SI faced with poor visionary leadership: Hon Tausinga

MEMBER of Parliament for West New Georgia Vonavona Hon Silas Tausinga says the lack of strategic and transformative infrastructure is an obstacle in driving economic growth in this country.

Speaking during his Vote of Thanks in Parliament in response to the Governor General’s speech from the Throne, he said it is a grave concern that illuminates the inadequate visionary leadership that this country is still facing since independence.

He said it is a concern that calls for a policy redirection that requires proactive planning and priorities to help increase economic activities.

Hon Tausinga said the government, since independence, had been partners in venture through ICSI, the likes of Solomon Maruha (now Soltuna), Solomon Airlines and others.

However, he said the government have never explored possibilities to be partners with resource owners on commercial/economic ventures.

“Yet, we legislated to give away logging rights to extracting timbers for example, but we have never legislated or put in place systems or mechanisms to be partners with our own people,” he told Parliament.

The Opposition MP said we need to explore ideas to pave a way for the government and the people to be partners in development especially in the resource sector.

“We tend to always look at outsiders to develop our resources but failed to explore possibilities to be partners with our own resource owners,” he said.

Hon Tausinga said we need to rethink and redirect the path this country is trailing and work on policies and priorities that are essential and workable in our context.

He said physical infrastructure is important; however the distribution of infrastructure is dictated by the concentration of economic activities and commerce in the urban centres.

“This circumstance gives rise to trickle down economy to the rural areas and is not supportive to the overall development of the country,” the Opposition MP said.

ENDS//