FORMER City Councillor and Elder of White River Community says land issues affecting Honiara residents need collective ideas and support from responsible authorities to come up with proper solutions.

Speaking to this paper, Mr Charles Lesimaoma said it is time for the government, Honiara City Council, leaders of Guadalcanal provincial government and three members of parliament looking after Honiara to sit together and look at possibilities that would address land issues that affect the increasing population of Honiara.

He strongly emphasised that these important stakeholders must revisit the existing legal boundary of Honiara City to see if the capacity is capable of accommodating development and also that trend of people who migrate from province to seek better living in Honiara.

Mr Lesimaoma said people migration has been increasing over the past years and this leads to the establishment of squatters.

“I want to call on the government, Honiara City Council, three Members of Parliament looking after people who reside in Honiara and more importantly Leaders of Guadalcanal Province to discuss what needs to be done to address this issue.

“It is also important and timely if the government and these responsible stakeholders to let the public know the legal boundary of Honiara, this will help people to know the limited legal line of Honiara boundary and at the same stop people from entering and settling illegally on customary land outside of Honiara legal boundary,” he said.

Mr Lesimaoma said the government must also address any existing demand of Landowners and tribes who own the land where Honiara is situated.

He emphasised that the government must pay all the dues that belong to the landowners to maintain the existing legal boundary or extending the boundary.

Mr Lesimaoma also said that the existing Lands and Title Act is too old and needs be reviewed to accommodate potential solutions to issues of today.

Meanwhile, he said the government needs to decentralise developments to stop people migrating to Honiara.

Mr Lesimaoma said the increasing squatters indicates that developments have been centralised in Honiara and that the government needs to start thinking about decentralising developments.

“I think, one solution to address this is to decentralise economic development so that people access services in their respective provinces, homes and communities.

“I suggests decentralising economic development should be a priority for the current government as alternative approach to address this issues,” he said.

Mr Lesimaoma reiterated that land issue in Honiara can only be addressed if the government decentralises development and also establish a taskforce which includes Honiara City Council, the government, leaders of Guadalcanal and members of Parliament looking after Honiara to find proper strategy to fairly accommodate Honiara residence in peace and unity.