Western Provincial Government

Day 2 of the western provincial assembly is today.

Order paper 35/26
1. Opening Prayer
2. Message & Announcement
3. Debate on the draft budget appropriation estimates 2026/2027 (Bill)
4. 3rd Reading (Committee of Suppliers 2026/27 (Bill)
5. Adjournment

📢 Pre-Bid Briefing Notice

Prospective contractors and interested parties are hereby informed that a Pre-Bid Briefing will be held for projects that are currently out on tender.

The briefing will provide an overview of the scope of works, procurement requirements, and allow for clarifications prior to bid submission. Attendance is highly encouraged for all bidders.

Invitation to Tender

Tenders are invited for:
The Supply of materials, vehicles and construction work for the following listed projects for the Western Provincial Government at their respective location in and around Western Province.

Tender documents can be inspected free of charge at the Planning Office in Western Provincial Government Head Office at Gizo. Tender Instruction can be obtained by application (mail, telephone, e-mail or direct application) quoting the Contract Number and Name to: Patrick Toiraena, Chairman Western Provincial Tender Board, Western Provincial Government, P. O. Box 36, Gizo, Western Province, Tel: (677) 60920, Email: [email protected].

Other contacts: Charlis Koroni Tel: (677) 7173504 and, Email: [email protected], Joseph Haga Tel: (677) 749 5343 and Email: [email protected] or Ramsey Ofainu Tel: (677) 8574436 and Email: [email protected].

A charge of SBD $100 will be made for acquiring both soft copies and hard copies of the tender documents for works contracts.
Any tenders received after the closing time will not be considered. Check the tender document for when the tender is closing. For goods contracts, some of the tenders are closing at 4 pm on Wednesday 11th February 2026 and some are closing at 4pm on Wednesday 18th February 2026. All the tenders for works contracts are closing at 2pm Friday 27th February 2026.
All prospective tenderers are encouraged to attend briefing to be held at Gizo Provincial HQ at 10am on 6th February 2026 prior to site visits.

The Western Provincial Government is not bound to accept the lowest or any tender. Failure to comply with the tender instructions may lead to disqualification of the tender.
Any attempt by a tenderer to influence the award of the tender in their favour will cause automatic disqualification and may lead to criminal proceedings.

Why Road Maintenance in Gizo Is Costly – An Explanation to Our People

We would like to clarify why road maintenance works in Gizo are expensive and why progress can sometimes feel slow.

Unlike other town/city, most of the materials needed for road works in Gizo must be shipped in. This includes aggregates, tar/bitumen, and even heavy machinery. Shipping alone significantly increases costs compared to places like Noro or Honiara, where materials are more readily available.

Based on technical estimates prepared for Gizo roads, the average cost to rehabilitate 1 kilometre of road is approximately SBD 2.8 million per kilometer (SBD2,783,160). This cost is specific to Gizo and does not apply to other towns.

Is Gizo road maintenance a priority?
Yes, it is a priority. However, the Fixed Service Grant (FSG) we receive from the Solomon Islands Government and Own Revenue collected is largely used to cover operational costs of essential services, leaving very limited funding for major infrastructure works.

For this financial year, under our Capital Budget (IEDCR), we are only able to allocate SBD 1.5 million for road works in Gizo. This is because we must also address pressing development needs from other wards across the province as well.

What is being done?
Our Works and Planning Divisions are working closely with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) and CAUSE Project II to ensure that critical sections of the Gizo roads are addressed first, while we continue to seek additional support and funding.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work within these financial realities while trying to improve our road infrastructure for everyone. 🤝

— Western Provincial Government
End//

Ward 10 Project Handover & Opening | Leona Church

The Western Provincial Government is pleased to acknowledge the handover and official opening of the Leona Church project in Ward 10 on 31st December 2025.

This important community project was partly funded under the Ward Development Grant (WDG) for ward 10, to support the contributions from the Leona community and church congregation. It reflects what can be achieved through strong local leadership, community ownership, and partnership.

Western Provincial Government congratulates the Ward Development Committee (WDC), the Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), and the people of Leona for this great initiative and collaboration.

It is encouraging to see small but meaningful developments taking place at the ward level, improving community spaces and strengthening social and spiritual life.

Together, we continue to build our communities, one project at a time.

👏 Well done Ward 10 MPA, WDC and Leona Community!

Provincial Government Budget & Planning Calendar – Important Information

Did you know that planning for the 2026/2027 Financial Year starts now?

Ward Level Planning
In January each year, Communities are encouraged to meet and identify their community felt needs and submit their identified priorities to their Ward Development Committees. The Ward Development Committees (WDCs) are then expected to meet in their respective wards to:
✔️ Discuss community needs and challenges
✔️ Identify and agree on priority projects
✔️ Ensure community voices are included in development planning

📍 Western Province WDC Meetings
All Ward Development Committees in Western Province are expected to convene their ward meetings between:
🗓 19 – 30 January 2026

📊 From Planning to Budgeting
The priorities identified by WDCs in January will be submitted through the Participatory planning process and considered for inclusion in the FY2026/27 Provincial Budget.

Financial Year Timeline
➡️ FY2026/27 begins in April 2026 and ends in March 2027.
This early planning ensures that projects reflected in the budget truly respond to community needs across the Province.

