THE Great Coalition government has stepped up its push to overhaul business and labour rules in the Solomon Islands.
A second round of consultations with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration has been held as part of a broader legislative reform drive led from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The talks, convened by the Prime Minister’s Policy Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and its Legislative and Policy Reform Subcommittee, brought together senior managers and representatives from all nine divisions of the ministry to review work programmes and identify priority legal changes.
Permanent Secretary Riley Mesepitu said the process was a practical way to speed up reform but warned that the effort would need government backing and funding to deliver results.
“By working more closely and with direct legal and policy support from the Prime Minister’s Office, our reform programmes can finally gain the momentum they need,” Mesepitu said.
He said one immediate priority was to modernise immigration services through electronic passport and visa systems, while other reforms under consideration include changes to foreign investment, companies and business regulation laws, and a review of labour legislation and wage policy.
“Our objective is to create a modern, efficient and investor-friendly regulatory environment,” he said. “We welcome responsible investment into the Solomon Islands and are committed to ensuring our systems are responsive and supportive of business.”
Mesepitu also said the reforms should support the government’s push for greater indigenous participation in the economy and for digital transformation across state services.
He said the committee was an important first step but added that reforms risked stalling without adequate resources and timely budget support.
Head of the Productive Sector Unit Nixon Kua said the consultations were designed to help ministries align their programmes with government priorities and improve delivery.
“It is encouraging to see every division actively reviewing its work programme against Government priorities,” Kua said.
The reform consultations are expected to continue across government ministries as the Great Coalition seeks to strengthen governance, update outdated laws and create a more enabling environment for private sector-led growth.
