Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga says the Government will continue to work with all provinces on its current land reform program.

Mr Maelanga said the Government is taking a holistic approach in dealing with land ownership, tenure system, land management, township expansion, land occupation issues and the social impacts accompanying township expansion.

He highlighted this when speaking during the launching of the Guadalcanal provincial government’s policy statement at the Honiara Hotel, Friday last week.

The Deputy Prime Minister said through the ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey, policies are in place in terms of alienated land transfers, township planning and a range of other township development issues.

For Guadalcanal province, Mr Maelanga said the Government is prepared to work closely with the provincial government in addressing the social issues and occupation/relocation of land use particularly on those areas at the east of Honiara.

“I fully agree with some of the sentiments raised by our Guadalcanal citizens that resources owners must reap the benefits derived from their land,” he said.

Meanwhile, in terms of updated programs, Mr Maelanga said the Government is committed to finalise all preparative work on the undersea cable which should go live by February 2020.

“This development alone will have a transformative impact for the country, both economically and socially.

The National Government in its effort to promote equitable benefits to the indigenous landowners in both national investment and developments have recognize that all high-water mark ownership should be returned to landowners,” he said.

Mr Maelanga adds that another milestone national investment is the Tina Hydro-Electricity development.
He said Solomon Islands in terms of energy, had been relying on fossil fuel, and with the progress of the Tina Hydro development, the cost of electricity to our citizens within Honiara City and Guadalcanal should reduce dramatically.

“This development should set the pace to improve our business environment, private sector growth and improved standard of living,” he said.

Source: PM Press Secretariat