Construction works at Honiara International Port are progressing well, with the project entering an important stage towards the planned extension and upgrading of the International Berth 1 Wharf.
Current construction activities include the fabrication and installation of temporary works as a crane platform as well as a pile guiding frame to support the next stage of piling activities for the seaward extension approximately 30 meters of International Berth 1 Wharf.
These temporary structures are critical enabling works for the next phase of construction that form an important part of the construction methodology and are designed to facilitate safe, controlled and efficient piling operations. The crane platform will provide a stable and secure working area for positioning and operating heavy construction equipment in the marine environment, while the pile guiding frame will help ensure that the foundation piles are installed to the required alignment, depth and technical specifications, which are critical to the structural integrity and long-term performance of the extended wharf.
Once the temporary works measures are completed, the contractor will be able to commence the next phase of installing the permanent piles for the seaward extension. This will represent another important milestone in the delivery of the upgraded port infrastructure.
The approximately 30-metre extension of International Berth 1 will improve the berth's operational capacity and functionality as well as supporting the safer and more efficient handling of vessels and cargo that are anticipated to use the facility over the 50-year design life.
The upgraded wharf infrastructure being provided under LMCP, which also includes the provision of two new domestic rural wharves at Kirakira, Makira Province and Ahanga, in Rennell Bellona Province, will contribute to improving the efficiency and reliability of maritime transport services in Solomon Islands and current improvements to the Honiara International Port, both in terms of capacity and capability, will further strengthen its' role as the country's major international maritime gateway.
The investment is also expected to support the country's growing trade and economic activities by providing improved port infrastructure capable of responding to future transport and logistics demands.
MID Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mike Qaqara, said the continued progress of the works demonstrates the Government's commitment to improving critical transport infrastructure and supporting long-term economic development.
“The progress being achieved at Honiara International Port is encouraging and reflects the Government’s continued commitment to investing in infrastructure that supports the country’s economic growth and connectivity. The extension and upgrading of International Berth 1 will provide improved capacity and functionality for port operations and contribute to more efficient maritime transport services,” Mr. Qaqara said.
The International Berth Upgrade forms part of the broader infrastructure investment under the Land and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP), a flagship initiative led by the Solomon Islands Government and the Solomon Islands Port Authority, with financial and technical support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Solomon Islands.
The government aims to improve transport connectivity across the country by strengthening critical road and maritime infrastructure, thereby supporting economic growth, trade and improved access to essential goods and services.
The Solomon Islands Government remains committed to delivering sustainable and climate-resilient transport infrastructure that supports national development priorities and enhances the efficiency, reliability and safety of the country's transport systems.
Australia and Solomon Islands move to deepen their partnership through a proposed comprehensive bilateral treaty and cooperation. Last week I was honoured to host Prime Minister Wale and ten Cabinet members to my residence for a reception, where I had the opportunity to thank over 200 guests – Members of Parliament, senior government officials, business, [...]
The post The Next Chapter of Our Partnership appeared first on Tavuli News (Solomon Islands) .
Finance minister raises concern over absence of visible capital inflows from mining
Finance Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has raised concerns over the lack of visible capital inflows from the mining sector into Solomon Islands’ national accounts despite gold exports projected to increase to around $3.4 billion.
He said the Government will treat the matter seriously and commit to examining the issue further, describing it as a problem that needs to be addressed.
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https://theislandsun.com.sb/finance-minister-raises.../
PM Wale discusses stronger economic ties with Indonesia, focusing on agriculture, education, skills and investment opportunities. PRIME Minister Hon. Matthew Wale has discussed strengthening economic ties and deepening cooperation in agriculture and education with Indonesia. These were key areas of discussion with Indonesia’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Octo Dorimus Manik when he made [...]
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瓦尔总理讨论与印尼的经济关系,重点关注农业、教育、技能和投资机会。瓦尔总理(Hon. Matthew Wale)与印尼驻所罗门群岛大使奥克托·多里穆斯·马尼克(His Excellency Octo Dorimus Manik)讨论了加强经济关系和深化在农业和教育领域的合作。这些是......
