PS for MECDM Dr Melchior Mataki (Left) and Sylwin Do’oro (Right) join the clean-up campaign at Saint John during
the world Environment, Ocean, and Coral Triangle day.Photo- Ezekiel Talatau.
By Ezekiel Talatau
PS for MECDM Dr Melchior Mataki (Left) and Sylwin Do’oro (Right) join the clean-up campaign at Saint John during the world Environment, Ocean, and Coral Triangle day. Photo- Ezekiel Talatau.
THE clean-up campaign last Saturday at the World Environment day, World Ocean day and the Coral Triangle day, was initiated by the Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster management and Meteorology (MECDM) in collaboration with the Friends Of The City.
The theme of the clean-up campaign was “Battle against Plastic Pollution”.
The area allocated during the clean-up, started from St John School outside areas to Goodview.
The groups are then split into two zones, one group cleaned up the stream at the botanical garden and the other group cleaned up just along the road and the drainage.
During the clean-up campaign, Mr Judah Suimae, said, “Friends of the City aims to keep our environment clean and green and as we all know that most Solomon Islands residence and citizens are depend on our environment for our daily needs.
“We to should look after and be manageable with our resources.
“Let us stand in hand as a good citizen of Solomon Island to help and celebrate the World Environmental Day, World Ocean day and World Coral triangle day.”
THE world Environment day, Ocean day and the Coral Triangle day events last Saturday at Children’s park, show a lot of effort and enjoyable activities involving speech, clean-up campaign, lunch, and competition prize.
The groups participating in the events were, friends of the city, ministry fisheries, Ministry of Environment, Climate change, Disaster Management and meteorology (MECDM), Vura youth groups, Mbua-valley Scout youths, Ghetto Youths, strive for change, St Nicholas youths and Deaf Association.
The ministry of fisheries director said, “Today is the day that we must honour and respect our Environment, our Ocean and our Reef as we Solomon Island Citizens are dependent on these resources for our daily needs.
He also stated that the country economic income also depended on our resources and we must work together to sustain and maintain our environment, both in terrestrial and marine ocean. We need to address this issue and make awareness about how crucial the ocean plays in our life and how special the oceans connected the island states.
Solomon Island is very fortunate to be part of the World Triangle Region with highest biodiversity of marine life. This is our proud heritage that we need to protect, conserve and manage our natural resources by reducing the plastic as a theme for today.
“Gizo is 2 to 3 days ahead of us celebrating the world Environment, Ocean and Coral Triangle day in effort to join the globe in fighting against plastics to keep our environment clean and green and our ocean to blue.
Director of fisheries further stated that Plastics are greater threats to our environment and ocean. They are non-biodegradable (Non-decompose) and most of them end up on the ocean. Just imagine how many individuals use plastics and how many throw rubbish and will end up in the ocean.
Let’s not forget that we all depend on our ocean and environment for many things includes, our cultural identity, traditional values, economics, foods, livelihoods and even for environmental protection Just names a few.
Honiara is full of plastics, started from shops, homes and down along the drainage, river stream and ended up in the ocean. This creates a big problem to our environment and ocean and animals in the ocean.
Director of ministry stated that some studies have shown that an estimation of about 70 to 90 percent of marine debris is plastics. This creates threats to the ocean which leads to plastic debris or pollution. Many ocean animals are dead of being entangle of ingested plastics. This is a really big threat to our environment and our ocean and we need to address this issue as a whole country.
We must fight together against plastics and make this opportunity to promote and remind us all on 4Rs (Reduce reused, Recycle and refuse).
CIP’s Siota PSS students and Staff carrying out school fundraising recently at Tulaghi, purposely for the school’s
rehabilitation program to re-improve the school’s infrastructures. PHOTO BY MANEBONA BARNABAS
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
CIP’s Siota PSS students and Staff carrying out school fundraising recently at Tulaghi, purposely for the school’s rehabilitation program to re-improve the school’s infrastructures. PHOTO BY MANEBONA BARNABAS
CENTRAL Province Siota Provincial Secondary School (PSS) will continue their school rehabilitation program setting fundraising to be held this month in Honiara.
One of their fundraising towards the program to improve the school’s infrastructures was held two weeks ago over the weekend at Tulaghi.
According to Mr David Rubaha who is the Team Leader and one of the Form Six (6) Teacher’s of the school, the students and Staff are expected to arrive in Honiara between the 19th -22nd.
He highlighted that the fundraising will include wheelbarrow drive, selling of foods, entertainments and as well as other performances in Parishes.
“Updates will be posted very soon for the programme, do come and help our school,” said Mr Rubaha for all ex-Siota students, supporters and families towards their goal.
