Dear Editor,
Thank you too Ambrose for your response to my short note. However, your mistake is that you failed to see kukum market's small indirect contributions to the economy of Solomon Islands is because you first fail to understand the informality of the Solomon Islands' economy, as a result it leads you to oversees or (fail to see) if you like the Kukum Market's small indirect contributions to the Solomon Islands' economy.
In relation to your explanation in your previous article, I do agree with you in one way or the other in your discussions, but I'm yet to convince that Kukum market is detrimental to the economy as you stipulated in your previous article. Let alone its indirect contributions to the cash and informal economy of Solomon Islands.
While I'm agree with you that the current conditions of Kukum Market posed some negative impacts in the areas of health, law, environment and the wellbeing of the surrounding residents. I'm yet to grasp and understand how come you failed to understand the Kukum Market little indirect contribution to the informal economy like Solomon Islands (where some economic activities neither taxed nor monitor by the government) but still contribute indirectly to the cash economy of Solomon Islands?
Lest you forgot that Solomon Island's economy is just like any other developing economies around the world that we are yet to reach the stage for a full formal economy, as a result, most small economic activities that in some ways contributes to the economy are unnoticed, why, this is because of the nature of informal economy where it is necessary difficult to observe, study, define and measure some small economic activities that also contributes to the economy of a nation.
Lest ye forgot too Ambrose that it's the small and big social activities (system) of production,exchange,distribution and consumptions of goods and services that the people of a particular nation perform that defines their contribution to the entire economy ( whether it be formal or informal type of economy). For these reasons, that's why I'm yet to convince with your argument that you labeled kukum market as being detrimental to the economy of Solomon Islands. Let alone for the areas of health, law, environment and the well being of the houses around Kukum market.
If you really concerned about the illegality of those small business activities at Kukum Market ,then, how about the other liked nature small business activities around Solomon Islands whom they also practicing illegal small business activities but in some ways contribute indirectly to economy of Solomon Islands?. Needless to say White river market, Auki market and so forth that also do similar small marketing business illegally but help contributes to some aspects of Solomon Islands' economy?
And if you have some kind of economical believe that 'only' those small economical business activities with the registry of titles contribute to the economy of Solomon Islands then reconsideration is needed.
Just one additional point to this issue of kukum market, most Solomon Islanders liked any other people around the world. They love to work and do small businesses that would contribute to the entire economy and their individual standard of living, but their problems now is that, who will capitalize them? Who will give them directions? Who will provide them proper training? Who will facilitate their persuasiveness upon striving to meet their family basic needs and wants? Who will listen to their small complains, who will put the food on the table for them, who will finance their kid's education? , and the list goes on and on.the responsible authorities and leaders failed to deliver the empty rural development promises and with the attitude of greediness that's why we seeing them at Kukum market and White river market practicing illegal activities. If only we fulfill the promises of decentralizing the developments, then, for sure we'll see some differences with the economical social activities in the Honiara city.
Once again, my only hope is for the responsible authorities associate with this issue of kukum market to sort out their differences across the table as responsible leaders.
Kukum Market
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this letter are those of Frank S.Bilau and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Solomon Times Online.
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