Bina Harbour Project’s Steering committee
: Bina Fish Processing Plant Project remains a top government priority said the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Hon Nestor Giro.
Minister Giro reminded the Project’s Steering Committee in their first meeting at the Pacific Casino hotel recently.
The Minister also said the government considers the project as a national priority because of the potential it has in driving the economic growth, provide jobs and improve livelihoods of the people.
“This presents my Ministry with a great challenge, one we can only meet with the understanding and support of all of Government and development partners”, Hon Giro said.
He acknowledged the people of Bina Harbor and the Malaita Provincial Government for hosting this important project
The Minister said their cooperation with the Ministry started in 2015 which contributed to the steady progress seen today.
He urged the Committee members to carefully consider the ways and means that their Ministries and agencies might contribute to supporting the Bina work, consistent with Solomon Islands’ national strategies and priorities.
“I am very conscious of the need to fulfil our responsibilities under the mandate my Ministry has been given to lead Bina, while mindful that the project connects across many arms of Government,” the Minister said.
He also applauded the development partners for supporting the project to date, particularly the long-term financial and technical support provided by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the International Finance Corporation, and more recently Australia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
He said that the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement has made clear its commitment to the long-frustrated goal of bringing real development to Malaita.
“The Prime Minister himself has singled out the Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant Project as the key initiative that can fulfil that commitment,” the Minister said.
The DCGA has no illusions about the major infrastructure development commitment it must make to ensure Bina Harbour becomes an attractive investment prospect for a global tuna operator.
The Steering Committee’s role in this project is to bring the heads of all relevant Ministries and development partners to oversee and guide the Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant Project.
Its members are from nine (9) line ministries and also the office of the Prime Minister.
-GCU Press