Solomon Islands-National Urban Profile

8/14/2019 Solomon Islands-National Urban Profile

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SOLOMON ISLANDS:

NAIONAL URBAN PROFILE


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Copyright United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), 2012All rights reserved

United Nations Human Settlements Programme publications can be obtained from

UN-Habitat Regional and Information Offices or directly from:P.O. Box 30030, GPO 00100 Nairobi, Kenya.

Fax: + (254 20) 762 4266/7

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.unhabitat.org

Te national urban profile was prepared by ony Hou with information collected through interviews and a consultationmeeting held with key urban stakeholders in Honiara. UN-Habitat wishes to thank them for their time and effort and theircontributions to this report. Tis project and report were coordinated by Donald Kudu (the UN-Habitat DevelopmentPolicy Adviser at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey) with the support of Mr. Stanley Waleanisia, PermanentSecretary of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey; and the constructive inputs provided by Sarah Mecartney,UN-Habitat Pacific Programme Manager based in Suva, Fiji, and Chris Radford, Senior Human Settlements Officer,UN-Habitat Regional Office for the Pacific.

HS Number: HS/055/13E

ISBN Number(Series): 978-92-1-132023-7

ISBN Number:(Volume) 978-92-1-132586-7

DISCLAIMER

Te designation employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of anyopinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory,city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic systemor degree of development. Te analysis, conclusions and recommendations of the report do not necessarily reflect theviews of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Governing Council of UN-Habitat or itsMember States. Tis document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. Te views expressedherein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.

Excerpts from this publication may be reproduced without authorisation, on condition that the source is indicated.

Photo credits: UN-Habitat

ACKNOWLEDGEMENS

Editing: Edward Miller

Design and Layout: Eugene Papa

Printing: UNON/Publishing Services Section/Nairobi, ISO 14001:2004-Certified


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORDS 5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7

INTRODUCTION 10

BASIC URBAN SERVICES 13

GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL LINKS 17

INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS AND HOUSING 20

URBAN SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 23

LOCAL ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT 25

URBAN LAND AND PLANNING 27

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 30

CONCLUSION 33

REFERENCES 45

ENDNOTES 45

SOLOMON ISLANDS:NAIONAL URBAN PROFILE

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC


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FOREWORDS


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According toresearch publishedin UN-Habitats1flagship report, TeState of the WorldsCities 2010-2011,all developingregions, includingthe African,Caribbean andPacific states, willhave more peopleliving in urban thanrural areas by theyear 2030. With

half the worldspopulation already living in urban areas, the challengeswe face in the battle against urban poverty, our quest forcities without slums, for cities where women feel safer,for inclusive cities with power, water and sanitation,and affordable transport, for better planned cities, andfor cleaner, greener cities is daunting.

But as this series shows, there are many interestingsolutions and best practices to which we can turn. Afterall, the figures tell us that during the decade 2000 to2010, a total of 227 million people in the developingcountries moved out of slum conditions. In other

words, governments, cities and partner institutions have

collectively exceeded the slum target of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals twice over and ten years ahead ofthe agreed 2020 deadline.

Asia and the Pacific stood at the forefront of successfulefforts to reach the slum target, with all governmentsin the region improving the lives of an estimated 172million slum dwellers between 2000 and 2010.

In sub-Saharan Africa though, the total proportionof the urban population living in slums has decreasedby only 5 per cent (or 17 million people). Ghana,Senegal, Uganda, and Rwanda were the most successfulcountries in the sub-region, reducing the proportions ofslum dwellers by over one-fifth in the last decade.

Some 13 per cent of the progress made towards theglobal slum target occurred in Latin America and theCaribbean, where an estimated 30 million people havemoved out of slum conditions since the year 2000.

Yet, UN-Habitat estimates confirm that the progressmade on the slum target has not been sufficient tocounter the demographic expansion in informalsettlements in the developing world. In this sense,efforts to reduce the numbers of slum dwellers areneither satisfactory nor adequate.

1 UN-Habitat - United Nations Human Settlements Programme

As part of our drive to address this crisis, UN-Habitatis working with the European Commission and theBrussels-based Secretariat of the African, Caribbeanand Pacific (ACP) Group to support sustainable urbandevelopment. Given the urgent and diverse needs, wefound it necessary to develop a tool for rapid assessmentand strategic planning to guide immediate, mid andlong-term interventions. And here we have it in theform of this series of publications.

Te Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme is basedon the policy dialogue between UN-Habitat, the ACPSecretariat and the European Commission which datesback to the year 2002. When the three parties met atUN-Habitat headquarters in June 2009, more than 200

delegates from over 50 countries approved a resoundingcall on the international community to pay greaterattention to these urbanization matters, and to extendthe slum upgrading programme to all countries in the

ACP Group.

It is worth recalling here how grateful we are that theEuropean Commissions 9th European DevelopmentFund for ACP countries provided EUR 4 million (USD5.7 million at June 2011 rates) to enable UN-Habitatto conduct the programme which now serves 59 citiesin 23 African countries, and more than 20 cities in sixPacific, and four Caribbean countries.

Indeed, since its inception in 2008, the slum upgradingprogramme has achieved the confidence of partners atcity and country level in Africa, the Caribbean and inthe Pacific. It is making a major contribution aimedat helping in urban poverty reduction efforts, as eachreport in this series shows.

I wish to express my gratitude to the EuropeanCommission and the ACP Secretariat for theircommitment to this slum upgrading programme. Ihave every confidence that the results outlined in thisprofile, and others, will serve to guide the developmentof responses for capacity building and investments inthe urban sector.

Further, I would like to thank each Country eam fortheir continued support to this process which is essentialfor the successful implementation of the ParticipatorySlum Upgrading Programme.

Dr. Joan Clos

Executive Director, UN-Habitat

FOREWORDS


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FOREWORDS

Urbanization inSolomon Islands isa relatively recentp h e n o m e n o n .However, rapidpopulation growthhas meant that bythe time of the 2009census, almost 20per cent (102,030)of the countrys totalpopulation livedin urban and peri-urban areas. Withan annual urban

growth rate of 4.7per cent, it is projected that by 2020, about 25 per centof the countrys population will be living in urban areasif the present trend continues.

Rapid urban sector profiling studies have beenundertaken in Solomon Islands by the Ministry of Lands,Housing and Survey with the support of UN-Habitatand financed by the European Commission. o date,three city profiles for Honiara, Gizo and Auki havebeen completed and published. Te present report setsout the national urban profile, consisting of a generalbackground and a synthesis of six themes: governanceand institutional links, infrastructure development,

informal settlements and housing, local economy andemployment, urban land and planning and urbansecurity and environmental safety.

Te overall intention of the participatory slumupgrading programme is to assist developing countriesin the Pacific region to identify their urban conditions,priority needs and capacity gaps and to ascertain howinstitutions are responding to these issues, so as to beable to measure the seriousness of urban problems andthe gaps in response to those problems and comparethem to the standards required by the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. In addition, the intention is tobring those problems to the surface so that correctivemeasures can be taken to improve substandardconditions and reduce the overall levels of poverty.

Te identification of the thematic areas is crucial forplanning, coordination and channelling of fundsfrom both national and international sources and forimplementation of urban programmes and projects. Tegrowing recognition by the Government of Solomon

Islands of the importance of the proper managementof urbanization and its perceived role as an engine fornational growth will obviously attract attention towardsallocation of its share of funds and institutional capacity-building towards raising the urbanization profile to itsrightful place in the development of Solomon Islands.

Te cross-cutting, participatory nature of rapid urbansector profiling studies is important for the planning andidentification of projects for cities in Solomon Islands,for their joint funding by national, provincial and locallevel government and international donor agencies. Testudies are important because of their focus on priorityissues and because they take a relatively short time toprepare. Teir role as a prerequisite for the lengthy

preparation of an urban development plan can assuretheir place in a more holistic urban planning approachand may provide a short-term solution to some criticalurban issues.

