The Member of Parliament for Gizo/Kolombangara Constituency and Minister of Police, Hon. Jimson Tanangada, has urged Kolombangara landowners in Western Province to embrace investment and innovation over dependency, as they formally received the historic 20 per cent shareholding in Kolombangara Forest Plantation Limited (KFPL).
The official handover which took place on Monday at Ringi in Kolombangara was described as the culmination of “102 years of patient struggle”, marks a new chapter in the island’s history — one where landowners now stand as equal partners in one of the country’s most enduring commercial enterprises.
Hundreds of villagers in and around Kolombangara island coverged at Ringi to witness the official ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Hon. Tanangada called for a mindset shift among landowners, encouraging them to move from a culture of expectation to one of entrepreneurship and long-term planning.
“Now is not the time to beg for royalties,” he declared. “It is the time to invest in opportunities that yield sustainable royalties,” he said.
The MP challenged the new shareholder communities to think boldly and act decisively by developing innovative business policies to modernise KFPL operations.
“Let us make that promise happen — not by sitting idle and expecting manna to fall from heaven,” he said. “For manna only fed the Israelites who returned from slavery in Egypt,” he adds.
Hon. Tanangada also appealed to development partners and the company’s new major shareholder, New Forests Ltd to deepen their trust and investment in Kolombangara and its people.
He said Kolombangara’s record of peace and stability — even during the tensions of the early 2000s — demonstrates the island’s resilience, reliability, and commitment to national unity.
“Today, as rightful shareholders in KFPL after more than a century of struggle, we invite our partners — Australia and ADB — to invest deeper. Kolombangara is not just resource-rich, it is trust-rich. You can count on us,” he affirmed.
Hon. Tanangada expressed full support for New Forests Ltd., saying their leadership in sustainable and nature-based asset management will not only raise KFPL’s commercial value but also drive transformative growth across the province and the nation.
“Their presence will help unlock new opportunities — not only for Kolombangara but for Solomon Islands as a whole,” he said.
Concluding his address before hundreds gathered at Dugore, Kolombangara— known locally as the Water King —MP Tanaganda described the event as the beginning of a new journey for the island.
“Today is only the beginning of another chapter in our journey of a million miles,” he said.
“Kolombangara is not just a land of resources — it is a promised land for a better future, not only for ourselves, our tribes, or our province, but for Solomon Islands and the world.” he further added.
The 20 per cent share transfer was made by the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) through its investment arm, fulfilling a long-awaited promise to recognise and empower indigenous landowners as genuine partners in sustainable forestry development.
The event ended in celebration, with singing, traditional dancing, and feasting to mark the new milestone in Kolombangara’s history.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
