Solomon Islands Begin Big Clean-Up

The Solomon Islands Government Meteorological Service having sounded the all-clear and flood waters around Honiara having dissipated, the destination has gone into overdrive with full clean-up operations taking place across the length and breadth of the island nation.

Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto said despite the damage caused to large parts of Honiara when the Mataniko River burst its banks, the capital city’s main hotels had in the main “escaped relatively unscathed” and were continuing to provide full services to guests.

Mr Tuamoto said all international and domestic flights were back to normal and the roads in and around Honiara open to traffic.

“Although traffic is slow in and out of town due to the Mataniko Bridge having only one lane, there is a major infrastructure assessment already taking place to look at how the situation can continue to be improved,” he said.

Mr Tuamoto will depart Honiara later this week for a tour of the areas beyond the capital and also visit the outer islands to glean a first-hand impression of how the regional tourism infrastructure has fared following the devastating floods and earthquake which struck last weekend.

“This was without doubt one of the worst natural disasters – if not the worst ever – to have hit this country but I amazed with the tenacity and the passion that the people have to support each other in this time of duress,” he said. “It’s definitely not business as usual, we have a lot to do and it will take time but a huge amount of progress has already been made and its full speed ahead for the clean up.”