Te national profile will assist the national Governmentto identify key urban issues to be included in its overallstrategic planning and contribute national efforts toachieving Millennium Development Goal 7, targetC (to reduce by half the number of people withoutsustainable access to safe drinking water) and target D(to achieve significant improvements in the lives of atleast 100 million people living in informal settlementsby 2020). As part of the efforts of the Government

to achieve Millennium Development Goal 7, theMinistry of Lands, Housing and Survey has includedin its corporate plan a policy intention to convert alltemporary occupation licences to fixed term estates by2020 (source: Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey,2010).

I support Solomon Islands national urban profile andlook forward to further interventions from UN-Habitat(and other partners) to support the efforts and plans toimprove the image and progress of urban developmentin our country.

Joseph Onika

Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Urban proling is an accelerated and action-orientedassessment of needs and capacity-building at citylevel. It is currently being implemented in over 20countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacicand uses a structured approach where priorityinterventions are agreed upon through consultative

processes.

The urban proling methodology consists of threephases:

(1) completion of a rapid participatory urban profile atnational and local levels, focusing on urban thematicareas and proposed interventions;

(2) detailed priority proposals; and

(3) project implementation. In the Pacific region, thePacific Urban Agenda2was endorsed by leaders ofthe Pacific Island Forum in 2005.

Urban profiling in Solomon Islands includes a nationalprofile and profiles for Honiara, Gizo and Auki, eachpublished as a separate report. Te present report sets outthe national urban profile, which constitutes a synthesisof six themes, namely governance and institutional links,infrastructure development, informal settlements andhousing, local economy and employment, urban landand planning and urban security and environmentalsafety.

BACKGROUND

Urban profiling in Solomon Islands started in 2011,following a partnership agreement made between theGovernment of Solomon Islands and UN-Habitat inresponse to the sustainable development challenges ofrapid urbanization. Solomon Islands has one of thehighest annual urban growth rates (4.7 per cent) in thePacific. Tis is putting immense pressure on urban servicedelivery, which is already in short supply and decliningin Solomon Islands towns. Urban infrastructureand services, such as roads, drainage systems, power,housing, health and education services, solid wastemanagement, water and sanitation have deteriorated

over the years due to minimal maintenance andimprovement. Tese problems have been exacerbated bya lack of urban policies or city development strategies, alack of skilled human resources and poor managementand weak governance at all levels of government in mosttowns, paving the way for the rising growth of informalsettlements and failing infrastructure.

Te national urban profile for Solomon Islands is thefirst long-term documented advocacy tool that aims toencourage a policy shift towards improving the urbanplanning and management of towns to achieve desiredoutcomes for the country. Te report discusses thefollowing key urban development challenges, which

emerged from the Honiara, Gizo and Auki urban profiles. Governance and institutional links

Informal settlements and housing


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Local economy and employment

Urban security and environmental safety

Urban land and planning

Infrastructure development

Achieving progress in resolving these key urbandevelopment issues will play a crucial role intransforming towns into productive and liveable places.

GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONAL LINKS

Effective governance and strong institutional links

between the national Government, local authoritiesand other stakeholders is vital to achieving better servicedelivery in towns. Local authorities play a critical role inshaping and managing urban centres or towns throughthe provision and maintenance of services such asmarkets, education, health, recreational areas, physicalplanning, drainage clearance and waste management.However, for too long they have been poorly resourcedand ill-equipped to execute such roles effectively.

As a result, the urban authorities in most towns,including Honiara city, continue to face inadequatetechnical capacity and resources to better address urbanplanning and management issues. Weak public sector

financial management and institutional links, coupledwith a lack of a national urban vision, have contributedto poor service delivery and urban development intowns. Tis is further affected by poor local revenuecollection, limited financial support from the nationalGovernment and the lack of a lead agency with acommitted and credible leadership to lead urbanreform.

A number of local authorities have recently benefitedfrom donor-supported projects such as the ProvincialGovernment Strengthening Programme (supportedby the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), the Honiara City Council InstitutionalStrengthening project (CLGF/New Zealand) and theRapid Employment Project (World Bank) aimed atstrengthening and improving institutional and basicservice delivery capacity. While some local authoritieshave noticed improved internal revenue collection andmanagement practices, there is still a need for effectiveand efficient urban governance and strong institutionallinks to further improve and sustain service delivery inurban centres.

INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS AND HOUSING

In spite of informal settlements painting an unsightlypicture in the towns, they continue to provide affordablehouses for almost 35 per cent of the lower and middle-

income earners in urban centres. Informal settlershave continued to improve their homes (illegally) overthe years, resulting in a mixture of housing quality inthese informal settlements, despite the lack of tenuresecurity over the land they are occupying. Housingshortage and high rental costs in the city have drivenan increasing number of middle and high-incomeearners into informal settlements, exacerbating healthand social issues, as these areas are often lacking in keyurban services, such as water and sanitation. Housingand access to land is a critical component for the overallmanagement and strategic planning for towns or urbancentres.

LOCAL ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT

owns are the engines for economic growth, as theyprovide greater social and economic opportunities forthe people. Local authorities receive internal revenuefrom formal economic activities in towns, but thesefunds are insufficient to provide capital works andmaintain quality services to urban residents.

Rapid urban population growth outstrips job creationthrough the formal sector in the urban centres,especially in Honiara, leading to high unemploymentand increasing urban poverty. Employment creation ismost likely to take place in the urban informal sector,

providing job opportunities for people without a formaleducation and linking the rural and urban economiesthrough food production, remittances and circularmigration. Te informal sector needs to be supportedby policy as an important source of livelihood in urbanareas.

URBAN SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENT

A high rate of youth unemployment and an increasingeconomic gap between the rich and the poor, coupled

with low policing capacity and poor resources, has givenrise to urban safety and security concerns in towns,especially in Honiara. Tis has wider repercussions forthe local and national economy, for investment andfor the social well-being of urban communities. Urbansecurity and safety are integral to achieving sustainableurban development.

Te urban environment has undergone muchtransformation, with the rapid growth of urban centresand the development of a built environment. Someurban space is becoming hazardous and unliveable- most visible in housing developments on steepslopes, river banks, swampy areas and gullies. Teauthorities (local and national) need to ensure that

towns are protected by incorporating environmentalrisk reduction and climate change considerations intourban planning.


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INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Te national Government is responsible for thedevelopment of major urban and rural infrastructuresand services. Its top priority (as defined in the nationaldevelopment strategy 2011-2020) is to develop therural areas and improve market linkages to urbanareas. Connecting rural areas with reliable services inurban areas is a real challenge due to the geographicaldispersion of settlements and the topography of thecountry. As a result, most communities have difficultyaccessing quality health care, education, water andadequate transport. Whilst the national Governmenthas helped to shape thecountrys urban centres, thereis still weak investment, coordination and an increaseddependency on the national Government, resulting in adecline in infrastructure in all provincial towns.

Building better roads to link rural and urban areasoffers benefits to both through improved livelihoods.Many rural problems of poverty, food security andenvironmental issues in Solomon Islands cannot besolved without strengthening urban-rural linkages.Unfortunately, rural and urban institutions continue tobe seen as two quite separate issues by policymakers.In fact, they are linked together through economicdevelopment, food production, remittances and circularmigration.

Local authorities lack the capacity and resources to implementpolicies and plans effectively by themselves. Partnershipapproaches to urban management and planning are thereforecritical.

URBAN LAND AND PLANNING

Land plays a critical part in all forms of developmentand is both in short supply of developable landin urban centres, especially in Honiara city; andat risk of the low capacity to make land availablefor development. The limited supply of state landhinders the provision of adequate (serviced) housingand determines the issue of security of tenure andaffordability. This problem is further exacerbated bya poor work ethic, corrupt practices and weak landadministration, resulting in huge land rental arrears,an inconsistency in the implementation of plans suchas the conversion of temporary occupation licences,lack of progress towards achieving MillenniumDevelopment Goal 7, target F3and illegal occupationof state land.

