Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Construction of USP campus in Guadalcanal could begin next year

Posted at 21:17 on 21 September, 2012 UTC

The Vice Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, Professor Rajesh Chandra, has inspected the site for the new USP campus in Solomon Islands.

The location for the new USP campus is an old cocoa and coconut plantation site called Doma in Guadalcanal.

Professor Chandra says it’s big enough to meet the demands of the growing base of local students.

The Solomon Islands Minister for Lands Joesph Onika says a lease has been given to the USP by the Guadalcanal Provincial government.

Professor Chandra says depending on when the government can provide connectivity of electricity and water, the construction of the campus could begin towards the end of next year.

“The funding is already secure and the government understands that and it wants the construction to go ahead. So we remain optimistic but we also understand that governments are not always able to work as fast as they promise to do.”

The USP’s Vice Chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra.