BY DOUGLAS VAHIA

The National Panpipe Festival (NAPTAN) 2026 is officially underway at the National Art Gallery grounds.

The festival was officially opened yesterday by Minister for Culture and Tourism (MCT) James Bonuga with the program set to run from July 1-5.

 NAPTAN brings together cultural groups and panpipe master practitioners.

Yesterday’s opening marks an important milestone in our nation’s cultural journey as people gather to celebrate one of the most distinctive and treasured symbols of Solomon Islands identity – our panpipe music.

More than 20 panpipe masters and cultural groups travelled from provinces to participate in the festival.

In an interview, Chairman of the organising committee for National Panpipe Festival (NATPAN) 2026 and Director of Ministry of Culture and Tourism division (MCT) Dennis Marita said we need to come up with the unique feature.

He said a feature to build our own strengths in unique characteristic of our culture, pointing out that panpipe music is a catchy and unique cultural character of Solomon Islands.

Marita also said that if the event is held consistently, people will know how significant it is.

“This event has a long term-vision. We wish to take this festival to new heights in the coming years, to become a national festival, where we can invite panpipers from other countries to showcase its uniqueness,” he said.

Marita said the theme ‘Echoes of the past, Sounds of the Hapi Isles’ reminds us that every melody carries the voices of our ancestors and the stories of communities.

“Our responsibility is not only to admire these traditions but to protect them and pass them on to future generations. The honor we can give ancestors is to keep the legacy alive,” he said.

Marita highlighted that panpipe music is far more than entertainment.

“It is the cultural signature, across the pacific, whenever people hear the unique sound of the panpipe. The government will continue to place greater importance on preserving, protecting and promoting our rich cultural heritage,” he said.

Speaking in an interview, leader of Sirovanga panpipers group from north-west Choiseul, Gerardo Pitamama said our culture is our original identity.

He said he sees the importance of our culture, which started to vanish away because when missionaries came, they changed our culture.

“We are thankful for the government to bring it back to life and let us bring back the unique sounds of origins.

“Sirovanga panpipe boys are so happy to participate in the event,” he said.

Photo credit: Douglas Vahia

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Solomon Islands Government (SIG) yesterday signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) to strengthen the administration of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Credit Guarantee Scheme and improve access to finance for local businesses.

The revised agreement was signed between the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI), the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MOFT), and CBSI.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, MCILI Permanent Secretary, Riley Henao Mesepitu said the revised MoU updates and strengthens the previous agreement to improve the administration and implementation of the Government-backed loan guarantee scheme.

He said the scheme is funded by the Solomon Islands Government through MCILI under the national SME policy and is designed to support Solomon Islanders engaged in small and medium-sized businesses.

“We know that accessing finance is one of the biggest challenges for businesses, which is why this scheme was established to assist Solomon Islanders who want to run businesses,” Raylie said.

He said the initiative supports entrepreneurs operating within the country as well as businesses involved in export activities.

Raylie explained that under the revised arrangement, the Ministry of Commerce will continue to administer the policy, while the Ministry of Finance manages the scheme’s funds. CBSI will oversee the administration of the guarantee scheme through participating commercial banks and financial institutions.

He said the revised MoU clearly outlines the collaborative responsibilities of the three institutions, with objectives that include improving access to finance, sharing credit risks to encourage private sector lending, managing risks prudently, and maintaining accountability and transparency.

Raylie thanked CBSI Governor Luke Forau and his team for administering the scheme and said technical officers are preparing a detailed report on its performance and impact since its establishment.

Governor Luke Forau said CBSI’s role is to administer and facilitate the scheme as part of the Government’s policy to support SMEs.

He said the guarantee scheme is specifically designed for businesses with viable loan proposals but insufficient collateral to secure financing from commercial banks.

“The participating banks will assess whether a business proposal is viable, and if the applicant lacks sufficient security, they can recommend the proposal under this guarantee scheme,” Forau said.

He added that CBSI is committed to processing applications quickly, aiming for a turnaround time of one to two days to ensure businesses can access finance without unnecessary delays.