Most land that can be developed adjacent to urbancentres is in customary land ownership. Customaryland is only alienable through long and complex

procedures. The Government has no jurisdiction overcustomary land unless the landowners have enteredinto an agreement through a formal lease with theGovernment for use of the land.

owns in Solomon Islands suffer from poor physicalplanning, as evidenced by the lack of a land use policyor plans and strategies to effectively address the growing

planning issues in towns (transportation and roadnetworks, failing infrastructure, an absence of greenand recreational spaces and poor housing standards).Planning is done in a piecemeal manner with little or noconnection to other sectoral plans or consultation withservice providers and communities. Te key challengesare to improve land administration and strengthenplanning capacity, as well as develop inclusive planningframeworks between government agencies, serviceproviders and communities (including customary andurban land owners).


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BACKGROUND

0

Urban profiling is a rapid, action-oriented assessmentof urban conditions, focusing on priorities, capacity-building gaps and existing institutional responses at thelocal and national levels.

Te purpose of the urban profile is to support theformulation of urban poverty reduction policies at localand national levels through an assessment of needsand response mechanisms and as a contribution tothe wider-ranging implementation of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals.

It is based on an analysis of existing data and a seriesof interviews with urban stakeholders, including

local communities and institutions, civil societyorganizations, the private sector, development partners,academics and others. Tis consultation typicallyresults in a collective agreement on priorities and theirintegration into work plans and strategies, includingproposed capacity-building components, all aimed aturban poverty reduction.

METHODOLOGY

Urban profiling in Solomon Islands consists of a nationalprofile and profiles for three cities: Honiara, Gizo in

Western Province and Auki in Malaita Province. Each

urban profile is published as a separate report.Te Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey conducteda national city consultation, which engaged stakeholdersin the profiling process. Te intention is to devise a

partnership framework with urban stakeholders in asingle response strategy to enable the Ministry and localauthorities to improve their efforts to better plan andmanage towns. Urban profiling consists of three phases:

Phase 1 deals with the collection of informationand opinions of urban stakeholders at national andcity levels and examines governance structures andapproaches in selected thematic areas in order toagree on priority interventions and to develop briefproposals through broad-based city consultations,using a SWO analysis technique.

Phase 2 builds on the priorities identified through

pre-feasibility studies and develops detailed plans forcapacity-building and capital investment projects.

Phase 3 implements the projects developed duringthe two earlier phases, with an emphasis on skillsdevelopment, institutional strengthening andreplication.

Tis report presents the outcomes of Phase 1 at thenational level in Solomon Islands and consists of:

A general background section on the urbansector in Solomon Islands based on the keyissues identified in Honiara, Gizo and Aukiin interviews, focus group discussions anda national consultation workshop held inHoniara in August 2012.

A synthetic assessment of six thematic areas governance and institutional links, informal

INTRODUCTION


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settlements and housing, local economy andemployment, urban security and environment,urban land and planning and infrastructuredevelopment in terms of their structures,regulatory framework, resource mobilization,accountability and performance. Tis sectionalso highlights agreed priorities and includes alist of identified projects.

A SWOT analysis and an outline of priorityproject proposals for each of the key areas. Teproject briefs are to be found at the end of thereport. Te proposals include beneficiaries,partners, estimated costs, objectives andactivities.

URBANIZATION IN SOLOMON ISLANDS

Urbanization in Solomon Islands is growing steadily(see figure 1 below). Te 2009 census revealed thatannual urban growth of 4.7 per cent exceeds thenational population growth of 2.3 per cent, indicatingthe growing importance of the urban areas - theheart of socioeconomic growth and future prosperity.However, there is little or no recognition of this trendby policymakers, as it is being overshadowed by a focuson the 80 per cent of the population who live in ruralareas and a lack of recognition of the interconnectivityof the two areas. As a result, urban issues have not been

presented as priorities of the national Government inrecent years.

No country in the industrial age has ever achievedsignificant economic growth without urbanization.Urbanization is the increase in the urban share of thenational population, which is associated with the influxof rural population into towns as well as with naturalgrowth. Te rural-urban migration is the key drivingforce, which is often difficult to restrict but it can also be

positive as well. Te rapid growth of poverty, informalsettlements and social disruption in towns does painta threatening picture. Cities and towns concentratepoverty, but they also provide the best opportunity forescaping it.

Te urban population of Solomon Islands in 2009 was102,030, representing about 20 per cent of the nationalpopulation. Tis figure included the peri-urban areasthroughout the country. With an annual urban growthrate of 4.7 per cent, it is projected that, by 2020, about25 per cent of the countrys population will be living inurban areas. Te rapid annual growth rate of the urbanpopulation has outpaced and continues to outstrip theinstitutional, administrative and financial capacity ofthe national Government, provincial authorities andservice providers to cope with the demands of rapidurbanization.

Solomon Islands has yet to officially define an urbanarea, but it refers to centres with high population density,a concentration of services and facilities, a formalgovernment administration and high dependency onthe cash economy. In the absence of a formal definitionof an urban area, the National Statistics Office regardsHoniara and its peri-urban areas and the provincialtowns as urban areas. Given the economic and socialimportance of these locations, there is an urgent need

for more attention to be given to urban planning andmanagement of the city in terms of technical capacityand resources.

As the population of Honiara increases, people are nowresiding on customary land in Guadalcanal Province,outside the town boundary. Te 16 per cent urbangrowth rate in Guadalcanal Province, as indicated bythe 2009 national census, is linked to the return ofpeople displaced from Guadalcanal during the periodof social tension. Informal settlements or squatters areconsequently encroaching onto customary land beyondthe city, creating internal problems (and possiblyconflict) for traditional landowners and the Guadalcanal

provincial authorities. Tis trend is dangerous as it is arepeat of the same demographic pattern, which led tothe social/ethnic tension. Te national Government,together with the Honiara city council and the

URBANRURAL

YEAR

PERCENTAGE

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

100%

1976 1985 1999 2009 2020 2030 2040 2050


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Guadalcanal provincial authorities should addressthis issue quickly. Te peri-urban areas outside theHoniara boundary would be considered by many as alogical development to capture urban growth. Te samepattern is also visible in other provincial towns, but ishappening at a slower pace.

Te high level of growth of the urban population inSolomon Islands is due to the increasing influx of therural population into Honiara and other urban areas, as

well as natural growth of the population. Rural-urbanmigration is the dominant force in the urbanizationtrends in the country. Between 1986 and 1999 forinstance, almost 81 per cent of 18,694 additional peoplein the city were counted as being in migration (internal

and external) to Honiara city while natural growthaccounted for 19 per cent. Rural-urban migrationtherefore, will continue to increase and remain a majorfactor in driving urban growth in Solomon Islands,rather than economic development.

Rapid urban growth is evident in the prolific growthof informal settlements, peri-urban villages andthe informal sector. Te growth rate of informalsettlements (estimated to be more than 6 per cent perannum) exceeds the urban growth rate of 4.7 per centper annum, indicating that urban growth rates areprimarily driven by informal settlements. In Honiaracity, informal settlements are growing at around 6 per

cent per annum, representing about 35 per cent of thecitys population (source: Ministry of Lands, Housingand Survey, 2006).

With the growth of the urban population, the need foreffective urban planning and management is a criticaldevelopment policy issue for the national and provincialgovernments, if they are to achieve a liveable, productiveand sustainable future for towns. Te developmentof a national urban profile is therefore, the beginningof a long journey that will help guide urban policydevelopment along the desired paths for the sustainablemanagement of towns and growth centres in the yearsahead.

Honiara

Guadalcanal

Western

Malaita

Makira

Temotu

Central

Isabel

Choiseul

2009

1999

70,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,0000

SI URBAN POPULATION BY PROVINCE


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Te provision of services in urban areas is considerablybetter than in the rural areas, in spite of national rural

development strategies, and is partially responsible foraccelerating the rate of rural-urban migration. Te rapidgrowth of the urban population, coupled with increasedurban expansion would require twice the capacity of theexisting urban infrastructure and services which werebuilt in the 1970s.

