By Loretta B Manele

The Bina Harbour Tuna Onshore Processing Plant Project has made some progress throughout 2024.

Nestor Giro, minister for the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) spoke on the above when he contributed to the debate of the 2025 Appropriation Bill 2024 on Monday this week.

Addressing parliament, he said the project remains as their highest priority this year and highlighted a number of key progresses made under the project.

These progresses as stated include; indicating business case and presenting a due diligence report to cabinet in June 2024 and the convening of Bina Harbour development partners round table in October 2004.

Giro said the business case and due diligence report was presented to cabinet in June this year with an estimated SIG capex of USD 202 million and private capex of USD 32.5 million.

“Cabinet endorsed the business case and mandated the ministry of planning and ministry of fisheries to do further consultations with all stakeholders to review the cost.”

Other progresses are; the Ministry for National Planning, Aid and Coordination is now exploring financial options with development partners, fisheries ministry is now concluding non-disclosure agreements with identified potential tuna plant investors, MFMR together with ministries of planning and finance have requested SIPA (SI Ports Authority) to review present cost estimates and explore wider SIPA participation in the port development and lastly, strategic environmental and social assessment are underway building on IFC baseline studies.

Giro stressed that going forward in 2025, they plan to continue with technical investigations and planning like water and waste water design delivery plan, harbour access and water supply, community engagement, power supply scoping and telecommunications scoping.

He calls on all members of parliament to work together for the Bina Harbour Tuna Onshore Processing Plant Project.

“I call on all of us to work together to bring Bina into fruition as this development will not only accelerate our economic growth but also improve our national position towards graduation from the LDC (Least Developed Country) status and address instability caused by lack of employment and livelihood opportunities in Malaita and the rest of the country.”

Giro noted that the project is to give effective economic transformation into the policies the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) is pursuing.