The Solomon Islands Government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) has condemned acts of vandalism targeting the newly completed Su’u and Bira bridges in West Kwaio, Malaita Province, just days after the project was wound down by the contractor.
In a public statement, MID said several road signposts along the approach roads to the bridges were defaced, damaged and partially removed over the weekend, raising serious safety concerns for road users.
The bridges were completed last week by the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, under the Solomon Islands Road and Aviation Project II (SIRAP II), a partnership between the Solomon Islands Government and the World Bank.
It stressed that the damaged road signage plays a critical role in alerting drivers and pedestrians to road conditions and hazards ahead, warning that vandalism of such infrastructure puts lives at risk.
“These signages are there to save lives,” the ministry said.
It added, the government and its development partners had invested millions of dollars to upgrade the bridges for the benefit of communities in both West Kwaio and West Are’are.
The ministry said vandalism not only undermines public safety but also sends a negative message that could threaten future infrastructure investments in Malaita Province.
“This kind of criminal behaviour is a major setback and could jeopardise future development projects,” MID said.
The ministry has called on community leaders to speak with their people about respecting public road assets and urged the public to report any vandalism or theft to Auki Police.
It said the Su’u and Bira bridges belong to the communities they serve and called on residents to take pride in protecting infrastructure designed to improve safety, connectivity and economic activity.
“These bridges are community assets,” the ministry said.
“Let us keep them safe and intact for all road users.”
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