Priority Development Needs for North Malaita, Malaita Province, Solomon Islands


1.0 PURPOSE

This general working paper is prepared by the To’abaita Authority for Research and Development (TARD) for the leaders and grassroot people of North Malaita, Malaita Province, Solomon Islands.

This paper outlines some of the major issues that face rural communities in North Malaita and the potential alternatives that can be pursued by communities, youth groups, women’s groups, churches, and individuals in our collective effort to develop the North Malaita region. Interested groups and individuals can use this working paper as a guideline to prepare their community project proposals for submission to the government, non-government organizations, funding agencies, and our member of parliament for assistance.

2.0 AIMS/OBJECTIVES

The central aim of this collective North Malaita Working Paper is to use it as a TARD guideline or blueprint for developing a long-term workable plan that serves to improve the livelihood and living standard of rural communities in North Malaita. This can be achieved through the following objectives:

1) To identify the critical short, medium and long-term issues that threatens the livelihood of rural communities and outline where North Malaita people can work together to improve.

2) To empower the various groups in a rural North Malaita community such as churches, women’s groups, youth groups, and individuals to organize themselves into a community Development Committee that would incorporate these ideas into a village development plan for pursuance with potential funding agencies and our member of parliament.

3) To open the path and appreciation for more research, surveys and community awareness programs in the rural communities in North Malaita so that people will become aware of vital issues that would either affect or benefit them, and educate them on how they could make informed decisions that will benefit them without compromising the sustainability of our natural resources.

4) To highlight to the government and other funding donors the seriousness, volunteer commitment, and cooperation that North Malaita people possess in pursuit of rural development that would improve the livelihood of North Malaita communities.

5) To facilitate the priority areas, needs and gaps that interested donor support can be utilized through the form of community development projects in the near future in North Malaita.

6) To signal to the North Malaita people the volunteer commitment and seriousness that the To’abaita Authority for Research and Development (TARD) has, as the educated elites and future leaders of North Malaita, whereby rural people can utilize for support and technical advises towards improving their own lifestyles.

3.0 BACKGROUND OF THE TARD INITIATIVE

3.1 About TARD

North Malaita is one of the regions in Malaita Province that was greatly affected by the implications of the recent ethnic problem, due to a lot of rural migration to Honiara and Guadalcanal suburbs as well as other provinces in attempts to seek employment, education, improved health services, and access to financial services and development which often do not exist. During the tension, a substantial number of people who previously settled in Guadalcanal and other provinces returned to North Malaita resulting in over-crowdedness, poverty, substandard of living, poor sanitation, environmental degradation, over-exploitation of land and marine resources, food security problems, unemployment and limited access to quality education and health services.

Whilst certain development plans initiated by the province, national government, or donor agencies is acknowledged, it is a concern that several development reports do not reflect the real issues affecting the rural people. This can be attributed to various factors including language barrier, criminal elements that hinder donor support, land disputes, and more importantly most of the reports are carried out by consultants who have limited understanding of the real issues that threaten North Malaita communities since they are outsiders, thus rural people were not honest with them about their real problems. If this trend is allowed to proliferate, North Malaita region will continue to fall behind the rest of Solomon Island societies in terms of development. As a result, the To’abaita Authority for Research and Development (TARD) was established in August 2005 by 14 North Malaita student volunteers who are studying at the University of the South Pacific, with a purpose of bridging the barriers that obstructed community development progress in North Malaita.

The To’abaita Authority for Research and Development is a neutral and independent student-led volunteer initiative that does not support any political agendas or parties.

Since TARD’s launching, we have gained widespread vocal support from new North Malaita and Baelelea students who are studying in various institutions in Fiji, as well as other influential authorities, non-government organizations and individuals both within the Solomon Islands and throughout the Pacific region.

The principal goal of TARD is to pursue potential community development projects and aspirations coupled with raising community awareness on important issues such as education and literacy, health, good hygiene and sanitation, human rights, management of natural resources, law and order, sports development, gender equality, cultural preservation, and beautification projects in the rural communities in North Malaita. We hope to achieve this by working in partnership with all North Malaita people, rural communities, our Member of Parliament, and interested funding agencies and donors.

In addition, our other objectives also include uniting all North Malaita scholars, working elites, and rural people to constructively discuss and implement development initiatives in North Malaita. Besides that we also aim to restore a good image to North Malaita, which has been reflected badly after the ethnic tension, through individual and collective excellence and initiation.