该文章最初发布在 Tavuli News(所罗门群岛)上。
BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The Government is pushing ahead with major reforms to Solomon Islands’ tax system, with Minister of Finance and Treasury Gordon Darcy Lilo warning that tax exemptions and abuse are costing the country much-needed revenue.
Lilo made the remarks in Parliament this morning while outlining the Government’s fiscal performance and its plans to reform the tax system.
Speaking in Parliament during debate on the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, Lilo said the Government wants a tax system that is “fair, simple, broad and even-handed”, with individuals and businesses contributing their proper share.
“We want to provide tax relief, but at the same time do not tolerate tax abuse,” Lilo said.
He described tax reform as one of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s major areas of progress.
He said Parliament has already passed the Tax Administration Act as the first stage of the reform programme.
Lilo said the Act will strengthen tax administration and governance, improve compliance and support better revenue collection.
“The Government is also preparing legislation for a broad-based consumption tax system, including a proposed value-added tax (VAT), which is expected to come before Parliament this year,” he said.
He also announced plans for a third rewrite of the Income Tax Act.
Lilo said income tax will need to come down “a little bit”, while excise taxes will also need to remain low to balance the proposed VAT system.
He said the Government is also looking at how essential services such as electricity and water will be treated under the new tax system.
The Minister said tax exemptions should not simply allow money to leave the country without contributing to the domestic economy.
He pointed to the removal of import duty exemptions previously granted to the country’s two major oil-importing companies.
Lilo said the Government removed the exemptions after fuel prices rose sharply, and argued that removing the exemptions had not resulted in the price increases that were initially feared.
“Meanwhile, tax collections remained strong in the first half of 2026. Inland Revenue collected about $1.6 billion by June, representing 49 percent of its annual target and $223 million above the six-month budget target,” he said.
Lilo attributed the strong performance to stronger economic activity, improved tax compliance and increased collections from company tax, withholding tax and personal income tax, particularly from the mining sector.
“The Government has now revised its full-year Inland Revenue collection target upward to about $3.2 billion, an increase of $383 million. However, sales tax collections were about $4.9 million below the six-month forecast.
“Customs and excise collections also underperformed, reaching about $499 million, or $60.9 million below the six-month budget target. The shortfall was mainly linked to weaker export and import duty collections,” he said.
Lilo said the Government’s tax reforms intend to strengthen domestic revenue and ensure public services have a more reliable source of funding.
Photo credit: NPSI
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The significant economic potential of kava farming in Faifatala’a in West Kwara’ae, Malaita Province was highlighted during a meeting between the Productive Sector of the Prime Minister’s Office Policy Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit [PIMEU], the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration [MCILI], the Faifatala’a Kava Association, and Serenco Labs, a New Zealand-based kava buyer.
The meeting, held at the MCILI conference room, was attended by Faifatala’a farmers’ representative Mr Lazarus Maetoloa and a Serenco Labs representative.
Discussions focused on growing international demand for Solomon Islands kava and the potential to expand the industry.
Serenco Labs is already purchasing commercially suitable Faifatala’a kava, but farmers are currently unable to meet demand consistently.
A major constraint is transporting harvested kava from the mountainous terrain of Faifatala’a to the buying point in Auki.
Other challenges include poor road access, harvesting difficulties, post-harvest processing, reliable energy, quality control, and capacity to operate commercially.
The proposed Faifatala’a Pilot Production Community and Auki Provincial Kava Hub 2026–2031 aims to address these constraints through a plantation-to-market model linking production, transport, processing, quality assurance, value addition, and export.
Faifatala’a currently has approximately 45 households, 19 hectares of established kava, and 102,000 plants in the ground.
