D.C.C FULLY AWARE OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AS GUARANTEE

Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare said the Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG) is fully conscious of the fact that sustainable economic growth is the only guarantee to a reasonable standard of living for Solomon Islands.

The Prime Minister says it will also graduate the country from its status as a least developing country.

Mr Sogavare says, for this very reason, DCCG decided to tackle economic growth and effective service delivery as the primary focus of its policies.

Speaking at the 37th Independence anniversary celebration at Lawson Tama stadium yesterday, the DCCG Front man acknowledge, this is a daunting task which requires deliberate policy choice by the government – however painful it may be.

Mr Sogavare adds, the government has seriously looked into its policy choices and resolved to take the tough choice of adopting economic strategies that will open up the economy to quality genuine investors in tourism, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and the minerals sectors.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the recently concludedAustralia-Solomon Islands Business Forum should help the government review some of its key policies and strategies on the development of the country’s strategic sectors.

Prime Minister Sogavare said the DCCG is overwhelmed by the responses it received so far from genuine investors in the tourism, housing, fisheries, agriculture and health sectors and is working very closely with these investors to get them established.

He pointed out that more work remains to be done to improve the country’s investment environment.

Mr. Sogavare explains, with the enforcement in the later part of this year of the Special Economic Zone Legislation, which is aimed at accomplishing a major reform in DCCG’s investment attraction strategy, Solomon Islands should present an investment environment that would be highly attractive to big investors.