BY SAMIE WAIKORI
A delegation representing Rennell and Bellona provincial government is in China to sign the Letter of Intent (LOI) for their sister relationship with the Hainan province.
The delegation was led by Renbel provincial Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Jorge Singatai Puia, accompanied by colleague Minister for Infrastructure and Development, Calvin Rex Teno, Provincial Deputy Secretary, Mr Aubrey Saueha and an officer from the Ministry of Provincial Government, Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS).
The team left the country on Monday this week, Premier of Rennell Bellona province, Dereck Pongi confirmed to Island Sun in an interview yesterday.
During the trip the delegation will attend to two separate events; an agriculture training as well as signing of the landmark LOI.
“The delegation has been invited to attend a training course on tropical fruit production and processing technology as part of the Belt and Road initiative.
“The event will last for twenty (20) days and will be held in Zhejiang City, Guangdong province. The team will also visit several other cities and provinces during their stay.
“Additionally, the delegation will travel to Hainan province to sign the LOI for the sister relationship between Rennell Bellona province and Hainan province before returning home,” he said.
The LOI is primarily to begin pathway for the actual MOU on the sister relationship, which will later be signed by Premier Pongi and Minister for Provincial Government.
“The LOI is basically to begin the sister relationship. Later this year, I will travel to China to sign the official MOU on the establishment of the sister relationship,” Pongi said.
In light of the MOU, Pongi’s government will consult with the people of Renbel province and stakeholders to prepare the content of the MOU.
“Before we commit anything to the MOU, views and inputs of our people are important to determine what will put in the MOU.
“For us provincial government, we are looking at areas like; infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, fisheries and other important exchange programmes,” he said.
Pongi said the government of Rennell Bellona will continue to work together with national government and PRC on this milestone undertaking.
