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The FAMOA Council of Chiefs in the Shortland Islands in Western Province has resolved to support the National Government’s programme to enhance border security presence in that region following a series of meetings last week.
The plan to beef up the presence of border security agencies including the construction of a Patrol Boat Outpost in the Shortlands is a key component of the Government’s National Security Strategy.
The respective meetings on the 13th and 14th of March brought together the FAMOA Council of Chiefs representing tribal communities from Fauro, Mono and the Alu Islands, which made up the Shortland Islands constituency.
The Member of Parliament for the constituency, Honorable Chris Laore also attended the meeting to witness the occasion and rendered his support towards the work of FAMOA as a development partner in Shortland Islands.
Honorable Laore has encouraged cooperation and unity as important pillars of the organization – calling on all members to put aside differences and work together.
He further reiterated the importance of ‘making things happen’ as significant for the Council, as this will stamp a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Prior to the meeting, the Council has identified and formally appointed new Trustees to the FAMOA Trust Board (Inc.).
The FTB is the entity that is legally recognized to deal with FAMOA issues. They further appointed the FAMOA Working Committee (FWC), who may act as the Council of Chiefs and FTB secretariat, and the working cluster in Honiara to administer issues as well as to provide Legal and Technical advice to the FTB.
The National Government’s proposal to develop a Patrol Boat base at Lofung in the Shortland Islands was collectively agreed to and supported by the Council of Chiefs with the view to gain benefits from the presence of border agencies and the potential economic activities derived from such developments.
As part of the dialogue, the FAMOA Trust Board also held discussions with concerned landowners of the Kome and Sarava Tribe which has culminated in a set of resolutions assigning the FAMOA Working Committee to hold further dialogue with the National Government on these project plans.
At the conclusion of the meeting, all parties have agreed to the proposed project with the desire to see the commencement of constructions, with assurance that there will be no hindrance to the development.
These resolutions and declaration was received with much appreciation by parties as well as the Honorable Chris Laore who attended to witness the signing of the resolutions by the Chairman of FAMOA Trust Board, Chief Lawrence Hotomo and representatives of Kome and Sarava Tribe Mr. Remisio Alisae and John Mamiong.
With those resolutions now at hand, the FAMOA Working Committee will proceed with further discussions with the national government to ensure construction of facilities and the patrol boat outpost is rolled out.
Last week’s meetings has set out the roadmap for the establishment of further specific agreements between stakeholders on the utilization and development for their land for the development of the border outpost projects.
