CATHOLIC’S Christ the King Parish at Voruvoru Northwest Choiseul under the strong leadership of Parish Priest Fr Henry Paroi is ready to kick start its new Parish Church building project soon.
According to report provided by the Parish, there are already enough timbers and gravel to start building the church being prepared on the mission ground while continuous supply of timbers will arrive from the four zones of Voruvoru parish.
“The building contractor Mr Sebastian Ngingiribatu was called upon to come down from Honiara and kick start the church building foundation profile while supply of building materials will be transported to Voruvoru from Gizo by the Mission vessel MV Galilee,” said report.
“Parishioners of Christ the King Parish Zones are prepared to give hand in their communities’ contributions towards their new Parish Church project in which as soon as the building contractor arrives from Honiara, work will start.”
HONIARA celebrated the International Youth Day under theme: Safe Spaces for Youth in a small scale yesterday.
This year’s theme signified the need for youth’s safe spaces where they can come together, engage in activities related to their diverse needs and interests, participate in decision making processes and freely express themselves.
Yesterday, the Youth, Sports and Women Division of the Honiara City Council celebrated the International Youth Day in a smaller scale particularly in training and workshop.
HCC Youth Development Officer Mrs Mary Tuhaika said young people in Honiara celebrate the International Youth Day yesterday with a discussion about mental health with the Child Fund New Zealand.
She said this activity is part of celebrating the International Youth Day as it was celebrated globally yesterday.
Tuhaika said this is a small event, but bigger one is scheduled for September this year which will be during the Honiara Youth Week.
While there are many types of spaces, safe spaces ensure the dignity and safety of youth.
Safe spaces such as civic spaces enable youth to engage in governance issues.
Public spaces afford youth the opportunity to participate in sports and other leisure activities in the community.
Digital spaces help youth interact virtually across borders with everyone; and well planned physical spaces can help accommodate the needs of diverse youth especially those vulnerable to marginalization or violence.
Ensuring that safe spaces are inclusive, youth from diverse backgrounds especially those from outside the local community, need to be assured of respect and self-worth.
According to the United Nation, in humanitarian or conflict prone settings for example, youth may lack the space to fully express them without feeling uncomfortable or unwelcome.
UN also adds similarly, without the existence of safe space, youth from different race or ethnicity, gender, religious affiliation or cultural background may feel intimidated to freely contribute to the community.
When youth have safe spaces to engage, they can effectively contribute to development, including peace and social cohesion, the UN said.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 11, emphasizes the need for the provision of space towards inclusive and sustainable urbanization.
Furthermore, the New Urban Agenda (NUA) reiterates the need for public spaces for youth to enable them to interact with family and have constructive inter-generational dialogue.
Additionally, the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) which is the UN framework for youth development prioritizes the provision of “leisure activities” as essential to the psychological, cognitive and physical development of young people.
As more and more youth grow in a technologically connected world, they aspire to engage deeper in political, civic and social matters and the availability and accessibility of safe spaces becomes even more crucial to make this a reality.
VORUVORU Cultural group at Northwest Choiseul is preparing well to showcase their traditional cultures in the upcoming National Educational Authorities Conference (NEAC) to be held at Taro Station.
According to Hon Nerio Ulemiki the MPA for Ward 12 at Varisi Lavata reporting, Voruvoru’s Cultural group comprises of male pan pipers, female dancers and Riko’s traditional Bamboo Band who will showcase the true ethnic cultures of Lauru.
“They will also highlight during the conference their traditional entertainment songs flavoured with traditional styles of dancing which will be including doing the famous qoqala style dance of Lauru adding a Kaqe ceremonial feast,” said Hon Ulemiki.
The upcoming National Educational Authorities Conference to be held at Taro will start on the 24th of this month August, 2018.
A total of 15 participants attending the training with their Certificate at the PT109 in Gizo on Friday.
BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
GIZO
A total of 15 participants attending the training with their Certificate at the PT109 in Gizo on Friday.
A two-day introduction to Tourism and Quality Customer Service training has ended successfully in Gizo, Western province.
The training is facilitated by Solomon Host, a business which offers tourism training and consultancy service for government agencies and biasness in Solomon Islands and organised by Western Province Tourism Association (WPTA).
About 15 participants within Gizo attended the training and received their certificated at the PT109 restaurant on Friday.