📌 Community participation matters. We encourage ward members, chiefs, women, youth, and community representatives to take part actively in these meetings.

📢 PUBLIC NOTICE: WPG OFFICE CLOSURE – CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR 2025/2026

The Western Provincial Government (WPG) wishes to inform the general public of the office closure schedule for the Christmas and New Year period (See table below).

📌 Normal office operations will resume on Monday 5 January 2026.

Western Provincial Government takes this opportunity to wish all residents of Western Province a joyful and blessed Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation throughout the year.

📍 Issued by Western Provincial Government

Public Announcement❗️

Courtesy Call by Premier of Isabel Province Hon. Lawrence Hayward and His Executive to Western Provincial Government

The Premier of Isabel Province, Hon. Lawrence Hayward, and his executive team arrived in Gizo yesterday following an official invitation from Western Province Premier Hon. Billy Veo. The delegation is visiting ahead of the Western Province Second Appointed Day to participate in the upcoming Western Province Day celebrations, scheduled for Monday 8th December at the Seghe Sub-station.

Their early arrival also provides an opportunity for the Isabel Provincial Government to learn from Western Province’s development initiatives, particularly in the tourism sector. Premier Hayward expressed appreciation to Premier Veo for extending the invitation, noting that the relationship between the two provinces is deeply rooted in history. He highlighted that ties between Isabel and Western Provinces date back to the headhunting era when Tomoko war canoes travelled between the islands, resulting in inter-marriages, shared bloodlines, and common cultural connections. These long-standing traditional links continue to demonstrate the strong bond between the two provinces today.

Premier Billy Veo welcomed the delegation and thanked Premier Hayward for accepting the invitation. He said he looks forward to joining the Isabel leaders and the wider community during the Western Province Day celebrations at Seghe.

During their visit, the Isabel Provincial delegation will tour KFPL, SolTuna Limited, and Fat Boys Resort before proceeding to Seghe for the official celebrations.

Photo: Group photo of Isabel Province Delegation with Western Provincial Executive members.

END//

🌴💙 A Brief History of Western Province (1983 – Today) 💙🌴
Western Province has come a long way since Solomon Islands gained independence in 1978. Here’s a simple look at our journey — full of growth, resilience, and iconic achievements. From becoming an official province in 1983 to the strong and vibrant region it is today.

📅 1983 – Western Province Officially Established
While Solomon Islands became independent in 1978, Western Province was officially recognized as its own province in 1983. Gizo was confirmed as the provincial capital, and the province began building its local governance systems across its established wards.

🏛️ 1980s – Building the Province
Local government systems were strengthened, services in the community and ward level expanded, transport, schools, and clinics improved. Tourism began to take off, especially in Gizo and Marovo Lagoon.

🌿 1990s – Economic Growth Takes Off
Western Province became an economic powerhouse:
• Logging expanded across Kolombangara, Vella Lavella, and New Georgia
• Solomon Tayio Ltd Factory in Noro grew into a major national employer and tuna-processing hub
• Noro Port upgrades boosted shipping, fisheries, and export capacity and declared second international port.
• Tourism, agriculture, and fisheries strengthened local livelihoods

⚠️ 1998–2003 – Ethnic Tensions & Border Security Issues
Although the ethnic tension was centred in Guadalcanal, the Shortlands border became a high-security zone.
• Movement between PNG and Solomon Islands had to be closely monitored
• Police and communities worked together to control illegal crossings
Despite the challenges, Western Province remained stable and supported national peace efforts.

🕊️ 2000s – Recovery & Development
With RAMSI restoring order, businesses, tourism, and travel bounced back. The province also saw:
• Growing concerns about logging
• Stronger provincial administration
• Solomon Taiyo Ltd changed its name to Soltuna Ltd and continued expansion fueling employment and exports
• WPG though it’s business arm WPIC purchased a Ship and named it ‘Tomoko'

🚧 2010s – Major Infrastructure Improvements
The province entered a new chapter of modern development:
• Munda Airport was upgraded to international standard, opening new pathways for tourism and travel
• Capital development funding (through PCDF and sector grants) improved administration buildings, clinics, schools, market houses and water systems
• Enhanced network coverage that reached more communities

🦠 2020–2022 – COVID-19 Challenges & Border Security
COVID-19 brought new pressures:
• Tourism collapsed
• Inter-island movements were restricted
• The Shortlands border became a major frontline for national border control
• Communities relied heavily on gardening and fisheries to stay resilient
• Noro Port became the first "e-port" in the Pacific region for digital catch documentation in June 2021, a project which enhanced its international fishing port operations.

🚀 2023 – Today: Rebuilding & Moving Forward
Western Province is now focused on:
• Rebuilding tourism
• Investing in more economic infrastructures
• Expanding & improving infrastructures like roads, wharves, schools and clinics
• Strengthening ward development through the Ward Development Grant, and advocating for WASH in communities.
• Supporting the growth of Noro and other planned economic developments/sites.
• Enhancing disaster and climate resilience in remote islands assisting communities to develop risk informed plans and development

🌺 Western Province — rich history, strong people, vibrant culture, and a bright future ahead. 🌺