The Government through has selected a Papua New Guinea Architecture Firm to work on the design of the new Solomon Islands High Commission Chancery Office Building Complex in Port Moresby.
The multi-million dollar office complex will be built at a prime site in Waigani, allocated for foreign diplomatic missions, said the Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papuan New Guinea, His Excellency Bernard Bata'anisia. Mr Bata'anisia said the Central Tender Board at its recent meeting in Honiara has awarded the tender to the Archiscape Group, based in Port Moresby.The Archiscape Group has been selected out of the four (4) short listed bidders from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands who bid for the project. The Agreement for the engagement of the Company was signed in Honiara and Port Moresby last week by representatives of the Solomon Islands Government and the architectural firm.
The Archiscape Group will be working closely with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development in Honiara in developing the design concept. The Company has been given three months to further work on the design before submitting it to the Papua New Guinea Building Board for final approval.
"It is anticipated that the construction of the new Solomon Islands High Commission Chancery Office Complex will start early next year in 2008", said Mr Bata'anisia.
The new Solomon Islands High Commission Chancery Office Building Complex will comprise of main Office Complex, Office space for Solomon Islands Trade and Artifact displays, Residential Unit for its Diplomatic Staff as well as Recreational Hall for hosting of functions and other social activities.
This will be the first time in the history of Solomon Islands that the country will have its own Permanent Office built overseas to accommodate its Diplomatic Mission.