THE Small Malaita Road Project Phase 2 received a significant boost on 12 February 2026 with the successful delivery of new road construction machinery and other essential consignments.
Delivered at the constituency onboard a chartered vessel, the delivery of this equipment and materials marks a major milestone in the project’s progress toward enhancing construction efficiency, improving safety standards, and furthering the development of crucial transport infrastructure in SMC.
Constituency Development Officer Mr. Brown Honimae said that the road roller compactor and grader machines were generously funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through the Rural Sustainable Development Program (RSDP), which is being implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD). A dump truck was funded by the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) under the Constituency Development Funds (CDF).
He added that other consignments funded under the CDF include fuel and lubricants for road operational use, water supply and sanitation materials, church building materials, and housing materials to support ongoing development initiatives within the constituency we also delivered at the constituency.
“The machinery and materials were officially received by the Road Project Camp Manager, Joe Sanau together with landowners and community leaders.
“The landowners and community leaders who were present during the arrival of the consignment have expressed their sincere appreciation on behalf of the people of Small Malaita to both the PRC and SIG for their continued support towards improving infrastructure and community development in the constituency.
The Road Project Camp Manager Joe Sanau also thanked the Small Malaita Constituency Office for facilitating the timely delivery of the machines and materials.
He acknowledged that the arrival of the equipment will greatly support the road construction work currently underway and contribute significantly to improving transportation, access to services, and overall living standards for communities across Small Malaita.
Meanwhile, CDO Honimae assured the Solomon Islands government and PRC that Small Malaita Constituency remains committed to ensuring that all machineries and other equipment are properly managed and effectively utilized to deliver sustainable and lasting benefits for the people and communities of Small Malaita.
The constituency office officially launched Phase II of its Road Infrastructure Program on July 9th, 2025, at Ou’oumatawa, Small Malaita.
This milestone was made possible through the active involvement of the Member of Parliament for SMC, Honourable Houenipwela.
CDO Honimae earlier explained that the original Phase 2 road project, which aimed to connect Rorongo to Tawaro in Asimeuri Ward was not completed due to land issues. This forced the constituency office to re-focus on a new road segment from Mwenio’a to Ro’one, marking a significant effort to develop infrastructure in Asimeuri Ward.
The primary goal of SMC’s development plan is to improve the socio-economic wellbeing of rural communities by providing access to government services and creating an enabling environment for economic opportunities.
Communities that are already connected to the road network include Ou’oumatawa, Tapa’atewa, Ruru’uhe, and Rorongo, which now have direct access to Matangasi Port. This is a major achievement for the constituency office under the leadership of Honourable Hou, as villagers can now travel and transport goods by motor vehicle from the seaport to their homes and vice versa.
The road project was constructed by a team directly employed by the Constituency Development Office, in accordance with Section 17 of the CDF Act 2023.
The SMC Road Infrastructure Project dates back to 2012, beginning with land consultations, public awareness campaigns, and mobilization of project teams. Technical work, including surveys, scoping, design, costing, and procurement of machinery, started from 2015 to 2016, with actual construction beginning in mid-2017. To date, the constituency has invested over SBD$20 million in the project, including works, machinery and labour.
CDF is a national program of the Solomon Islands Government (SIG), administered by MRD and implemented across 50 constituencies to improve the social and economic livelihoods of all Solomon Islanders. The Ministry of Rural Development’s vision is to empower all Solomon Islanders for self-sufficiency, improved livelihoods, and sustainable development.
MRD PRESS