Based on a planning assumption of one kilogram of saleable dried kava per mature plant at SBD $300 per kilogram, these existing plants represent a theoretical production potential of 102 tonnes, with an indicative gross farm-gate value of approximately SBD $30.6 million.
Approximately 12,950 three-year-old plants are expected to provide the first significant commercial harvest from January 2027.
The programme also targets 225,000 new plants annually, equivalent to about 45 hectares. At full production, each annual planting cohort could eventually generate approximately SBD $67.5 million in gross farm-gate value.
The Serenco Labs representative highlighted the quality of Solomon Islands kava, particularly its high kavalactone content — the key compounds associated with kava’s calming and relaxing effects.
He said strong interest from overseas buyers shows the main challenge is no longer market demand, but the ability of local farmers to produce, aggregate, process and reliably supply commercial quantities.
Serenco Labs also noted the potential for Solomon Islanders to generate income in their own communities through kava farming.
He added that some PALM workers could potentially earn more by remaining in their villages and investing their labour in commercial kava production, provided reliable markets and supporting infrastructure are available.
Improving access between Faifatala’a and Auki is critical. The challenges highlight the relevance of the GREAT Coalition’s Strategic Corridors policy, which seeks to develop infrastructure and economic corridors to connect production areas with markets.
For Faifatala’a, improved road connectivity could reduce transport costs and post-harvest losses, increase volumes reaching Auki, and strengthen the link between farmers, the proposed Auki Provincial Kava Hub, and export markets.
This places the Ministry of Infrastructure Development [MID] in a key position to support emerging productive-sector opportunities like kava.
The initiative also aligns with the GREAT Coalition’s focus on indigenous SME development, local content, and value addition.
The proposed Auki Kava Hub would support aggregation, quality assurance, drying, grinding, packaging, value-added products, and export preparation. Renewable energy is also proposed to support processing operations.
For the Productive Sector of PIMEU, the initiative demonstrates the Iumi Tugeda approach — bringing together indigenous producers, government, infrastructure, private-sector investment, and international markets.
If key constraints are addressed, Faifatala’a could transform the substantial value of kava already growing in its highlands into sustained household incomes, rural employment, indigenous businesses, and export earnings.
The longer-term ambition is to establish Faifatala’a as a pilot model for a commercially viable kava industry that can be replicated in other kava-growing communities throughout the Solomon Islands.
[end]
GCU statement
The post Faifatala’a kava farmers poised to unlock major economic opportunity first appeared on Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) .
Prime Minister Hon. Matthew Wale has discussed strengthening economic ties and deepening cooperation in agriculture and education with Indonesia.
These were key areas of discussion with Indonesia’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Octo Dorimus Manik when he made a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister yesterday.
Prime Minister Wale welcomed Ambassador Manik and reaffirmed Solomon Islands’ strong appreciation for its relationship with Indonesia.
“Indonesia is an important regional partner and an important development partner,” he said.
The meeting also discussed the development and rehabilitation of Solomon Islands’ coconut industry.
Prime Minister Wale said the Government wants to move beyond exporting raw copra and develop greater value-added processing to create jobs, increase foreign exchange earnings and maximise the economic potential of the country’s coconut resources.
Ambassador Manik said Indonesia has significant expertise in coconut production, including hybrid varieties and processing and offered to facilitate engagement between Solomon Islands and Indonesian coconut experts and businesses.
He said Indonesia is prepared to help Solomon Islands in that endeavour.
Discussions also include opportunities in cocoa, seaweed and broader agricultural development, including processing and technology transfer.
Ambassador Manik noted that Indonesian companies were already exploring opportunities in Solomon Islands and expressed interest in expanding these engagements.
Education and skills development were other key areas of discussion.
Ambassador Manik highlighted Indonesia’s scholarship programme, stating that 22 Solomon Islands students will be studying at Indonesian universities, compared with nine in the previous year.
Opportunities for vocational and technical training in areas including agriculture, fisheries, automotive, electrical work, welding, plumbing and mechanics were also discussed.
