The Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) has posed an economic and social impact to the lives of people in the Solomon Islands.
A representative from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) highlighted this during the launching of the WW2 photographic exhibition at the National Art Gallery on Wednesday.
Sakiusa Rabuka said, this has caused the slow progress of development in the country.
“UXO have economic and social impacts in the Solomon Islands.
“An example of an economic impact is the development of the fourth Campus of the University of South Pacific at Doma, West Guadalcanal.
“The agreement was signed few years ago between USP and the Solomon Islands Government but the development is still on a hold,” Mr Rabuka highlighted.
Mr Rabuka moves on to say that the UXOs have also had social impacts in the country.
“UXO brings poverty to the people.
“People are not able to use their land for reconstruction and development.
“They are not even using their land for agricultural purposes,” he said.
He also said that the PIFS have also had a UXO strategy that addresses UXO in the region in countries like Nauru, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Marshal Islands, Palau, and Solomon Islands.
The PIFS sees the UXO as a human security problem and Mr Rabuka said there are a lot of work that needs to be done.
Mr Rabuka however acknowledges the assistance they received from countries like Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the United Kingdom and said that the funding has really helped them so much.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
