D.C.C WILL DEAL WITH R.I.P.E.L ISSUE: PRIME MINISTER SOGAVARE

The Prime Minister says the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) Government will deal with the longstanding Russel Islands Plantation Estate Limited (RIPEL) issue.

Manasseh Sogavare says RIPEL’s revival is a priority issue the Government wants to address by the end of this year.

He made the statement when he met yesterday with a delegation from the Central Islands Provincial Government.

He said complicated issues surround the estate’s redevelopment, but his government will soon revisit the industrial dispute in efforts to revive the estate.

Meanwhile, a government statement has revealed, the Prime Minister sent a delegation to meet with the RIPEL General Manager John Whiteside in December last year to find ways to re-open operations of the estate.

He said the first thing is to get the RIPEL Taskforce to work and report on what the Government needs to do in relation to RIPEL.

Meanwhile, the Central Islands Premier, George Selwyn Mapuli told the Prime Minister that the RIPEL case is an equal priority case for the Provincial Government.

Premier Mapuli adds another priority investment case for his Government is Anuha Island.

He also said his government is encouraged to know the DCC government is again placing special emphasis of RIPEL on its recently launched Policy Statement.

The RIPEL industrial dispute started in 2004 after RIPEL employee members of the Solomon Islands National Union of Workers went on strike.