Minister for Health and Medical Services and Member of Parliament for North Guadalcanal constituency, Dr Paul Bosawai Popora appeals to citizens across the country to celebrate this Christmas with dignity and safety.
He made the statement when speaking on the debate of the Sine Die Motion in parliament early this week, to lessen burden on health workers as they will continue to serve the country during this festive season.
Bosawai said, while many will celebrate this Christmas with families, health workers will remain on duty in facilities across the country.
“With that, let me ask our good people across the country to celebrate with dignity and safety, and not to burden our health services through accident-related cases that relate to alcohol.
“Christmas is not a day to drink a lot of beer, but it should be a time to reflect, celebrate, and moving forward to develop our beloved country, Solomon Islands,” the minister said.
He acknowledged all health workers for their great sacrifice this Christmas to save people’s health across the country.
Bosawai said that despite ongoing challenges, they must remain committed to strengthening the ministry and delivering quality health care services to all Solomon Islanders.
He also thanked partner ministries and development partners for their collaboration throughout the year.
Located far in the midst of Wanderer Bay, West Guadalcanal, far from the shoreline, past lush plants, and trees is the ECE (Early Childhood Education) Centre, the only one serving more than 10 communities in Wanderer Bay.
Supervising ECE Teacher Lorine Laubua
The day is sunny and the breeze is friendly as ECE Supervising teacher, Lorine Laubua from Sughu community of Wanderer Bay takes the lead in brining me to the ECE Centre.
A road leading outwards to the beachA walk along the beach to the school
We walk through a cocoa plantation from Sughu village and onto a road from another village ahead of us known as the “Roman Catholic community” before a short walk along the beach.
Passing through a small stream to get to the school
The path finally leads us inwards into what in Solomon Islands is locally called a “bush” that is after we pass a small stream. But the journey is still in its initial stages.
We walk for a good amount of time, trekking through a small path through trees, plants and all living things that dwell in the natural environment.
Mind you, from Sughu to the school is closer than where most children live and have to travel from to get to the school.
A road leading to the school compound
Finally, we arrive at the Wanderer Bay Community High School of which in its compound is the ECE Centre.
The ECE Centre in Wanderer Bay
The sight of the ECE classroom is just sad, a low structured classroom that is in dire need of not maintenance but replacement.
Inside the ECE classroom
From the window which lacks proper frames and louvers as most classrooms, you see before you dangling decorations, and as you look inwards, is where these children come to learn.
A total of 150 children from communities in Wanderer Bay were enrolled this year.
ECE Supervising teacher, Lorine Laubua explained that the number was initially 200 but given the lack of space in the classroom, they could only take 150 children, leaving the remaining 50 without the right to Early childhood Education.
“So, the rest of the kids were sent back home. This is not fair for the kids who cannot enrol in school because as children they have the right to be educated.
“ECE is the foundation of a child’s learning so it is not fair that we have to do this,” Lorine said.
Interestingly, with this high number of children enrolled at the ECE Centre, not all the children attend school consistently throughout the year.
The biggest reason for this is because they live very far from the school.
Most of these children have to walk for about 2 to 3 kilometres before they can reach the school and they all live in different places.
Some children live in communities along this part of Wanderer BaySome children live as far as in communities at the bottom of the mountain
Some children come from communities from the left end of the bay, others on the right end and then there are children who travel all the way from communities in the mountain and others from their homes in communities situated at the bottom of the mountains.
The distance has caused some parents to give up bringing their children to school consistently because they wouldn’t have time to attend to household duties and being in the village, the top priority is going to the garden to harvest crops as means of subsistence.
Lorine says the classroom is old, small and not spacious enough for them as well as the space they have outside of the classroom.
It was built a long time ago, and as population rose in the communities, it has little space to offer for children giving them the disadvantage of learning in an environment that is not conducive to healthy learning.
Like students, the environment is also not favourable for their teachers.
Lorine recalls that at one time, there were only three of them ECE teachers who cared for the children.
As there were many of them, this was a challenge especially when water supply is an issue for the school.
They would have to carry the children to the stream if they wanted to go the bathroom.
“They would also be scattered everywhere.
“We would also take turns to carry them to the stream because of our water supply.
“In class, we would all squeeze in together and this was very uncomfortable for all of us,” she said.
