Premier of Western Province, Hon. Billy Veo, has hailed Noro as the Solomon Islands’ emerging second industrial hub, calling for more government investment and decentralization of services to the provinces.
Speaking on Friday 8th August at the official opening of the new Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) office in Noro valued at SBD25 million, Premier Veo said, the project represents more than just bricks and mortar — it signals a shift in national development priorities.
He highlighted Noro’s strategic importance as home to key industries and infrastructure, including SolTuna, the National Fisheries Development (NFD), the Noro International Seaport, and the Munda International Airport. These assets, he said, make Noro a vital driver of the national economy.
The Premier urged other ministries and government agencies to follow MoFT’s lead by establishing offices and facilities in Noro to close service delivery gaps. He said citizens should not have to travel to Honiara to access essential services.
Citing the country’s experiences during ethnic tensions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and natural disasters, Premier Veo underscored the need for economic resilience beyond the capital.
“Even if Honiara is our major bread basket, we need to establish smaller baskets in our provinces so that in the event of any major catastrophe, we can still be able to manage while we await interventions from our friends and donor partners,” he stated.
Premier Veo said, the vision to develop Noro as the nation’s second industrial hub is a strategic step towards equitable development and a stronger, more balanced economy.
He also took time to acknowledge the original and traditional landowners of Noro for allowing their land to host the second industrial hub of Solomon Islands.
“Solomon Islands as a country is indebted to you,” he said.
Premier Veo stressed that development should not be concentrated in Honiara alone, pointing out that the majority of Solomon Islanders live in the provinces.
“Most often than not, we tend to centralise our developments and infrastructure projects in Honiara only, while conveniently ignoring that the majority of our people reside in our provinces,” he said.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