Prime Minister Wale said skills development is essential to the Government’s efforts to transition Solomon Islands from an extractive economy towards processing and manufacturing.
The meeting further covered regional and cultural cooperation, including possible high-level visits and participation in upcoming events in Indonesia.
Ambassador Manik also highlighted Indonesia’s intention to establish a permanent embassy in Solomon Islands to further strengthen diplomatic and economic engagement.
He said Indonesia works with relevant ministries to advance practical cooperation, including pending agreements in education and visa arrangements.
[end]
OPMC statement
The post PM Wale, Indonesia Envoy discuss deeper economic cooperation first appeared on Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) .
PM Wale meets Thailand’s ambassador to discuss trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, education and bilateral cooperation Prime Minister Hon. Matthew Wale has held a courtesy meeting with Thailand’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Her Excellency Arjaree Sriratanaban in Honiara yesterday. Discussions were based on opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, education and skills [...]
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BY LORETTA B MANELE
The Great Coalition Government envisions an inclusive agriculture sector that will pave way for employment and prosperity.
Franklyn Wasi, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) stressed this when he delivered his response to the Speech from the Throne in parliament last week.
The MP for East Makira said agriculture must be attractive to young people and accessible to women, people with special needs and rural entrepreneurs.
“The Government’s vision is an inclusive agricultural sector where mechanisation, innovation and entrepreneurship create pathways to employment and prosperity,” he said.
Wasi said the Government will continue to support farmer cooperatives, provide technical assistance and develop opportunities for youth and women to participate meaningfully in commercial agriculture.
He highlighted that this is more than an agriculture policy.
“This is not simply an agriculture policy. It is a nation-building strategy that empowers communities and creates sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
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This week marks International Youth Day, with a focus in White River on strengthening financial skills among young people.
Twenty-one youths have completed a two-day financial literacy workshop designed to build practical skills in budgeting, saving and financial planning.
The training aimed to equip participants with knowledge they can apply to everyday financial decisions and help them plan for a more secure future.
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KG Farm receives breeding pigs as Solomon Islands launches a national program to improve pig genetics and productivity The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) has taken another important step towards strengthening the country’s pig industry with the arrival of breeding pigs at the KG VI Farm, marking the practical start of the national [...]
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By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Honiara
Solomon Islands Government is planning to establish a major regional fuel hub at Aruligo, Northwest Guadalcanal to secure fuel supplies for Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island countries.
Prime Minister Mathew Wale revealed the proposal during a courtesy meeting with Western Province Premier Billy Veo and his executive members at the Prime Minister’s Office this week.
Wale said the proposed facility would store enough fuel to provide up to 12 months’ supply, strengthening Solomon Islands’ energy security while potentially reducing fuel costs across the Pacific.
“We are going to build a fuel hub, a regional one for the whole Pacific Islands,” PM Wale said.
He said the proposal had already been raised at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) level and would be further discussed at the upcoming PIF meeting at the end of next month.
Wale said Solomon Islands could work with other Pacific countries, including Papua New Guinea and Fiji, to coordinate fuel purchases and reduce freight costs.
“Once we do that, we will negotiate with the Prime Ministers of PNG and Fiji to buy supplies so that we can reduce freight costs,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said the Government was looking at sourcing fuel from the United States West Coast, which he said could be cheaper than the current supply route from Singapore.
Solomon Islands currently relies heavily on fuel imports from Singapore, with shipments arriving approximately every three weeks.
The country generally maintains between 40 and 50 days of fuel supply in-country, while fuel shipments already at sea can lift total available supply to an estimated 50 to 90 days.
Wale said establishing a large regional fuel storage facility would therefore provide a much greater buffer against disruptions to international shipping and fuel supplies.
The proposed hub could also position Solomon Islands as a strategic fuel supply point for neighbouring Pacific Island countries, while creating opportunities to lower the cost of fuel transportation through larger, coordinated purchases.