Siota PSS Principal Fr Patterson Tako speaking to Island Sun yesterday also adds in making a strong appeal to the school’s family, to support the school towards driving for its rehabilitation program.
“We need strong support back to further improve our Provincial Premier School. I strongly appeal especially for ex-Siota Students support too,” expressed Fr Tako.
He said the school can be contacted through his mobile phone (8562711) for further inquiry to the school’s programs.
Recently during their fundraising held at Tulaghi raising more than SBD$14,000.00, the School Chaplain for Siota, Fr Tony Ubara, explained that while waiting for the Education Authority of CIP to help the school’s maintenance and other much needed areas to be addressed, they are fitting into their program’s ways to address their school situation as soon as possible.
“There is the need to quickly improve classroom buildings, dormitories, Staff houses and other buildings by repainting them and doing small repairements needed to be done to help us be in a conducing learning environment. Not only the buildings but focusing on improving other areas as well,” said the School Chaplain.
Facing a downfall over the past two years in its academic performance because of poor Administration leadership, observation has proven that Siota PSS is recovering and improving again under the leadership of Fr Patterson Tako, who was brought back in the province by authority to lead the school this year.
THIRTEEN community youth groups in Honiara held an inter-youth sport fun day coinciding with the Queen’s Birthday last week.
The Day was organised by five community youth leaders who completed the facilitators training held at the Ginger Beach Retreat recently.
With the theme, “Knowing Yourself”, it convened officers of the HCC Youth and Sports Division, Honiara Youth Council, MWYCFA and New Zealand through Solomon Islands Policing Support Programme.
It was hosted with an objective to put into practice their gained knowledge and skills acquired from the training particularly hosting a youth event.
Youth leaders also aim to unite and interact young people from different communities through a variety of outdoor sport activities and teach youths to respect and take ownership of Honiara.
Speaking for the five youth leaders, Mr Duddley Tauwauri from the Bethlehem Chapel Youth Group said young people really had fun and met and interacted with youths from other places.
Tauwauri on behalf of the youth groups thanked the HCC-Youth, Sports and Women Division, HYC, MWYCFA and New Zealand through Solomon Islands Policing Support Programme for its continuous support.
HCC’s Sports Development Officer, Mr Nelson Kabitana said such activities will support to empower young people in sports and youth development in Honiara.
He said involving youths through sport in a fun way will motivate young people to stay away from social issues and support sports development in Honiara.
With the event, Kabitana said he was excited and pledged support in any future sport activities.
HCC-YSWD, HYC and Community Youth Groups plan to make such event annually for the Queen’s Birthday.
Sports played included futsal, volley ball, table tennis and tug-of-war for both boys and girls.
QUICK thinking by a private security guard may have saved police hours of investigations following a daring daylight robbery in the cark park of the Hyundai Mall on the weekend.
Police appear to have recovered money and other personal items taken from a Rav4-look-alike Suzuki vehicle whose side windscreens were smashed, enabling entry into the vehicle.
A bag, said to have contained a large amount of cash as well as a mobile phone were allegedly removed from the vehicle. Police later recovered the items.
Martin Boliko, the private security officer who foiled the alleged robbery involving four youths – two girls and two boys – later told Island Sun it was the only thing he could think of – shutting the boom gates so that no one could escape.
“As soon as I found out what was happening I ran to the boom gate and let it down,” Mr Boliko of U’ra Village in Central Kwara’ae on Malaita said on Saturday morning.
That day’s routine started in the usual way.
But by around 09.30 that morning, the scene and atmosphere around the seaside building had changed as four youths – two girls and two boys – smashed their way into one of the vehicles in the car park in a daring daylight robbery attempt.
Boliko could hear commotions coming from the direction of the car park.
He left his other colleagues in the building and raced towards the car park. There, he found two of his colleagues engaged a youth who he said was trying to get away in an alleged stolen white Caldina, a station wagon.
The driver of the vehicle who was some distance away from the vehicle was shouting that someone was driving his vehicle away without his permission.
“By then two of my colleagues were already talking to the young man who was trying to drive away. When I realised what was happening, I raced to the boom gate and closed it so that no vehicle could get out,” Mr Boliko said.
It worked.
Police later arrived at the scene and apprehended four youths – the two girls hunched in the back of the Caldina and two young boys, one of whom was trying to carjack the car.
As the quads were driven away in a police van on-lookers booed the alleged offenders.
It is not clear whether any charges have been laid.
Moses Toata describes attending the course as vital for the road ahead in
terms of football coaching development in Solomon Islands.
BY ROMULUS HUTA
Moses Toata describes attending the course as vital for the road ahead in terms of football coaching development in Solomon Islands.
