A watershed moment for the Solomon Islands tourism industry, the destination has surpassed the 25,000 international visitor mark for the first time since numbers were first recorded in 1990.

Figures released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) show a total of 25,709 international visitors travelled to the Solomon Islands in 2017, a 10.9 percent increase over the 23,192 recorded for 2016.

Australian visitor arrivals continue to dominate, the 10,161 number recorded accounting for 39.52 percent of all arrivals.

New Zealand (1694 arrivals/6.58 percent of total) and the USA (1622 arrivals/6.30 percent of total) came in respective second and third in terms of most important source markets with Fiji (1651 arrivals/6.26 percent of total) and Papua New Guinea (1487 arrivals/5.70 percent of total) in fourth and fifth position, respectively.

The biggest surprise came from mainland Chinese visitation, albeit off a small base which increased by 47.1 percent to reach 1215 (4.7 percent of total).

Acknowledging what he described as a “very hard worked for result”, Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto said the destination still needs to maintain strong focus on growing the leisure market, currently sitting on around 35 percent of overall

“We know our weaknesses and we recognise our challenges and we use these as a strength in terms of our international PR activity and online platform utilisation,” Mr Tuamoto said.

“Our disruptive approach in 2018 will see a shift from our traditional base of wholesale to pursue with vigour the retail space – and we have already seen results of this in 2017 and we will look to enhance this in 2018.

“We are confident, with government and local industry support, this can readily be achieved.

“But we also need to see an increase in the country’s accommodation infrastructure, and particularly in Honiara where we see huge potential from the MICE sector and related business traffic.

“There is a recognised need for more resources and investment to tap into and grow this area of the business.”

New accommodation inventory in 2017 included the Coral Sea Resort & Casino in Honiara and Ginger Beach Resort a short drive from the capital.

Development of the extremely lucrative cruise sector remains a key focal area of the strategy and one which the Ministry of Culture & Tourism and the SIVB have aggressively developed in partnership with Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises.

–SIVB PRESS

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

AN active trough lies over Solomon Islands and links to ex-tropical cyclone Iris located south of Rennell/Bellona province.

This was stated in Solomon Meteorological Service’s Heavy Warning Number issue which was made at 7pm yesterday.

People living in communities located near hill slopes, large rivers, streams and low lying areas are strongly advised to take safety measures to avoid danger, loss of lives and property as heavy rain can lead to flash floods and landslides.

Motorists are also advised to be extra cautious when travelling on the road and refrain from making any attempts to cross rivers and large streams of unknown depth.

In addition, the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) also issued a Heavy Rain and Flooding What to Do Information Number Four yesterday 10.40am.

NEOC stated that heavy rain is likely to cause flooding in creeks, streams, major rivers and drainages and calls on people living in or close to the above areas to take safety actions seriously.

In the warning issued, NEOC advises that village leaders and families listen to their radio for emergency information, make sure that their neighbors and vulnerable people receive this advice and move to a safe location when required.

Also stated is that people in low lying areas take extra precaution measures thus when evacuated, should only take essential items like radio, mobile phones torch, food, water, torch, knife, important papers and medicine.

Storing drinking water in sealed water bottles in case water supply may be interrupted is also advised.

NEOC adds that children should not be allowed to play in the rain and in flood raising water or near drainage systems.

Further expressed is a call for motorists to take extra care when travelling in wet, slippery and flooded areas, ensure that lights are on when on the road and make sure that they drive at a speed not exceeding 40km per hour.

Mariners are also called to be extra careful when planning to travel out in the sea.

“Avoid travelling at all if you can. When going out in the sea, always inform someone of where about you are going and your expected time of travel. Take extra fuel, puddles, life-jackets, torch-light, spare batteries, water and some food when travelling,” said NEOC.

By Mike Puia

THE Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS) is in the process of converting temporary occupation licence (TOL) to fixed term estates (FTE).

The process is good news for TOL holders. Among other things, this process will give TOL holders the ability to secure loans from any commercial bank using the FTE title as security.

Appearing before the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week, MLHS’s Permanent Secretary, Stanley Wale confirmed this.

Mr Wale said so far their Ministry has converted about 300 TOL to FTE.

He said their Ministry is expected to deal with close to 3,000 TOL.

Wale said there are about 37 squatters or illegal settlements inside Honiara city boundary.

He said illegal squatting is a “big problem” the Ministry continues to face.

“Illegal squatter is all over Honiara,” Wale said.

The Land Board is the body within the Ministry that approves application for FTE.

The Commissioner of Lands, Nelson Naoapu, did not attend the PAC hearing because he was attending an important meeting that day.

By Mike Puia

FOR the first time, leaders of Koa Hill community in Central Honiara have agreed to work closely with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF).

RSIPF’s Director of National Prevention Centre, Solomon Sisimia, said the community’s reaching out to them is historic.

Mr Sisimia said Koa Hill is one of the communities inside Honiara city the RSIPF has difficulty working in.

He said the desire expressed by leaders of the community to start a working relation with them is welcoming.

The relationship started after an incident in the community recently involving members of the RSIPF’s Police Response Team (PRT) and community youths.

When PRT officers entered the community and raided a home that was producing illegal spirit (kwaso), they were stoned by community youths. Two PRT members were injured as a result.

The incident leads to community leaders voluntarily coming out and asking the RSIPF to accept compensation for the action of their youths and to accept their wish to work closely with the police.

Their requests were granted. The first part of the request was done when leaders of the community presented traditional shell money to the injured officers and to their division.

For the second part of their request, community leaders have asked the RSIPF to produce a standard community by-law for their community.

A community leader, Charles Fakaia said having a set of law in their community will help them to maintain peace and order in their community.

Mr Fakaia said the incident is a turning point for their community as they don’t want to have any more issue with the police.

He said youths in their community are ones who bring problems to their community, yet elders and children are the ones affected.

In accepting the request to work in partnership with the community, Provincial Police Commander (PPC) for Honiara City, Alfred Uiga, has provided a list carrying names of youths who were implicated during the incident to leaders of the community.

Mr Uiga said he trusts community leaders will hand those whose names are on the list given to them.

He said those implicated in the incident must come before the courts.

Uiga said if they failed police will continue to show up in their community and look for them and that the crimes they committed will get severe.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

MARY of Assumption sisters will make their first vows on March 26 at the Nazareth Apostolic Centre at Tenaru and Archbishop Christopher Michael Cardone op will celebrate the Holy Eucharist.

This is according to Catholic Church media officer, Mr Joe Vidiki who expressed that Sisters Judith Roko and Agnes Kaora had completed three years of formation after undergoing studies at NAC Tenaru.

Shedding light on their journey, he said that they began their mission at Ruavatu parish and were later transferred to Nazareth Apostolic Centre (NAC) at Tenaru.

Mr Vidiki said that since then, they have assisted in the formation of lay catechists, Sunday school teachers, pre-seminarian students and also reached out to seminarians as well as to women and men’s groups.

“The mission work was great, the experience with people was so deep and the call is so compelling. So they dare to begin the formation of our young local women who also dared to entrust their lives to participate in the mission of the church,”, he said.

Vidiki added that the theme of the Eucharist celebration is “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it”.

“Archbishop Michael Cardone op will be at NAC Tenaru for the Eucharistic celebration and preside the first vows of the two first Mary of Assumption local sisters. Sisters Judith Roko (ma) of Tamboko Tanagai parish and Agnes Kaora of Makina parish (Marau sound),”,he said.