A former premier of the Solomon Islands province of Malaita says the government has the means to support the country's unemployed youth into work.
Reuben Moli was one of this year's recipients of the Cross of Solomon Islands, a recognition of services to the country awarded during celebrations marking 34 years of independence.
He says one of his more recent accomplishments was building the National Provident Fund Plaza, a complex for local businesspeople.
"If we can build the arena for the festival of Pacific Arts and plough out millions of dollars there for that two weeks operation, the same amount of money we can plough into another complex and put all our youth under there and then let them practise how to run a small business in there."
Reuben Moli is now the principal of a rural training centre in Malaita's capital, Auki.
