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NEW ZEALAND
High Commission
TE AKA AORERE
HONIARA
SoloBis a bi-monthly round-up of Solomon Islands business and economic developments,
December 2009
Welcome to the first edition of “SoloBis”, a bi-monthly newsletter prepared by the New Zealand High Commission, Honiara. SoloBis outlines economic and business developments in Solomon Islands of interest to New Zealand companies. In future it will be included on
the High Commission website (currently under construction). For further information on any of these stories, please contact the New Zealand High Commission, Honiara:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- In December the Solomon Islands Government formally opened its telecommunications market to competition and PNG based bemobile has been announced as winning the second mobile licence. bemobile is expected to start operations from April next year.
- The new Telecommunications Act opens the market to further competition from April 2011.
- Project management positions for the Tina River hydro project are in the process of being filled. The project, jointly funded by the World Bank and European Investment Bank, aims to attract an independent power producer to build and operate a medium-scale hydro plant on Guadalcanal. Discussions between the Solomon Islands government and landowners over access rights are continuing.
- The Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) opened a new School of Tourism and Hospitality in November.
- Gold Ridge Mine: Allied Minerals’ friendly takeover of Australian Solomons Gold has now been completed and the company expects to resume production in Q1 2011, producing up to 150,000 ounces per annum; work is under way to rehabilitate the mine site, with the de-watering of the tailings dam now commenced.
- Solomon Airlines has leased a 36-seat Dash-8 from Airlines of PNG for two years to boost domestic capacity. The Dash-8 is making regular runs to the Western Province, Malaita and Makira.
- A new, boutique resort opened on Santa Isabel Island. Papatura Island resort, a joint venture between locals and an Australian company, aims to cater to surfers, anglers and spearfisherman.
- The New Zealand-funded, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)-managed police housing project has kicked off, which will provide 34 houses to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. SKM will manage the tender process (tenders will be advertised by SKM and included on NZ GETS).
- Solomon Islands Central Tender Board has announced that NZ firm McConnell Dowell has been awarded the Makira sub-project of the Solomon Islands Rural Infrastructure Project (SIRIP-1). SIRIP-1 is funded by the New Zealand and Australian governments, and the Asian Development Bank. The contract is a complex road and bridge rehabilitation project which will run for approximately 2 years.
Disclaimer: while every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this newsletter is correct, it is drawn from open source reporting and the New Zealand High Commission accepts no liability for its accuracy, nor for any actions or omissions taken on the basis of this information.
Help us to make SoloBis relevant for you.
Send any feedback to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
NEW ZEALAND
High Commission
TE AKA AORERE
HONIARA
SoloBis
a bi-monthly round-up of Solomon Islands
business and economic developments,
December 2009
Welcome to the first edition of “SoloBis”, a bi-monthly newsletter prepared by the New Zealand
High Commission, Honiara. SoloBis outlines economic and business developments in
Solomon Islands of interest to New Zealand companies. In future it will be included on
the High Commission website (currently under construction). For further information
on any of these stories, please contact the New Zealand High Commission, Honiara:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In December the Solomon Islands Government formally opened its telecommunications market to competition and PNG-•
based bemobile has been announced as winning the second mobile licence. bemobile is expected to start operations
from April next year. The new Telecommunications Act opens the market to further competition from April 2011.
Project management positions for the Tina River hydro project are in the process of being filled. The project, jointly •
funded by the World Bank and European Investment Bank, aims to attract an independent power producer to build
and operate a medium-scale hydro plant on Guadalcanal. Discussions between the Solomon Islands government and
landowners over access rights are continuing.
The Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) opened a new School of Tourism and Hospitality in •
November.
Gold Ridge Mine: Allied Minerals’ friendly takeover of Australian Solomons Gold has now been completed and the •
company expects to resume production in Q1 2011, producing up to 150,000 ounces per annum; work is under way to
rehabilitate the mine site, with the de-watering of the tailings dam now commenced.
Solomon Airlines has leased a 36-seat Dash-8 from Airlines of PNG for two years to boost domestic capacity. The•
Dash-8 is making regular runs to the Western Province, Malaita and Makira.
A new, boutique resort opened on Santa Isabel Island. Papatura Island resort, a joint venture between locals and an •
Australian company, aims to cater to surfers, anglers and spearfisherman.
The New Zealand-funded, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI)-managed police housing project •
has kicked off, which will provide 34 houses to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force. SKM will manage the tender
process (tenders will be advertised by SKM and included on NZ GETS).
Solomon Islands Central Tender Board has announced that NZ firm McConnell Dowell has been awarded the Makira •
sub-project of the Solomon Islands Rural Infrastructure Project (SIRIP-1). SIRIP-1 is funded by the New Zealand and
Australian governments, and the Asian Development Bank. The contract is a complex road and bridge rehabilitation
project which will run for approximately 2 years.
Disclaimer: while every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this newsletter
is correct, it is drawn from open source reporting and the New Zealand High Commission
accepts no liability for its accuracy, nor for any actions or omissions taken on the basis of this
information.
Help us to make SoloBis relevant for you.
Send any feedback to:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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