Te lack of urban policy guidance and politicalcommitment by the national Government has leftkey institutions involved in the provision of housing,infrastructure, urban planning and managementpoorly resourced and ill-equipped. As a result, thereare no integrated investment plans to provide adequateinfrastructure to meet the needs of a rapidly increasingpopulation. Te high level of demand for better urbanservices places a significant strain on the limited servicescurrently available. Tis includes pressure placed onservices by rural and urban commuters who visit thetowns to use markets and buy goods and services.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Local authorities are responsible for solid wastecollection and management systems in towns. Tisincludes the management of landfills of varying designand quality. Te refuse facilities that are in place are

poorly maintained and often depend on donor support(e.g. the Japan International Cooperation Agency) forimprovement. Tis has hampered efforts for improvingthe collection and disposal of garbage, resulting inunsightly and unhealthy piles of rubbish being a

common feature in most towns, where open dumpingand burning of solid waste is also common practice.

o sustain and improve solid waste managementwill require additional resources and public-private-community partnerships. Te challenge for localauthorities is to build and improve the capacity ofthe existing community and non-governmentalorganizations (NGOs) to actively participate inimproving waste management.

WATER

Te Solomon Islands Water Authority provides waterfor about 54 per cent (8,366) of the 15,382 urban

households throughout the country (source: SolomonIslands Government, 2011). Te Authoritys watersources are from boreholes, storage dams or directly fromstreams and are piped into urban centres for household,commercial, industrial and other institutional uses.

BASIC URBAN SERVICES


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Urban water sources are located on customary land andare at risk of being closed by landowners if rents arenot paid in a timely manner. Rainwater collection is nota common practice in most towns. Te Authority alsoprovides water to a limited number of households in theinformal settlements, while most informal householdsaccess water from streams, rivers and directly fromboreholes and storage dams. In Honiara, the Authorityprovides water for about 75 per cent of (or 6,771)households, of which around 18 per cent are located ininformal settlements.

Water disruption and rationing is a major issue inHoniara, Gizo, and Auki due to constant power

blackouts, unplanned residential developments onsteep slopes (difficult for reticulation and causes a lossof pressure), a lack of adequate financial resources torepair the aged system and the inability of the Authorityto identify, disconnect or charge the numerous illegal

water connectors. With the current financial supportfrom Japan (SI$ 200 million), the Authority is expectedto repair and replace the aged system in Honiara.

SANITATION

Sanitation is a critical issue in Solomon Islands. Mosturban centres have recorded the use of septic toilets

and pit latrines. In Honiara, 63 per cent (5,686) of the8,981 households have their own or shared flush toilet,

while 14 per cent own or share a pit latrine. Pit-latrinesare common in informal settlements where one toilet

can be used by up to 20 people just metres from housesand where the smell is unbearable. Others practice opendefecation in the bush and along the shoreline, givingrise to privacy, health and gender safety concerns, as

well as polluting the environment.

Local authorities are responsible for the discharge ofseptic tank wastes, but due to poor resources they areunable to respond efficiently to complaints causing healthhazards and risks to residents and the environment. InHoniara, an estimated 30 per cent of all households inthe city are connected to 14 deteriorating sewerage lines

whose outlets flow directly into the sea, polluting thecoastal environment and raising health concerns for

coastal settlements and ocean users. Households locatednear drains and on shorelines are the most affected, asraw sewage, wastewater and solid waste flow throughopen drains posing a serious health risk to inhabitants.Littering, especially in the drains, and the lack of publicamenities are serious environmental concerns for thelocal authorities.

EDUCATION

Te national education system in Solomon Islandsincludes primary and secondary education, as well asvocational and tertiary institutions. Te Ministry of

Education and Human Resources Development is theauthorizing ministry and is responsible for developingand coordinating the implementation of nationalpolicies, plans and teacher training. Most schools


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are administered by provincial or local authorities.Churches also help to provide much-needed educationservices. Te private schools in Honiara provide a betterservice (well-resourced and equipped) than the citycouncil schools, but are not affordable for the majorityof the urban population.

Local authorities, through their education departments,are given overall responsibility for teacher management,including recruitment, placement and provision ofhousing, and for capital works and maintenance ofsecondary and primary schools. However, they oftenfind it difficult to execute this function effectivelybecause they are ill-equipped and under-resourced. Tisissue is further exacerbated by weak institutional links

between the national Government and local authorities.Enrolment rates and educational facilities varysignificantly across the provincial towns. Te student-teacher ratio in most schools is higher than 40, withschools lacking adequate space and resources. Secondaryschools in particular lack adequate facilities such asoffices, libraries, classrooms, recreational grounds andlaboratories. Upgrading the existing school facilities,improving quality education and building decent housesfor teachers are the key challenges for the local authorities.

HEALTH

Provincial towns in the country, including Honiara,have a main hospital and several clinics; most of whichare run by the national Government and administeredby each provincial authority. Local churches providehealth services in some clinics and aid posts in provincialcentres.

Te private clinics in Honiara provide a better service(quicker) than the local authority clinics and the statehospital in the city, but these are unaffordable for themajority of the population. A major health issue inthe country is a shortage of common medical drugs(such as antibiotics) in all towns including at the

central hospital, which is the only referral hospital inthe country. Te central hospital in Honiara has manypatients whom list informal settlements as their mainplace of residence. Te hospital beds in most provincialtowns are limited, with many patients discharged earlyto make way for new admissions. Lack of resources, inparticular staffing, a poor working environment andthe non-provision of staff housing also affect the healthservice.

As urban populations continue to increase, the existingclinics need to be upgraded and new clinics developedto cater for current and future needs. At the sametime, living environments need to be improved, withincreased access to improved water and sanitation.

ENERGY

Te Solomon Islands Electricity Authority is a statutorygovernmental body that provides powers to households,commercial enterprises, industries and other institutionsthroughout the country. Te Ministry of Mines andEnergy is responsible for energy policies and plans,data collection and analysis and advises the nationalGovernment on energy sector issues.

Te Authority provides electricity to about 70 percent (10,748) of the 15,382 urban households in thecountry. In Honiara, it provides power to 64 per cent ofthe 8,981 households, of which about 7 per cent (400households) are located in the informal settlements.Most households in the informal settlements are

without electricity and occupants use kerosene lamps,candles and firewood as their main lighting and cookingfuel. Te open fires pollute the environment and thereis a need to look for alternative energy sources andensure more equitable and affordable energy provision.Renewable energy sources, are a way forward, but this

will require more funding to make it a viable option forcommunities.

Te Authority struggles to provide a reliable serviceas the main generators regularly break down, leadingto frequent power blackouts in Honiara. Given theincreased development in the city and other provincial

towns, there is a need for the Authority to upgrade itsgenerators and increase power output in the short termto provide a reliable power supply to meet current andfuture needs.

TRANSPORT AND ROAD NETWORKS

Most towns are serviced by taxis, buses and trucksowned by companies and individuals and regulatedthrough local licensing. Bus operators in Honiaradesign their own routes, leaving some parts of the city

with no coverage. Tere is increasing public demandfor the city council to address this issue by regulating

routes through licensing as well as concerns over theroadworthiness of public service vehicles. In Honiarathere is a need to critically look at the bus routes sothat all sections of the towns are equally served and notdeprived. Tere is also a need to address the transport/mobility needs of the disabled and elderly people in theurban centres.

Due to its challenging topography (which is typicalof most towns in the country) and the overall lack ofstrategic planning, Honiara, which is characterized byhills and gullies, suffers from poor road connectivity,traffic congestion and a high level of road safety risk.Te roads are often not clearly marked or well-lit at

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Te primary tar-sealed roads and secondary roads,which serve the suburbs, informal settlements and otheroutlying areas, are not well maintained.

