PRIME Minister, Honourable Jeremiah Manele, received a courtesy call from the visiting Minority Clerk of the U.S. Senate, Paul Grove.
Mr. Grove is in the country as part of an assessment and review of foreign assistance and security programs by the U.S. Department of State.
In the brief meeting, the Prime Minister spoke highly of the Peace Corps Program and its overwhelming support from Solomon Islanders.
Prime Minister Manele expressed the government’s keen interest in reviving the program, given its past success.
In responding to specific requests suggested by Mr. Grove, the Prime Minister requested that the U.S. government consider assisting in renovating the national parliament of the Solomon Islands
The national parliament was funded by the U.S. government and constructed in 1993 by a Japanese contractor, Kitano. It is now 30 years old and in need of renovation.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged the U.S.’s ongoing effort in addressing Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) from World War II and urged the U.S. to continue that endeavour.
Prime Minister Manele further acknowledged the U.S.’s support in the SCALE program, indicating the government’s appreciation and endorsement of the program.
The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s keen interest in becoming a member of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC); however, he acknowledged that the onus is on the government to ensure it meets the scorecard for MCC’s membership.
In terms of development, Prime Minister Manele expressed the challenges posed by the country’s geographic spread and the difficulty of uniting a multiethnic society.
In acknowledging these hurdles, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that the main priorities of the government are to unite the country and introduce transformational development. He added that the government derived its coalition name from these commitments, the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT).
The Prime Minister also indicated to Mr. Grove that it is the government’s desire for the U.S. and the Solomon Islands to sign a development cooperation framework. The framework, among other things, will provide guidance to development partners such as the U.S. to effectively assist in the country’s main development priority areas.
It is understood that a draft of the development cooperation framework has been in the U.S.’s court for some time.
While in the country, the visiting U.S. Senate’s Minority Clerk, Paul Grove, has met with a number of stakeholders. He will continue his visits to other equally important local groups before leaving for the U.S.
