Solomon Island’s government commitment to working with the private sector.
Speaking in Honiara yesterday, Wednesday, the Prime Minister, the Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, reiterated the DCGA’s commitment to work closely with the private sector.
The PM’s commitment was addressed to those attending the launch of the 11th Australia and Solomon Islands Business Forum at the Heritage Park Hotel.
In what he referred to as ‘straight talk’, the PM said the government accepted it is expensive and a real hassle to do business in the country and often blamed on corrupt public officials, complacency or just lack of coordination between government ministries.
The PM went on to add that political instability and bureaucratic inertia as having been always an obstacle to the government’s ability to implement and achieve the objectives of its priority policies.
“If we are to attract investors we must also step up and ensure that the environment for doing business is conducive to investors. That responsibility lies with the Government, and no one else,” the PM commented.
The gap between development and the private sector involvement and investment was a concern that I wrote about earlier this week and it is pleasing to note the PM has acknowledged the key role the DCGA must play in creating the right environment to encourage investors to become involved in the many development challenges the country still faces.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