Te highway that connects rural Guadalcanal toHoniara is a lifeline for the supply of food and otherproduce to the city. Te lack of repairs to the highwayin the past has reduced services to the city, causing theprice of goods to increase. Tis has also affected urbanfood security and nutritional intake, since most freshvegetables sold at the local markets comes from the ruralfarmers on Guadalcanal. Equally, towns play a criticalrole in promoting rural development as agriculturalincome is attached to the efficiency and capacity ofurban processing centres, markets and trans-shipment

points for rural produce and goods. Te transportationlinks need to be improved with better infrastructure.

BANKING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Tree major regional banks are represented in Honiara,providing personal loans for housing and education.However, access to these services requires capital andcollateral and thus obtaining a loan from these banks isvery difficult for the urban poor and low and middle-income earners.

Solomon elekoms monopoly of telecommunication

services in the country ended in 2010 with thederegulation of the telecommunications market, pavingthe way for the establishment of Be-Mobile Company.elecommunication coverage has greatly improved asthe two providers in the country have extended accessthroughout the islands and into the rural villages. Asignificant number of people are now using mobilephones as they are more convenient and accessible thanlandlines.

AIR AND SEAPORTS

Honiara provides the only international airport in the

country and is a gateway to the nine provinces andoutlying islands. Solomon Airlines has a monopolyover national air travel, making domestic travel veryexpensive.

Honiara is also the only international seaport and servesas the main link between international and domesticroutes. Te main wharf at Point Cruz caters for exportsand imports, although there is a limited storage area forcontainers.


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Te need for effective governance and strongerinstitutional links is critical to achieving an improvedurban quality of life. Te urban sector in SolomonIslands needs greater political and economic autonomyso as to ensure effective, efficient and equitabledevelopment of its urban areas.

Te way in which the national Government plans andcoordinates its activities has a direct bearing on thelocal authorities who have the power and responsibilityfor the planning and management of towns. Localauthorities are key players in shaping and managingtowns through the provision and maintenance ofservices such as health, education, public amenities,

planning the upgrading of informal settlements andwaste management. However, for too long, they havebeen poorly resourced and are ill-equipped to executetheir mandatory roles and functions effectively. Tis hasresulted in poor delivery of basic urban services suchas road maintenance, garbage collection, education andhealth.

As a result, the local authorities in provincial towns andin Honiara city continue to function with inadequatetechnical capacity and resources to address the urbandevelopment and planning issues they face. Weak publicsector financial management and institutional links,coupled with the absence of a national urban vision,

have contributed to poor service delivery in towns. Tisis further affected by ineffective local revenue collection,limited financial support from the national Governmentand the lack of a national lead agency for urban reform.

Local authorities do not have the necessary technical andmanagerial staff, nor do they have a human resourcespolicy which promotes best practice and meritocraticrecruitment of employees. Tey depend entirely onthe national Government to provide technical andmanagerial staff, who are often not forthcoming dueto a lack of decent housing and poor services, such as

water, health and education, at the local level.

Elected local leaders are not able to involve all thediverse communities in local urban affairs, thus limitingan inclusive participatory approach to urban servicedelivery. Tere are a number of local and internationalNGOs which operate in urban centres, but they

appear to work in isolation with no established formalpartnership with the local authorities. Building stronginstitutional links is vital to enhancing better servicedelivery.

A number of local authorities have recently benefitedfrom donor projects such as the provincial governmentstrengthening project,4, the Honiara City InstitutionalStrengthening project funded by the New Zealand AidProgramme (and implemented by the CommonwealthLocal Government Forum) and the Rapid EmploymentProject funded by the World Bank and the AsianDevelopment Bank,5 each aimed at strengtheningand improving institutional and basic service delivery

capacity. Some local authorities, such as the HoniaraCity Council, have noticed a significant improvement ininternal revenue collection and management practices.However, there is still a need for effective urban

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governance with strong institutional links to nationalauthorities, the private sector and communities toconsolidate and sustain these improvements.

INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES

Te Local Government Act and the ProvincialGovernment Act provide the mandate for Honiara CityCouncil and the provincial authorities to be responsiblefor the management of urban centres.

Te own and Country Planning Act gives power to theHoniara City Council and the provincial authorities toprovide effective urban management and planning in

their respective towns.Provincial members of the local government elect theprovincial premier, while councillors elect the citymayor who appoints the chairs or ministers for differentportfolios within their respective towns.

op-down decision-making, insufficient funds andweak administrative and technical capacity impedes theeffective delivery of better urban services.

Te potential for public-private and civil societypartnerships in service delivery has not been fullyexplored, although some good examples exist.

Tere is no existing formal system to collectively engageurban stakeholders in urban design and decision-making.

REGULATORY FRAMEWOK

Te Minister for Home Affairs has the power under theLocal Government Act to establish (and dissolve) theHoniara City Council, while the Minister for ProvincialGovernment has the power under the ProvincialGovernment Act to establish provincial governmentsand appoint an interim team when necessary.

Te Honiara City Council and the provincialauthorities are empowered by the Local and ProvincialGovernment Acts to adopt by-laws and regulations topromote the principles of good governance.

Te Public Health Act empowers local authorities toenforce environmental and health standards in Honiaracity and provincial towns.

Te own and Country Planning Act empowers the localauthorities through their planning boards to carry outphysical planning in their respective towns. However,local authorities are under-resourced and lack thetechnical capacity to effectively plan and manage towns.

A building by-law or ordinance guides building anddesign standards in Honiara and other towns, but it hasnever been effectively enforced due to lack of capacity.

PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Local authorities lack a performance and appraisalsystem and suffer from wantok bisnis (nepotism andpromotion based on political affiliation) rather thanbeing appointed on merit.

Citizens lack the means and capacity to take theirelected leaders to court to hold them accountable forany financial mismanagement. Tere is no mechanism

for citizens complaints.Te city mayors or provincial premiers are elected bylocal elected members, creating an environment in

which they are more accountable to their peers than tocitizens.

Financial accountability and transparency remain anissue in the local authorities,

Limited internal revenue and support from the nationalGovernment impede the efforts of local authorities toexecute their statutory functions and roles effectively, asexpected by their citizens.

Civil society organizations are active in health andeducation delivery in Honiara and provincial townsbut lack the necessary effective coordination to havea significant impact on service provision and povertyalleviation.

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

Local authorities receive limited funds from thenational Government, which are inadequate toimprove service delivery and capital works inurban centres. These include tied funds for specic

programmes.

Local authority internal revenue is limited and doesnot achieve signicant positive impacts on servicedelivery or city/town development.

Internal revenue collection has improved, but on-going efforts must be maintained to achievement a100 percent collection rate, and internal revenuecollection has improved.

Effective strategic planning linking social developmentand urban management and planning at the local levelare needed.


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AGREED PRIORITIES Effective and efficient urban governance

to meet the needs of current and futureurban populations.

Effective coordination of urban policyand plans between state agencies, donors,NGOs and local authorities so thatplans and activities are fully aligned withdevelopment priorities that have beenidentified and agreed.

More political and economic autonomy

to be given to local authorities to helpthem deal with a wide range of urbanissues.

Improve and/or strengthen urbangovernance through wider communityparticipation in urban affairs to improveaccountability and decision-makingprocesses.

GOVERNANCEANDINSTITUTIONSN1

Project proposal Page

Establish a key national urbanagency to advance the urbanagenda in the Solomon Islands

GOVERNANCEANDINSTITUTIONSN2


Strengthen the technicalcapacity of local level planningboards


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High population growth rates and the influx of ruralmigrants are primarily responsible for the explosionof the informal settlements in urban and peri-urbanareas. However, the failure of national Governmentsto provide access to affordable housing and land fordevelopment, particularly for low and middle-incomeearners, together with weak planning and developmentcontrol and a lack of political will, also plays a significantrole in the rise in informal settlements in all SolomonIslands towns.

Informal settlements vary significantly in size in Honiaraand other towns. In Honiara, informal settlements arehome to 35 per cent of the citys population (64,609),

while in Gizo they account for almost half of thepopulation (3,477). Tey are located within and on thefringes of the built-up areas. Tey are found on bothstate land and customary land and are characterized bya lack of planning and poor infrastructure, especially

water, sanitation, electricity, roads, recreational areasand garbage collection and a lack of safety for thepublic, for women in particular (source: AmnestyInternational, 2011).