This training programme is sponsored by Stongim Bisnis, an Australian government-supported programme that works with the private sector to increase the country’s economic prosperity.
CEO, Solomon Host facilitator Joyce E Konofilia said that this training is very important for local operators around the province to understand basic trainings on how to provide quality services.
“This training is much important for people in the province, especially Gizo to interact with tourists coming to Gizo.
“Gizo is the destination for all cruise markets and now is growing and this training will equip workers and locals to gain right informations.
“It’s good for local tourism operators around the province to easy understand the basic concept of tourism.”
She said the same training was successfully ended at Munda on Wednesday and Gizo on Friday. The trip to Seghe will be postponed to carry out the training.
She encourages taxi drivers, other tourism business operators and general public to attend the training in future.
He said the training programme will prepare the people in the province for the expected influx of tourists as result of the opening of the Munda airport to international flights and Cruise Ship destinations.
Western Province Tourism Association (WPTA) President Ivan Mike has thanked Solomon Host and Australian government for supporting the local tourism industry to improve its services delivery at an international standard.
HCC Youth Development Officers Mrs Mary Tuhaika d with young people from the communities within Honiara who marked the International Youth Day on Sunday.
BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
HCC Youth Development Officers Mrs Mary Tuhaika pictured with young people from the communities within Honiara who marked the International Youth Day on Sunday.
YOUNG people under the Youth, Sports and Women Division of the Honiara City Council have marked the International Youth Day 2018 in a consultation workshop with Child Fund New Zealand on Sunday.
Every year, International Youth Day celebrated on August 12 designed by the United Nation for young people globally to raise their voice under a specific theme.
For year, the theme is: “Safe Spaces for Youth”.
Under the theme, HCC-Youth Division and Child Fund New Zealand gathered young people within Honiara in a consultation workshop with aim to get their views about mental health.
Besides that, young people also have special time to commemorate the International Youth Day yesterday by expressing themselves about the theme.
The HCC’s Youth Development Officer, Mrs Mary Tuhaika said this year’s International Youth Day theme in Honiara’s context has set one big goal for Youth Division.
She said this year youth division aims at letting young people aware that HCC have spaces for young people to actually access services.
She adds the International Youth Day theme for this year is reflecting well the goal of their work relates to services and opportunities offer for youths within Honiara.
“Story of the young people today will tell partners outside about issues and factors contributing to families, friends, community and country,” she said.
“It’s just a way of young people saying what they want for the future and how we can create safe space for them,” Tuhaika said.
HCC-YD’s Youth volunteer Ms Reywin Aluta said the International Youth Day theme: Safe Spaces for Youth in a local context is about providing opportunities for young people.
“To me, Safe Space for Youth is about providing opportunities for us young people to speak freely and showcase the skills that we have in a freedom way,” Aluta said.
Hahe Alatala from the Music Gateway community youth group said Safe Space for Youth means, it’s an environment avail young people to make decision freely, inspired, nurture and empowered.
She adds, safe space for youth can defined place where young people have freedom to speak, access to trainings and workshops, involved in church activities, sports and opportunities.
Mr Cyrus Tonutangata from the CY youth group described the theme as it provide a space of recognition for young people to be able to participate within their communities.
“It is a space provides avenue for young people can fully express them emotionally, physically and spiritually, and also showcase what they capable of by contributing towards nation building,” Tonutangata said.
HCC-YD volunteer Mr Warren Jr Pugemoana said the theme for this year gives opportunities for young people to have their concern and voice heard.
“A safer space which young people can have safe and secured opportunities, job, education and pursued their dreams and live in a responsible person in the country.”
PROVINCIAL Member for Ward 4 and Premier of Guadalcanal Province Anthony Veke hosted the event for his constituents. It was a day of festive social activities and celebrations.
Thousands of people turn out to celebrate Guadalcanal 2nd Appointed Day at Tulagi Primary School located in Tangarare Ward 4 over the weekend.
The day started off with processioning to the event grounds, official speeches, feasting, traditional and contemporary dancing.
A women representative delivering her speech thanked Premier Veke for his leadership and all that he has achieved and done for his people of Tangarare Ward, Guadalcanal province and the country as a whole.
“Mothers are the bedrock of societies, our struggles are real, our tears are real, our pains are real. We want to thank you (Premier Veke) for all you have done for us mothers one way or the other,” she expressed.
