PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has praised the New Zealand Government for taking the lead in the development of air transport infrastructure in Solomon Islands.
Prime Minister Sogavare said the National Government is proud to witness yet another tangible commitment by the people and government of New Zealand and Australia.
This followed the signing of the significant construction contract between the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and Downer New Zealand, and witnessed by Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare in Honiara, on Wednesday this week.
The Prime Minister said the New Zealand bilateral assistance to the transport sector started in 2006 after the ethnic tensions to rehabilitate damaged transport infrastructures.
“The assistance started with the Post Conflict Emergency Rehabilitation Project led by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development with New Zealand as the highest contributor between donors and SIG,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said New Zealand was an active participant in many other projects under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development until 2012 when they shifted their focus and started to concentrate on aviation projects to support tourism development, led by the Ministry of Communication and Aviation.
“The manifestation of New Zealand’s assistance is the completion of the Munda Airport Development Phase I, Noro-Munda Road Rehabilitation, Gizo Airport Upgrade, Munda Airport Development phase II and the start of the Airport Management Reforms with the setup of the new SOE-Solomon Islands Airports Corporation limited,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said since 2006, New Zealand has invested more than US100million in the transport sector in Solomon Islands.
He said the Provincial Airports Programme has come this far through the culmination of a lot of hard work over the last few years by all stakeholders involved to deliver a common purpose, which is to improve access and connectivity for Solomon Islands in a safe aviation environment.
“Our domestic partners, the Western Provincial Government, Choiseul Provincial Governments and respective landowners and the travelling public are looking forward to the implementation and completion of the projects,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the Solomon Islands Government is committed to seeing this priority infrastructure project completed.
Prime Minister Sogavare said the Ministry of Communication and Aviation and later Solomon Islands Airport Corporation Ltd will ultimately manage the completed airports into the future.
Meanwhile, he said World Bank is financing the new terminal and overlay of Munda airport and the completion of Taro and Seghe will support the Munda International Airport international operations.
SOURCE: OPMC MEDIA
