Just in case you were wondering; it isn’t my birthday but its a birthday with a slight hint of significance. Solomon Islands just turned 31. We attained independence on July 7th 1978. Here we are 31 years later and some of us are still grappling with the significance of independence. My wife quipped, “Are we independent” and I have openly wondered if we have ever really achieved anything. Amid the celebrations that will be on today, I suppose the highlight will be the parade and speeches from dignitaries at the Lawson Tama stadium today.
Solomon Islands is 31 and I sincerely hope we will still change for the better. Happy Birthday. I hope to bring some pictures of the event later today.
So what happened today. There was the official celebration starting early this morning with a parade by the Police, Girl Guides, the Scouts and traditional performers. The Prime Minister’s speech obviously touched onto the successes of the government. Of notable interest to me:
1. Peace and Reconciliation and the need to initiate efforts towards “national reconciliation” are ongoing but little progress has been made. However, he lauded the efforts to initiate the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.
2. Announcement of the deregulation of the telecommunication sector. To achieve that, the government is expected to compensate Our Telekom, $80 million dollars.
3. Our need to diversify the economy. The emergence of tourism as a viable option was highlighted, however, the government’s move to encourage the mining sector is perhaps short term and is merely an investment in another non-renewable resource.
All in all, it was probably a hastily organized celebration but more care and attention to detail must be done to ensure that people of all sectors enjoy the celebrations and understand its intention.