This struggle has been going on for a number of years.
Despite this, they have tried their best to address this issue, but it’s still a far-fetched solution.
The new classroom that is yet to be completed
A new ECE classroom was built back in 2017 during the time of a different Supervising ECE teacher.
However, progress on this projected ceased as years later the classroom was left idle.
Last year, Lorine tried her best to at least do something she says.
This involved efforts in getting timber, some brick work as well as a concrete slab of the classroom facility.
It is however far from reaching the finished line yet.
When asked where they get money from to build the new classroom, she said it comes from parents’ yearly contribution which is a mere SBD 200.
The have tried raising the amount to SBD 500 for a year per parents’ contribution, but parents say it’s too high.
Disappointed, Lorine stressed that parents don’t understand how important ECE is.
“Parents don’t understand the importance of ECE, in our community they regard primary and secondary education as more important.
“In ECE, if we put the amount to 500, they will say it is too high.
“ECE is the foundation of a child’s learning and materials for ECE are expensive as well and we’ve tried to explain this to the parents,” she said.
Lorine goes on to stress that for children to really have a good ECE they need to be able to learn in a good classroom.
When asked if the new ECE classroom if completed would be able to cater for all the children in Wanderer Bay, Lorine nodded, saying it wouldn’t.
To address this issue, there would need to be 3 or 4 ECE Centres throughout Wanderer Bay to cater for the many communities in and around the area.
Lorine says this is a serious need for children of Wanderer Bay.
“It is a need for our children to learn in a proper environment. So, I call on responsible authorities to look at this issue of ECE in Wanderer Bay.
“Because if we continue to operate like this, a lot of children will miss out on school. There are also some children who don’t even go to school and then just remain at home,” she said.
What is scary about this, is the impact it will have in the later years of children who miss out on ECE.
She said there are children who have not come to attend ECE until they reach the ages of 9 or 10 and by then, they shy away from going to school.
“So, when they miss out on school at a young age, they no longer have the interest to attend school and just remain in the villages.
“When they are older, they can somehow affect their communities by the things they get involved in.
“So, this is a big problem for the communities. When children miss out on school, they won’t be able to follow the rules in their communities,” said Lorine.
She again emphasises that if only, there were 3 more ECE Centres, it would be easier for parents to bring their children to school.
“It would be great if aid donors could help build ECE centres for us,” she says with little hope.
*Reporting for this story was supported by Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS)
Rural communities remain the country’s backbone yet often the least supported: MP Rina
BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Rural communities, which make up the majority of Solomon Islands’ population, remain the backbone of the country, yet are often the least supported.
Member of parliament for East Central Guadalcanal Lazarus Alfred raised this concern in parliament in his speech for the Sine Die motion yesterday.
Mr Rina said that the nation continues to face major national challenges with low service delivery and development pressures on urban centres and persistent inequalities between urban and rural communities.
He said that strengthening rural economies, expanding access to ancestral services, addressing rural-urban imbalance, promoting inclusive development, and ensuring accountability in government programmes are vital.
“These national issues affect every sector, health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and local entrepreneurship. Honourable Speaker, our rural communities sustain our nation. They drive agriculture, support fisheries, protect our cultural heritage and represent the majority of our population,” Rina said.
He said that national progress will only happen when the daily realities of farmers, market vendors, fishermen, youth, women and village-based entrepreneurs are improved.
“Some key areas requiring continued focus include improved roads, bridges, works and inter-island connectivity, reliable electricity, water supply and communication systems, stronger market and support for small businesses, access to digital technology for information, banking, education and innovation, support for value-added industries to boost local incomes,” he said.
Rina said that these are essential foundations for empowering communities and driving long-term development.
He stressed that to ensure meaningful progress, government support must continue and be strengthened in the polling areas, infrastructure development in the provinces.
“This is all inclusion for rural and remote communities, support systems for farmers, fishermen, women and youth, strengthening cooperative structures and market access, transparent implementation of community development programmes, strong monitoring, coordination and accountability across ministries,” he said.
He said that implementation, monitoring and accountability remain essential if national initiatives are to deliver real improvements on the ground.
Mr Pola, a notable local businessman and former Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), made significant contributions to the community of Raroisu’u Ward 21, Malaita Province on December 9, 2025.
