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CE Fox concludes academic year on high note

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Assistant Bishop and Diocesan Bishop joining the staff of CE Fox during the parade.

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

Assistant Bishop and Diocesan Bishop joining the staff of CE Fox during the parade.

LAND disputes have greatly affected Charles Elliot Fox Memorial School in Sa’a, Small Malaita.

Students’ performance were said to be affected over the last eighteen years. However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Anglican Church of Melanesia’s Secondary School in the Diocese of Malaita (DOM).

In DOM’s Newsletter, it was reported that land owners finally reached an agreement to allow the school to continue with its development plans.

In recent months, all school projects were put on hold because of disputes over the land where the school is located.

Speaking during the school’s graduation ceremony, School Principal, Solomon Liumae, said despite the challenges, the school was able to complete the academic year successfully.

“Thanks be to God”.

At the same time, Bishop Rickson Maomaoru Chairman of the School Board, in his speech had expressed the importance of the school striving to achieve quality education for students’ wellbeing and future.

This   year’s   graduation   theme   was ‘Resources, Reformation for Quality Education’.

“No doubt the school is blessed with wealth of resources such as trees and land. When properly utilized and managed, CE Fox can be able to implement its school development plans as well as enhancing students’ learning now and into the future”, Bishop Maomaoru was reported to say.

CE Fox Memorial School is the only ACOM School in the Diocese of Malaita and currently the diocese is trying to establish another school in Central Malaita.

DOM reports through its Newsletter that it is quite a challenge to deal with land issues in Malaita.

“But we believe through persistent prayers and faith, we can achieve what we set ourselves to achieve”.

During the Diocesan team’s participation in the graduation ceremony, one of the outstanding features of Anglican education, based on Bishop Selwyn’s education philosophy, ‘True Religion, Sound Learning and Useful Industry’ was truly evident in the life of the staff and students at CE Fox Memorial School.

CE Fox Memorial School celebrated the feast of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, the patron saint of the school recently together with its graduation ceremony.

The graduation ceremony took place following the church service to commemorate the Saints day.

Hundreds of parents and family members of students from Sa’a and surrounding communities in Small Malaita attended the significant events.

Conflict prevention and management a priority

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

THE Solomon Islands Government (SIG) is prioritizing conflict prevention and management. The SIG is doing this by strengthening community and traditional structures of government, building unity and addressing the physical, relational and psychosocial rehabilitation of people affected by the ethnic tension in the country.

To empower Honiara city and provincial community leaders in the areas of peacebuilding, understanding conflict, trauma and healing, counseling and mediation, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) project, jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women, is supporting the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace in convening a peacebuilding, trauma healing and mediation workshop.

The workshop will bring together Community leaders from Guadalcanal, Malaita, Western and Choiseul provinces; NGOs; church leaders; Honiara city urban leaders; youth and women leaders; representatives of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs and the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace.

The workshop commences today and ends on Thursday.

Malaita province care and counseling center

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
The initial construction of the Care and Counseling Center.
The initial construction of the Care and Counseling Center.

THE Diocese of Malaita along with the Community of the Sisters of the Church (CSC) is opening up a Care and Counseling Center for victims of domestic violence and child sexual abuse in Auki soon.

Apparently this is the first of its kind to be established in the province and already people have expressed their gratefulness for such initiative by the Church.

Child sexual abuse and domestic violence are alarmingly high in Malaita and Temotu Provinces.

Since arriving in Auki, Sr. Doreen had been busy dealing with cases of child abuse and domestic violence. A number of cases had already been reported to the Police for legal action.

It is anticipated that full operation of the center will begin in 2019. The center will not only provide counselling services but it will also become the province’s peace center.

Peace- building is an essential part of enhancing happy and stable communities in our province and nation.

The absence of peace among husbands and wives or parents and children is a major contributing factor to increased cases of violence in our rural communities.

At the moment the diocese is looking at partnering with other social service providers working to address domestic violence and child sexual abuse.

“We believe it is through partnership and networking that we would be able to effective address these issues in our communities”.

–Diocese of Malaita

Solomon Islands: Bringing reparation to those still awaiting justice and healing

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Dear Editor,

IT was mentioned in the Island Sun newspaper last week that outstanding issues of the ethnic tension will soon be addressed.

The particular article that I read said the Director of Peace and Reconciliation, under the MNURP, Mr. Reuben Lilo, had indicated the Ministry was now in “the scoping process” of the “Reparation Bill.” intended looking at the “old issues” and (it) would bring complete healing for the people.

Mr. Lilo also said (quote)

“So the bill (will) look at addressing old unresolved issues on loss of properties, loss of lives, loss of business, loss of education, health, land issues and all complicated cross cutting issues being captured in the bill.”

I hope that I live long enough to witness reparations for all those still needing healing in their lives after the tragic years of the so called ethnic tension.

I am not clear what Mr. Lilo referred to as “cross cutting issues,” but it would be my hope that some apologies might be made for the hate speech, racist slurs and malicious, untruthful words that many, including myself, had to unfairly endure in those early years and which still hurt deeply today.

In late 1998 and early 1999 hate speech was most prevalent in regional offshore newspapers and promulgated largely by two foreign based journalists who abandoned their code of ethics to report truthfully on the then situation in the Solomon Islands in order to promote values of equity and respect and to help uphold the rule of law.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Enhancing Solomon Islands Exports and Imports with a suggested on-line Exports/Imports Portal

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

THE Marketing and Exports Promotion Division (M&EPD) of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Immigration and Labour was established as early as 2008 and its vision is to be in a position to effectively render market information, advice, coordination and support to any firms or individuals.

Following the piece I write in the local media last week about the potential of kava as an export crop, I would hope the (M&EPD will do further market research to help expand available markets to aid farmers reap the financial benefits of their kava crops.