Forau described the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme as an important Government initiative that will help more Solomon Islanders secure affordable business loans and expand their enterprises.

Photo credit: John Houanihau

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

CONSTRUCTION of a long-awaited morgue at Gizo Hospital is progressing well, marking a significant milestone in improving healthcare services in Western Province.

The project is funded by the Western Provincial Government through its Sectoral Development Plans and is expected to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide comprehensive health services.

Director of Western Province Health Services, Dr. Dickson Boara, described the project as a major achievement for Gizo Hospital, which has operated for many years without a dedicated morgue facility.

He said the new morgue will enhance the range of services available at the hospital while ensuring the respectful and proper management of deceased patients.

“Gizo Hospital has been without a morgue for a long time, and this development will add an important service to the hospital,” Boara said.

He said a morgue is much more than a storage facility, its critical role within a modern healthcare system.

“A morgue is far more than a storage facility. It is a vital part of a modern healthcare system.

“It supports patient dignity, public health, medical and forensic investigations, and efficient hospital management.

“For hospitals serving large populations or remote communities, investing in a well-equipped morgue is essential to ensuring comprehensive and compassionate health services from the beginning of life through to death,” Boara said.

He said the new facility will improve the hospital’s ability to manage deceased patients with dignity while supporting healthcare workers, families and relevant authorities whenever medical or forensic investigations are required.

The construction of the morgue forms part of ongoing efforts by the Western Provincial Government to strengthen health infrastructure and improve the quality of healthcare services delivered to people throughout the province.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

MORE staffs are needed at Gizo Hospital as population continues to increase demand for adequate services.

Director of Western Provincial Health Service Dr. Dickson Boara said the hospital has witnessed an increase in the number of patients over the past years.

He said the situation is not urgent however forward planning is important so that the hospital is ready when situation changes.

“At the moment it is manageable but we cannot rule out the fact that our population has increased and patients admitted at the hospital also increase.

“We need more doctors and nurses at the hospital to meet the service-demand. From health and medical point of view with need more specialised doctors who can attend to different health issues especially women and children,” Boara said.

He said the task now is to look at how to accommodate doctors and nurses who will serve at the hospital.

Boara said housing is one of the challenges that continues to downplay Gizo hospital’s plan to bring in more doctors and nurses.

“There are doctors and nurses who are interested to come and join our team at the hospital, but our problem is housing.

“Housing market in Gizo is very limited as other sectors also compete for accommodation here in Gizo,” he said.

Boara said one of the potential solutions is for the provincial government to allocate a piece a land at Gizo specifically to build houses for medical staffs especially doctors and nurses.

He calls on the Western Provincial Government to see the need and work closely with the health sector to approve the plan.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

The controversy surrounding Helena Goldie Hospital’s failed operation theatre has deepened, with newly uncovered information revealing that the hospital was largely excluded from key planning and decision-making processes before construction began.

Medical Superintendent of Helena Goldie Hospital, Dr. Raymond Kuray Dickson said the hospital was largely excluded from the planning and design process of the redevelopment project.

He said the gaps in the initial planning contributed to the failure of the OT which remains unusable more than a year after the facility was officially handed over.

Dickson said hospital management and staff had little opportunity to provide practical, site-level input before construction began, despite being the end users of the upgraded health facility.

“The reality is that Helena Goldie Hospital was largely excluded from the formal organizational structure and planning stages of this project,” he said.

Dickson explained that the initial planning and design were undertaken at the ministerial level in Honiara before hospital staff were presented with a near-final blueprint.

“About two weeks before the first bricks were laid, contractors and representatives from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Environmental Health and Logistics presented a pre-finalized blueprint to us.

“It was a top-down project where Helena Goldie Hospital staff were left as mere spectators, witnessing our soon-to-be refurbished hospital on paper with no window to make practical, site-level adjustments. We could only assume at the time that senior medical officers at the National Referral Hospital had provided the necessary clinical input,” Dickson said.

He said the construction of the redevelopment project began after the contract was formalized and work mobilized in March 2024 forcing the hospital temporarily relocated its clinical services to the nearby Helena Goldie Nursing School to allow work to proceed.

