Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare officially opened the Taro Cable Landing Station in Taro, Choiseul province on Monday 3rd February 2020.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Sogavare said the occasion marks yet another milestone achievement for the Government and people of Solomon Islands.

He said for the very first time a young nation like ours now have access to a faster and much reliable super highway, with plans to make internet affordable and competitive.

“DCGA recognises the need to develop physical and economic infrastructures to facilitate long-term growth and prosperity, as reflected in its policy strategies and translation document,” he said.

Therefore, the Prime Minister said the Government is fully committed to this project and has supported it since DCGA came into power.

“The successful launching today demonstrates the high importance that my government places on the importance of improved communication, and sees it as an integral part of ICT led development and equally believe that, it is a necessary tool to support sustainable economic growth in the country. My Government will continue to support this project,” he said.

“I encourage all Solomon Islanders to participate and support our national digital transformation objective, to foster an innovative whole of government and whole of society.”

He said the transformation objective would also involve public and private partnerships to maximize good use of technologies, policies and best practices to support universal values of good governance, women empowerment, youth empowerment, universal child education, and universal primary health care coverage for the benefit of all Solomon Islanders.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sogavare has also applauded the strong support shown by the Choiseul Provincial Government, traditional landowners and the people of Taro, for allowing this vital infrastructure to proceed in their land without disruption.

“I am also pleased to note that the people of Taro and Choiseul have fully embraced the operationalization of the cable with a reported twenty-fold increase in usage during the trial demonstration with Our Telekom,” he said.

The Prime Minister said his Government is confident that the launching of the Taro Cable Station would improve communication and ease at doing business through faster and reliable internet for the provincial capital Taro, the government offices, hospitals, schools and the people at large.

“It is a game changer that will transform the lives of our people, especially those of us that live in this remote part of the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by his Communications & Aviation Minister Hon Peter Shanel, Finance Minister Hon Harry Kuma and the Leader of Independent and MP for South Choiseul Hon Robertson Galokale.

Source: PM's Press Secretariat