Moreover, TARD aims to facilitate progressive development in the North Malaita Constituency by coordinating potential development projects and reviewing a blue print where necessary that is reflective of past reports.

Currently, the TARD Secretariat is based at the University of the South Pacific in Suva where we have a private postal address, a website, telephone contact and email. We are also working in partnership with a Solomon Islands TARD Steering Committee that is entrusted to advance the initiative to all North Malaita people in Honiara and rural areas in North Malaita.

Main areas in which the TARD Initiative is aspiring to pursue in the long term include community awareness programs, food security and fisheries related projects, environment and sanitation, sports development, access to financial services and credit, education and health improvements, and beautification projects.

3.2 Founding members of TARD

The students that founded the TARD Initiative reflect an equal representation of all our major villages in North Malaita. They are listed below with their respective villages:
1) Alwyn Danitofea (Roso)
2) Edward Danitofea (Roso)
3) Peter Fairamoa (Bita’ama)
4) Ruby Kahui-Fairamoa (Bita’ama)
5) Hubert Baselo (Sikwafata)
6) Darlyn Ramo (Manakwai)
7) Rodney Suibaea (Manakwai)
8) Wilfred Atomea (Manakwai)
9) Eddie Konairamo (Malu’u)
10) Simeon Ri’iagalo (Malu’u)
11) Anne Kwaimani (Baelelea)
12) Hilda Maeda-Taloiburi (Loina)
13) William Abuinao (Loina)
14) Exsley Taloiburi (Loina)

Currently TARD has a widespread network of more than fifty To'abaita and Baelelea scholars and working elites throughout the Pacific.

4.0 NORTH MALAITA CONSTITUENCY

4.1 Location

North Malaita constituency is located at the Northern tip of Malaita Province. Most of the villages in the constituency are situated on the coast along the main North Road that runs from Auki to Fouia. It encompasses Aero River in Fo’ondo and Taba’a River in Loina while extending inland to Anikwaikwai, Kwaitau, and Gwaiau villages.

4.2 Land Area

The total land area of the constituency is about 141.58 square kilometers comprising of 3 Provincial wards. The land area for each ward is as follows: ward 7 (90.5 sq. km); ward 8 (17.2 sq. km); ward 9 (33.9 sq. km).

4.3 Population

A SIDAPP workshop carried out in April 2000 showed that the constituency has a total population of 12,638 and 2,351 households at the time of the workshop. However, the figure has increased drastically to more than 16,000 after the ethnic tension.

The population density for Ward 7 is 63.7 persons per sq km, Ward 8 is 235.7 persons per sq km and Ward 9 is 83.2 persons per sq km respectively.

4.4 Migration Patterns

The SIDAPP Workshop undertaken in April 2000 revealed that ward 7 recorded the highest number of people who migrated over the last five years from North Malaita to Honiara, other provinces, or other parts of Malaita. Ward 8 recorded a medium migration rate whilst ward 9 experienced the least number of people that migrated to other parts of the country over the last five years prior to April 2000.

The findings also showed that the percentage of people who returned to their villages in ward 7 was 88.8 percent, ward 8 was almost 100 percent and ward 9 was 90.6 percent.

4.5 Physical and Environmental Features

The physical environmental features of the constituency include rugged mountains, slopes, valleys and high plateaus and coastal plains where most of the coconut and cocoa plantations can be found. Also, most of the villages are located along the coast where there is more flat land close to the main North Road.

4.6 Overall Status of the Environment

There are no major destructions to the environment apart from natural processes. However, the forest environment is rapidly degenerating due to human activity especially shifting cultivation. This cannot be prevented at this stage because the main form of livelihood for all people in the rural areas is subsistence agriculture.

The population of the constituency is increasing quite rapidly and more human pressure on forest resources are expected. In addition, most of the coastal forest had been cut to make way for houses, coconut and cocoa plantations. Forest trees have been used for other things such as making houses and canoes and this placed additional pressure on forest regeneration.

Environmental pollution comes mainly from human waste. Most of the communities do not have proper sanitation facilities and as a result, people use beaches and mangroves for latrine. This poses health problems especially for children who are more vulnerable to diseases such as diarrhoea and dysentery.

Threats that may arise relates mainly to flooding and landslides especially for inland villages. There are several rivers in the constituency; especially Aero River in ward 7, Rori and Manakwai Rivers in ward 8 and Silolo, Loina and Taba'a Rivers in ward 9 pose some threat to gardens, plantations and some communities during flooding. Other smaller rivers do not pose much threat to the environment.

