BY RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

Prime Minister Matthew Wale said the Free Education policy will begin in January next year. 

Mr Wale announced this during his speech at Lalana community, Ward 30, on Sunday, June 21. 

He said this is to free up more time to seek funds and deal with important mechanisms and areas that need to be addressed before implementing the GREAT government reform policy. 

He said under his GREAT government, they will need to look at vital areas such as revenue before introducing it. 

“We will begin the Free Education that you have heard about since I was elected as Prime Minister in January.

“We had planned to start with it in semester two, but we don’t have enough revenue to get started.

“So, we will look closely at the area and put in place what is needed first before it is rolled out,” he said.

Wale said he will use his overseas visits to seek funding assistance for the free education policy.

Meanwhile, he appeals to the MPs from the opposition group who have been opposing the free education policy to be patient, as his GREAT government wants to show what they can do for the people of this nation.

Wale said that whatever his GREAT government is pursuing is directed by God, who is the provider of everything.

“For my brother who has opposed this free education policy, you’ll see in January when we have done it,” he said.

Wale also calls on the people of Aoke/Langalanga to continue supporting his GREAT government with their prayers, as they believe in God to lead them and serve the people of this country.

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BY TONY IROGA

Work on the country’s largest rice farm project in North Guadalcanal constituency continues to face disturbance from villagers near the site.

Yesterday police were called to disperse and remove a road-block by the villagers, after they used a tractor and logs to barricade the road and a constituency truck to transport people to man the road block.

The red constituency truck, plate number MD8075, is one of the 13 trucks which were distributed on June 11 to support existing initiatives within the 12 Green Economic Zones (GEZs) across the constituency.

Police have proposed to mediate between the company and the villagers in a meeting tomorrow to clarify a court order preventing disturbances from them on the operation.

It is understood that a court order is active against two ringleader individuals, one of whom led yesterday’s road block. Instead of arresting this individual, police are proposing to give the villagers their final chance to stop disturbing the rice farm project operations.

Guadalcanal PPC Edwin Sevoa in a meeting with the company and its lawyer at the Henderson police station yesterday afternoon said the company and its legal lawyer should meet with the villagers tomorrow at the station to explain the court order to the villagers.

“Similar cases we’ve come across, that’s what we did. Let’s put it this Wednesday, 1pm, the venue is here. We’ll consult with Tetere police and the landowners to come too,” PPC Sevoa said, to which the company’s lawyer agreed.

A senior police officer at the meeting said erecting road blocks is already a criminal act.

Despite $40,000 in road access fees, damage fee and other fees already paid, along with pigs presented through chupu ceremonies, the villagers are still disturbing and harassing the company.

The rice farm is being developed by the South Pacific Economy and Technology Development Co Ltd (SPETD), which is one of two plots which total to 495 hectares that is set to become the country’s biggest rice farm once operational.

The second plot was officially launched on June 4 with a traditional chupu for the landowners.

So far, 40 hectares have been cleared with SPETD ready to sign a deal with a private bomb clearance company worth $1 million to have them clear the site from UXO (unexploded WWII ordnance).

Established early last year, SPETD began trial farming in another smaller plot in GPPOL which successfully resulted in the harvest and processing of fresh rice that were ready to hit the local market.

Prior scientific tests had allowed SPETD to bring in rice species and fertilisers which suited the soil type in the GPPOL plains.

SPETD’s aim is for Solomon Islanders to access fresh rice at very affordable prices, which, once operations run smoothly, can be achieved in a couple of months.

Currently, prices of rice in Solomon Islands are becoming too expensive, and SPETD’s project aims to reverse this.

The company also has plans to venture into sharing their expertise in rice farming to interested local farmers.

Photo: Supplied

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BY RODRICK DESURI

Auki

Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga constituency, Matthew Wale has thanked his constituents for their continuous support with prayers for him in decision making in Parliament.

Mr Wale was visiting his constituency when he gave the word of appreciation to his constituents.

Speaking during the event at Lalana, Prime Minister Wale said their prayer not only guides him, but it also gives him the right time to move and do something for the good of this country.

He assured his constituents to continue with their prayers as he has many tasks to do for the good of the people of Solomon Islands.

“I stayed for many years in the opposition, and I can feel that God was with me. It is God that give me the right timing.

“I encourage you to continue with your good prayer for us the members of Parliament, more especially for me,” he said.

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BY RODRICK DESURI

Auki 

Communities in Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita Province, have been experiencing water shortage since last month.

The water shortage is a result of the current drought season affecting the lagoon and surrounding parts of Malaita’s mainland.

In an interview with one of the community leaders, Deadly Kaonibata, he said they are now taking water from wells and boreholes on the mainland.

He said the water sources may not be safe for consumption, but they are handling it selectively because their tanks had emptied a few weeks ago. 

“Our water tanks, which we depend on for water, have been emptied since last month.

“What we do now is paddle to the mainland to collect water from a well and borehole,” he said.

The water shortage was also observed on Sunday, June 21, during the Prime Minister’s visit to the Lalana community.

During the visit, the government officials brought almost 50 cartons of mineral water to the Lalana community, where the official programme for the Prime Minister’s visit took place.

A concerned Gwaedalo elder, John Reni, also shared the same sentiment, saying that each household is now saving the little water they have.

He said they fear once the dry spell will continue for much longer.

“We will be affected badly once this continues for another month.

“Right now, we have only very little reserved water, but all we have to do now is prepare and be ready, and seek where we will be collecting water once our little reserved water is gone,” he said.

Last week, the government issued an activation of the national contingency plan following the onset of conditions in Solomon Islands.

The National Disaster Management Office also said that they will be monitoring impacts of the El Niño/drought season.

