PAPUA New Guinea’s Bank of the South Pacific is looking to introduce a domestic violence policy covering PNG and all regional branches after a company survey at BSP Solomon Islands showed 92 percent of all 260 staff believe their colleagues are affected by violence at home.

The policy will cover thousands of employees in Papua New Guinea branches and Pacific banks in the Cook Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tonga.

Given the prevalence of gender based violence in the Solomons, “It was no surprise to us that some thought it was (affecting colleagues and their work) but the 92 [percent] result was practically everyone, and that’s a serious impact for the livelihood of all staff and the business as a whole,” says BSP Solomons CEO David Anderson.

He was amongst presenters at the launch of a Women at Work (Waka Mere) progress report in Honiara this week as Pacific delegates attending annual regional Labour Mobility meeting in the Solomons for 2018 have also raised the need to address gender dimensions around sending seasonal workers to Australia and New Zealand. The Waka Mere initiative aims to help businesses tackle gender inequality and domestic violence impacts in the workplace.

The Waka Mere project takes it cue from World Bank partnerships aimed at mainstreaming gender into businesses, with reports from HR managers and employee surveys across 15 companies employing more than 6,000 workers in the Solomons.

While the overall results of all employees surveyed showed 75% agreed domestic violence was affecting the ability of some colleagues to come to work or perform at their best, the BSP Solomon’s 92 percent finding was “a huge surprise” for Anderson and his HR team.

The BSP Solomons CEO says the other surprise came when the team looked to BSP head office in PNG to adapt a policy for the Solomon Islands context, and found the organisation didn’t have one – hence the move to roll out a comprehensive policy for all BSP countries.

While the bank is the only one of the large companies surveyed so far to have equality in terms of numbers of women at work- almost 50-50, the Waka Mere initiative has sparked a ‘game-changing’ wave of awareness amongst all staff on the less visible nature of abuse at home, says Anderson.

“Go back 12 months, and if you asked our staff about domestic violence they would say it’s just physical and hitting, and that’s what they thought. Then, to talk to them about domestic violence also being verbal, and about intimidation– that if you don’t do this, this is the conserquence….staff were very surprised to learn these were also considered domestic violence– it’s been very helpful.”

After sharing to the launch how the bank has assisted in a few cases, Anderson says providing staff with awareness on recognising, reporting and accessing help is part of helping out.

“We can only do so much. We are not trained to be experts or advisors in domestic violence, and all we are trained to do and can do, is support staff, tell them what they can do and point them to a number of organisations in the Solomon Islands who can assist,” says Anderson.

In his presentation at the launch he pointed out several cases where the bank had supported staff through their choices to ensure their safety,

The cost of going that extra mile is not the issue, he says.

“It’s not a matter of what it will cost. It’s a matter of getting it right for the staff. If I go back to the 92 percent who said they believe staff were impacted by Domestic violence, that’s a cost to the bank because they are not working to their maximum capacity so assisting the staff to resolve this issue will resolve their private life and hopefully the staff will be a more productive member and of more use to the organisation.”

Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce executives Dennis Meone and incoming CEO Atenasi Ata have welcomed the progress report and are keen to expand it beyond the 15 pioneers featured to the full membership of more than 220 chamber members.

Ata challenged employers to picture the improved productivity when both men and women are valued equally in the workplace– “supported by systems and processes that are more nuanced to the Solomon Islands reality, this is the unrealised potential for human resource and therefore for business that SICCI emphasizes through Waka Mere.”

She says the project is showing how the private sector “is in perfect step with Government” legislation and policy aimed at ending gender violence in the country.

By Lisa Williams

HONIARA

ANNAUL headline inflation for Honiara has indicated a slight surge of 0.3 percent in August, 2018.

This means only a 0.1 percent points increase was recorded compared to the previous month (July) inflation of 0.2 percent.

Releasing the Honiara Consumer Price Index (CPI) statistical report for the month (August) last week, Government Statistician, Douglas Kimi said: “Through the year to August 2018, the Honiara CPI increased by 3.2 percent.”

He said food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 0.9 percent with the main contributors to the movement in the group were Vegetables +6.6 percent, Potato and Tuber +17.0 percent, Fresh Fruits +4.9 percent, and Fish and Sea Food +1.7 percent at the Honiara Central Market.

“Other contributors include Oils and Fats +2.7 percent and Non-Alcoholic Beverages +0.8 percent at retail outlets. These outweighed declines in Bread and Cereals -1.1 percent, particularly rice -0.6 percent,” Mr Kimi stated.

Other major changes in other sub-index include:

• Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco and Narcotics +3.2 percent

The main contributor to this group was narcotics +50.2 percent, particularly betel nut +64.5 percent. This outweighed falls in tobacco by -7.6 percent.

• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other fuels by -1.6 percent

The main contributor to the fall in this group was electricity charges -7.7 percent, kerosene -1.4 percent and diesel by -2.1 percent.

• Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance by -2.1 percent

The main contributor to the decline in this group was Glassware, Tableware and Household utensils -14.8 percent especially plastic utensils -21.0 percent and cooking pots -27.1 percent. These outweighed price rises in household appliances +2.5 percent and tools and equipment by +0.1 percent.

• Transport -0.3 percent

The main contributor to the fall in transport group was operations of personal transport equipment -0.9 percent, predominantly fuel and lubricants by -0.9 percent.

Kimi added that apart from the above, price movements elsewhere in the consumption basket were insignificant.

“The overall annual headline inflation rate for the month of August 2018 calculated on a 3 months moving average basis was 2.6 percent, up 0.4 percentage points from 2.2 percent the previous month. The corresponding inflation rates for imported and other items were 0.7 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.”

Kimi added that the main underlying rates of inflation based on a 3 months moving average for the month of August 2018 were observed between -0.2 percent and 1.0 percent while the headline inflation rate was at 2.6 percent.

–SINSO PRESS

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

TODAY October 15 marks Global Handwashing day. Up to 70 percent of cases of diarrhoea may be associated with poor food hygiene thus this day is deemed very important.

Food-borne illnesses are said to be a major cause of death in low income settings, particularly among children under five.

Contamination of food can also lead to a wide range of illnesses and outbreaks, many of which are particularly dangerous for pregnant women, fetuses, and people with compromised immune systems.

In a statement by bodies responsible for this activity today, they highlighted that hygiene promotion activities have shown improved food hygiene behaviors and reduced contamination in food.

“One study with mothers in Nepal showed that food hygiene behavior change, including improved handwashing, is feasible through a behavior-centered intervention process,” the report said.

The report said, critical food-related times for handwashing with soap includes: before cooking or preparing food, before eating, and before feeding someone (including breastfeeding).

“Caregivers should wash their own hands at all critical times, and model or enforce good handwashing behavior for children. Caregivers include parents, siblings, other relatives, school or daycare professionals, and others.”

Research indicates that existing routines can be modified to help form new habits.

For example, a meal can serve as a ‘trigger’ moment for handwashing. Habitual handwashing is more likely when handwashing facilities are established, and time is set aside for handwashing before eating, to help develop a group norm.

This year, Solomon Islands joins the rest of the world to mark the Global Handwashing Day. The theme focuses on the links between handwashing and food – including food hygiene and nutrition.

In Honiara, activities to mark ‘handwashing day’ will be held at the national art gallery. An invite from the Health Promotion department in the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) says students from various schools will be also be part of the formal program to mark this global event.

The MHMS is calling on the general public to be a part of this event which will take place from 9am to 1pm.