It was also noticed that the sea is wearing away the shoreline in some parts of the constituency. This is particularly true for wards 7, 8 and 9 because now, the sea is slowly moving into coconut and cocoa plantations as a result of coastal erosion.

4.7 Education

Currently there are about 10 primary schools in the constituency namely; Loina, Kwarifau, Kafoasila, Malu’u, Manakwai, Afufu, Sikwafata, Bita’ama, Walo, and Gwaiau. The Primary School at Kwarifau in ward 9 is run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the rest are operated by the Province in conjunction with parents. There are also 4 community high schools in the constituency which include Arnon Atomea in Malu’u, Anuke in Manakwai, Bita’ama and Walo. However, people in the constituency still educate their children on traditional ways of doing things and custom.

The North Malaita Constituency have one Rural Training Center that is affiliated to the Solomon Islands Rural Training Center Association, and slowly recognised by the national government and donors. It is known as the Ngalikekero Rural Training Centre in Kwaiana Village and founded by Iro Leliana. There are also few established Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) learning centres in New Dehli, and Besi Villages with a few new ones coming up soon. However, the curriculum is still not recognised by the government. A religious learning center is also established near Fulifo’oe Village which is known as "Falala Worship Centre and is founded by Michael Maeliau.

In terms of literacy, the SIDAPP workshop in April 2000 also identified the number of people who are illiterate in the wards. In ward 7, 442 people were identified as being illiterate. In ward 8, 824 illiterate people were counted and in ward 9, 632 people were identified as being illiterate. Most of the illiterate people are from bush villages that do not have easy access to primary schools.

4.8 Health

The people of North Malaita Constituency are served by the Malu’u, Bita’ama and Fo’ondo health centers with a total population of over 12,000 people. However, Malu’u Health Center is the main clinic that serves the whole constituency compared to the other two health centers.
The ethnic tension has had a big impact on the services that are provided at the health centers. This is because a large number of people go back from Guadalcanal and other provinces. This resulted in a drastic increase of daily outpatients and other cases of antenatal and postnatal check ups.

The facilities at the Area Health Centers had deteriorated very badly and authorities’ concerned need to act quickly before it gets worse. All the departments of the Area Health Centers need maintenance and expansion to provide adequate health services to the increasing population. The outpatients units need maintenance and expansion so as the maternity child health and family planning units. The maternity and labour wards need upgrading including the children's ward. Toilets, electricity, water supply, malaria lab, kitchen, staff quarters, transport all require urgent repair and expansion. The beds and mattresses are dirty and require urgent attention.
There are other Health Aid Posts at Anikwaikwai and Gwaiau. These also need upgrading and expansion to cater for the growing need. The common diseases that occur in the constituency are malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia, flue, conjunctivitis, high blood, diabetes and so forth.

The number of infant deaths for Ward 7 from 1995 to 1999 was 24 out of 239 births. For ward 8, it was 25 infant deaths out of 724 births. And ward 9, for the same period, there were 27 infant deaths out of 397 births. In ward 8, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of births in 1998/99 period and this may result from the increase in population of the ward due to the ethnic tension on Guadalcanal. For wards 7 and 9, the number of births per year remained stable during the 5 year period. Also, on the whole, the numbers of infant deaths remain stable although there were small increases in the number of births in all the 3 wards.

Most people in the constituency began to realise the usefulness of family planning programmes especially the problems related to having large family sizes. The main family planning methods used in the constituency are pills, injections, condoms and the ovulation method. The withdrawal method is used in some cases but not at all times.

4.9 Water Supply and Sanitation

There are many rivers, streams and springs in the constituency. Many villages are located close to rivers but there are villages that are located far from rivers. Many of the rivers are not safe for human consumption because the location of other villages in the mountains may have the water source contaminated. Some villages in ward 9 still use rivers for drinking and washing although not very safe because there are no other alternative sources close by.

Sanitation is a major problem in the constituency. People are using beaches, mangroves and the bush for latrine. This is very surprising because although most communities have water supply system there are no proper toilets. In ward 7, most communities use the sea and some use dug pits or bush holes. There are no toilet slabs or flush toilets. In ward 8, most communities also use the sea for latrine, but they have more sanitation facilities than ward 7. For example during the SIDAPP Workshop in April 2000, the participants identified 28 dug pits, 195 toilet slabs and 9 flush toilets. The toilets were built between 1984 and 1999. A large number of toilets were funded by ADRA and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (RWSS). Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT) funded three slabs in Baumena (Rara) village in 1987 and a few toilet slabs were built by individuals. All the flush toilets were privately purchased especially those who own permanent houses. For ward 9, there are no proper sanitation facilities and most communities use the sea. Some bush villages have bush and dug pits. Six toilet slabs were provided to Kafoasila village in 1999 but are not being used due to unreliable water supply system. There were no flush toilets identified.