When I look for Solomon Islands trade statistics, as I do quite often, I generally turn to data available from the World Bank and UN Comtrade and it might prove useful if both organizations added information about local kava production and its potential for exports; if the industry progresses adequately and successfully.

I have often thought it would be desirable for those wishing to do business in the Solomon Islands to have a safe platform for selling and buying on line and I am yet to see there is one.

The Solomon Islands is still perceived by many, I suspect, as being in a remote part of the world and the creation of an Import/Export Portal mind help potential traders wanting to do online basis feel secure and protected when buying and selling goods.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Take action to Orange your day

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

THE UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, managed by UN Women, has proclaimed every 25th of the month as “Orange Day” – a day to take action to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls.

Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month.

In 2015, a new global development agenda was accepted by all countries and is applicable to all. Through its 17 goals, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an agenda for global action for the next 15 years, addresses the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social, and environmental. The Agenda recognizes gender equality and the empowerment of women as a key priority and pledges that “no one will be left behind.”

Goal 5 of the agenda aims to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” and includes specific targets to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. However, all goals are integrated and indivisible, therefore their achievement is also fully dependent on ensuring parallel and interconnected implementation of the efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.

UN Women

16 Days of Activism

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

UN WOMEN

FROM 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world.

The international campaign originated from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute coordinated by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991.

For far too long, impunity, silence and stigma have allowed violence against women to escalate to pandemic proportions—one in three women worldwide experience gender-based violence.

The time for change is here and now.

In recent years, the voices of survivors and activists, through campaigns such as #MeToo, #TimesUp, #Niunamenos, #NotOneMore, #BalanceTonPorc and others, have reached a crescendo that cannot be silenced any more. Advocates understand that while the names and contexts may differ across geographic locations, women and girls everywhere are experiencing extensive abuse and their stories need to be brought to light.

This is why the UNiTE Campaign’s global advocacy theme this year is: Orange the World: #HearMeToo.

Under the theme Orange the World: #HearMeToo, the UNiTE partners are encouraged to host events with local, national, regional and global women’s movements, survivor advocates and women human rights defenders and create opportunities for dialogue between activists, policy-makers and the public.

As in previous years, the colour orange will be a key theme unifying all activities, with buildings and landmarks lit and decorated in orange to bring global attention to the initiative.

To commemorate this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Secretary-General’s UNiTE Campaign is calling upon us to stand in solidarity with survivors and survivor advocates and women’s human rights defenders who are working to prevent and end violence against women and girls.

Our duty is not only to stand in solidarity with them but also to intensify our efforts to find solutions and measures to stop this preventable global scourge with a detrimental impact on women’s and girls’ lives and health.

Ending violence against women and girls is not a short-term endeavor. It requires coordinated and sustained efforts from all of us. Showing that these efforts yield results is the best tribute to survivors and the survivor advocates and women’s human rights defenders that we are celebrating today.

Makira PPC calls for support to fight against violence

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

MAKIRA Ulawa province’s Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Peter Sitai has appealed to the people to support each other in the fight against violence.

As guest of honour, he made the call whilst speaking at the opening of Kirakira Family Support Center’s second campaign to stop violence against women and girls at Ngoragnora.

Sitai expressed that the primary focus is for everyone to work together to disseminate reliable information across all sectors of the communities so people can understand more about the issue and in turn, help prevent and reduce the risks of being exposed to violence.

“It is everyone’s business to advocate against violence as this issue is perhaps politically, economically, socially, technology, legally and of course environmentally influenced”, he said.

Sitai also said that there is no cause of domestic violence to justify the actions and that it should not be used as rational behaviour.

He mentioned that one way to find out the possible causes of violence is to better understand why the abuser believes violence is acceptable.

Sitai assured people of Makira province that the provincial police will do whatever it can to support the campaign program.

Float parade for16 days of activism today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Women leaders take time to remember violence victims.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

AN official float parade to begin the 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls will be held today.

The float will begin at Henderson and will end at the White River playing field in Honiara.

The float parade is part of the awareness and advocacy on the fight to end violence in our communities. Printed materials will be shared for the public to learn more about this event.

The official remarks for today’s programme will be delivered by Honorable Lanelle Tanangada Minister of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA).

Public is encouraged to take part in the activities today.

Women leaders take time to remember violence victims.

Makira joins in the fight against gender-based violence

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

STUDENTS, church groups and ministerial groups within the Westside of central Bauro constituency in Makira province have kicked off their 16 days’ activism on Nov 25th.

This campaign also falls in line with the international 16-day activism against gender-based violence.

Makira province through its campaign themed “Herem vois belong mi – Stop violence against Women and Girls” aims to shed light on all forms of violence against women and girls through general awareness.

Guest of Honour and the Provincial Police Commander Peter Sitai told participants that gender-based violence is a worldwide problem including Solomon Islands.

At the same time, team leader of KiraKira Family Support centre Edna Sitai said the country is ranked the second highest in the Pacific for domestic violence. Sitai emphasized that the results are affected by traditional beliefs, individual inferiority, behavioural influences through interaction and situational factors from the family and society, victims, alcohol, and drugs.

Meanwhile, provincial Honourable member for Ward Nine, Hypolite Taramae stressed that the influence of inequality which lead to differences in responsibility, forms violence within the family.

The campaign although only a second since it started last year has participants realizing the significance of it in the rural areas.

The people there have also signed a pledge to fight and eliminate violence in their families and societies.

This 16 days’ activism program was facilitated by the KiraKira Family Support centre with help from stakeholders; Kirakira Police, Makira Council of Women, Makira Ulawa provincial Community governance and Community Policing.

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