Just two weeks into the job, Solomon Islands’ new Minister for Infrastructure Development,. Ricky Fuo’o, is already confronting one of Honiara’s most frustrating issues—road chaos in the heart of the capital.
In his first public statement since becoming a Minister, Fuo’o offered an apology to the public, private sector, and all road users for the recent traffic congestion and disruptions.
He emphasized that the ministry is actively working to improve the situation and provide clarity on ongoing maintenance efforts, especially along Mendana Avenue.
“This road section has far exceeded its design lifespan. The foundation is no longer reliable, which is why potholes and crocodile cracks were appearing all over the road pavement.
“Our civil engineering team and the engaged contractors will continue to undertake pothole patching work while waiting for a comprehensive upgrade under the Land and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP),” Minister Fuo’o stated.
He said remedial work will ease the congestion for the time being.
“Currently, there will be no full reconstruction of this 1.7-kilometer section. Instead, the contractors are undertaking remedial works to keep it safe and trafficable for road users.
“This temporary measure is intended to maintain functionality while we prepare for full rehabilitation under the LMCP once asphalt laying on the Tandai Highway (Townground to White River) is completed,” the minister explained.
Minister Fuo’o also clarified that investing hefty funding of approximately SBD25 million into full rehabilitation at this stage would be unwise, as the section is slated for complete overhaul under LMCP.
“A full rehabilitation would involve removing the failed road foundation entirely and installing new approved materials along with an improved drainage system designed to withstand heavy rainfall and stormwater,” he said.
Deputy Secretary Technical, Mike Qaqara, provided additional insights, citing the previous contractor work under the JICA phase 1 (2016-2018) only carried out surface repairs along the Mendana Avenue, including median fencing and kerbing works, without a comprehensive rehabilitation of the pavement.
Recently, local contractors have been engaged to perform maintenance work, initially using chip sealing methods.
However, to address the current situation, they instructed the contractors to use a concrete- stabilized base material, a combination of base material and cement.
“This is an approach that enhances durability against the heavy downpours and poor drainage issues we face,” Qaqara explained.
He added that due to adverse weather conditions this week, contractors have temporarily paused pothole patching work but will continue with the temporary patching work using stabilized materials.
“At the moment the focus will be on critical sections from Solomon Motors to the HCC,” Qaqara said, adding that construction crews will work during night hours when traffic is low.
The LMCP, funded collaboratively by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Solomon Islands Government, project spans from White River to HCC Roundabout and from Henderson to Mberande-East Guadalcanal Highway.
Contractor China Civil Engineering Construction Cooperation (CCECC) is expected to commence asphalt laying for Tandai Highway in June if weather permits. After completing this section, the team will proceed eastward from Heritage Park Roundabout to the HCC Roundabout.
Qaqara reiterates that local contractors are also working on specific and routine maintenance for Honiara feeder roads—both sealed and unsealed—in the East, Central, and West constituencies.
All base materials used are subjected to laboratory testing to ensure quality before re- graveling and chip sealing.
“Our engineers are also providing monitoring and site inspection for these lots and are supported by the safeguards team.”
MID remains committed to improving our city’s road infrastructure and appreciates the community’s patience and understanding during this process.