Government through the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) has outlined a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at modernizing the ministry’s operations, strengthening compliance mechanisms, and enhancing transparency and accountability.
The Minister responsible Derrick Rawcliff Manuari highlighted this when speaking in Parliament during the Motion of Sine Die early this month.
The Minister said the ministry has been driven by a singular objective and that is to responsibly unlock the nation’s natural resources and wealth in order to support a sustainable future.
Central to the reform agenda is the proposed Minerals Bill, which is intended to strengthen governance within the mining sector.
Minister Manuari said, the Bill, currently before the government, is part of a broader legislative reform program involving extensive preparatory work by the ministry.
“The Minerals Bill and its accompanying regulatory framework will be critical in enhancing governance in the mining sector and addressing many of the concerns raised in this Honourable House,” the Minister said.
In addition to mining reforms, Hon. Manuari highlighted progress on the Water Resources Bill, as well as the development of a solar energy policy to regulate renewable energy provision.
“In terms of water, we are advancing the Water Resources Bill and implementing targeted community water initiatives to improve access to safe water, particularly in relation to public health and hygiene,” he said.
The Minister also pointed to wider sector reforms focused on strengthening institutional capacity and compliance mechanisms across mining, geology, energy, water, and petroleum.
These efforts, he said, are essential to modernising procedures and ensuring accountability in line with current sector demands.
Resource management remains another priority area, with an increased focus on geo-hazard monitoring, governance, and petroleum sector reforms. Manuari noted that ministry departments are engaged in round-the-clock monitoring of geo-hazard risks nationwide, despite not yet being formally recognised as an essential service.
“Some of our departments operate 24 hours monitoring geo-hazard risks across the country, yet they have never been recognized as an essential sector,” he said.
On capacity development, the Minister, said the ministry continues to invest in expanding its technical expertise and strengthening institutional systems across all divisions.
Hon. Manuari emphasised that the reforms are critical to ensuring that the people of Solomon Islands fully benefit from the country’s natural resources.
He noted that proposed policies would enable greater government and local participation in the mining sector, including equity-sharing arrangements.
“These policies are designed to allow the government and the people of Solomon Islands to commercially participate in the mining sector and significantly increase the benefits derived from non-renewable resources,” he said.
He further indicated that the reforms could eventually lead to the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund, an issue that was also raised during parliamentary discussions.
“It is important to ensure that when our non-renewable resources are fully extracted, the country can continue to benefit from them,” the minister said.
Hon. Manuari added that the reforms would also support the effective and sustainable delivery of renewable energy to rural communities over the next decade.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
