A reconciliation following the attack of a China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) was held this week.
A CCECC worker was recently attacked at the Kolofe construction campsite in North Malaita.
The worker sustained wounds to his head and hand.
The suspect has formally apologised to the company and relevant authorities.
The apology was delivered during a reconciliation ceremony between the attacker’s family and representatives of CCECC.
As part of the reconciliation, the family presented traditional Malaitan shell money to the Kolofe CCECC Camp Manager.
Another set of shell money was handed to the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Communication and Aviation (MCA) Alwyn Danitofea, to be conveyed to the National Government on behalf of communities in the Northern Region.
These gestures symbolised the family’s and community’s deep regret for the incident, as well as their commitment to stand against such behaviour and ensure it does not happen again.
The reconciliation was attended by officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), the Permanent Secretary of MCA, the Provincial Secretary of Malaita Province, representatives from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID), and members of the local community.
At the ceremony, parties acknowledged the importance of resolving the matter peacefully and stressed the need for cooperation and respect toward development partners working in the province.
They said moving forward together is essential to ensuring the successful completion of the Kolofe Bridges project, a vital development that will improve transport safety and benefit communities across North Malaita.
Prior to the reconciliation, a community awareness session was held at Kolofe to promote understanding and prevent future tensions between workers and nearby communities.
CCECC is currently involved in a road project in that region.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon Star, Auki
