BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
RURAL farmers especially copra buyers and sellers can now transport their products to Honiara, according to Oversight Committee Chair, Dr. Jimmie Rogers.
He was responding to questions raised during the radio talkback on Sunday 20 February if there avenues are in place for copra producers to transport and sell their products in the Capital Honiara.
The question comes to light because of the importance of how the rural populace rely heavily on that product as their main source of income while the country is in its effort to contain the spread of covid viruses.
In response to the question the SPM and Chair of the Oversight Committee Dr. Jimmie Rogers said they had already discussed the matter and agreed on several conditions.
“The Oversight Committee has discussed that and we have agreed that backloading for copra from provinces to Honiara must go head, exactly because it is a livelihood both for individuals and the country.
“So there are no restrictions on cargos coming into Honiara,’’ said Dr. Rogers.
He said that the oversight committee also agreed that the best people to assist on how copra or where the cargoes are supposed to be picked up are PDOCs and CEMA.
“So that they should be able to advise those from the provinces on where the cargos can be put or where the copra selling can be done which would also easy for the ships to do the pick-up.
Dr. Rogers said that this is because the ships cannot go to the villages as there are only certain ports where ships have been approved to go for now, though restrictions might be relaxed later.
‘Therefore I think that it is important for each province for the PDOCs to work with producers to see what the suitable arrangement for both parties,’’ he said.
He said that arrangement could also be done with Banks institution so that money can be sent through copra producers and clients to have money circulating at the provinces.