HONIARA, (SOLOMON TIMES ONLINE) — The Solomon Islands Government has approved a flight from Guangzhou, China tomorrow (Friday 05 March 2021) bringing in workers to build the fourth University of the South Pacific (USP) Campus in Honiara.
Speaking on a radio talkback show, Secretary to Prime Minister, Dr Jimmie Rodgers says the flight will also bring workers from China Harbour who are on their way to Nauru.
“About 79 of them. They will not disembark here. They will stay on the plane en route to Nauru where they will undergo quarantine, said Dr Rodgers.
He said the fourth USP campus is a very important project for government.
A US$15.4 million ADB concessional loan, together with an ADB-administered grant of US$1.5 million from the Clean Energy Fund, will finance the new campus.
The Director of the Government Communication Unit has clarified workers coming from Guangzhou are highly skilled technical people needed for the construction of facilities for the Pacific Games and other infrastructure projects that the country needs.
“These are not ordinary workers. Locally we do not have such highly skilled people in the areas that they will be engaged in, in relation to the magnitude of the infrastructure projects that we expect”, George Herming told Solomon Times Online.
“Getting these skilled workers from China is just the beginning of the process of building facilities for the Games. That is why the government is arranging their travel to Solomon Islands, Herming said.
He said the government has assured that construction of facilities for the Games and other major infrastructure projects will also create jobs for locals.
“This will provide hundreds of job opportunities for locals. Government will only look outside of the country for highly skilled workers if we do not have local expertise, said Herming.
The USP Honiara Campus will provide additional classrooms, an ICT studio, science laboratories, as well as faculty and administrative facilities with a solar-powered system that will provide 75 percent of the campus’ energy needs. ADB has said that this will enhance ICT-based education, improve student services, and help strengthen USP governance and management.
An anchor student programme in public health is being planned, as well as a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The new campus will also offer technical and vocational education and training….. PACNEWS