WASHINGTON: Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Port of Kaohsiung in Taiwan last month. The MOU was sealed on September 25 by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Solomon Islands Ports Authority Eranda Kotelewala and the vice-president and CEO of Kaohsiung Port, Taiwan International Ports Corp Shao-Liang Chen. It was witnessed by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Taiwan’s Foreign Affairs Minister David Lee, SIPA Chairman Billy Titiulu and SIPA Directors Johnny Sy and Humphrey Tura.
SIPA CEO Kotelawala told Solomon Star yesterday that this was a historic achievement for the country’s leading SOE. “This is the first sister port MoU with one of the largest ports in the world,” he said. He said that the MoU sets out areas for corporation between the two ports. “This MoU will promote and develop greater understanding, friendship, and trade opportunities between the Port of Kaohsiung and the ports of Honiara and Noro. “Through this sister port relationship, the Port of Kaohsiung and the Port of Honiara mutually agree to conduct exchanges of information and personnel related to port development, administration and operations in order to enhance mutual understanding,” Mr Kotelawala said. The SIPA CEO said the benefits expected from MoU are the enhancement of the traditional friendship between the Republic of China and Solomon Islands and fostering of greater mutual prosperity and growth by the sharing of information and ideas regarding port planning, infrastructure and technology. Meanwhile, Mr Kotelawala reiterated to the nation that under his management, SIPA made a lot of improvement and he is committed to take the SOE to newer heights under its reforms. “The situation is now different and we are strengthening everything possible way to safeguard the company and improve the business. SIPA is now moving ahead and more development is expected.
