BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has told Parliament it is time for Solomon Islands to break away from nearly five decades of weak and narrowly based economic growth, saying the country must now “rewrite its economic narrative.”
Speaking during the Second Reading of the 2026 Appropriation Bill on 3 December 2025, the Prime Minister said the nation’s development history since independence is well known — and it must not continue to shape the country’s future.
Manele said Solomon Islands has lived through volatile growth averaging just 2.5 percent, heavily dependent on logging and vulnerable to shocks.
“We have weathered numerous crises — global downturns, a pandemic, tensions, floods and cyclones,” he said. “I wish to acknowledge past leaderships that steered us through these challenges.”
Despite this, the Prime Minister highlighted that core economic structures have barely shifted. Agriculture still makes up 27.8 percent of GDP, Industry 15.2 percent, and Services 57.1 percent, with most activity concentrated in Honiara.
He reminded Parliament of the mid-term review of the National Development Strategy (2016–2035), released two months ago, which found the country off-track on most of its key objectives.
“This is the narrative the GNUT government inherited when we came into office last year,” Manele said. “We made a deliberate decision that Solomon Islands must re-write its economic narrative. The past cannot continue to define who we are, or who we will be.”
The Prime Minister also raised concerns about political instability undermining national development. Over 47 years, the country has seen 33 motions of no-confidence, including two against his own government.
“Most were defeated or withdrawn, but they disrupt government focus,” he said. “While the right to move such motions must be upheld, members of this House must also recognise the importance of political stability to drive sustainable development — the kind our people urgently need.”
Manele said the 2026 Budget reflects the GNUT’s commitment to shifting from a “business-as-usual” approach to one anchored in unity, infrastructure, economic transformation and human capital.
He urged MPs to support the Appropriation Bill and help steer Solomon Islands toward a stronger and more resilient economic future.
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