by Georgina Maka’a

Approximately $84 million spent on road repair works since 2022

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele urges the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and his engineering team to treat the current road conditions in Honiara City as an emergency. 

Manele emphasized the necessity for proper monitoring and evaluation of the ongoing work.

He made the statement at the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) Prime Minister’s breakfast today in Honiara.

The Prime Minister stated that while he acknowledged the ongoing issue of road congestions, he urged contractors to also prioritize maintaining traffic flow during construction.

Providing an update on road projects, Manele announced that the East Honiara Road project is expected to be completed by the end of this month, while tarsealing of the West Honiara Road will begin next month at White River.

He added that work on the Central Business District (CBD) is progressing, with improvements planned for the back road from Hotbread to Solplaza and the bypass road from the ITA Hardware building to Vavaya Ridge; to help ease traffic in the CBD during maintenance.

However, the Prime Minister did not shy away from admitting the harsh reality of Honiara’s road conditions. 

“The Honiara Road is a disaster,” he stated. 

“We travel on these roads every day, and we know the situation.

“We have been fixing these roads every time it rains for the last five years, and yet there is no improvement.” 

He said that since 2022, approximately $84 million from the recurrent budget and the National Transport Funds had been spent on maintaining Honiara roads.

Manele emphasized that the current maintenance system is ineffective and called on the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Infrastructure Development and his engineering team to treat the situation as an emergency, highlighting the need for proper monitoring and evaluation of the ongoing work.

He also emphasized the need for the re-establishment of the Public Works Department. 

“We have the political will to do this, but unfortunately, there is not much traction from the technical team.” 

Manele urged the Road Transport Board, which includes SICCI, Honiara City Council, the Commissioner of Police, and representatives from transport associations, to collaborate on finding solutions to the challenges facing Honiara’s road transport.

The Prime Minister’s Breakfast is an event hosted by SICCI.