Pola’s efforts go towards the construction and renovation of essential church buildings, with the Sarawasi and Eliote community churches as the main beneficiaries.
This support has played a key role in improving both the spiritual and social infrastructure of the area.
During the handover ceremony, he emphasised the importance of these church buildings for the local community.
“The church is the cornerstone of any community. Without a church, there is no unity,” he said, underscoring the crucial role of faith in strengthening community ties and fostering mutual support.
His commitment to the construction and repair of church buildings illustrates a profound understanding of the relationship between faith and community dynamics in creating a unified society.
His initiative highlights the belief that bolstering the church not only enhances its physical infrastructure but also fosters greater cohesion among community members.
Abel Oscar Watersao, Secretary of the Sarawasi church committee, expressed sincere gratitude for the timely support.
He said the contribution will be vital to complete the Sarawasi Catholic church building, which is in urgent need of hardware materials.
He assured Pola that this support will not only quicken the building’s completion but also strengthen the partnership between the church and the community, ultimately enhancing the well-being and spiritual life of its members.
Watersao, whilst expressing gratitude to Pola, told him that the invaluable support will not go unnoticed.
“Your efforts have truly made a difference, and we are all appreciative of your dedication,” he said.
Franklyn Wasi, Minister for Agriculture & Livestock (MAL) has outlined the ministry’s achievements when he spoke during the Sine Die Motion in parliament on Monday this week.
Delivering his speech on the floor of parliament, he read out 20 summary achievements of the ministry.
Among these achievements, Wasi shed light on a number of them.
He said in-service training of 32 MAL staff at Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and abroad, including staff who attended six different short-term trainings in China and Japan this year, is one of the Ministry’s achievements.
He also spoke about another achievement, the launch of the country’s first-ever Agricultural National Advisory Council (ANAC).
This a technical oversight body to assist the Ministry with policies and plans to develop the sector.
Wasi went on to state that another milestone MAL reached is a new historic record of cocoa exports surpassing the previous high of 2011.
“The largest increase in the export volumes of both copra and cocoa in the last 10 years. Copra export volume stands at 13,000 metric tonnes, 5,000 metric tonnes more than last year,” Wasi said.
He said that cocoa export volume is at 6,782, 500 metric tonnes more than last year.
In relation, the ministry also achieved the rollout of the cocoa revolving fund, contributing an additional 1,000 metric tonnes of cocoa and copra to the total export volume this year.
Then there is the provision of fuel-subsidised shipping services.
“Provision of fuel-subsidised shipping services to Makira, Guadalcanal and Choiseul, with planned expansion to all provinces in the new financial year,” he said.
Other achievements, according to Wasi, include;
Recruitment of 42 new staff, a new director for communication and two new veterinary science officers to join in 2026.
Contracting of directors for MAL’s seven departments, the human resource manager and the financial controller.
Commencement of the construction of two new double-storey office complexes in Auki and Kirakira.
Construction of the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Isabel.
The replanting and rehabilitation of coconut and cocoa farms.
Purchasing new outboard motors and canoes for biosecurity borders.
Successful trials with a very high yield than the world average yield per hectare; current trials were 9,000 kilograms per hectare.
Launching of the Sape Cassava processing facility.
Operationalisation of the vapour heat treatment facility at Henderson and the construction of a new incinerator at the biosecurity disposal site.
Partnership with the private sector to improve the availability of alternative feedstocks.
Completion of a new slaughter facility at our KG6 farm.
Funding assistance to small and medium-sized business enterprises.
Funding assistance to young business entrepreneurs through EXE.
Securing new funding opportunities from FAO, IFAD, UNICEF and the Government of Japan.
PUBLIC Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman and Member of Parliament for Central Honiara, Gordon Darcy Lilo, has calls for stronger resourcing of parliamentary committees and greater respect for accountability during the Sine Die Motion in Parliament yesterday.
Lilo said year 2025 is a “very enriching year” for the PAC, highlighting its work in scrutinising supplementary budgets and the Appropriation Act, including the 2026 Supply Bill which has just been passed.
Lilo said Parliament carries a heavy responsibility in nationhood building, stressing that while statehood and nationhood are different concepts, all leaders and institutions have a duty to contribute to strengthening democracy.
