By Loretta B Manele

More than $100 million is being allocated for infrastructure from the government budget.

This was said by finance and treasury minister, Manasseh Sogavare when he presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill 2024 on Wednesday last week in parliament.

Her stressed that having proper and quality infrastructure is key to nation-building and socio-economic development.

Sogavare told the honourable house that the government is therefore allocating more than $100 million to build key infrastructures in Honiara and other provinces, and this includes roads, walls, buildings and streetlights.

Sogavare said the government is investing in key infrastructures to improve connectivity within islands and inter-islands of our provinces to improve transportation of goods and services on a time limit.

Moreover, he stated that government is also allocating $45.2 million towards SIWA infrastructure.

“SIWA works are to be completed by March 2025, so the government expects a significant improvement in the overall infrastructure of the Solomon Islands Water Authority.”

He expressed that this is for better sanitation and hygiene for residents resulting in improved public health outcomes, enhanced water management efficiency and benefits for both the environment and local communities.

Sogavare said in government’s ongoing commitment to seal the service critical in our efforts to build our human capital, they are allocating $50 million to support the building of physical infrastructure, technological capacity and human resource capacity in order to create an enabling learning environment and to produce a skilled workforce.

“SINU is expected to increase access to modern facilities and produce a learning environment.

“The grant, provided should be used to fund a specific infrastructure project specified in the SINU 2025 Infrastructure Government Plan.”

To top this off, Sogavare said in support of school infrastructures, the government is allocating $16.7 million to support constructions of classrooms, science laboratories, and ablution blocks.

He stated that the government expects to improve access to quality basic education and plans to build 16 classrooms, two dining halls, five dormitories, one wash, two education provider offices, and four rehabilitation and maintenance projects.