Informal settlements are a permanent feature of theurban areas in Solomon Islands. Tey are a key driverof urban growth and will remain a major driving forceof urban development. Tis is evidenced by the fact

that they are not confined to low-income earners;many middle and high-income earners are movinginto informal settlements because of limited access toland, formal housing and high rental costs. Settlers

continue to improve their homes outside formal legalregulations, resulting in a mixture of housing quality inthese informal settlements. In Honiara, approximately33 per cent of the nearly 9,000 households in the city

were built without any planning approval (source:Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey, 2006).Housing improvements will continue as settlers wantto improve their standard of living, in spite of poor andinadequate infrastructure in these areas and the lack ofsecure tenure (fixed term estate) for the land they arecurrently occupying.

Te development of informal settlements in urban areasin Solomon Islands, as with other Melanesian towns,

is strongly linked to ethnic groupings. Settlers live andbehave according to the norms and values practised inrural villages.6 Settlements are given a local name intheir dialects, reflecting their cultural identity. Ethnicgroupings are expressed in residential patterns that areemphasized by historical political control, restrictingindividuals of any particular ethnic group to certain areasand limiting residential choices, especially for new rural-urban migrants. Tis often promotes ethnic gangstersand regionalism rather than a national identity, inspite of the efforts of church and community leadersin the informal settlements who promote communitydevelopment and conflict resolution.

Shortage of housing and high rental costs is a criticalissue in Honiara - an issue that is further affected by thelack of a national land use policy and a national housingpolicy to guide land allocation for housing. As a result,

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the demand for housing in urban areas far exceeds

supply, fuelling the growth of informal settlements. Tesituation is deteriorating, with corruption associatedwith multiple land sales, weak land management andadministration and physical planning, in spite ofpast efforts, such as those provided by the project oninstitutional strengthening of land administration.7

Adequate housing promotes healthy living standards asit enhances development in other sectors such as health,education, economic development and employment.Housing is a basic need which also stimulates growth inthe land and housing industries, with knock-on effectselsewhere in the economy. As the urban population hasincreased, the private sector and informal systems have

been major players in housing provision. However,housing has often been constructed without servicesor site development. Tere is a need to improve urbanplanning and land management to better provide forthose in informal settlements and to enable the housingmarket to better provide for all urban residents. TeGovernment should facilitate an affordable housingmarket and work with financial institutions toencourage the reduction of current interest rates forhousing loans (15 per cent) to enable people to accessaccommodation.


In 1985 the national Government handed overhousing development to market forces. Initiativesby individual government ministries and statutoryorganizations are small in scale, geared towardspublic housing and do not address the low andmiddle-income brackets.

Te own and Country Planning Boards of HoniaraCity Council and the Provincial Government. havethe power to undertake physical planning anddevelopment control in towns and delegate thosepowers to local authorities, which in turn requireadditional resources and skilled personnel to executeeffectively.

Te power to allocate land lies with theCommissioner of Lands in the Ministry of Lands,Housing and Survey.

Te National Provident Fund and its sisterorganization, the Home Finance Corporationprovide housing loan and site and service sites fortheir members through the recently introducedhome ownership scheme.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Regulatory frameworks such as the own andCountry Planning Act, the Lands and itle Act,local authority construction by-laws or ordinancesprovide for settlement upgrading in all towns.

Te link between the own and Country PlanningAct and the Lands and itle Act are tenuous, leadingto the Commissioner of Lands granting areas of landto developers that are yet to be properly plannedand often including areas reserved for future roadexpansion.

Local authority building by-laws or ordinances guidethe standard of buildings and design in all towns but

they are not enforced effectively.

Tere is no policy for responding to informalsettlement issues in spite of operational plans for theregularization of temporary occupation licenses.

Te Solomon Islands Government approved andassigned SBD1 million in 2012 to continue theupgrading effort in temporary housing areas butdue to lack of capacity the budget provisions havenot been fully utilized, underlining the need toexpand Ministry of Lands, Housing and Surveysstaff and embark on a concrete in-service trainingprogramme.

Tere are no recent site planning regulations to guidesubdivision design and utility service provision tosupport settlement upgrading.

Tere is no land use plan or infrastructure masterplan for informal settlements and it remains unclearas to whether they will be considered in the NationalInfrastructure Investment Plan (due in 2013).


Tere is no budgetary support for upgrading the

infrastructure of informal settlements but thereis hope for improvement through the informalsettlements programmes of the Ministry of Lands,Housing and Survey; and also a major nationalinfrastructure development programme by MIDcommencing in 2013.

Te Ministry has formed a technical working groupfor temporary occupation licences which addressesthe regularization of informal settlements, but suchefforts are affected by a lack of readily available fundsand staffing problems.


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Local authorities lack the financial capacity toallocate a budget for settlement upgrading and theyrely mostly on grants from the national Governmentand internal revenues for capital works.

Budget allocation for physical planning at the locallevel is only for site inspections (application for landextension, building etc).

Development of a partnership framework mayencourage community participation in servicedelivery, particularly in the informal settlements.

AGREED PRIORITIES

Regularising emporary OccupationLicences

Public and private enterprises recognizethe importance of housing infrastructurefor the well-being of their employees.

Provision of accessibility by all householdstoaffordable housing, especially lowerand middle-income earners.

Land and finance are readily available forappropriate educational infrastructure.

Encourage youths in the settlements toparticipate in settlement upgrading andservice provision efforts.

Provide basic infrastructure to newareas of land to allow for residentialdevelopment.

Informal settlements to have access tobasic services.

URBAN HOUSINGAND INFORMALSETTLEMENTSN1


Develop a housing policy tocreate an enabling environmentto access affordable land andhousing



Ministry of Lands, Housingand Survey todevelop plansfor informal settlementupgrading



Develop a housing policy tocreate an enabling environmentto access affordable land andhousing


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Te law and order situation in most urban centres ispeaceful in spite of minor incidents relating to drinking

beer and homemade alcohol (kwaso) in public. A highrate of youth unemployment, alcohol consumption,the increasing economic gap between rich and poor,coupled with low policing capacity has given rise tosome safety and security concerns in towns, especiallyin Honiara. Tis has wider repercussions for the localand national economy, investment and the tourismindustry. Mitigation measures include a wider focuson the importance of traditional values, leadership,family and community responsibility, policing, crimeprevention, education and awareness.

Tere is a need to improve community policing toencourage people living in urban settlements to respectthe environment and the law. Community policing isan important link between the community and NGOsand faith-based organizations with a presence in theinformal settlements. Tis requires strong leadershipand commitment from national and local governmentand community leaders.

Te Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) isresponsible for law enforcement. However, publicperception persists with the view of an undisciplinedand corrupt police force with numerous complaints ofnon-attendance or late response to criminal activities.Te Force is poorly resourced and ill-equipped, which

contributes to poor police performance. Positiveintervention recently as a moral booster for the forceincluded the programme of new police housingconstruction by donors.. Te lack of public confidencehas led to public and private enterprises hiring private

security firms to protect their premises in all urbanareas.

Te situation however has improved significantly withassistance from the Regional Assistance Mission toSolomon Islands. As a result of collaborative efforts bythe police force and the Regional Assistance Mission,the crime rate has dropped by 6 per cent from 6,833reported cases in 2009 to 6,420 in 2010 (source:Solomon Star, 7/01/11:3).

Te urban environments of Solomon Islands have anegative image due to uncontrolled development and

weak waste management in towns, in spite of someprogress being made in terms of health facilities and

water, sanitation and hygiene awareness programmescarried out by World Vision and other NGOs.

As the urban population increases, demand for land,sanitation, water and solid waste services also increases.Refuse facilities are poorly maintained and localauthorities struggle to keep pace with the collection anddisposal of garbage. In Honiara, 54 per cent of 8,981households dump their household waste either in theriver or the sea, or burn it in their backyards (source:Solomon Islands Government, 2011).