The Prime Minister said the initiative would be raised again at the regional level as the Government continues discussions with Pacific partners.
The proposed fuel hub forms part of the Government’s broader effort to strengthen national energy security and reduce the vulnerability of Solomon Islands and the wider Pacific to international fuel price and supply shocks.
Aruligo is located about 34 kilometres northwest of Honiara.
Ends///
What began with a disappointing birthday cake has today turned into a dream fulfilled, as local baker Marisa Pepa Galo officially opened Marie’s Cakes & Catering Shop at Mataniko River Plaza.
Marisa's journey began after a car-themed cake she ordered for her son’s first birthday failed to meet her expectations. Instead of giving up, she decided to learn how to bake herself.
“If I can bake my son’s cake, I would not have to depend on anyone to do that for me,” she recalled.
What started with baking for family and friends eventually grew through word of mouth and a Facebook page created by a friend. Marisa continued building the business while working at Parliament, where she was promoted to Director level.
In 2020, she trained two of her sisters to help manage the growing number of orders. The business has since expanded to a team of eight women.
Marisa said her dream of opening a cake shop was inspired by a vision board she created after reading the biblical passage in Habakkuk about writing down a vision and making it plain.
The dream, which once seemed impossible, is now a reality.
The new shop will operate six days a week, offering cakes for walk-in customers and special orders, as well as catering services for small and large events.
During this morning’s opening, Marisa thanked her team, family, friends and supporters, particularly her late father, mother, husband and business partner, for their support throughout her journey.
“This story was never mine alone,” she said.
The opening marks a new chapter for Marisa and her business a testament to faith, hard work, perseverance and the power of turning a dream into reality.
Ends/////////
Dr Phillip Tagini has been appointed Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) Board, replacing Sir Jimmie Rodgers. The appointment was made by Finance and Treasury Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo under the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund Act. An Extra-Ordinary Gazette published on 27 July 2026 confirms Dr Tagini’s appointment for a three-year [...]
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BY IRWIN ANGIKI
Solomon Islands does not have a database dedicated to the country’s labour workforce, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) has said.
MCILI told the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday that it is depending on data from the National Provident Fund (NPF) to give them an indication of the labour workforce.
PAC member, Peter Shanel Agovaka, MP for Central Guadalcanal, had asked MCILI if it had the database.
“Do we have data that tells us how many people in Solomon Islands are properly or officially employed so that we can have that data?” Mr Agovaka asked.
MCILI Permanent Secretary Riley Mesepitu said no.
“Currently I must say that I think there is no real data that we have to actually capture the labour workforce that we have in this country.
“What we based our or collect our information is from the Solomon Islands National Providence Fund data, but from labour division itself, no,” Mesepitu said.
Mesepitu however said a labour workforce database should be available soon, with the ministry’s labour division working to create one.
“We are working during our work programmes, policies have been put into place and our Commissioner of Labour and his team are working very hard to do the labour database survey.
“So as soon as that is completed, we will be able to start to see the labour data of this country.
“When it is ready, after it goes through the cabinet and through our Minister, we’ll share with everybody. But we are hoping to get that study completed,” Mesepitu said.
MCILI is seeking additional $6.119 million through the 2026 supplementary appropriation bill 2026 – $3.119 million in recurrent expenditure and $3 million for development projects.
The MCILI team led by PS Mesepitu presented their case before PAC on Monday this week.
In October 2025 the Fund announced nearly 62,000 active members.
Photo credit: NPSI
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Minister Rick Houenipwela reaffirms Solomon Islands’ commitment to g7+ priorities on peacebuilding, resilience and development. Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Rick Houenipwela met with the Secretariat of the g7+ on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) headquarters in Honiara. The g7+ Secretary-General, Dr. Helder da Costa, is [...]
