Find Printing and Publishing expertise in Solomon Islands

There are two main publishers in the Solomon Islands: the Provincial Press, which produces religious and general interest materials for the church and the community; and the Government Printery which mainly publishes government reports and parliamentary documents, some contract work for individuals, organisations and businesses and provincial newsletters. The Government Printing Bureau, based in Honiara, is primarily involved in the publication of the islands’ major newspaper, Solomon Star.

The Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT), the Solomon Islands Centre of the University of the South Pacific and the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) are also organisations which publish materials on the islands. The University of the South Pacific Centre publishes local fiction and non-fiction works, and was responsible for publishing the Solomon Islands’ first novel in 1980. In the past, Australian children’s book publishers have supplied books to schools and libraries on the islands through international aid agencies including War Child and the Rotary Club of Brisbane Planetarium.

The Solomon Islands are not listed on the Global Competitiveness Report 2012–13 for intellectual property protection, however nearby country Australia is listed 19 out of 144 countries with a score of 5.3 out of 7.0.

Around 65% of the population are literate, with people living in rural areas having limited access to educational materials. The University of the South Pacific does have a centre on the Solomon Islands creating some market for educational publishers. There are no international book fairs which occur here, however The Festival of Pacific Arts is held here once every four years and is a major regional cultural event for islanders to showcase their skills and traditions.

Most of the printing companies on the islands are owned by the government. Solomon Island Printers Limited (SIPL) is one of the islands’ main printers which became privatised in 2011.