Isolomons

Trade Winds

s3m in loans overdue LOAN arrears on the books of the De velopment Bank of Solomon Islands now amount to Sls3 million (US$l.23 mil lion), including loans for agricultural projects which may be written off as bad debts. The bank has recently reviewed its lending policies but the Central Bank has said there is a pressing need for the Government to increase the Develop

ment Bank’s working capital.

Copra production rises INCREASED activity by smallholders led to a rise in Solomon Island copra pro duction in 1988, according to figures just released. But the industry still has major problems: the latest report of the Cen tral Bank of Solomon Islands says that substantial amounts of copra are lying dried but unshipped in rural areas poor ly served by boats.

Bank opens at Auki THE National Bank of Solomon Islands has expanded its provincial branch net

work with a new office at Auki, in Malaita Province. The new branch cost 515200,000 (U 5597,940), replaces rented premises, and represents another exten sion of the bank’s computerisation of national operations.

New rice sales NEW Zealand and Papua New Guinea importers are to begin buying rice from the Solomon Islands, and there have also been enquiries from Western Samoa, Kiribati and Vanuatu. The rice will be sold by Filders Industries (SI) Ltd, which has just obtained additional protection because the Government considers it an important source of local employment.