DEPUTY Prime Minister (DPM) Bradley Tovosia told Choiseul Provincial Executive that he was quite impressed with the way the Choiseul Bay Township Project was designed and is progressing.
On February, the DPM, accompanied by Policy Secretaries from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC), met with the Choiseul Provincial Executive to discuss Choiseul Bay Township progress and provincial policies ahead of Choiseul Province 34th Second Appointed Day Anniversary on February 25.
DPM Tovosia praised the province’s preparations, highlighting the project’s potential to boost aesthetics and economic growth through tourism and local businesses.
Emphasising sustainable development, the DPM reaffirmed SIG’s commitment of SBD5 Million, making it a national project by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and releasing SBD 2 Million immediately.
He urged local leaders to engage stakeholders and seek additional funding to further enhance the project.
“By fostering collaboration and innovation, Choiseul can become a model for other provinces,” Minister Tovosia said.
The DPM and his delegation with provincial guests, visited Choiseul Bay Provincial Secondary School (CBPSS) and presented five solar lighting sets, ten bags of rice and ten cartons of chickens for CBPSS’s celebration of Choiseul Province’s 34th Second Appointed Day. The esteemed dignitaries were greeted by traditional warriors upon their arrival at CBPSS.
Once settled in the school hall, the guests were welcomed with performances of the National Anthem, Choiseul Province Anthem, and the school song. This was followed by introductions and motivational speeches from the distinguished guests.
The school principal expressed his gratitude for the donations, saying the solar lighting set would greatly benefit the school and that the students would certainly enjoy their meal of chicken.
He stated, “We appreciate these gifts from our hearts.” The generous donations fostered a sense of community and support among the teachers and students.
As the celebrations approached, excitement grew with students eagerly preparing performances and activities to Honor their 34th Second Appointed Day Anniversary, marking a significant milestone in their province’s history.
During his visit to Taro Hospital, the DPM was deeply moved by the deteriorating condition of the hospital, particularly the TB Ward and pledged a personal donation of 10,000 bricks to initiate renovation efforts.
He urged the community and local businesses in Choiseul to support this initiative, encouraging contributions of any size to help improve the hospital and provide better care for its patients.
Meanwhile, consultations on the assessment of provincial governance and service delivery for education, health, and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) in the country have commenced in Choiseul Province following the arrival of
Oxford Policy Management specialists, along with local counterparts, coinciding with the celebrations. The team met with Choiseul Provincial Executive on 26 February, marking the beginning of a series of consultations the team will hold with officials of the provincial government, identified constituency development committees, ward development committees, and community-based organisations. Another part of the assessment team is also visiting other provinces.
The assessment examines Solomon Islands legal framework, policies and programmes, focusing on decentralisation and service delivery enhancement.
This includes revenue sharing with provinces and the Provincial Government Act 1997, in line with the Government of National Unity and Transformation’s policy initiatives and strategies.
It is part of the European Union-United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (EU-UNICEF) Provincial Governance and Service Delivery programme, which aims to establish the necessary institutional conditions for effective decentralised social service delivery in line with national development strategies.
The assessment will conclude in the first week of March, and a validation workshop is planned for June 2025.
Solomon Islands Government, in collaboration with UNICEF and Oxford Policy Management, is implementing the EU-funded Provincial Governance Service Delivery Programme.
– MPGIS
