By Mike Puia

EFFORTS to raise funds to help 13-year-old Andy Tolobua undergo heart surgery outside the country are continuing.

The latest to give a hand is the Member of Parliament for West Honiara, Namson Tran.

Tran, through his Constituency Development Officer, Mr Brian Taupiri, delivered a bank cheque worth $10,000 to Andy’s parents, Jimmy and Nester, on Thursday.

Tran is understood to be the first MP to step in and give a hand.

Andy is suffering from bicuspid aortic valve problem, a heart problem he was born with.

According to the National Referral Hospital (NRH), this life-threatening problem can only be treated overseas.

Nothing was known about Andy’s heart problem until a team of heart specialists from Australia visited the NRH in July of this year.

After examining Andy, the visiting team confirmed that Andy suffered from severe aortic regurgitation which requires “urgent surgery”.

Overseas airfares, accommodation, meal, transportation and surgery cost is expensive. For Andy’s parents, the cost is unbearable.

The Cardiologist who examined Andy, Dr David Rose, stated in his report that there is a chance Andy’s left ventricle might fail not long which means Andy needs to have his aortic valve replaced and his aortic root replaced.

The nearest place where the family looks to for Andy’s heart surgery is Canberra, Australia. Even though Australia is close, the cost is still very high.

Andy’s parents have been running around looking for help to get their child overseas to get heart treatment. They have gone on to do public appeals and fundraisings.

Many people have come forward and support the couple.

A group of passionate local photographers have stepped in to do a “one-shot” photo campaign to help raise funds to help Andy.

Andy’s appeal posters have been pegged along the street and his clips and photos on social media as part of the family’s effort to raised funds to help Andy.

When handing the cheque, Taupiri said the support comes from Tran’s personal money as gesture of Tran’s wish to see Andy recover.

He said Tran has conveyed his best wishes to the family as they look to get Andy to any specialised hospital overseas for life-saving treatment.

Andy’s parents, Jimmy and Nester, were overwhelmed by the support.

They said they are so happy that Hon Tran responded to their appeal very quickly.

“We are so thankful that Hon Tran responded very quickly. What Hon Tran does shows that he cares for the children,” the emotional Nester said.

By Gary Hatigeva

THE Youth Sector should be thoroughly captured in any law of the country as an important aspect in leadership of any society, says the Youth Development Officer from the Ministry of Women, Youths, Children and Family Affairs.

The Development Officer, Methodius Iapara made this in reference to sentiments highlighted by the Chairman of the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) and Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga, Matthew Wale on the Traditional Governance and Customs Facilitation Bill 2018, when appearing before the Committee yesterday.

The Aoke/Langalanga MP stressed that youths are an important sector in the country and it is therefore important that any law must caters for their interests.

In his brief presentation on the ministry’s views regarding the TG Bill, the Youth Development Officer, supported the Wale’s emphasis and pointed out that some section or clauses in the proposed traditional and customs law should be included on behalf of young people.

Iapara explained that the government’s new youth policy caters for and does acknowledge the ministry that is responsible for this bill, and its (Bill) corporate plans have already been factored in it (policy).

“That policy will guide us to achieve the empowerment and the development of young people, and this bill is also important to consider the young people when participating in decision making,” he said.

The Youth Development Officer however stressed that having worked with young people for quite a number of years, it is sad to see that young people have continuously being neglected, even up to issues of leadership in almost all forms of systems.

“Because when you look at young people, they can be in the youth ages and taking up the role of traditional leaders or chiefs and there are some sectors in various ethnic groups Solomon Islands, the name traditional leaders can be women or can be young girls,” Iapara said.

He added that having looked through the bill, it is notable and important that young people be considered inside the bill especially in the aspect of mentoring and grooming.

However, while agreeing to the concern, the BLC Chair explained that such issues, which includes mentoring and other related matters, would be a process that will come in implementation phase, based on the creation of different provincial ordinances.

This is something the Youth Development Officer is confident the Ministry will well capture the highlighted issue of concern, as a matter catered for in the newly launched Youth Policy framework.

He then revealed that the Youth division will work in alignment with the responsible ministries for the implementation of the mechanisms in place and that is with provinces, where the ordinances are created.

“We want to ensure that matters of concern and interests to our youths in various jurisdictions are captured in this new Bill, and being too general, even if it goes through, hopes will lie on any future amendments to be done on it,” Iapara added.

Meanwhile, with an earlier guarantee, the Government’s Advisor on the Traditional Governance Bill, Peter Boyers, assured the Bills Committee that the bill will deal with a lot of traditional and customary issues that will have direct impacts on all, which includes women, youths and children.

He also highlighted that most of the inclusiveness will come into place under the provision that will give provincial governments through their Mother Ministry to create ordinances accordingly.

The Bills and Legislation Committee hearings into the Traditional Governance Bill continue this morning.

A female Police officer of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has been awarded a ‘highly commended’ award in the Excellence in Law Enforcement in the Asia Pacific Region by the Australasian Council of Women and Policing Awards.

The award was presented to Police Constable Annette Mepirke in front of her colleagues during the Commissioner’s weekly parade this morning (20 September 2018).

The nomination reads: “Annette is nominated for her excellence in tactical policing and public order management practices, and is inspirational for women to push limits and boundaries. She is the only female operational member of the Police Response Team, where she has worked since her basic course in 2016. Her display of mental and physical strength and determination in passing the course and maintaining her competencies as an operation member is a true inspiration to all women. Annette has shown that statue and gender is no limitation to what can be achieved by women in a specialist policing role.”

Speaking at the parade Commissioner Matthew Varley says, “This is an outstanding award and on behalf of all officers of the RSIPF I want to congratulate Police Constable Mepirke on her fine achievement.”

“It is indeed a proud moment for the RSIPF to be recognised at this level. Your team has helped you come this far and I want to encourage all RSIPF members to excel in your carrier.”

This is the second consecutive award received by an officer of the RSIPF from the Australasian Council of Women and Policing Awards, following Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Central Province, Superintendent Patricia Leta last year.

–POLICE MEDIA