Dickson said the redevelopment included a refurbished general ward, operating theatre, labour and maternity unit, and a new standalone isolation unit.

“On 13th April 2025, the Solomon Islands Government and the World Bank officially handed over the upgraded facility,” he said.

However, Dickson said the hospital’s operating theatre has yet to become operational.

“It is now 443 days since the official opening and the operation theatre remains completely non-operational,” he said.

Dickson said the project experienced setbacks during construction, including the termination of the original contractor before a second contractor was engaged to complete the remaining work.

He said hospital staff later identified numerous structural and technical defects after the facilities were handed over.

“Once the facilities were handed over, we discovered a significant number of structural and technical defects that required immediate corrective action by the responsible authorities,” Dickson said.

He said the hospital has spent more than a year raising the matter with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Solomon Islands Government and visiting development partners in an effort to have the problems rectified.

“For over a year, we have felt completely powerless, doing nothing but raising our voices because we desperately want our operating theatre to save lives again,” Dickson said.

He said recent public attention generated through Island Sun Newspaper has renewed hope that the longstanding issues will finally be addressed.

“For the first time in 443 days, we feel heard. We feel like we have won a major battle for our community,” Dickson said.

He expressed appreciation to those who have supported the hospital’s calls for accountability and corrective action.

Island Sun understands that the hospital continues to await the completion of remedial works before the operating theatre can resume services.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]

BY CHARLES STENNETT

Prime Ministerial high-level talks are taking place in Suva, Fiji this week between Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale and Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Prime Minister Wale arrived in Suva Tuesday night to attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Troika Meeting, a statement by the PM Press Secretariat yesterday said.

On arrival at Nausori airport, Mr Wale was awarded an official welcome with a 50-man Guard of Honour.

Wale was received by the Fiji’s Foreign Minister Sakiasi Ditoka and senior Fiji government officials.

Prime Minister Wale’s visit was elevated to an official visit and as the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Fiji also accorded Prime Minister Wale a prestigious traditional welcome ceremony.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will also pay a courtesy call on the President of Fiji, His Excellency Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, at the State House.

The PIF Troika Meeting commenced yesterday.

Prime Minister Wale returns to Honiara on Friday, July 3.

Photo credit: PM Press Secretariat

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]

BY CHARLES STENNETT

The importance of a stronger and unified Pacific voice is among issues emphasised in bilateral talks between Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale and Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in Suva, Fiji this week.

The two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to regional unity and Pacific solidarity, emphasising the need for collective leadership to address common challenges, a statement by the PM Press Secretariat yesterday said.

As current Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Prime Minister Wale stressed that Pacific leaders must take a proactive and strategic approach in shaping the region’s future.

“Solomon Islands is committed to a secure and stable region through unity and Pacific solidarity,” Wale said.

The prime ministers also covered key issues within the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), with Prime Minister Wale acknowledging Fiji’s leadership as current MSG Chair, the PM Press Secretariat statement said.

On economic cooperation, Prime Minister Wale reaffirmed Solomon Islands’ support for ongoing discussions on the future direction of the MSG Trade Agreement.

“Solomon Islands supports and has signed the MSG Free Trade Agreement 3 concluded in 2016, which aims to establish MSG as a free trade area,” he said.

Wale said that while the Agreement has served the region well over the past three decades, it must continue to evolve in response to changing economic realities and global trade patterns.

At the bilateral level, Prime Minister Wale recognised Fiji as a key strategic partner, the statement said.

“Our friendship has been strengthened through close cooperation in education, security, health partnerships, and cultural exchange, underpinned by strong historical people-to-people connections,” he said.

Both leaders also agreed to further enhance air services between the two countries.

In response, Prime Minister Rabuka said the traditional welcome accorded to Prime Minister Wale was fitting for a leader deeply committed to the Pacific region.

He emphasised that the collective voice of Pacific leaders must continue to drive the aspirations of Pacific peoples.

Prime Minister Rabuka added that Fiji looks forward to supporting initiatives led by the current PIF Chair, which will be further discussed at the upcoming Forum meeting in Palau.

Photo credit: PM Press Secretariat

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

Editor: [email protected]