“As members placed in state institutions, we carry a serious responsibility to perform our roles properly,” he said.
The Central Honiara MP praised the commitment of PAC members, the parliamentary secretariat, and partners such as the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the United Nations Development Programme for supporting the committee’s oversight work.
He also acknowledged the Speaker and Parliamentary Board for their continued backing.
Lilo said that budget scrutiny capacity across the Pacific region remains thin, but said Solomon Islands Parliament is making progress compared to some regional counterparts.
He said this progress must continue through parliamentary reforms, improved schemes of service, and ultimately greater institutional autonomy for Parliament.
A key theme of his address was the role of democracy, particularly the importance of minority voices in holding the majority to account.
“The principle of majority rule must not silence the minority. The minority must always have the space to scrutinise and hold those in power accountable. That is the beauty of democracy,” Lilo said.
He also echoed calls from other committee chairpersons for urgent resourcing of select committees, warning that without adequate support, the quality of legislation and oversight will suffer.
“If select committees are properly resourced, they will deliver quality work. Parliament is the highest accountable institution in this country, beyond this, there is none,” he said.
Lilo pleaded for continued support for parliamentary committees, particularly as workload increases with legislation, treaties, and international conventions requiring careful scrutiny.
The recent increase in the budget for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has helped address longstanding issues of medical supplies and drug security, which have plagued the country for years.
Minister for Health, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai, highlighted this during the Sine Die Motion in parliament this week, admitting that these challenges have had a significant impact on the country’s citizens.
“The challenges of medical supplies and drug security have long affected our people. With the increased budget for 2025, these issues have eased significantly, including the repayment of major outstanding bills,” Bosawai said.
He also acknowledged that there is more work left to be done.
“We are addressing bottlenecks in procurement, payment, storage, and distribution to ensure that medicine reaches all facilities on time and to eliminate stockpiles,” he explained.
Bosawai added that the Ministry’s finance team, along with the National Medical Store, is closely collaborating with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, as well as partners, to resolve longstanding issues.
“These are shared responsibilities, and we will continue to strengthen our systems to ensure that no citizen is left without essential medicines,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister praised the efforts of the Ministry, alongside donor partners, in improving the country’s health services.
He noted that earlier this year, more than 25 senior clinicians and executives from the Ministry completed clinical governance training, earning international certification.
Bosawai called this achievement a major step towards improving the standard of care, accountability, and patient safety, both at the National Referral Hospital and nationwide.
“It equips our clinical leaders with the skills and systems needed to drive continuous quality improvement and reinforces our commitment to delivering safer, more reliable health services for all Solomon Islanders,” he said.
The Minister also assured the public of the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare services across the country.
James Bonuga, Member of Parliament for Temotu Pele constituency, said development, resources, opportunities and essential services have not been distributed fairly across the country.
Speaking during the Sina-Die motion on Monday, 15, 2025, he said that provinces such as Temotu continue to bear the burden of remoteness without receiving the level of support required to overcome it.
He described this as an issue that is not new and one that can no longer be addressed with general statements of commitment alone.
“Temotu province, like many other provinces, faces unique challenges arising from its geography and distance from the capital.
“These challenges affect the delivery of essential services, the movement of goods and people, and the ability of communities to participate in economic development,” Bonuga said.
He said that while Temotu province continues to contribute to the national economy and the nation’s shared identity, it continues to experience limited access to healthcare, education, markets and economic opportunities.
“This imbalance is unacceptable if we are serious about inclusive and equitable development. The most critical constraint to development in Temotu province remains shipping.
“Irregular and unreliable shipping services continue to undermine every aspect of life, whether it is the delivery of medical supplies, access to markets for agricultural and fisheries products, or the movement of students, workers and public servants,” he said.
He pointed out that shipping is not a luxury for the Temotu province, but a necessity.
Bonuga said that development projects will continue to fail, or service delivery will remain inconsistent, and the total cost of living will remain unreasonably high without consistent and affordable shipping services.
“I would like to stress that we remain one of the most expensive destinations in terms of air travel in this country. Our one-way domestic ticket is higher than Honiara Brisbane return or even Honiara Nadi return.
“The imbalance has caused social and economic hardship, growth and development in general,” he said.
