THE Honiara City Council (HCC) Finance team, in collaboration with the Communication and Community Engagement team from Solomon Islands, along with the Suva City Council Finance team from Fiji, and the Luganville City Council Finance team from Vanuatu, has recently launched a pivotal visitation in partnership under the Pacific Technical Assistance (TA) Program to Palmerston North City Council in New Zealand.
This initiative aims to enhance local governance and community engagement across the Pacific region.
During the visit to the Palmerston North City Council (PNCC), representatives from the councils shared best practices, strategies, and tools to improve financial management and communication with their communities.
The program seeks to empower local authorities by equipping them with the resources needed to foster transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery.
“Engaging with our fellow councils from the Pacific provides us with invaluable insights and skills that can be tailored to our unique challenges,” stated Senior Communication officer, Mr. Chris Hapert Haárabe, a representative from the Honiara City Council Communications.
“Together, we are committed to strengthening our financial systems and enhancing the participation of our communities in decision-making processes,” he said.
This collaboration not only highlights the growing network of local councils in the Pacific but also underscores the commitment to sustainable development and regional solidarity, Mr. Haárabe explained.
He said, as these councils continue to work together, they pave the way for more resilient communities that can thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
The Pacific TA helps Pacific Island managers to provide public services such as environmental management (e.g. water and air quality) infrastructure and asset management, town planning, transport planning, and public health and safety programs such as dog control and building control.
A cited online segment stated that this local government initiative teams New Zealand-based technical experts with their counterparts in Pacific Island countries. Pacific TA or Local Government Technical Assistance Facility for Pacific Island Countries has been running since 2012.
Pacific TA aims to assist Pacific Island countries in developing and delivering solutions to service delivery at the local level, focusing on areas like urban planning, infrastructure, water and waste management, and asset management, it explained.