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外交与对外贸易部长霍恩·里克·霍恩尼普维拉(Hon. Rick Houenipwela)于周一在霍尼亚拉的外交与对外贸易部(MFAET)总部与G7+秘书处进行了会晤,重申了所罗门群岛对G7+在和平建设、韧性和发展的优先事项的承诺。
该文章最初发布在Tavuli News(所罗门群岛)上。
PM WALE WELCOMES SATSOL INVESTMENT AND RURAL EXPANSION PLANS
PRIME Minister Hon. Matthew Wale today received a courtesy visit from the executive and shareholders of Satsol Company.
During the meeting, Satsol Chief Executive Officer Pawel Smalinksi updated the Prime Minister on the company’s current operations, achievements and plans for the future.
Mr Smalinksi also outlined some of the challenges faced by the company, while acknowledging the importance of providing reliable, affordable and up-to-date telecommunications services to the people of Solomon Islands.
“We welcome the new Government’s reforms in the telecommunications sector, especially efforts to encourage competition and affordable services,” he said.
Satsol Board Chairman Mr Antony Ferris also briefed Prime Minister Wale on the company’s investment plans.
He said Satsol is also looking to expand its services into rural communities and provide more affordable telecommunications services to people outside Honiara.
Prime Minister Wale welcomed the company’s investment and expansion plans.
He noted the important role of the private sector in improving telecommunications services across the country.
He also updated the Satsol delegation on the Government’s planned reforms in the telecommunications and communications sector.
The Prime Minister said the reforms will include a review of the Telecommunications Act and reforms involving the Telecommunications Commission of Solomon Islands (TCSI).
“The crux of our policy is we need more competition in the industry with the aim of having a more reasonable cost for our people,” Prime Minister Wale said.
He said the Government will continue to support companies that invest in the country and provide reliable, quality and affordable services to the people of Solomon Islands.
Ends//
NGOSSI WARD 1 PARTICIPATED IN TWO‐DAY FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING
Young people from Ngossi Ward 1 took part in a two‐day Financial Literacy Workshop held at White River in celebration of International Youth Day.
Participants engaged in practical money‐management lessons, including budgeting, saving, and planning for future goals, equipping them with essential skills for everyday financial decision‐making.
Organizers from Ngossi Ward said the initiative reflects their commitment to empowering young people with the knowledge and tools needed to build stronger, more sustainable livelihoods.
The training was supported by the Honiara City Council Youth Division and the TMC Foundation.
Photo: Shoreyann Ragoso for Isles Media News Desk
BY RODRICK DESURI
Auki
Members of the Asitolo Seaweed Farming Association from Kwai and Ngongosila in East Malaita have applauded their Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA), Preston Billy Farobo, for supporting their seaweed farming activities.
Mr Farobo supported the association with three 40-horsepower outboard engines and three ray boats, which were received by the farmers yesterday.
Chairman of the Association, Jack Ofasia thanked MPA Farobo for his continued support, saying the boats and engines will assist his members with transportation, harvesting and marketing of their seaweed.
“On behalf of the association, I want to thank Mr Farobo for his endorsement and the expenses he incurred from the beginning until today,” Mr Ofasia said.
He said Farobo had also assisted the association by securing seaweed nursery from Walande, which the farmers planted, harvested and later sold to him as their buyer of dried seaweed.
“And now, through his endorsement, today we have received three 40-horsepower outboard motors with the ray boats,” he said.
He said the boats are very important because some of their seaweed farms are located on Leli Island.
“The outboard motors will be used to transport seaweed during harvesting, planting and marketing,” he said.
Mr Ofasia also acknowledges the Government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, (MFMR) for considering and approving their application for the boats and outboard motors.
He said the support will strengthen the association’s ability to expand its seaweed farming activities and improve the livelihoods of its members.
Mr Farobo has been supporting other rural producers by purchasing dried cocoa and copra from inland communities, helping farmers gain access to markets and earn income from their agricultural produce.
