Premier Suidani urges MID to do spot maintenance on Malaita roads

Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani is calling on the government to quickly make spot maintenance on roads around his province as most are in worst state of conditions.

In a statement, Suidani says as roads around Malaita continued to deteriorate to one of its worst states he is calling on MID to quickly conduct spot maintenance at severely affected areas of the North, East and South roads.

He said while waiting for the World Bank funded Solomon Islands Road Aviation Project – SIRAP proposed to be implemented in the second quarter of the year to rehabilitate the unsealed roads—the government through MID should make special provisions for a spot maintenance to the severely affected areas of the roads.

Suidani said the public of Malaita has been asking questions on who should be responsible for maintaining of the main roads in Malaita and at times even calling on the Provincial Government to step in and maintain the affect roads.

“Unfortunately as much as the province would like to do this, the province cannot extend its hands beyond its devolved functions. Similarly there are no budgetary provisions for such activities under its budget. Literally put, the province would be acting in contrary and outside of its Financial Management Ordinances to engage in an unbudgeted activity,” he said.

The premier would like to inform the public of Malaita especially the road users that currently there are no dedicated contractors for the roads in Malaita— therefore the only way out would be to do a spot maintenance.

Suidani says a clear example of a spot maintenance was the repairing of the damaged Dala Bridge.