ONE of the country’s young soccer coaches, Moses Toata is currently attending a five days FIFA/OFC Instructors Course at the Oceania Football Confederation Academy in Auckland, New Zealand.
The course brings together 19 coaches representing 10 OFC member associations across the Pacific including Toata who are being given a unique opportunity to enhance their knowledge with sessions to be delivered by some of the most esteemed FIFA coaching instructors.
A team of FIFA officials who are conducting the workshop includes Branimir Ujevic, FIFA’s Head of Coaching and Player Development; FIFA/CONCACAF Coaching Instructor Etienne Siliee and FIFA/AFC Coaching Instructor Mohamed Basir.
OFC Head of Education Giovani Fernandes told OFC Media the main purpose of the course is to empower the coaching educators to deliver their own programmes within their own context by adapting it to their own realities inside their MA’s.
“Our approach is to have active participation of the candidates in the course and a lot of reality based experience so they will actually have to do the things that they do in their member associations and in that way along with the FIFA experts we can share and support each other to improve,” he said.
Toata, a former natural left footed national midfielder, is the current head coach of club champions Solomon Warriors FC.
Being one of Solomon Islands’ most decorated coaches, Toata had won several domestic and international titles with Solomon Warriors in the Telekom S-League and the Melanesian Super Cup in Vanuatu, respectively.
His attendance at the course this week holds a lot of importance toward football coaching development in Solomon Islands.
Upon the conclusion of the workshop, Toata will come out as an accredited coaching instructor who will then assist the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) technical department to deliver coaching programmes to other coaches in the country.
Toata describes attending the course as vital for the road ahead.
“This is a very important part of my coaching career and for the country’s football coaching development pathway.
“At the moment we don’t have enough coaches coaching at the C and the B License.
“By attending this course, I may be able to deliver coaching courses in the C Level and if I get my A License hopefully by the end of this year, may be able to help the technical department deliver the B License to our local coaches,” said Toata.
Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) President William Lai and Vice President Eddie Omokirio
THREE officials will represent Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) at the FIFA Congress and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Congress taking place together in Russia this month.
The two congresses are happening days apart from each other but will coincide with the staging of the FIFA World Cup that is due to kick off in Moscow on June 15 (June 16 Solomon Islands Time).
The three-man delegation will be led by SIFF President William Lai.
The other two are SIFF Vice- President Eddie Omokirio and Honiara Football Association (HFA) President Baddley Alaha.
The trio will depart Honiara on Saturday. The OFC Congress will be held on Monday next week while the FIFA Congress will take place two days later.
One of the main highlights in the OFC Congress will be the deciding of an acting President to lead Oceania until January 2019.
Seven candidates have put themselves forward for the position of acting OFC President, and thus FIFA vice-president. They are Mr Deryck Shaw (New Zealand), Mr Alexander Godinet (American Samoa), Mr Laupama Solomona (Samoa), Mr Henri Thierry Ariiotima (Tahiti), Mr Rajesh Patel (Fiji), Mr Lambert Maltock (Vanuatu) and Mr Steeve Laigle (New Caledonia).
The process that will be taken to decide on the acting President will be monitored by FIFA in accordance with the FIFA Statutes and the FIFA Governance Regulations.
The OFC’s presidential position was left vacant after PNG’s David Chung resigned in April.
Chung stepped down from the post citing personal reasons.
However, it was revealed later that he quitted after an audit into a multi-million dollar Auckland football development revealed potential wrongdoings.
Meanwhile, the SIFF President has held a press conference this morning at SIFF Academy where he gives more detail on other matters pertaining to his delegation’s trip to Russia.
Inside of Tulaghi Clinic’s current ablution block having been said to be used for nearly two years now without addressing
its unhygienic issue
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
IT has been almost two years now and Tulaghi clinics ablution block used is only a local kitchen leaf hut type.
This has raised grave concern from the clinic patients, members of the public and including insiders of the clinic as well as the mentioned ablution block being the only one there is currently used together by the Labour Division, Postnatal Patients, children and parents.
What is confusing according to report is no one seems to know of what are any arrangements to address this concern as this norm issue has been for some time now raising question against those having the power to address it.
The former permanent ablution block being used by both males and females at the clinic had been destroyed purposely to build a new extension building for the clinic which is reported to have only turned out being a failed plan causing the ablution block situation.
It has been almost two years now and Tulaghi Clinics ablution block used is only a local kitchen leaf hut type raising concern over health issues. PHOTOS BY MANEBONA BARNABAS
With the delay of projects and its funds plus with the understanding of budget cuts to all ministries by the National Government this year including other areas lacking financial support is now only forcing a planned committee to be formed in Tulaghi Clinic to address the issue. Or else nothing will be done in the next coming years.
