The Honiara City Council (HCC) is pleased to announce the official handover of the White River Fish Market site by Mr. Zhong Ming Ma, a generous Chinese businessman, naturalized citizen, and long-time resident of Honiara City.
The handover ceremony took place today, 11th of July 2025, at the new market site in White River, West Honiara.
The City Clerk, Mr. Justus Denni, warmly welcomed all guests, community leaders, Councillors, vendors, and members of the public to the program, followed by a Thanksgiving prayer from a catholic priest.
Mr. Denni acknowledged the significance of the occasion as a major milestone in improving market infrastructure and service delivery in the western part of the capital.
During the ceremony, Mr. Zhong Ming Ma delivered his remarks, expressing his pleasure in offering his privately owned land to support local development. He stated, “I am pleased to make this contribution for the benefit of the people of Honiara. This land will serve as a place where families can earn income through the sale of fish and fresh produce.”
In response, and as an act of acceptance, Lord Mayor of Honiara City, Councillor Eddie Kasuteé Siapu, officially opened the fish market and expressed the Council’s deepest appreciation to Mr. Zhong Ming Ma for his generous and timely contribution.
“On behalf of the Honiara City Council and all Honiara residents, I sincerely thank Mr. Ma for his genuine heart and timely gesture,” said the mayor.
Lord Mayor stated that this new market space will greatly boost local economic activities and provide a clean and secure environment for vendors and customers alike.
He further stated that the generous offer from Mr. Ma was initially made in 2023, during the historic hosting of the Pacific Games in Honiara. At that time, however, the previous Executive under his leadership was not in a position to immediately proceed with the arrangement due to ongoing commitments and the need for proper consultation and assessment. Recognizing the significance of the offer, the Executive decided to carefully analyze and evaluate the proposal to ensure it aligned with Council priorities, legal requirements, and long-term development plans. Only after thorough deliberation and review was the Council able to formally accept the offer, leading to today’s official handover ceremony.
The White River Fish Market will serve as a dedicated space for selling fish and agricultural produce and is expected to enhance income opportunities for many families in the area.
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[HCC]
