The Solomon Islands national government has no intention of selling Soltai.
This was the statement of Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources permanent secretary Ruth Liloqula. Mrs. Liloqula was responding to Honiara City councillor Lawrence Makili who claimed that the government is making plans to sell Soltai to a company in Philippines. She said the national government had no intention to sell Solomon Islands’ only tuna company, Soltai.
In fact, she said the government’s main priority now is to improve and expand on the company's operations.
Mr. Makili had told Solomon Star that he had evidence of government's current negotiations to sell Soltai. He said the government is intending to sell Soltai to a company called RD Tuna of Philippines.
But, Mrs. Liloqula said the government is now making plans towards onshore processing.
On shore processing is a process where all tuna caught in Solomon Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be processed within the country before exporting.
â€We are working towards that and we are working with Soltai,†the permanent secretary said. She said Tri Marine and NFD are currently doing feasibility studies in the provinces to established Tuna pump boats.
Tri Marine is a privately owned company and was formed in Singapore in 1972. Since then the company has grown to be one of the largest tuna supply companies in the world.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Tri Marine and Soltai, Tri Marine will supply Soltai with the necessary equipment to process tuna into catering sized cans for the European market.
The MOU also provides for an increase in the production of tuna loins for the EU market.
The majority of raw materials for Soltai’s newly renovated plant are supplied by National Fisheries Developments (NFD), Solomon fishing company owned by Tri Marine.
NFD owns and operates three Solomon flag purse seiners.
These two organizations are doing the study at their own cost.
Mrs. Liloqula said it is also a government plan for Soltai to expand into producing other by-products such as fish mill. For that it will create some more factories and will also fish to supply those factories. â€To fulfill these plans the government will invite fishing companies to fish for the industry not forgetting to accommodate our local fishermen,†the permanent secretary said.
Generally, Mrs. Liloqula said the government wanted to see more going into Soltai.