Gizo Town Clerk Charles Kelly has acknowledged growing concerns over burial space in Gizo township Western Province, confirming that there is currently no officially gazetted public cemetery for the town.
For decades, Gizo residents have relied on Mile 2 as a burial site, a practice that continues to this day.
However, Mr. Kelly clarified that the land at Mile 2 is owned by the Commissioner of Lands, and was never formally designated as a public cemetery.
“In the past, people buried their loved ones at Mile 2 because there was no alternative. That practice continued over the years, but now the site is full, and in some cases, people have even built on top of the burial area,” Mr. Kelly told Solomon Star in interview this week.
He added that the lack of proper planning and increasing population have compounded the issue, leaving families with limited options when deaths occur in the township.
To address the situation, Mr. Kelly confirmed that the Gizo Town Council is currently working closely with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the past years to date to review existing ordinances and town plans.
One of the key proposals under discussion is the relocation and establishment of an official public cemetery at Mile 3.
“This is part of our long-term planning to ensure Gizo has a proper, legally recognized public cemetery that meets health and planning standards,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gizo health authorities in the Western Province have emphasized that any burial outside an officially designated cemetery must comply strictly with the Public Health Act.
The Environmental Health Division continues to assess and approve burials on a case-by-case basis to ensure they do not pose risks to public health, particularly in relation to sanitation, water sources, and
surrounding residences.
Health officials have reiterated that site inspections are mandatory before any burial can take place on private land, stressing the importance of protecting public health while the town works toward a permanent cemetery solution.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star Gizo
