DEAR Editor,

PLEASE allow me space to share my concern as a student from Small Malaita on the Small Malaita road condition.

Twenty plus years after the EEC road project carried out a full maintance on the road and bridges, there are no road work carried out to date.

Its condition is very poor since these vehicles have not travelled on it for the last decade.

Wore down bridges, bushes grew high and all over, poor drainage system with parts of it already affected by sea level rise is what is left for now.

Today, accessibility to health services can only be on foot or OBM to Afio and small clinics along the road.

Those in the highlands usually walk down to coastal areas to access health services since most clinics are along the coast.

Even primary schools students have to walk more than an hour and swim across rivers to attend classes.

It’s sad and shameful to see such denial of vital services for our own people.

Apart from Afio to Olusuu, there are no further developments along this road and to other parts of the Island

since the 70’s.

The current MP for Small Malaita is understood bought some machines to maintain and build new roads; but unfortunately no work has been carried out to this date.

Road is an important infrastructure everywhere.

It provides access to much of our needed services – health, schools, and economic activities to name a few.

I urge the responsible authorities to urgently work on the road and bridges to help our people from small Malaita.

Willie Masura’a

USP Solomon Islands

Campus

Honiara.