“We understand the limited financial resources at the disposal of provincial members, yet our Ward Member and Premier never failed to see to our needs.
Premier Veke and Community Chiefs.
“Most times he simply avail his time to listen and provide words of advice as mitigating strategies for our struggles, he does not believe in cash nor hand out cash as means to end our struggles. This is the kind our leader we want and need.”
In delivering his speech, Premier Veke thanked his people and their community leaders for the impressive turnout.
Veke then went on to highlight challenges faced and achievements attained by his current government.
“We – your government- are working hard to rectify these challenges within our means.”
In terms of successes, the results speaks for themselves, GPG send our people to Canada, GPG sponsored students at SINU, successfully hosted Guadalcanal Weaving Festival and other important leaders Summits and Dialogue to mention a few.
He then went on to highlight successful projects such as schools and clinics and programmes initiated for Ward 4 and encouraged his people to work hand and glove for more successes.
Flag Raising.
Chiefs, community elders, Church reps and youth reps all express gratitude to Veke for bringing the celebration down to the grassroots level.
Although some political rivals planned to disrupt the event, celebrations went well without any disturbance. The presence of Guadalcanal Police Officers ensures peace and order.
All 21 Ward members of Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly celebrated 2018 GP 2nd Appointed Day in their respective wards. This is to give them opportunity to report back to their people the successes of Guadalcanal Provincial Government before House dissolves at the end of this year.
ELIGIBLE voters are encouraged to go back to their constituencies to vote for their leader.
A concerned man from North East Guadalcanal says he is making this this call because from information that he had gathered, many constituents from Northeast Guadalcanal are planning to move out to register elsewhere even as far as Malaita and Central islands province.
He said from what he gathered, people were not happy about the current leadership style.
He said they also alleged that there is discrimination in how projects are disbursed.
“I like to call on all eligible voters especially those who want to move out that to run away, will not solve our problem of developing our constituency.
“Because when you move out to register and vote in other wards and constituencies, firstly you are neglecting our place and constituency which we need to work together to develop.”
He says when the people go out to register and vote in other constituencies, they will delve into the shares of the people of the said constituency, causing inconvenience to the people there.
“And thirdly the Electoral law does not allow one to register and vote in another ward or constituency outside his/her principal place of residence. So if you break the law there are penalties.”
He appealed to all eligible voters of NE Guadalcanal that were not registered in the 2014 National General Election to come to their right mind and register in their principal place of residence.
The concerned man from NE Guadalcanal says there are also Members of Parliament from different provinces luring people from NE Guadalcanal with cash to go and register and vote in their constituency.
“If you are not happy with the current leadership, do not run away from our home constituency. We must come together to work out the best alternative leadership to work with in devising a new strategy to develop our constituency and shape our common future”.
The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) however has an Omission and Objection period whereby members of a constituency can submit a claim of objection to delete any name appearing on the voters list that they believe should not be on the list.
Public inquiries will be held to investigate claims of objection and these inquiries will determine whether to remove or retain names on the final voters list.
Votes are encouraged to claim objection if they see something not right in the voters list during the Registration period.
Voter registration exercise has been moved from August to September 2018.
WESTERN provincial capital town today welcomes the biggest cruise boats from Carnival Australia to the island capital.
The mega cruise boat, Pacific Eden which carries 2200 passengers for the seventh time will grace the shores of Gizo this morning with passengers expected to visit Gizo Island and other venues near Gizo during the ship’s eight-hour stopover.
Western Province Chief Tourism Officer Jefferson Patovaki yesterday said that today Gizo will witness the arrival of a cruise ship making its annual voyage again into our shores this year.
“We will close the section of road that begins here at the MSG building to the BSP building today, as it would only allow for pedestrians and a brief welcome ceremony will be stage here in front of the Gizo Hotel upon the landing of the first tender boat.
“Gizo Community High School students this year will highlights traditional shows includes Cultural and Modern, King and Queen Shows.
“Tomoko a traditional war canoe will escort the first tender to the shores at 8am to be greeted by warriors to welcome representative from the Carnival Australia.”
He said that other tourism sites that have been identify for tourists to visit is at Saeragi Village, Kennedy Island, Fat Boys, Njari, Imagination Island Resort, Oravae, Epanga and other tourism sites within Gizo.
