BY LORETTA B MANELE
While there are a lot of areas to address when it comes to the topic of electricity, the biggest one is how costly it is.
Qila Tuhanuku, representing the SICCI-Manufacturing Industry Working Group (MIWG) voiced this at a recent Panel Discussion on “Pathways towards better electric power availability, affordability, and sustainability” organised by UNDP and Ministry of Mines last week at Heritage Park Hotel.
She said they are happy to hear that we have come down by $2, but if the global average is sitting around $0.20 USD, which is 2 Solomon dollars, it already means our products are $0.40 more expensive than imports, even before they land on our shores.
“So, it means that if you’re a local manufacturer, you do local services, you cannot compete,” she said.
Tuhanuku stressed that electricity is also tied to every other type of services we engage in.
“So, imagine an ecosystem. We go to the bank, telecom, even our water is pumped by electricity,” she said.
Tuhanuku pointed out that aside from the raw products and what we manufacture, one of the big backbones is electricity.
She said everything is imported so the supply chain for us is important and for distribution into provinces, electricity is a key factor.
In this regard, Tuhanuku emphasised that provinces will not scale up unless they have power there.
Moreover, she pointed out that the private sector recognises that their role is not to determine the legislation or to make policies.
“It is not for us alone to take what the tariff should be, but we also say that we are very much a key partner in that conversation and helping shape those decisions.
“Our job is we deal with the realities of the cost. And it is our job to inform government, to inform Solomon Powers and any other actors in this space,” Tuhanuku said.
She expressed that this is because what you want to conclude on in such discussions is what works for everybody and for utilities to run which is also expensive.
Tuhanuku said this is why them coming together as stakeholders is really critical.
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