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BY JOSES SAREN

​Prime Minister Matthew Wale has slammed high interest rates and unnecessary fees in the banking systems as ‘morally wrong’, given the significantly high excess liquidity in the sector, and calls on banks to reduce them.

Speaking at the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) Golden Jubilee celebrations, Mr Wale said the high rates and fees affect businesses, households, individuals, and the productive capacity of the economy, a statement from the PM Press Secretariat yesterday said.

​In his address, Wale emphasised that weak monetary policy transmission “cannot be accepted as a permanent condition, nor explained as simply the nature of a small island economy”.

He adds that “it is a problem that demands active and determined solutions”.

​Wale said the Central Bank must be solution-oriented and willing to take considered risks in the public interest, adding that being anchored in a core mandate is not the same as being passive with it.

​“I call on the leadership of CBSI to ask, at every turn, whether their decisions are genuinely reaching the people they are meant to serve and if they are not, to act decisively to meet the needs of our people,” Wale said.

​The Prime Minister added that price stability, financial system soundness, and support for national development “are not boxes to be ticked”.

​But he also acknowledged that the Central Bank cannot do it alone.

​“That courage, however, cannot be exercised in a vacuum. It depends on something equally essential and that is partnership,” he said.

Photo credit: PM Press Secretariat

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

FISHERMEN in Gizo are facing a new and costly challenge as tuna stocks move farther away from the islands, forcing them to travel longer distances in search of the prized fish.

Veteran fisherman from Titiana Village, Ritang Bauro, told Island Sun that the situation is unlike anything he has experienced in recent years.

He said fishermen now have to leave their villages in the early hours of the morning to reach what they describe as the new “tuna zone.”

“We have to leave our village at 2am so that by daybreak we reach the place where tuna is feeding.

“Then we return around 2pm to Gizo to sell our catch,” Bauro said.

He said the shift in tuna distribution has significantly increased operating costs for local fishermen, particularly fuel expenses, while cutting into their profits.

Bauro said he normally purchases between 60 and 70 litres of fuel for a single fishing trip, costing close to SBD1,000.

“Before, we travelled a short distance from Gizo and returned with enough tuna for the market and our families. Now we have to go much farther and spend longer hours at sea,” he said.

Bauro said his catch yesterday was only enough to feed his family and sell a small portion to meet household expenses.

He said the situation is raising concerns among fishing communities that depend heavily on tuna as both a source of income and food security.

Another local fisherman said traditional tuna fishing grounds that once produced reliable catches have become increasingly difficult to find in recent months.

“Tuna, both big and small, that used to be caught between the small islands are now gone,” he said.

Island Sun visited the Gizo Fish Market and found that tuna remains available for sale, although fishermen say the cost of bringing fish to market has risen sharply.

For generations, fishermen in Gizo have relied on the rich waters surrounding the islands to support their families and livelihoods.

However, the changing conditions have sparked concerns over the future availability of fresh tuna in local markets.

Many fishermen believe the phenomenon is linked to the ongoing El Niño weather pattern affecting countries across the Pacific, including Solomon Islands.

El Niño is known to influence ocean temperatures, rainfall patterns and marine ecosystems.

Scientists have previously warned that warmer sea temperatures can alter tuna migration routes and distribution, causing fish stocks to move away from their traditional habitats.

Despite the growing challenges, fishermen continue to venture farther into deeper waters in search of productive fishing grounds, exposing themselves to greater risks at sea and higher operating costs.

As the dry conditions associated with El Niño persist, fishing communities in Western Province are hoping tuna stocks will eventually return closer to their traditional fishing grounds, easing the burden on those who rely on the sea for their survival.

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Heavy downpour gives Gizo residents relief from spell of drought and water shortage

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

A heavy downpour yesterday afternoon brought much-needed relief and renewed hope to residents of Gizo who have been struggling with severe water shortages during the prolonged dry spell.

The rainfall, described by many as a blessing, is expected to replenish household water tanks across the township, providing enough water for the next two to three weeks if conditions remain favourable.

The rain arrived after weeks of little to no rainfall, forcing many families to search for alternative sources of water for drinking, cooking, bathing and other daily needs.

Interviews conducted yesterday morning revealed the extent of the hardship faced by residents.

Ten out of 15 people interviewed said their water tanks had completely dried up due to the extended dry season.

“We have been buying cartons of water for the last two weeks for drinking and cooking. We used well water for bathing, laundry and for the lavatory.

“It has been a challenge,” one resident said.

Another resident, a woman who requested anonymity, said the water shortage had placed a significant burden on women and children.

“We have to walk for more than 200 metres to collect water from a well. This has been going on for over three weeks now.

“From observation, women, girls and children are the ones who always carry water for household use,” she said.

For many residents, the rainfall was a welcoming sight after weeks of uncertainty and hardship.

People carrying buckets and containers along roads and footpaths in search of water have become a common sight throughout the town since last week as household water tanks continue to run dry.

With no reliable reticulated water supply serving the township, residents remain heavily dependent on rainwater harvesting systems for their daily water needs.

Gizo has been without a proper water supply system for more than two decades, leaving the community particularly vulnerable during extended dry periods.

“No rain means no water for the people of Gizo,” one resident said.

While the rainfall has temporarily eased the crisis, concerns remain about the weeks ahead as the country braces for the impacts of El Niño.

The Government has already activated its national drought contingency plan following the onset of El Niño conditions in the country.

Although there have been no reports of drought in Western Province so far, many residents remain cautious about what the coming months may bring.

For now, however, the sound of rain falling on rooftops and filling water tanks has provided a moment of relief for a community that has endured weeks of water scarcity.

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