BY CAMPION OHASIO – DIGITAL CREATOR
When the GREAT Coalition Government launched its policy statement, one big word that stood out right at the top is; ‘Solomonisation.’
On paper, the government defines ‘Solomonisation’ as placing 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 right at the center of national development. It promises that every policy, project, and dollar spent must reflect the real values, traditions, and hopes of Solomon Islanders.
To make this even stronger, the government paired it with the “First Bite – Better Bite” principle. This means indigenous citizens get priority access, exclusive rights, better financial terms, and direct advantages in business and resource development.
For a very long time, everyday decisions about our land, our forests, our ocean, and our local businesses felt like they were being made by outsiders. We watched our raw round logs, un-canned tuna, and unrefined gold leave our islands on foreign ships or planes, while local people and families struggled to pay for school fees and livelihoods.
But what does this fancy term actually look like on the ground in our rural villages? The truth on the ground is that this sector ‘𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 like our tribes, houses of chiefs etc. has always remained an ‘informal sector’ in the governance system of the country. Government must first work to align this sector if it is to achieve this noble goal.
