The leaders and people of Bina Harbour, West Kwaio, Malaita Province this week warmly welcomed Prime Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele MP to their community and facilitated his delegation’s tour around the Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant Project site.
The site visit culminated in a formal gathering in the Bina Community Hall where the village leaders honoured the Prime Minister with a formal welcome and gift presentation.
Prime Minister Manele personally assured the people of the Bina region of the Government of National Unity and Transformation’s commitment to run with the project.
“As the leader of GNUT, I have supported this project and have established dedicated teams to drive this project forward, not only within the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources but within my Office, with a Cabinet Sub-Committee established to push for the implementation of Bina project.”
The Government has taken up the lead role in talking with development partners to support this project. The Prime Minister stated, the New Zealand Government has been working closely with the Ministry of Fisheries on the preparative work for this project.
In terms of the project progress, PM Manele thanked the Bina Talifu, Langalanga, and surrounding communities for assisting with the land and sea geotechnical investigations. These studies are necessary to ensure that the port and shore side facilities are carefully planned and designed, he emphasised.
He added, discussions with State- Owned enterprises regarding the supply of power and water to the project site will be progressed this year.
In the meantime, capacity building for resource owners, identification of resource owners for the habour, water and beneficiary mapping for the Village Trust Board will continue
Employment, the Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant Project will provide 1,600 jobs in tuna processing and many more livelihood and business opportunities, in transport, construction, supply of garden produce and so forth.
Prime Minister Manele said, his government is determined to see the resource owners maximise benefits from this project. The Bina Region Arrangements for Governance, or BRAG, team is working directly with landowners to prepare them for this development and to make sure they gain the benefits it will offer.
The Prime Minister thanked the people of Bina region especially elders who have passed on for allowing their land, harbour and fresh water to host a national project that is good of Solomon Islands on all fronts of development and security.
Prime Minister Manele also assured the Malaita Provincial Government that; “we will work hand in hand with Malaita Province to ensure this project becomes a reality. My government is committed to the aims and principles of the Auki Development Plan, launched by Premier Asilaua last year, with its focus on infrastructure, economic development and good environmental and social management.”
Member of Parliament for West Kwaio Constituency and Chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee for Bina Harbour Hon. Claudius Teiífi MP says, the Prime Minister’s visit is an inspiration and testament to the importance of the Bina Harbour Project. It signifies the GNUT’s transformative commitment to instilling hope and courage in the hearts of the people of Bina.
While in Auki, the PM also visited Kilu’ufi to witness the progress of work in upgrading the hospital.
