Local leaders from Shortlands, in the far end of the Western Province have expressed the need for the constituency to have a dedicated passenger vessel to serve the route Shortland, Gizo, Noro and Honiara routes.
Leaders who are based in Gizo, Noro and Honiara said, lack of a reliable shipping service is affecting the traveling public.
Most times passengers normally travel onboard cargo boats which is against marine regulations.
They stressed the need for a reliable and consistent shipping service that can meet the demands of the people, saying transport remains a lifeline for economic activity and access to essential services.
Currently, the only cargo vessel servicing the Shortlands is MV Caroline, after MV Shortland went out of service.
MV Caroline, owned by the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Shortlands, normally transports cargoes which include; building materials, copra, cocoa, and other goods from the constituency to parts of the province and to Honiara.
However, due to its busy schedule, the vessel only returns to the far west once every five to six months, creating a major setback for passengers and businesses.
For many Shortland Islanders they rely heavily on MV Caroline to travel to Gizo, Noro, and Honiara.
But with the ship’s lengthy voyages, passengers often endure difficult conditions.
“Sometimes we spend two to three weeks onboard during these trips,” one passenger told the Solomon Star in an interview on Thursday.
The passenger said, although fares are not always charged, food costs during the long voyage are very expensive.
“The ship provides rice, but we have to buy extra food to go with it. By the time we arrive, most of our money is gone,” the passenger added.
A crewman confirmed that food supply was always a challenge.
“Normally during such voyages, we cook around 10 bags of rice over one to two weeks, depending on the loading and number of passengers onboard,” he said.
Last week, passengers including women and children were accommodated at the Women’s Resource Centre in Gizo, where they took shelter from Monday until Saturday before the ship continued its journey to other destinations, including Vella, Choiseul, and finally the Shortland Islands.
Unconfirmed reports have suggested that MP Junior Vave is in the process of purchasing a new passenger ship.
However, it remains unclear whether the vessel will serve the people of Shortlands or operate mainly in the eastern provinces such as Malaita and Makira.
For now, Shortland Islanders continue to face difficulties, waiting for a sustainable shipping solution to connect their remote communities with the rest of the country.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
