Minister for MID, Jimmy Lusibaea, said the special committee’s proposal is a fairly high level proposal that requires
amendment to the road Transport Act.

THE issue of short bus route in Honiara City was tabled in parliament on Tuesday by Hon Derick Manu’ari, MP for West Makira, specifically to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

Hon Manu’ari questioned what the DCCG is doing about the report of the special selected committee on the Honiara Short Bus Route that was tabled in August 2014.

Negative impact of short route buses over the years, the MP Manu’ari said affects residents of Honiara to an extreme level of productivity of negative outcomes at workplace and individual homes.

Mr Manu’ari points out many of them do not feel the effect of short bus route because every day they travel in their own vehicle, but people depend on public transport find it challenging.

The Minister for MID, Jimmy Lusibaea, said the special committee’s proposal is a fairly high level proposal that requires amendment to the road Transport Act in order to establish new proposed bus route body.

Minster Lusibaea said MID is yet to engage with relevant authorities relating to TA project to assist the Ministry to review the road transport act 2009.

“The amendment of the road transport act will enable establishment of a corporate body in accordance with the recommendation given that the Solomon Islands Government establishes an autonomous highway authority separate from the road transport board, in particular the highway authority.”

He said work is yet to start sometimes this year.

Mr Lusibaea said MID, Ministry of Commerce and HCC already had extensive discussion for developing bus route’s proposal, HCC suppose to developing new legal regulation framework to enable them relate the licence of the propose routes.

“So far MID come up with propose routes but HCC also to come up with a legal framework to regulate this licence and Ministry Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) yet to have produce an assessment and regulation processes,” Mr Lusibaea said.