5.0 PRIORITY AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH MALAITA

5.1 Improvement of health services

This should include refurbishment and expansion of the major existing area health centers in Malu'u, Bita'ama, Fo'ondo, Gwaiau and elsewhere. There is also great need for upgrading of the equipments and infrastructures that are used in the existing clinics. All the clinics should be properly fenced, equipped with enough bedding, and have efficient source of reliable electricity and clean water supply. There should be collaboration with responsible national authorities to upgrade the Nursing Training School in Malu'u to be a SICHE recognised Certificate or even Diploma accredited Institute, in order to train our school leavers to become qualified nurses that we can count on as human resource assets rather than liabilities to the North Malaita region and Solomon Islands.

In addition, the increasing population in North Malaita and surrounding constituencies has signaled an urgent need for upgrading the Malu’u Area Health Center into a mini hospital to cater for the growing demands for health services in North Malaita. Besides that, it is important to establish extra first aid posts throughout the North Malaita region that can be managed at homes of certain people who are trained on providing first aid services. Such training can be done by an officer from the Ministry of Health. The rural first aid officers should be paid a small allowance for their services to the community. This initiative will greatly assist rural communities in emergency cases such as accidents before the patient is transferred to one of the main health centers in the North Malaita region.

Moreover, it would be a great idea if there is at least one Ambulance or even a reliable twin-cab hilux that is available 24 hours to attend to emergency calls from any of the clinics either in Malu'u, Bita'ama or Fo'ondo. The staff quarters and their living conditions should also be improved to encourage qualified doctors to come and work in North Malaita. North Malaita people should also respect our doctors and nurses and this needs prior awareness. More awareness campaigns should be supported and funded to educate our rural people to respect our health professionals and facilities. This will enable our communities to have access to qualified professionals and better health services and facilities.

Furthermore, the services of our doctors and nurses as well as our medical students from our regional universities should be utilized in promoting awareness programs on rural health, importance of family planning, effects of drug and substance abuse, basic hygiene and general sanitation practices.

5.2 Improvement of Education

There is a great need for upgradation of our primary and community high school libraries. Extra reading books and course materials should be budgeted for in order to improve the reading and writing skills of students in our schools. This knowledge will assist them once they go to National Secondary schools or even universities. Schools should also be supported financially to organize educational activities such as speech contests, essay writing competitions, and student presentations in class whereby the media can be invited to publicize the events thus providing an incentive for students, which would promote our educational development.

We also need to upgrade at least one community high school (maybe Arnon Atomea School) in North Malaita to become a National Secondary School even up to form 7 level. We believe North Malaita has got the qualified teachers for necessary subjects to spearhead this idea. Students can then be allowed to take courses through distance learning at USP from Malu'u rather than coming to Honiara to do it. We can start with a Form 7 Arts since we do not have good science labs and equipments but in the future Science courses can also be offered since we also possess qualified science teachers who can develop that idea as well.

Extra classrooms and improvement of other important facilities in our entire primary and community high schools should also be considered since we have a lot of new intakes every year. This should include new classrooms, better equipments, and improved facilities. There is need for community high school and primary school teachers to use English as much as possible while teaching in order to improve the English skills of our students.

Sporting activities such as the School Carnival just for North Malaita schools and Christian Education programs should be revived in our primary and community high schools as well to promote social interaction and godly behaviors.

In addition, the Member of Parliament should also consider implementing a "free school fee grant" across the board for all North Malaita students in either forms 1-3, 4-5, 6-7 or college and USP Center. The decision to support which group of students can be made by the Member of Parliament on the powers that voters bestowed upon him. It should not necessarily cover forms 1-7 because that would need a lot of money. It can either apply from forms 4-7 in order to encourage students to pass their form 3, 5 and 6 exams or apply to forms 1-3 in order to allow parents to budget for higher fees in forms 4-7 etc. It may also apply to North Malaita students at the College of Higher Education to encourage students to be qualified in their respective fields of study. Primary school is already enjoying a free school fee policy so this idea should only be restricted to secondary or tertiary schools alone. The "free school fee grant" can either be full or half of the fees. If it is full then parents will only meet the pocket money and traveling expenses. If it is half of the fees then parents have to meet half of the fees with the other costs. Either of these options will be a big help towards our rural parents and our students.