Sewerage systems were built in the 1970s and manyproperties rely on individual septic tanks. A limitednumber of properties that connect to the existingsewerage lines dispose waste into the sea, polluting themarine environment. Industrial and households wastes(plastic bags, empty bottles, cans, cables, metals, etc)are often dumped on the shoreline. Without positive

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intervention, coastal environmental conditions in townswill deteriorate and threaten the health of residents and

the remaining natural ecosystems.

Most communities, and in particular those in thelowland and low-lying coastal zones, are vulnerable tothe threat of climate change and commonly experienceadverse impacts resulting from climate change andvariability (source: National Adaptation Plan of Action,2008). Impacts include extreme high tides (king tides),frequent/continuous intense rainfall and storm surges,coastal erosion, flooding, tropical cyclones, a rise in thesea level, saline intrusion, landslides and subsidence.Solomon Islands urban centres have a high physical andsocial vulnerability to these adverse climatic events andother natural disasters (including geohazards).

Tere is a need to reinforce the existing environmentalregulations and to work on implementation of anational environment and climate change policy. TeGovernment has a responsibility to ensure towns areprotected and therefore the need for mitigating practicesto be introduced into urban planning and managementis vital.

INSTITUTIONAL SET-UP

Law and order is provided by the Royal SolomonIslands Police Force.

Te correctional service centre is supported by theGovernment of Australia. It provides rehabilitationprogrammes for prisoners and engages churchorganizations to visit prisoners.

Te National Disaster Management Office of theMinistry of Environment, Climate Change andMeteorology coordinates climate change and disastermanagement programmes.


Tere is a shortfall in funds and resources for effectivepolicing throughout the country and in particular inthe informal settlements in Honiara and peri-urbanvillages.

Local courts are under-resourced and poorlyequipped, leading to delays of years for somecase hearings. Te justice and legal institutionalstrengthening project, which is supported by theRegional Assistance Mission, is trying to remedy thisby strengthening and providing sufficient resourcesto local courts so that cases are dealt with quicklyto regain public trust and confidence in the judicialsystem.

Partnerships with private security firms active inurban centres require a formal system to harnesseffective partnerships with the police force.

Community policing needs to be strengthened.

EMPOWERMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Community policing in Honiara and other urban centresneeds strengthening by the provision of training andresources to enable communities to address law and orderissues in effectivepartnership with the police force andother stakeholders.

Police professionalism is still influenced by nepotism.

Family disintegration and erosion of cultural valuescontributes to lawlessness and decline in publicsafety in towns.

AGREED PRIORITIES

Safety of communities through effectivepolicing andan effective judicial system.

Te development of climate changeadaptation and resilience plans at the citylevel.

All people regardless of age and socialgroups to conduct their lives with dignityand self-respect and with respect for

others.

Urban communities to live in a healthy,clean and safe environment.

URBANSECURITY ANDENVIRONMENTALSAFETYN1


Urban vulnerability assessments

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Community policing plan


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An increasing share of national wealth has beenproduced in Honiara and other provincial towns with

a range of urban economic activities, strengthening theviability of rural economic development by providingmarkets, processing centres and trans-shipping pointsfor rural produce. Local authorities receive internalrevenue from economic activities in towns, but this isinsufficient to provide and maintain quality services forurban residents.

Rapid urban population growth outstrips job creationin the formal sector, especially in Honiara, leading toincreasing unemployment, hardship and urban poverty.Tis is manifested in the rapid growth of squattersettlements and actors in the informal sector.

Employment creation is more likely to take place in theurban informal sector, but this is not a panacea. Tissector provides job opportunities for the vast majorityof people without a formal education and is intricatelylinked to the rural-urban economy with the marketing offood products, betel nuts and handicrafts. Te nationalGovernment and local authorities are not able to providesufficient market outlets to cater for the increasing numberof vendors, despite the critical role of the informal sectorin job creation and poverty reduction. Te informalsector needs to be recognized and supported in policyas a key source of livelihoods. Te challenge for the localauthorities and the national Government is to create a

friendly socioeconomic and political environment thatwill allow the formal and informal sectors to flourish.

Tere is a thriving black-market business for alcoholespecially in some back-streets of Honiara which

is getting out of control. Tis business has beenconsidered as profitable with a high turn-over for the

vendors. Te authoritys ban on sale of alcohol after6 pm, except for hotels and restaurants, means thatconsumers demand has to be met through other meansespecially black-market outlets. Te authorities find itdifficult to curb the fast growing business of alcohol saleafter the official hour.

LINKING THE RURAL AND URBAN ECONOMIES

Cities and towns play a critical role in promotingrural development efforts, as agricultural income isclosely linked to the efficiency and capacity of urbanprocessing centres, markets and trans-shipment points

for rural produce and goods. Most of these activitiesare based in urban areas and are an integral part ofthe national economy. In this way, urbanization can beviewed as the spatial translation of the production structureof rural economies across Solomon Islands. Te way townsare planned and built affects how efficiently they canfunction as generators of national, regional and ruraleconomic growth.

Increasing unemployment in urban centres links torising law and order problems in urban areas. Tere is aneed to develop a hierarchy of cities and satellite townsto support a more appropriate spatial distribution of

the population, economic growth and development.Tis links to current government policy on economicgrowth centres and upgrading of current provincialtowns, which aims to manage the movement of people

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to satellite growth centres rather than to Honiara.

Tis requires strong political will and financialsupport. ransferring increasing financial powers tourban governments is important for generating thenecessary revenue to provide services and increasing jobopportunities for urban populations.


Local authorities rely on limited economic activitiesfor their internal revenue.

Decision-making and prioritization of developmentneeds for the country are influenced by demographic

analysis from the census data supplied by theStatistics Department of the Ministry of Financeand reasury.

Te Department of Labour and Employment ismandated to manage the national workforce.

REGULATORY FRAMEWOK

Te Public Service Commission looks after thewelfare of public servants.

Te private sector is governed by the LabourEmployment Act.

Local authorities are empowered under the Localand Provincial Government Acts to pass ordinancesand regulations that are appropriate to enhancingeconomic growth,

Te Industrial Relations Department of the Ministryof Labour and Employment caters for all industrialmatters, including minimum wages, occupationalhealth and safety and other welfare issues.

Te Labour Act governs all forms of employmentand states what types of activities can be classifiedas employment for the purposes of remuneration

and tax. It also determines the criteria for choosingpeople who are employable and the type of workingenvironment that is acceptable.


Te Department of reasury collects data from theInternal Revenue Commission through personalincome tax records to monitor the employment rate.

Limited internal revenue and limited financial helpfrom the national Government hinder effectivedelivery of services at the local level.

Government public service reform continueto restructure through rightsizing to maximizeproductivity and efficiency.


Government inability to provide employmentopportunities leads to increasing unemployment.

Local authorities receive limited financial support(annual grants) from the national Government,

which is inadequate for the services that are needed.

Internal revenue collection at the local level needsto improve further to meet and maintain qualityservices in the city.

Tere is limited international development supportfor service projects at local levels. More assistance isrequired to stimulate the local and national economy.

Local authorities and the national Government needto provide an investment-friendly (socioeconomicand political) climate in all urban areas.

AGREED PRIORITIES

Strengthen current systems to improveinternal revenue collection and identifyalternative revenue sources to stimulateemployment creation.

Develop a hierarchical city concept for

the nine provinces with towns of differentfunctions and size throughout the country.

Distribute development equitably acrossthe country.

Te national Government needsto support investment projects atthe provincial level to create moreemployment opportunities.

Population growth needs to be lowered toa sustainable level that is, to a level thatthe country can accommodate in terms of

its resources and capacity. A higher proportion of the population

must be economically active.

