| SOE Portfolio 2017 | Government ownership % | Total Assets SBD (‘000) | Total Revenue SBD (‘000) | Total Liabilities SBD (‘000) | Net Profit / (Loss) SBD (‘000) | |
| CEMA | Commodities Export Marketing Authority | 100 | 31,424 | 2,869 | 275 | (159) |
| SAL | Solomon Airlines Limited | 100 | 168,315 | 259,701 | 168,141 | (17,244) |
| SIPC | Solomon Islands Postal Corporation | 100 | 29,333 | 13,345 | 77,258 | 962 |
| SIBC | Solomon Islands Broadcasting Authority | 100 | 20,281 | 11,216 | 2,373 | 2,004 |
| SIEA | Solomon Islands Electricity Authority | 100 | 1,078,678 | 445,987 | 108,344 | 120,049 |
| SIPA | Solomon Islands Port Authority | 100 | 696,579 | 240,839 | 187,454 | 122,653 |
| SIWA | Solomon Islands Water Authority | 100 | 350,234 | 112,395 | 146,271 | 25,272 |
| PORTFOLIO | 2,343,420 | 1,083,482 | 689,841 | 253,696 | ||
Performance Highlights
The SOE portfolio [1] has undergone a dramatic turnaround since 2009. Average portfolio return on equity (ROE) increased from (11%) in 2002-2009 to 10% for 2010-2016 and 15% in 2016. Return on Assets (ROA) followed a similar trend. The turnaround can be attributed to (i) financial restructuring of three of the largest SOEs, (ii) tariff increases at SIWA[2] and SIPA, (iii) improved collections for SIEA[3] and SIWA, (iv) privatization and liquidation of non-strategic SOEs and (v) improved implementation of the SOE Act, in particular the community service obligation (CSO) regulations. In 2016, the Solomon Islands government established a new SOE, Solomon Airlines Airport Corporation Ltd (SIACL), which commenced operations in 2017.
More detailed analysis on the Solomon Islands SOE portfolio can be found in:
Government’s Management of SOEs
Government exercises SOE ownership oversight through the application of the State-owned Enterprises Act 2007 and State-owned Enterprises Regulations 2010. The Act and Regulations cover such matters as the duties and responsibilities of the Accountable Ministers, the principal objective of every SOE to operate profitably; how CSOs are identified, costed and approved; directors’ duties; director selection, appointment and removal; and preparation of the Statement of Corporate Objectives and Annual Reports. For SAL, the only SOE that is a registered company, the Companies Act also applies. Some SOEs are established through their own legislation.
The Accountable Ministers are the Responsible Minister and the Minister of Finance. They are jointly responsible to Parliament for the performance of the SOEs. They must ensure that the provisions of the SOE Act 2007 and Regulations 2010 are implemented. In most cases decisions must be made jointly.
SOEs are monitored by the Economic Reform Unit (ERU) within the Ministry of Finance. They provide reports to the Accountable Ministers on SOE performance.
Important Documents
Periodically the Government approves policies to provide guidance to the SOEs and assist the Government effectively manage its ownership interest. The following are key policies adopted by Government relevant to SOEs.
[1] State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) are listed in Schedule 2 of the Solomon Islands State-owned Enterprise Act 2007; the Portfolio performance presented here includes only commercial trading SOEs. It does not include CEMA and ICSI. CEMA has regulatory functions, while ICSI is a holding company for the Government’s minority shareholding in a number of companies and other investments; .
[2] Now trading as Solomon Water
[3] Now trading as Solomon Power