The chief executive of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce says the country needs to focus on creating jobs to engage its growing youth population.
According to the World Bank the country's unemployment rate last year was 32.4 percent and national statistics show more than 70 percent of the population is under the age of 30.
Solomon's Chamber of Commerce CEO, Dennis Meone Photo: SICC
This year education received the lion's share of the government's development funding but Dennis Meone said the competition for scholarships and jobs was still very high.
"You know the basic question is can we, as a country, are we able to provide jobs for these young growing population?
"The answer is not really," Mr Meone said.
"And that is why the policy conversation that we are having with government to look at opportunities. I think it is important that if government creates the conducive environment so that businesses can grow and hence create the jobs or provide the jobs."