LOCALECONOMY ANDEMPLOYMENTN1


Develop plans and policiesto better address the urbaninformal sector

LOCALECONOMY ANDEMPLOYMENTN2


Development of hierarchicaltowns


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Solomon Islands towns are located on state land, whichthe colonial Government acquired from customary

landowners. Land has a critical role in all forms of urbandevelopment and future expansion. About 15 to 20 percent of state land is unsuitable for development due totopography and environmental constraints. Most stateland in urban areas that can be developed is occupiedand poor land-use management has resulted in usagebelow optimal density, especially in Honiara and Auki.Tere are still undeveloped plots of land being held byprivate developers for several years. Several private realestate developers are holding a number of big estatesthat can be developed into housing estates. However,these estates have been idle for more than the allowableperiod and the Commissioner of Lands is obligated by

law to undertake a process of forfeiture. Tere is a needfor this land to be better managed and developed tomeet the present and future demands of people livingin towns.

Te Government has taken steps to address this with theestablishment of a national task force8on urban publicland governance (2011). Te task force, establishedby the Cabinet, is implementing the policy of theNational Coalition for Rural Advancement to improvethe governance of publicly owned urban land and toimprove the working of urban land markets. It is tryingto increase the availability and affordability of land inurban areas9.

Te limited supply of state land hinders the provisionof adequate housing and security of tenure and affectsaffordability. Tis is further exacerbated by corrupt

practices and weak land administration, resulting inhigh land rental arrears and an inconsistency in the

implementation of plans, such as the conversion oftemporary occupation licences, and plans to preventthe illegal occupation of state land. Te existence ofinformal settlements on customary land and withinthe city poses social security concerns and is a majorconstraint to the expansion of town boundaries.

Most prime land required for urban developmentor expansion that can be developed is in customaryownership and is located at the fringes of urbanboundaries. Te Government has no jurisdiction overcustomary land unless landowners have entered intoan agreement with it for use of the land. Acquisitionof traditional land for public purposes is also expensive(estimated to be several million SI$) and traditionallandowners from the peri-urban villages are reluctantto lease their land to the Government for urbandevelopment. Customary land can be bought throughlong and complex procedures. However, any such processneeds to ensure that traditional customary landownersare not alienated. Local authorities and the nationalGovernment need to work closely with traditionallandowners for the sustainable development of landand services beyond the administrative jurisdiction ofthe towns and ensure that land in the city and othertowns is effectively planned and managed. Te growingshortage of urban land will remain a dominant social-

political flashpoint within towns, thus requiringinnovative solutions.


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Solomon Islands towns suffer from poor physicalplanning due to lack of resources and skilled physicalplanners. Physical planning is done on a piecemeal basis

and with limited public participation. Tis is evidencedin the absence of a comprehensive road and publictransport networks plans, parking, parks and the poorlayout of towns landscape. Te key challenges are toimprove land administration and urban planning andto work closely with customary landowners on theurban fringes to free up their land for development.

THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES

Local authorities are responsible for administrativeand planning functions but lack the power to allocatestate land for development (this power is vested

with the Commissioner of Lands at the Ministry ofLands, Housing and Survey).

Planning and decision-making on land issues is notintegrated, leading to a high incidence of conflictingland decisions.

Physical planners from the Ministry are responsible fortown planning, while development control is carriedout by building inspectors from the local authorities.But, the links between these responsible agencies are

weak, leading to a lack of effective planning.

Te physical planning offices of the Honiara City

Council, the Ministry of Lands, Housing andSurvey and the governments of other provincialtowns are poorly resourced and lack skilled staff,hindering their ability to carry out their mandatedduties adequately.

Te own and Country Planning Act allows forstakeholders to take part in the development of a localplanning scheme but it is not effectively executed by

the Honiara City Council, the Ministry of Lands,Housing and Survey or provincial planners.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Te own and Country Planning Act determinesthe way state land is to be used and sets developmentcontrols. Tis power is delegated to the provincialtown and country planning boards in each town,including Honiara.

Local authorities are responsible for enforcingthe Act (serving notices on illegal developers and

ensuring compliance with local building by-lawsand ordinances). Tis is not carried out effectivelyin all towns.

Planning appeals are referred to the Minister forLands, Housing and Survey, who has the powerunder the Act to overrule the decisions of planningboards.

Te Lands and itle Act administers the allocationand registration of all state land.

Under the Lands and itle Act, the Commissionerof Lands can acquire land through agreement with

the landowners. Te Act also makes provisions forthe right to compensation for the land acquired.

Provincial towns (with the exception of Honiara) lacka local planning scheme to guide urban development.


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Local authorities have no budgetary support forpreparation of new residential subdivision plans.

Tere is a shortage of land available for all types ofurban development at the local level, especially inHoniara.

Tere is inadequate liaison with, and involvementof, customary landowners in mobilizing land forurban purposes,


Weak administration of state land, poor revenuecollection, widespread corruption practices and apoor work ethic remain a challenge for the Ministryof Lands, Housing and Survey.

State lands are no longer put out to public tender,thus depriving the public of the opportunity toapply for them. State land is directly allocated bythe Commissioner of Lands, disabling (past) effortsto create a transparent, accountable and fair process.

Weak consultation links between the Departmentof Physical Planning and the Commissioner resultin decisions on land being taken without physical

planning input, leading to leases issued contraryto local planning schemes and land parcels beingcreated without physical planning approval.

Te tracking system created to enable departmentalstaff at the Ministry to determine the status ofapplications has not been followed, creating roomfor corrupt practices.

Te Commissioner is unwilling to evict illegaldevelopers or occupiers of state land (to avoid socio-political disturbances).

AGREED PRIORITIES Effective and efficient urban land

administration and physical planning inHoniara and other provincial towns.

Improved equitable access to servicedland across all tenure types to be availableand affordable for economic and socialdevelopment.

A system to be in place to ensure thatall key stakeholders are involved in landsupply processes.

Greater participation of landowners indevelopment processes to avoid alienationof their land rights.

URBAN LANDAND PLANNINGN1


Review the Town and CountryPlanning Act and the Lands andTitle Act

URBAN LANDAND PLANNINGN2


Urban land governance


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Te national Government has primary responsibilityfor the provision of urban and rural infrastructuresand services. Te Ministry of Infrastructure andDevelopment takes the leading role in national andprovincial roads, bridges and wharves. It works closely

with the provincial authorities through their works unitsto ensure their needs are accommodated within thenational budget. In this way, the national Governmenthelp shapes urban development. However, an isolatedsector-by-sector approach leads to weak coordinationand a dependency on the national Government,resulting in declining infrastructure in provincial townsand in the rural areas.

Building effective transport networks encouragesinvestments in the rural areas and improves the economiccapacity of existing businesses. Improved access to roadsenhances population mobility and creates opportunitiesfor rural communities to transport and sell theirproduce in urban markets and access government andbanking services.

Tere are major disparities between Honiara andprovincial towns in terms of quantity and quality ofinfrastructure and services. Roads, bridges, state facilities(education, health, housing), water supply and drainagesystems are worse in the provincial towns. Road anddrainage maintenance are not a priority until it rains,

when surface run-off water washes litter and mud downthe drainage systems, blocking them and damagingroads. Te drainage problem is partially addressed by therapid employment project in Honiara which provides

INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

community-led cleaning and maintenance of somedrains. However, the sustainability of the efforts of therapid employment project in keeping the drains clean

will need further input from the City Council to link itwith other donor and community activities. Integratedroad networks are lacking, especially in Honiara, duein part to the challenging topography of the city andan overall lack of strategic planning. Drainage and roadmaintenance should be part of a wider strategic plan forinfrastructure investment.

Infrastructure development and maintenance ischallenging and expensive, given the geographicaldispersion and topography of the urban centres. As

a result, most communities have difficulty accessingquality health care, education, water and transport tomarkets. Local authorities are under-resourced andare unable to provide quality services. Tey rely onthe national Government and donor support to meetmajor infrastructure needs. Te donors, NGOs and inparticular the private sector are powerful shapers of theurban centres. Te private sector is increasingly providingcritical infrastructure, such as telecommunications,tourism and housing, which was previously the domainof Government. Donors are continuing to invest inhealth and educatio

Documents

Solomon Islands-National Urban Profile