Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo under took his first public engagement today when he attended the launching of the state of the art printing technology at the Provincial Press Office, a division of the Melanesia Holdings Limited.

Mr Lilo, who was sworn in on Wednesday afternoon as the country’s new prime minister said he was delighted to have undertaken his first public engagement to launch the Heidelberg SM 74-2P printer, being one of the newest of its kind in the Pacific region.

During his short remarks at the event, Mr Lilo said the printing press, owned by the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) has benefited from a private/public funding arrangement by the government to have the new printing technology imported into the country tax free.

Mr Lilo said his endorsement for tax exemption for the company, a charitable organization, was also because the printing company has shown worthy improvements on its history as one of the oldest printing firm in the country.

He commended the company for their contributions as one of the significant printing firm in Solomon Islands and encouraged the shareholders of continuous government support in their future development ideals.

Mr Lilo highly commended the company for the its acquisition of its state of the art printing technology which was imported from Germany through an Australia-based distributor.

Mr Lilo was able to witness the operations of the new printing technology during a tour of the printing press with other invited guests and printing clients of the company.

Mr Lilo, who had endorsed the tax exemption for the importation of the printing machines in his former capacity as the Finance Minister said, he was only delighted and saw it fitting that his first public engagement was with the Church

“I kept my promise to come to the event when as the Finance Minister so I came even as the new prime minister of Solomon Islands. Furthermore, I am all more delighted that my first public engagement is with the Church (of Melanesia)”, Mr Lilo said, prompting wide applause from other guests and officials.

Mr Lilo encouraged other businesses to make good use of the private/public fund arrangements available that is encourage by the government.