The Ministry of Rural Development has handed over 11 boats and 25 outboard motor (OBM) engines to East Makira Constituency, in a $1.5 million project funded by the People's Republic of China (PRC). The ministry said the handover took place at Namuga Station on 26 October 2026.
The boats and engines were distributed to communities and families across the constituency under the Rural Sustainable Development Program (RSDP), which the ministry implements. According to the ministry, they will improve transport access and support emergency medical runs and general transport for people seeking vital services in rural areas.
The Member of Parliament for East Makira, Hon Franklyn Derek Wasi, thanked the PRC government for the funding and said maritime transport was vital in a constituency with no road access, connecting communities and enabling socio-economic activity. "This project is very useful for our people because we have no road infrastructure like other constituencies, and the only way to move from one place to another is by sea," he said. Hon Wasi also asked recipients to look after the assets and use them responsibly.
MRD Deputy Secretary Technical Noel Matea, representing the Solomon Islands Government, congratulated the recipients and thanked the government and people of the PRC for the support. He said the ministry continues to work with all 50 constituencies to improve rural livelihoods, and urged recipients to care for the assets.
Speaking for the recipients, Fred Mahaisi said the boats and engines would ease sea transport problems in East Makira, help communities during health emergencies and provide income through passenger runs and boat hire. Community representative Alfred Marruy thanked the PRC, the ministry and the constituency office for delivering the project.
The ministry said the RSDP is a partnership programme between the PRC and the Solomon Islands Government, implemented jointly by the ministry and the Chinese Embassy, with China supporting it since 2023. Projects are proposal-based, and the programme aligns with China's Global Development Initiative, including the Belt and Road Initiative, and supports the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016-2035.
Source: Based on a statement by the Ministry of Rural Development published on the Solomon Islands Government portal on 5 November 2026. https://solomons.gov.sb/mrd-hands-over-rsdp-funded-maritime-transport-project-to-east-makira-commends-china-for-1-5-million-support/