Honiara Central Market extension open for business
Media Release
18 July 2024
The eagerly awaited Honiara Central Market extension opened on Thursday 11 July 2024 with a large undercover space and stalls for 100 vendors.
The SBD10 million project was handed over by Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Mr Rod Hilton, to Honiara Deputy City Mayor Hon Clement Terewauri, who undertook a tour of the extension led by local builder Tropic Group Builders and local designer, Kramer Ausenco.
Deputy Mayor Terewauri said the extension provided a much more comfortable and hygienic space for the nation’s largest market.
“We acknowledge Australia for providing an improved experience for Honiara’s main marketplace, for the public and for vendors earning a vital income for their family.
“Our market vendors will be grateful for this expansion to Central Market and they are looking forward to selling their produce undercover and off the ground,” he said.
Mr Hilton said he was impressed by the scale of the extension and its low maintenance features like the polished concrete stalls which would stand the test of time.
“The expanded market is a high quality and easily maintainable space for Honiara City Council and the hundreds of people who support their family’s education and other expenses through market selling.”
“This is another locally designed and built project delivered under the Solomon Islands- Australia partnership, working with Honiara City Council. The project generated jobs for 49 Solomon Islanders.”
Mr Hilton also acknowledged the support of vendors who temporarily relocated while construction took place.
“The men and women I spoke to this morning were excited to be selling their produce undercover and off the ground,” Mr Hilton said.
Honiara Market vendor Maureen Sariki said the vendors were speechless about the final extension, as it had been a number one priority for the vendors and expressed their gratitude to the Government and people of Australia for their support.
“We usually sit in the sun and rain to sell our produces, but that will be a thing of the past now that this extension project is complete. We thank Australia for their kind support because through this market, that’s how some of us women meet and support the needs of our families,” she said.
The Solomon Islands-Australia partnership for infrastructure is supporting the construction of new or refurbished markets across six provinces including Central, Guadalcanal, Isabel, Makira, Malaita and Western Province to support social and economic development opportunities for Solomon Islanders around the country. Further announcements of completed market projects are coming soon.