Another alternative is to set aside a number of scholarships for secondary and tertiary students from North Malaita, either based on outstanding performance or for very poor families only. This issue has to be addressed in a very delicate way since if not addressed properly would result in disagreements.

Furthermore, it is also important to consider the idea of establishing a vocational training school or rural training programme, in collaborating with existing ones to offer our youth trade skills such as carpentry, mechanic, plumbing, sewing and so on. This means that existing rural training centers and other inititiatives such as the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) currently being trialled in North Malaita should be supported and promoted through the Parliament to be recognised nationally, so that they can benefit from the government assistance. It is important to have training centers that are recognised by the government and other national institutions so that students who attend those training centers will have the opportunity to further their education and get decent employment.

5.3 Improvement of Environment, Sanitation, and Water Supply

Good sanitation practices should be promoted while efficient clean drinking water supplies needs to be upgraded. Currently, most of the coastal villages along the North Malaita constituency use the beaches, mangroves and shorelines as latrines. This practice should be discouraged, as this will have adverse impacts on our health and the status of our limited coastal resources. If all the beaches and mangroves from Taba'a River to Aero River are free from human waste, we will have a huge potential for new eco-tourism developments and even our fish resources that have once been lost will be replenished. This will benefit our future generations.

First, the Member of Parliament and interested funding agencies should financially support groups such as TARD and any other volunteer groups to carry out a massive awareness campaign throughout the North Malaita region regarding the consequences of polluting our beaches and mangrove resources with human wastes and other rubbish. Our fish resources are quickly disappearing because of our actions and we strongly believe that our chiefs and village people will listen if those of us who are trained on these fields are empowered and supported financially to carry out awareness activities. The networking of our chiefs right now is a good step towards promoting this idea, and if it goes well the North Malaita region may become an example to other societies in Solomon Islands in terms of rehabilitating our coastal areas.

Future coastal management projects should be pursued with an aim to educate primary and community high school students on the benefits of minimizing pollution on our coastal areas. This could be done by giving funds towards schools so that all the schools in North Malaita can organise clean-up campaigns on all our beaches and shorelines. Parents who have children in the schools can also participate in the clean-up programs. The Member of Parliament can also assist by facilitating transportation, specially designed T-shirts and caps for example. This is an initiative that is working really well in Fiji and we believe there is no harm in trying it out in North Malaita. This idea is good because it will educate our children who are our future leaders to care for our coastal resources. School kids can also participate in mangrove replantation programmes, coral replantation, under qualified supervisors.

Potential pilot projects to improve sanitation in several villages should also be pursued. This can be done by constructing slab or flush toilets where there is efficient water supply. Otherwise the "traditional bush latrines" should be properly upgraded with shelter and good ventilation; so that we can feel comfortable once a visitor comes to our villages rather than sending him/her to the exposed pit with only 2 or 4 logs to squat on. Rural or village development committees can monitor the efficiency of these pilot projects and make recommendations for future actions that needs to be taken.

In terms of water supply, villages in the bush and elsewhere in North Malaita constituency that have no pipe connections should be assisted. Villages that already have piped water supply should also be improved if the need arises. Therefore, information should be gathered from rural development committee members on which villages need urgent assistance and others who need only slight improvements. There should be some allocation from the RCDF to finance a study and assessment of an overall proposal for water supply and sanitation for communities in North Malaita Constituency.

5.4 Improvement of the Physical Appearance of North Malaita

This can involve beautification projects such as big signboards beside Aero River and another beside Taba'a River. On the signboards will be "Welcome Messages" and "Good-Bye Messages" written in English, Pidgin and To'abaita language. This is evident everywhere along the highways in Fiji and it is beautiful and cost-effective. At the bottom of the welcome signboards will be flowerbeds that add extra attraction to the signboard. On that note, each village along the road should have its own signboard that says something like "Welcome to Manakwai Village", for example.

Painted rocks, stones or tree trunks are other potential beautification projects that can be considered to be aligned along the roads that run through the North Malaita Constituency. In addition to that, tree-planting projects can also be pursued with the Forestry Department to plant trees along the road from Roso to Taba’a Villages. Also, our national and provincial Members should cooperate and organize a regular "Clean and Beautiful Village" competition for coastal and highland villages in each of the three wards within our North Malaita Constituency. This will encourage villages to plant flowers and live a clean life.