He said that around 50 tour guides consisting of boat drivers, taxi drivers, volunteers, and craft vendors have prepared to accompany the visitors.
This is the seventh time Pacific Eden is visiting Gizo.
ON August 6th, students of SINU’s Mandarin class not only learned more about Taiwanese culture but also how to prepare a popular Taiwan snack known as “Cong You Bing”, in other words, scallion pancake.
According to Taiwanese class teacher, Ms Kuei Mi Li, this was possible by Mr Shao-Chuan Yu, Mr Chia-Han Hou and Mr Chien-Jang Huang, Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) specialists who were invited to spend the day with her students.
She explained that day’s activity began with Mr Chien-Jang Huang introducing baseball to the students, a popular ball game in Taiwan.
Ms. Li with her guests.
Huang showed the students how to hit a ball with a bat and catch the ball with a glove before having them join him which Ms Li expressed as a first time experience, students found it funny but more exciting.
She said they later went into a singing session led by music loving Chia-Han Hou who told the students about Taiwan songs sung in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka and aboriginal languages before singing a popular Taiwan song and a love song he composed by himself.
The students later joined him and Ms Li mentioned that it was impressive.
A step by step process of preparing a popular Taiwanese snack called “Cong You Bing” or scallion pancake then took place by Shao-Chuan Yu.
Ms Li expressed that students watched with interest and after sampling the snack, were all eager to prepare it themselves at home.
Madarin class group photo.
A quiz session with prizes from Taiwan farm was also part of the activity and favoured by the students.
As their sessions concluded, she said her students showed their gratitude by performing a Mandarin song for their guests.
One of the students, Mr Adrian Maneniaru referred to the activity as “very nice” and “educational”.
“I found it really refreshing to have this kind of activity as it really broadens our minds to new things,” he said.
Shao-Chuan Yu who specialises in nutrition stressed that although beginners, the students were active in learning Mandarin.
He said that every time they tried their best to pronounce the words in Mandarin he could see that they desperately wanted to grasp the language.
Chia-Han interacting with a student.
“My favourite moment is when Chia-Han tried to make students sing the last lines from the song he demonstrated which impressed me so much. It gave me a chance to witness that singing is the best way to learn a language and with Solomon Islanders’ beautiful voice, I really enjoyed the moment we had at that time,” he said.
Chia-Han Hou’s work at the TTM farm is to manage the farm and deliver fruits and vegetables to nearby schools.
Chien-Jang Huang on the other hand, helps provide qualified piglets and pig farm managing skills to local farmers to help improve the piggery industry in Solomon Islands.
Ms Li voiced that her students were very happy to have learned new things like Taiwan’s love for baseball, Taiwanese music and learning how to prepare “Cong You Bing” (scallion pancake).
“They a found the day’s activity not only exciting but informative and educational, helping them discover more aspects about Taiwan,” she said.
THE Auditor General’s Office and Police are urged to audit and investigate the two ghost Aid post projects of Tutu and Sariana Wards (12 and 11) at Northwest Choiseul.
Northwest Choiseul’s Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Ward 12 at Varisi Lavata Hon Nerio Ulemiki stressed that the projects were more than $100,000 each over which the people of these Wards inside Northwest Constituency want to know why, where and how the monies for these two ghost projects were spent during the period of the former Provincial Assembly of Choiseul Province.
According to Hon Ulemiki, a small Aid post building was completed at Tutu since 2014 when the project was hand-delivered to the former MPA for Ward 12 Mr Gideon Panisaga. However, Tutu community during all these times suspect that the money had not been fully utilized.
“This is why a project completion report is also needed for transparency as earlier called for,” said Ulemiki.
Gideon Panisaga the former MPA for Ward 12 at Northwest Choiseul could not be reached over the weekend to response over this issue but nevertheless, in response during a recent interview when he was still in power, he told Island Sun that the project over Tutu’s Aid post had already been completed and that the matter queried is confused for Ward 11’s Aid post in which during that time, he said he still kept the money for when until the right responsible people over the project from that Ward approached him before he will release it under the knowledge of their MP.
From Hon Ulemiki’s call now, it seems that the projects investigated into since last year is still in a puzzle causing fed-up and suggestion that it is now high time the Auditor General’s Office and Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) investigate the two ghost Aid projects.
The Aid post at Tutu is reported to stand idle to this day.
