It's encouraging to see that the current governemnt led by Dr. Sikua is not wasting any time in smoothing relations abroad. His latest trip here to Port Moresby has indicated many positive developments for the future and this is what we want. The Rural Advancement Policy establishes this realization by the governemnt that we cannot go forward in development without the assistance coming from our neighbours, such as the Papua New Guinea government. So it is a fitting move by Dr. Sikua to be immediately focused on this.

PNG Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Abal recently presented another K4 million Kina to pay for the tution fees of more than a hundred students this year, who will be studying in PNG institutions. For Solomon Islands this is a relief on governemnt spending...but to critics here, people are calling on the PNG Government to focus more on developing their own human resources, rather than throwing tax payers money somewhere else.

This goes to show that in spite of the barage the PNG government recieve from their own people, they are committed to supporting us Solomon Islanders. The inital agreements are already in place but Somare is unmoved by these calls and I can only say, we must be grateful to this kinds of support.

I thank the government for thier trip here to Port Moresby. It is a must that we must maintain positive relations with this country...and the small gesture by SIG to donate some money to the victims of the Oro Floods here in PNG is two thumbs up from me!!

Once again, lets move forward and support the government.