December 16, 2024, Central Guadalcanal – Votes have been counted and winners announced in a historic day that saw over 2,000 eligible community members from the Malango and Bahomea regions turn up to cast ballots in the Community Benefits Sharing (CBS) Fund election held on Thursday, 12 December 2024. The day of polling at the World Outreach Christian Centre in Lungga, was held to form a Board of Trustees (BoT) and Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Bahomea and Malango Community Benefit Sharing Trust Association, signifying a positive move towards an inclusive and fair benefit sharing program for Tina River Hydropower Development catchment communities.
To ensure a collaborative approach to community development with a commitment to gender and regional equity, the newly established Board of Trustees consists of five members and in accordance with the Constitution, four members of the Association must be elected as Trustees from within the Bahomea and Malango ward and the fifth representative from Tina Hydropower Limited (THL). Newly elected representatives Wilfred Maneisu and Kathleen Kambu from Bahomea and Pamela Naesol and Denson Denni from Malango will be joined by Administration Manager from THL Derwin Ovita as inaugural members.
Wilfred Maneisu, the newly elected representative for the Board of Trustees for the Bahomea Ward, said he was pleased with the process and outcome of the elections. “CBS Fund has enabled a well-structured system to get people involved which will set a base for Central Guadalcanal and the whole of Solomon Islands’.
On the same day, the Community Advisory Committee, consisting of fourteen members, was also elected and formed to represent both regions equally, with seven members each elected from the Bahomea and Malango wards. The Committee representatives for Bahomea as voted by the people are Azariah Sakeni Votua, Andrew Kesini, Miletus D Kirisi, Elsie Len Bako, Babra Javin, Gethrone Teli with the seventh position being a tie, to be decided at the first Board meeting in January 2025. From Malango, the elected include Felix Vari, Clyde Yaxley Maeni, Hosea Gibson, Frazer M Voromate, Noelyn Biliki, Brisita Kake Elijah and Marylyn Tuna.
Francis Kapini, Project Manager for the Community Benefits Sharing Project Phase 2 said the day was an enormous success and thanked his team for the many hours of preparations behind the scenes to ensure the nomination and voting process was carefully structured and executed to uphold transparency and integrity. “Candidates were required to meet specific criteria, including being a member of the Trust Association, possessing a minimum high school education, having professional experience, and being a fit and proper person with no criminal convictions.” He goes on to say, “The voter registration and participation figures shows the communities’ commitment to be actively involved with the CBS Fund process. 75% of registered voters casted their ballots today and we hope this election will now set a precedent for future initiatives in our country, ensuring that community voices are heard, and benefits are equitably shared.”
The Community Benefits Sharing Fund will provide collective, non-cash benefits to core landowners and the wider project host communities to promote sustainable development, enhance socio-economic conditions and encourage active community participation. The Fund, built around a community led approach, has been designed for community members to be able to apply to the Fund for grants to support local priority projects.
With financing from the World Bank, the second phase of the Community Benefits Sharing Project is being
implemented by the Solomon Islands Government to support the Tina River Hydropower Development Project and deliver improved roads, water supply, and electricity connections to local communities. It will also ensure there is an effective and sustainable way to distribute a part of the revenue from the operation of the hydropower facility directly into communities in and around the Tina River project site.
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-Tina River Hydro Development Project
