BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
IMPERIAL Travel Service successfully launched their plans on Saturday, April 14, with the Haroro community at Central West Ngella to host the 2018 Imperial Islands Cruise on Friday, July 6.
the 2018 Imperial Islands Cruise which is part of celebrating the coming 40th Anniversary Independence will be coinciding with an inaugural Pana festival to be presented by the local community at Haroro (Ngella) which will be the first for such festival to take place in the history of Ngella.
The community at Haroro wishes to celebrate the local food crop for the first time (Pana) being culturally significant to the custom of Ngella people. It is a chance for them to showcase Pana’s significant value of life in how it is planted, harvested and being eaten similar to how other food crop festivals usually take place around the country.
Ender Rence the Managing Director of Imperial Travel Service during the launching thanked the community of Haroro for allowing their resources too so that they can carry out their activities in which she believes will be a two-way bonus for them.
“It is important to engage resources owners and pass the right information when doing business with them,” reminded Ender.
“So let us not get carried away by all sorts of things because we need to work together in being united to contribute helping the development of our country too.”
Owner of Roderick Bay lodge Mr Patrick Sara on behalf of the community at Haroro welcomed the launching and assured Imperial Travel Service of their support and that they are looking forward for the great events to take place coming July.
“This programme is for all of us to benefit from so let us embrace it and take part together with our visitors that will be coming on the 6th of July,” advised Patrick for their community.
Different styles of processes on cooked Pana’s were also introduced by locals during the launching in which members of the Imperial Travel Service and guests of Roderick Bay Lodge had the chance to taste from different dishes too enjoying them.
The Gela Community partnering with the local Travel Company (Imperial Travel Service) is part of supporting tourism in Ngella to create attractive products for visitors.
first for such festival to take place in the history of Ngella.
Imperial Island cruise will run from Honiara to Roderick Bay, Anuha Island and then back to Honiara over the period of a day. It will include entertainment, food, beverages and a variety of activities for people of all ages.
Support for this community initiative on the Pana Festival by Imperial Travel Service is understood to help send a powerful message for other communities in not to wait for government support for sustainability.
cooked processes of Pana (local food crop) presented during the launching at Haroro
The theme for July’s 2018 Imperial Islands Cruise coinciding with the Pana Festival is “Own your future embrace it”.
People from Gela were seeking support from relevant authorities for the Pana Festival in which authorities failed to listen to the community request. This is where Imperial Travel Service has stepped in to support the people of Ngella.
Imperial Travel Service was born in 2004 and is locally owned.
