by Ednal Palmer
Government State Owned Enterprise (SOE) Solomon Water has come under heavy criticism in parliament this week for failing to deliver on a project that disrupts Honiara’s main Highway.
Opposition Leader Mathew Wale when debating on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2024 and commenting on the state of the country’s roads said they are ‘horrible’.
Wale added that Solomon Water created further problems to the eastern highway with their endless work.
“The work is taking too long. Productivity and economic loss from those travelling to industrial estates and east of town is huge.
“This must be addressed, there must be contractual issues, levers that government has to make sure that work is done are there, but we just accept it as it is,” he said.
The work which disrupted a long stretch of the east-bound highway has caused a lot
of traffic problems since last year.
There was also public outcry recently in the social media forums on the pro-longed work.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Mines and Energy Bradley Tovosia in response admitted that there seem to be an issue with that project and the Kongulai Water Treatment Plant project.
Tovosia then dropped the bomb shell claiming that the SOE’s board has been driven by foreigners with vested interests.
“As the minister responsible for the SOE, we are taking onboard the issues. Nothing eventuated because foreigners are coming in and driving the board. They have their own interests.”
He added that in collaboration with the finance minister, they have agreed to take onboard the issues.
“We have already taken over as of last week to look into the issues.”
