INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE PROGRESSING IN TEMOTU

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) now has nine local contractors maintaining roads in Temotu.

A statement from the Ministry today said the contracts commenced in June, which brought the total road length receiving long-term maintenance in the province to 54 kilometers.

The works are jointly funded by the Solomon Islands and Australian Governments through the National Transport Fund (NTF), with technical support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

MID Undersecretary Technical, Jimmy Nuake says despite the challenges of location, Temotu contractors are doing a good job in making a difference to local road conditions in the province.

Mr. Nuake said the total value of the current maintenance is $74 million.

Meanwhile, repair and rehabilitation works of the Gizo and Vonunuwharves in Western Province will start soon.

A contract worth SBD$2.1 million has been awarded to Trades transformation Company Limited, which is about to start mobilizing its staff and equipment to the project sites.

Both wharves will receive rehabilitation of superstructure and substructure, as well as shoreline protection.

The statement said this also include repairs of cracked concrete decks and beams with epoxy mortar, placing gabion baskets for coastal protection and construction of a concrete slab for landing crafts.

The Ministry’s Undersecretary Technical, Jimmy Nuake says both wharves have been damaged over the years by heavy use, large vessels and sea erosion of the adjacent coastline.

Mr. Nuake said he is pleased that the NTF has been able to fund a local contractor to reinstate such important infrastructure as they are critical facilities for communities in the province.

The statement adds the project is among a hundred contracts underfunding for this year to improve transport infrastructure across the country.