Moreover, our local markets in Matakwalao, Ofu, Silolo, Malanaofe, Bita'ama and others should also be upgraded with at least brick tables and tools with proper shelter to promote safe food handling procedures. A good beginning is the current upgradation of the Malu’u market. But proper planning has to be done by responsible authorities such as a town council to incorporate all the aspects of community development projects that can be socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable. Therefore, there is great need for the legal establishment of a Malu’u Town Council that will identify, formulate, and implement policies and monitor developments ensuring sustainability.

5.5 Strengthening the work of Chiefs, Churches and Development of Sports

The Member of Parliament and funding agencies should be committed to provide financial assistance to churches that require help for upgradation purposes or refurbishment. We should also support Christian activities such as interfaith youth rallies in North Malaita and other activities such as marching band and choir competitions. We should liaise with preachers from different regions to come maybe once a year and share God's word with our people in North Malaita to encourage their Christian lives.

In addition, the house of Chiefs in North Malaita should be supported financially to strengthen the good work that they are doing now. This means promoting the idea of "family trees" so that land disputes will be reduced towards the benefit of community development in North Malaita. The work of our chiefs should also be recognized nationally by offering them with some sort of certificates or other form of recognition for chiefs who really stand out in their work. This will encourage others to work hard.

Sports activities should be promoted as well to engage our rural youth from involving in criminal activities. This can be done by financially supporting the existing known clubs in North Malaita and by organizing an annual “North Malaita Christmas Games” during the Christmas and maybe a soccer league and netball league throughout the year. The “North Malaita Christmas Games” may involve other games beside soccer and netball and may run for a week

Moreover, a ground either in Malu'u or Fo'ondo should be upgraded to the level of a mini stadium that will allow us to host national tournaments particularly soccer, netball and athletics for instance. This can be planned for and developed over the next few years. We should also design an approach that promotes the development and exposure of our rural talents in Honiara in case they are selected for national teams. This can be achieved by strengthening the current North Malaita team in the Honiara Soccer league, and through establishment of a soccer school of excellence for youths in North Malaita.

Furthermore, cultural groups such as bamboo bands, pan pipers and other contemporary and religious artists and composers should be supported and ensure international promotion so that North Malaita music can be promoted on a national, regional, and international level thus preserving our local music.

5.6 Implement Initiatives that can create rural employment

This is the most important step towards discouraging rural people from migrating to other provinces and eventually contributing to another ethnic tension. A fixed micro-grant loan should be budgeted for in the RCDF that allows grassroot people to apply for small loans to start small and medium businesses. They can use some of their assets as securities for the loan upon prior agreement. The loans should range from something like $500 to $5000, for example, so that even when a person is not able to repay his/her loans, the Funding committee will only take over an asset that will not implicate rural people’s future. But everything should be clearly explained to the applicants before signing the agreement or even releasing the funds.

Another option is to support already existing businesses that have a proven record of competitiveness and sustainability over a longer period of time in order to maintain the important services that they provide to rural people. An example of this is the transport business which provides vital services to the people.

Other initiatives might include establishing a fisheries center in Malu'u that allows fishermen and women from North Malaita and Lau/Mbaelelea constituencies to sell their fish catches and the center may export directly or sell through Honiara markets. This can be done with proper consultations between our Member of Parliament and the Ministers responsible for this kind of business. The copra milling point at Malu'u should also be revived and there should also be a cocoa buying center in Malu'u as well, if possible to be owned by potential private sector investors. Other good avenues is to explore venturing into processed potato, taro, yam, or cassava chips and then selling it in the Solomon Islands and even export it overseas, if the quality is good. Feasibility studies need to be undertaken before investing into such initiatives.

Finally, the Member of Parliament and other community groups should also liaise with banking authorities such as the NBSI, Westpac, or ANZ to re-establish a branch in Malu'u so that primary school teachers and farmers do not have to travel to Auki to withdraw or deposit their very little hard earned money. We also need to pursue the utilization of a mobile banking truck under the ANZ rural banking scheme, like what is currently going on in Guadalcanal to bring banking services to our rural villages as well as allowing people who have savings with ANZ to access micro-credits from the bank to start small and medium enterprises.


Contact us for more information
To'abaita Authority for Research and Development (TARD)
P. O Box U40, Suva, Fiji
Mobile: (679) 9350159
Email: tar_development@yahoo.com
URL: http://toabaita-authority.blogspot.com