Now pulled into the spotlight for assistance in ways of raising funds for a new temporary or permanent ablution block is the famous Ngella Forum (NGF) Team visiting the clinic to discuss over the matter during the past weekend.
From discussions made, NGF is only waiting for Tulaghi Clinic’s member’s response in their plans to work together before the aim will be carried out in raising fundraisings and working on other areas to raise funds for the plan.
What is important first is for the clinic members to create a social network committee to work with NGF.
“We want to put this out so that the authority above would also now of the issue’s here as well,” said sources.
To add, there is no proper laundry as well where questions fall back to the clinics management.
“It is unhygienic as the high risk of spreading disease is possible. The ablution block needs improvement and should be infection free,” said concern being raised.
Inside of Tulaghi Clinic’s current ablution block having been said to be used for nearly two years now without addressing its unhygienic issue
From discussion sighted over the issue on social media’s Tulaghi Hospital Discussion Page, more concern has been raised by first hand users describing the unhygienic it produces.
“Postnatal mothers use the ablution block to wash after delivery and as well as for their privacy purposes so it is one of the urgent needs to have a new showering place,” said one concerned.
Another concerned mother expressed that women deserve better as having no privacy as well falls way below the acceptable WHO standards.
“The hospital Management needs to do something about this,” raised the concerned mother.
According to insiders of the clinic, they revealed that many of the clinics issues have not been properly raised to the Ministry of Health.
“If these issues have been raised to the Ministry, we believe that something would be done. There might be some assessment as such,” said sources.
“These issues have been bypassed all these time.”
It is said also that it should be the Planning Office of the ministry of Health who should be responsible to address such issues in which call attempts to their Office were not successful yesterday.
Tulaghi Clinic now needs grave assistance calling for help to its issues purposely for a safe guidance to people’s health.
Members of the Gizo Dive Shop and volunteering team loading the rubbish straight to the pickup truck.
BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
GIZO
Members of the Gizo Dive Shop and volunteering team loading the rubbish straight to the pickup truck.
THE people of Gizo, in the Western province celebrated the ‘World Environment, World Ocean and Coral Triangle Day’ with this year’s slogan, ‘Beat plastic pollution’ on Tuesday.
Hundreds participated in the celebration and joined the Western Province Network for Sustainable Environment (WPNSE) and various environment and tourism stakeholders and the provincial government division officers in celebrating the day.
Provincial Secretary Jeffrey Wickham officially opened the celebration on Tuesday in front of the Gizo Hotel.
The celebration started with a massive cleanup campaign in Gizo island and surrounding islets.
Gizo residents, business houses, shops workers and volunteers participated in the cleanup, while a good number of volunteers, especially youths going to surrounding islands at Logha, Nusatupe, Olosana, Kennedy, Naru, Olasana.
Among the cleanup activities was the scouring nearby reefs for crown of thorns starfish and removing them.
Pile of cans, bottles and plastic collected from Nusatupe
Secretary of WPNSE Julie Kalamana thanked the general public and young youths who participated in the cleanup campaign.
“I would like to thank the general public for the good work done at the general clean up day surrounding Islands and along Gizo Township.
“We thanked local business operators especially Mobile for sponsoring one drum fuel, Zilava for providing pickup truck to collect rubbishes, cans and plastics and TTC group of companies to provide their pickup trucks and others who support the cleanup campaign.”
BEING the only all-female group among the recipients, the Girls For Change are striving to do what they do best – to support each other.
Girls For Change president Karrie Jionisi sees the signing agreement as a milestone achievement for her group.
Girls For Change is a community of interest group or a network of young women that works to improve the lives of single mothers in Honiara. They operate more on ad hoc basis with a fixed meeting location.
Karrie says their project will focus on capacity building trainings for out of school and single mothers to have the right skills and learn to have the self-confidence to participate in socio-economic activities.
“This signing today was a very big achievement for us as a girls group. We see this as a milestone that will help us step forward and use this opportunity to help other girls in our community. While we will make at least small changes with this grant, we hope to make a bigger impact to the lives of our girls.”
Keep Clean Commission
Evolved out from a thriving local boy band, N2Y Active Citizens is a community-based youth group at Naha 2 representing the young population of over 40 homes.
N2Y aims to redevelop their community’s landscape with the combination of road work, gardening and recycling means.
“On behalf of the Naha 2 Youth group, I’d like to thank Oxfam and its partners for giving us this opportunity to improve our community through our Keep Clean Commission Project that aims to give a landscape development to our community as well as establish a workforce opportunity for our unemployed youths,” says Sam Ziokera, vice president of N2Y.
“Our youth group joined the Statim Faia program earlier this year and we went through many workshops and trainings to prepare us to effectively execute our project. I am confident that we will achieve what we planned.”
