Oti briefed on Solomon Islands High Commission Chancery project in Moresby

Solomon Islands Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Immigration, Hon Patteson Oti, arrived in Port Moresby yesterday for a brief stopover, enroute to Honiara, after attending the United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York.

He was met on arrival at Port Moresby Jackson’s International Airport by Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, HE Mr Bernard Bata’anisia.

While in Port Moresby, the Foreign Minister had a first hand briefing on the progress work of the new SI High Commission Chancery Office Complex in Port Moresby by SI High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, HE Mr Bernard Bata’anisia.

The Solomon Islands High Commissioner informed the Hon Minister that the Government has already engaged a PNG Architecture Firm, the Archiscape Group, to work on the design of the new Chancery Building, in close consultation with the Ministry of Infrastructure & Development in Honiara.

Currently work has started on the design of the High Commission Chancery Building and soon a senior officer from Ministry of Infrastructure and Development will be traveling to Port Moresby to consult further with the Architecture Firm on the design work, says High Commissioner Bata’anisia.

The Company is expected to complete the design proposal by the end of the year, ready for submission to the Papua New Guinea Building Board for approval.

Hon Minister Oti later viewed the preliminary designs of the Chancery Building and noted this is a priority project for the Ministry and the Government and is committed to seeing it constructed by first quarter of 2008.

The Foreign Minister later met with the Korean Ambassador to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, HE Mr Sang Yoon Park where both leaders pledged to work together to strengthen their bilateral relations.

Foreign Minister Oti arrived in Honiara from Port Moresby today.

Source: GCU