CONCERNS over the sewage system coming out of the Gizo Hotel seafront in Western province have been raised in the National Parliament this week.
This has raised serious questions about its impact on the environment and the image of Gizo as a tourist destination.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Small Malaita, Hon. Rick Hou told Parliament that concerns have been raised by the hotel’s management and the public regarding the unsanitary discharge of sewage waste into the sea near the Gizo main wharf.
MP Hou said this long-standing problem has seen untreated waste from the hotel drain directly into nearby waters, especially during high tide when human waste can be seen floating.
He expressed concern that the issue not only poses health and environmental risks but also undermines efforts to promote tourism in the Western Provincial capital.
“This is an unacceptable situation for a place that aims to attract international visitors.
“Our tourism potential is at risk if basic infrastructure such as sewage management is not properly addressed,” MP Hou said.
He also questioned whether there were any existing policy guidelines or enforcement mechanisms in place to regulate such issues, particularly in relation to the hotel sector in tourism hubs like Gizo.
In response, the Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), Trevor Hedley Mahaga, acknowledged the concern and confirmed that environmental oversight falls under his ministry.
However, he noted that enforcement and management responsibilities also lie with the Western Provincial Government.
“We must not turn a deaf ear to this. It is a shared responsibility between national and provincial authorities to ensure our environment is protected,” Minister Mahaga said.
For the past several years, the sewage discharge from Gizo Hotel has become a growing concern for residents in Gizo.
Many have described the situation as an eyesore, raising serious alarm over its negative impact on the town’s image as a key tourism destination and its potential threat to marine life in the Gizo seafront bay.
Despite repeated concerns raised by the public and stakeholders, there has been no concrete solution put in place to address the issue.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
