) will be supporting HCC with funds and equipment to implement the clean-up and beautification program of activities throughout this year and beyond,” the City Mayor added.
In his appeal statement, the Mayor warned all betel nut vendors who have operated in illegal roadside stalls to stop selling betel nuts.
“Let me remind you, the HCC operation to demolish and clear all stalls will start soon. We are committed to clearing the betel nuts stall from the streets of Honiara before the Games starts in November of this year,” he said.
He also warned bus operators who have continued to illegally operate using the short bus route services to immediately stop such practices and comply with the HCC regulations.
