North Malaita tribe invite partners to develop 25-year-old Surveyed Hydro Project after tribal reconciliation.
Maluu, North Malaita-Members of Ainigaule tribe in Ward 9, North Malaita that are owner of the tribal land that host Silolo river that has potential for proposed hydro project invite and call upon stakeholders that are interested to develop the SiloloHydro to come forward and resume pursuing the once proposed and JICA-Japan Surveyed Silolo Hydro Development Project. A member of the tribe who want his name unknown made the call after the tribe reconcile on the 13th December 2024.
The reconciliation program conducted among the members of our tribe and sub-tribes was part of our social responsibility and commitment to ensure development of this project is continuing. The reconciliation was part of our tribal response to the recommendations from number of meetings we had organized amongst ourselves since 2021. After the reconciliation, we feel that it’s time to invite or call upon stakeholders including: Solomon Islands Government (SIG), Malaita Provincial Government (MPG), SIG-Development partners, Solomon Power, and potential investors to come and resume discussion and pursue development of this key energy project. We would like to acknowledge the leaders and presentative of the Provincial Government and National Government for involvement in the reconciliation. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the Member of Parliament for North Malaita for his support towards the reconciliation program.
Speaking to Malaita Issue, the member of the tribes said “by now, we are fully aware of how important is this energy project. If this project is developed, it will benefit the tribe, the constituency, the province, and the country in many ways-socially, economically and environmentally. We did not doubt if Silolo Hydro is develop land owners will directly benefit, access to energy will boost small business activity and operation, revenue will generate and improve for both MPG and SIG, employment will be generated, and SIG will be recognized for developing green or sustainable energy”.
It has been twenty-five (25) years since they physical survey has been done or completed by Technical Team Japan/JICA, and more than 10 years since MPG, Ministry of Mines and Energy and Tribe sign the Development Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Since then, we haven’t seen any active engagement from the Government both national and province regarding this important project. Recently, we were informed that Silolo Hydro project is among the priority development projects in Malaita and Solomon Islands but we haven’t seen stakeholders including MPG, MMRE and MPGIS coming forward like a project that that has been budgeted for in the Provincial and national government project-member of the tribe said.
According to the interim report shown to Malaita issues produced by the Ainigaule Tribe member, the Silolo River Hydro Interim report covers or provided information range from: Parameter of the project, climate and hydrology of the area, geology of the area, hydropower planning with estimate annual energy generation of 10,495 M Wh or 10.495 Gigawatt-hour, information on access to the area and estimated cost to develop the project during time of the survey. With this key or important information available through the survey, we would like to call on Government to facilitate Silolo River Hydro to make sure it happens to benefit the people, and the government-member of the tribe said.
The member of the tribe encourages stakeholders and potential partners to reach out to the representative of the tribe through North Malaita Constituency Office and Ward 9 leadership or contact the tribal leader on the phone; 677-7639781 or email: [email protected] to discuss matters relate to development of this project.
The member of the tribe acknowledges the leaders of the tribe for commitment shown so far, especially for with the interest to develop the hydro project. The member of the tribe also callupon land owning groups in Malaita to sort out differences and invite government and partners to develop Malaita. Finally, the tribal member call on the government to take responsibility and develop strategic project for growth of Solomon Islands as an economy.
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