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Primer of Guadalcanal Francis Mbelande Sade has announced today that his government has identified Mamara as the site for the provincial capital of his province.
Speaking during the 36th Anniversary of the Guadalcanal’s Second Appointed Day celebrations in Visale, West Guadalcanal today, Sade said: “An issue that has long been the dream of many Guadalcanal people is to have a town that hosts the Province’s Headquarters. This Guadalcanal Provincial Government is committed to make this a reality.
“We have identified Mamara as the site for the construction of the Provincial Headquarter.”
Furthermore, he said, the Provincial Executive has approved that Henderson be declared a township adding that overtime Marau will become a township for East Central, East & South Guadalcanal, while Variana for West Guadalcanal.
“Consequently, a position has been created and will soon be advertised to hire someone to work on these township projects. The Guadalcanal Provincial Government plans to start building the Marau and Variana townships by 2021 as part of a PCDF-funded project and with support from the National Government and Development Partners,” he said.
He reiterates that Guadalcanal hosts the national capital, Honiara or more accurately, Nahona’ara.
The premier emphasizes that this creates challenges as well as opportunities and because of Nahona’ara, Guadalcanal Province hosts people from allover the country and Guadalcanal Province is in many ways the center of Solomon Islands.
“Many of our people from different parts of the country have come here in search of opportunities. Over the years, many of them built settlements beyond the town boundary, on customary and alienated lands. Many of these are informal or squatter settlements. This has created tensions between indigenous Guadalcanal people and our fellow citizens from other provinces,” the premier said.
He adds these are old issues and were central to concerns expressed by Guadalcanal people for decades.
“It is vital that the National Government helps the Guadalcanal Provincial Government address these issues, and do so urgently,” said the Primer Sade.
News@SBMOnline2020
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