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BY CHARLES STENNETT
Delegates of the Coral Triangle Initiative of Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security, CTI-CFF, Fisheries partnership had the opportunity to engage directly with local seaweed farmers and learn about community-based seaweed farming practices that support food security, sustainable livelihoods, and the responsible use of marine resources during a community visit to Rarumana community, Vonavona lagoon in Western Province.
The visit was part of the CTI’s Fisheries Technical Working group meeting hosted in Noro, Western Province.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR), said during the visit, community members shared their knowledge and demonstrated seaweed farming techniques, highlighting how this growing industry contributes to household income while promoting sustainable coastal resource management.
The ministry said experiences and lessons learnt from the visit will help inform national and regional fisheries initiatives, ensuring that community voices remain central to sustainable fisheries management and coastal development.
The delegates and partners thanked the Rarumana community for their warm hospitality and valuable knowledge sharing.
The visit reaffirms the important role that coastal communities play to advance sustainable fisheries and strengthen regional collaboration under the CTI-CFF.
Photo credit: MFMR
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“ The wealth of this nation must serve the many and not the few”
Honiara, Solomon Islands – South Guadalcanal MP Hon. Rollen Seleso has welcomed the Government’s proposal for a Sovereign Wealth Fund but says the framework must guarantee legally enforceable benefits for customary landowners and provinces.
Hon. Seleso said he supported the principle of strengthening State participation in mining, increasing downstream processing and ensuring the country’s mineral wealth benefits Solomon Islanders.
“The wealth of this nation must serve the many and not the few,” he said.
However, he questioned how much of the returns flowing into a proposed Sovereign Wealth Fund would reach the customary landowning communities where mineral resources are located and the provinces that bear the environmental costs of resource development.
He also questioned what governance arrangements would protect the Fund from political pressure during future budget cycles.
Hon. Seleso called on the Government to explain what legislation will establish the Fund, when that legislation will be tabled and whether Parliament will see the proposed framework before Cabinet endorses it.
He also called for clarity on what “equitable benefit-sharing” will mean in legally enforceable terms.
“In the experience of Guadalcanal, benefit-sharing that is not written into law and independently audited becomes benefit-sharing that is negotiated away,” he said.
“A Sovereign Wealth Fund without a benefit-sharing law is a Fund for the State. Our people need both.”
Hon. Seleso said the proposed reforms provided an opportunity to ensure Solomon Islands’ mineral wealth delivers lasting benefits to the communities and provinces that host and support resource projects.
[ENDS]
Solomon Islands on display at Treasures of the South Pacific Roadshow
Gold Coast, Queensland Australia - Keeping the Solomon Islands high profile at the 2026 Treasures of the South Pacific (ToSP) East Coast Australia Roadshow (from right) Tourism Solomons Australia/New Zealand Trade Manager, Richard Skewes; Papatura Island Retreat’s Nick Blanche; Tourism Solomons’ Team Leader – Short Haul Markets, Brenden Mautoa, and Solomon Island specialist travel expert, Go Tours Christine Norton.
More than 800 consultants registered interest in attending this year’s ToSP events taking place in regional and capital cities in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
The high numbers are a clear signal of the significant business potential the South Pacific region represents to the Australian travel industry.
Established as a regional trade platform in 2017, ToSP is a coalition of national tourism offices that collaborate to promote travel and educate the Australian tourism industry about South Pacific destinations.
The Solomon Islands is a core member of the organisation joining Fiji, the Cook Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Niue, Norfolk Island, and Palau.
The organisation also assists those more remote island nations lacking Australian representation as part of a ‘Hidden Treasures’ initiative.
Members include Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
ToSP is heavily backed by major sponsor Fiji Airways, alongside regional bodies including Pacific Trade Invest Australia and the Pacific Tourism Organisation.
Government lacks a comprehensive database on Solomon Islands’ formal workforce, prompting plans for a national labour survey The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration says the Government does not yet have a single, comprehensive database showing the size of Solomon Islands’ formal labour workforce. The issue was raised during the Public Accounts Committee’s examination [...]
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