Bonuga said that it is time to reflect on the principle of inclusive development and the need to ensure that all provinces, including Temotu, can share meaningfully in the nation’s progress.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) partnership initiative, known as the RSIPF–AFP Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP), has reached Western Province as part of its ongoing nationwide community engagement efforts.
The RAPPP team conducted an awareness program at the Gizo Market yesterday after returning from visits to several communities in Vella La Vella.
The team is scheduled to continue its outreach today with a similar program in Noro.
A police officer involved in the program said the awareness activities aim to maintain peace and security within communities, especially as the festive season approaches.
“As we are heading towards the festive season, there will be events where people come together to celebrate.
“We all know that people are vulnerable to commit crime during the festive season, so it is important to visit communities and remind our people to maintain law and order,” the officer said.
Island Sun understands that RAPPP goes beyond public awareness, focusing strongly on strengthening relationships between the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and local communities through the promotion of public safety.
The program aims to build respectful and collaborative relationships between police and the communities they serve, fostering trust, cooperation and shared responsibility in maintaining law and order across the province.
It is not because women lack the ability, it is because our systems have not always opened the doors wide enough for women to actually showcase their hidden potential and talents.
Dr Paul Popora Bosawai, Minister of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) raised this at MHMS and Solomon Islands Australia Partnership launch of the Women’s Leadership Initiative last Wednesday at Heritage Park Hotel.
“If we want a strong, more resilient health system, then we must widen the doors. We must make sure that women in Honiara, in our provinces and in our rural areas can step into the leadership role if they choose,” he said.
Bosawai stated that women’s leadership strengthens systems, it improves care, brings different perspectives and helps create a workplace culture where people feel respected and safe.
Bosawai said the initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to gender equality, equity, public sector strengthening, good governance, equitable workforce development and safe and inclusive workplace.
“It also supports our progress towards the National Health Strategic Plan 2022-2031, especially in strengthening governance and workforce reforms,” he added.
Bosawai said their responsibility as a government is to create a conscience where women can succeed through policy representation and through building a culture of respect and fairness across the public service.
He pointed out that some may question why they are announcing the initiative now.
“The answer is simple, because the moment demands it.
“And I’m really one of those who really want to see women succeeding in not only health, but also across other sectors,” he said.
Bosawai stressed that we need leadership that is strong, diverse, and reflective of our people and state.
“And we need young women entering the adult workforce to see that leadership is for them too.
“So, I encourage the female doctors that maybe today is the beginning of a new predicament coming,” he added.
The Member of Parliament for the North Guadalcanal Constituency also encourages women in the health workforce to move forward and not away.
Bosawai also took the opportunity to share a story about how a cleaner became a microscopist.
He said while working at GIPPOL as a medical officer there was a cleaner who was always the first person to arrive at the clinic and to tidy up the doctor’s room.
Bosawai explained that one day he sat with her and asked her if this was what she really wanted to do.
She told him that unfortunately she became pregnant and couldn’t continue her studies.
Bosawai then asked the GM if they could train her to be a microscopist.
He said he had done his microscopy study for a year and was really good with his microscope so he trained the lady.
“And I developed a curriculum for her. And every time when she sees a slide, I would be the one to confirm if her reading is correct. But I must say that I have done microscopy for one year.
“And I’m really good with my microscope. And that’s why I trained her,” said Bosawai.
The lady also took part in an exam, a Q & A with the vector-borne department within the ministry.
Bosawai said that during the exam she came 3rd out of all Solomon Islanders who are qualified microscopists.
“So, she didn’t go to school. She just did training and then got certified through the Q&A with the vector-borne. And she currently works as a microscopist as I speak,” he said.
Bosawai pointed out that this is how men who are in leadership roles can help women to unleash their potentials.
“And this is how you can lead as men that are holding leadership, providing opportunity to women, exploring their hidden potential and talents,” he said.
Bosawai furthered that this Women’s Leadership Initiative will open doors for women to grow, learn and build confidence in leadership.
“The committee will explore transparency, fairness and representation from across the whole country.
“Together, they will shape a new generation of leaders. Women whose potential, experience and talent will move our ministry forward. This is not symbolic.
“It is an investment in the future of our health sector. Studying women’s leadership does not stand alone. It must be connected to wider reforms,” he said.
