DEAR EDITOR, Makira Premier, Stanley Siapu, has expressed his people’s desire for the DBSI’s re-opening during consultations by members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee Taskforce on DBSI in Kirakira last week.

During the consultation and awareness programmes, participants said the demise of DBSI has resulted in the country losing 15 years of development in the rural areas.

“It has marginalized our rural people from participating in economic activities because they cannot afford to borrow money from commercial banks,”

Premier Siapu said. The DCC Government has been urged to ensure that the DBSI is up and running before the dissolution of the current House and not to leave it to the next government after the National General Election.

It is said the Solomon Islands Government is so far pleased with the overwhelming support of the public for the revitalisation of the DBSI in the previous consultations in other Provinces.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT