DEAR EDITOR, I read with keen interest an article by Mathias N. Sao. Waifo from Patutiva entitle “The Creation of Rennel-Bellona” in Solomon Star Newspaper on August 21, 2018.

In his article Mr Waifo talked about the founding fathers of Bellona Island but more interestingly was his account regarding the formation of Owaraha- Santa Ana Island.

I believe all provinces in the Solomons with varied cultures would have their own stories vis-à-vis the formation of islands. We aptly called this as ‘custom stories’. They may differ slightly from each other but the content would be very much the same.

It is something of the past that is kept in narration and passed verbally that mesmerize consecutive generations throughout ages. Some of these ‘custom stories’ are remarkably important which entails chiefly ownership or bigmanship in our various cultures or related to ownership of land or islands by settlers for that matter.

To our forefathers (ancestors), the formation of islands could be linked to supernatural powers related to god worshipping during heathenism or it could be related to spells, because their world is full of mystery and enchantments.

Nevertheless, I personally love the way they create such accounts of fictions that depict reality of what happen in nature. The story of the two brothers that pull the island of Santa-Ana to surface interest me much. It may be fiction in a sense, but it factually portrays science at work.

With science, we can resolve mysteries that are happening in the physical environment as experienced by our ancestors in the olden days. This article will briefly explain how our islands are formed and to give a fair idea of the reality that lies behind the mystery of island formation that was experienced by our ancestors.

In practical, we are living along a Convergence Plate boundary – the convergence between two Crustal Plates, the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate. The Pacific Plate being denser of the two, sinks under the Australian Plate (which is lighter) creating a subduction zone. This is a zone where tremor and volcanic activities occur – particularly known in science as the “Pacific Rim of Fire”.

Volcanic activities in this subduction zone can form oceanic/volcanic islands. Specifically, our islands in the Solomons archipelago belong to a volcanic arc caused by the subduction of the oceanic crust of the small Solomon Plate under the Pacific Plate.

However, this is quite complex to understand but simply put, the theory is the Pacific Plate slides beneath the Australian Plate, it creates a weak zone along the subduction zone which allows molten magma or magma plume from the earth’s mantle to easily escape reaching the surface creating what is known as volcanic arc; and it is in this way that our islands are formed.

Another good example of such island formation is the Aleutian Arc formed where Pacific Plate is sliding under the North American Plate.

The Lesser Antilles (islands in the Eastern Caribbean) also formed in the same manner as the Caribbean Plate is sliding under the North American Plate.

On the other hand, some islands in the Pacific formed at “Hot Spot”.

This is an area where the Pacific Plate is thin and magma plume from the mantle can push up through the plate, forming chain of islands.

An example of this is the Hawaiian Islands, Samoa, Pitcairn and Tahiti.

The “hot spot” remains stationary while the sea floor (Pacific Plate) moves. The Pacific Plate is moving to the northwest at a speed of between 7 and 11 centimetres (cm) or ~3-4 inches per year.

The successive cycles of volcanic activity at the site of the “hot spot” leave a trail of volcanic peaks (which is the Hawaiian Islands).

These volcanic peaks or islands become older and more eroded in the direction of the Plate movement.

Therefore the largest island in the archipelago which is Hawaii is also the youngest, while Kahoolawe, the smallest island, is also the oldest and the farthest from the hotspot.

In theory, the Plates are moving while you read this article and it is with such movements that drive our islands to form through volcanic activities along subduction zones.

Therefore, this wonderful custom story about the two brothers that pull Santa Ana to surface is a great example of a science fiction related to a mysterious world of our ancestors in the olden days.

However, the “science” in this science fiction isn’t about tales or mystery, but in reality it is about tectonic activities and the formation of islands by volcanic activities.

Therefore, embrace your culture and don’t let loss of any of your science fiction, for they are your identity.

I have the conviction that science fictions from our various cultures need to be recorded and preserved.

I think the science fiction will encourage us to explore, helps us think about possibilities and look at our society from a different perspective.

And with the “science” in the science fiction as the backdrop, we can understand our world better.

Steve S Kapivio

Honiara

Solomon Islands

DEAR EDITOR, late evening news relayed by Radio New Zealand last night, Thursday, 23 August 2018, gave a grim report of the reported loss of Fiji’s coastal fisheries resources.

My mind was immediately focused on the food security needs of those communities in the Solomons dependent on coastal fishing.

I repeat the text of the news broadcast. (quote) “Fiji’s coastal fishery resources have been depleted due to years of over-exploitation, an agriculture official says.

“Naipote Katonitabua, the acting permanent secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, said food security for Fijians living in coastal communities was at risk.

“The FBC reported him saying coastal fisheries provided extensive benefits for Fijian communities, including employment and nutrition.

“But communities involved with fisheries needed to work with government to better manage coastal resources, Mr Katonitabua said.

“Over-exploitation of coastal fisheries was a Pacific-wide pattern and the focus of various regional commitments aimed at countering the problem, he said.

“One example was the Melanesian Spearhead Group roadmap for inshore fisheries management and sustainable development, the official said.” Copyright @ 2018, Radio New Zealand.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

DEAR EDITOR, I disagree with the statement made by the Prime minister in public media on land issue in Malaita province.

The land dispute issue should be treated as part and partial of the policy and strategy of development for Malaita province because development cannot happen without land.

And so for any Malaitian leaders to isolate land dispute away from the development in that province only reflect poorly on the mindset that are ignorance and reluctant to address economic development in that province.

It is not right to compare Malaita with other sister provinces in the nation because of the huge population and patrilineal customary land ownership that has been practice and experience in that province that create favourable environment for more land dispute issues.

It is childish for our national leaders to blame the people in the provinces for land dispute issue because as elected leaders people are entrusted us to play our roles in addressing issues of concern that affect livelihood.

It is sad to say that for the last 35 years none of the effort and commitment from the provincial and national MPs from Malaita has been shown towards the land dispute related issues mounted to development in the province through establishment of right policies and financial assistance in addressing the issue.

While the billions of dollars of development funds as CDF has been poured into the province through the discretions of the 14 MPs, nothing tangible had seen happening, not single tiny percentage of those funding has been gears towards the land related issues within the province.

The customary chiefs and land owners are left alone struggling without funding and directive policies from the government dealing with the land dispute issue with lengthy and costly land court system practice currently in the nation.

There has been a poor working relationship with the national MPs and the provincial leaders when sharing ideas and priorities for the future welfare and development aspiration of the Malaita province is concern.

The people of Malaita have the legal right to ask and take into court their 14 MPs as where are the development funds such as CDF that provide purposely to develop Malaita province for the last 10 to 20 years has been used?

Our national leaders must be mindful when making public statement on the development related issues or else we are barking on the issue that we failed to address.

If the elected leaders failed to uphold their roles and obligations what are leaders for?

God bless the struggling people of Malaita province.

Jacob Ofasia

Talise market

DEAR EDITOR, as a person who has great concern for development aspiration to heart, I wish to share my concern on the recent media releases both from Island Sun newspaper No 2985 on Friday 17th and media release from Government Communication Unit, of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet dated 16.08.2018.

This is regarding the recent appointment of the third female Permanent Secretary to lead the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

The concern is in the light of the process involved in the processes undertaken in the appointment.

Whilst the general public appreciates the appointment, both media releases failed to highlight the fundamental issues required for a suitable candidate to fill such an important post.

The important issues are the relevant qualifications required for this technical post.

This is a technical ministry (MAL) an incumbent of this post requires the followings as the bench mark.

• A pre-requisite qualification requires for the candidate must be a BSC degree and Master Degree in Agriculture and rural development from a metro-polythene University.
• A required minimum of 10 years or more working in the field of Agriculture, which special emphasis in either, extension, research, livestock or quarantine with colossal experiences with local, regional and international connections.
• Other management qualifications example, human resources management and other extra areas of interventions.

These qualification requirements are essential for the candidate to provide a sound and appropriate advice to the Hon. Minister Agriculture and Livestock.

This is important when the Hon. Minister is due to make contributions to important issues raised during Parliament debate from time to time and more importantly, during budget sessions.

I am of the view that the process involved in the recruitment is doubtful and the process is being influenced by politics.

This will result in under performance and will somewhat create low productivity in the agriculture sector for the next five years down the road.

And when it happens, responsible authorities must be answerable for such a stake of affairs in the agriculture sector.

John Harunari