By RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

The people of Hauhui in West Are’are, are calling on responsible authorities, Malaita Province, and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) to fix the Heo Bridge in West Are’are. 

The wooden bridge has been broken since 2024, cutting off road access for passengers traveling from Hauhui to West Are’are. 

Concerned community elder, Michael Lauri recently says responsible authorities should fix the bridge as soon as possible, as it is the only route connecting the people of Hauhui and all of West Are’are. 

Saverio Sinah of Hauhui also expressed the same sentiment, saying that the broken bridge has caused many problems for them, such as losing their belongings, the extra burden of carrying their belongings over long distances, and the need to walk to Heo Bridge every evening to wait for transportation to Auki.

He appeals to MID, especially the Trades Transformation Company (TTC), to fix the bridge once they reach Hauhui.

A media report from MID stated that the Trades Transformation Company (TTC) has reached the halfway point of its contract to rehabilitate and maintain the road from Maoa in West Kwaio to Hauhui in West Are’are.

As stated, progress of their road maintenance includes cleaning, grubbing, earthworks, and drainage works, completing 16 km of the unsealed road stretch.

TTC’s scope also covers repairing wooden bridge structures along this route.

“As of last week, they performed urgent repairs on Fulo Bridge, collecting stones and river materials for gabions and structural repairs,” the report said.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

By RODRICK DESURI 

AUKI 

Sixty youth members from Guadalcanal and Malaita provinces are attending a National Youth Congress currently underway at the Women’s Resource Center in Auki, Malaita Province. 

The two-week program started on Monday, November 17, and aims to bring peace and unity among the young people of the two provinces. 

According to Frank Samo Sari, the youth gathering has reflected and shown ways forward for the youth to uphold peace, unity, and work together to build Solomon Islands as a peaceful nation. 

He said the topics covered this week have included: 

-Business management training 

-Leadership and governance 

-Proposal writing 

-Mindset transformation 

“Many activities were done within the past four days, during which the youths have discussed and mingled with each other during the presentations,” he said.

He stated that a young correctional inmate also shared his life experience in a correctional center with the youths.

He said the young inmate admitted to the youths that his convictions have caused him to spend most of his time in prison without any freedom.

“I admit to you that because of my convictions, I have been locked away in a dark place, and this has occurred because of my past ignorance and behavior in the community,” the inmate stressed.

The young inmate also urged the young people to make good decisions and choose a life between good and bad.

“Only God can help you before anything can happen for good or worse,” the inmate said.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

BY LORETTA B MANELE

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) has started work for their cocoa breed improvement program.

Samson Viulu, Permanent Secretary for MAL discussed this before PAC’s (Public Accounts Committee) Hearing into the 2026 Appropriation Bill 2025 this week.

He told the committee that for cocoa, their target is to reach 12,000 metric tons by 2028.

Viulu said right now they are working closely with private partners and SINU to carry out their cocoa breed improvement program.

He stated that they have already repaired their PQ, (Post Entry Quarantine) facility in Henderson after 20 years and it is working.

Viulu explained that whatever imported plants there are, these plants have to stay at the facility for two to three months and get treated before being certified as “pest free”.

“So, we have our cocoa seedlings there that are ready for cloning,” he added.

Viulu also said early next year, they will have 37 improved cocoa bud varieties from University of Reading in UK for them to do cloning and grafting of cocoa.

He mentioned that they have also taken into consideration the EU deforestation regulation which will come into effect July next year.

“And so, we are not allowed to cut down any existing trees, especially forest trees. For cocoa we cannot plant new trees, but we can cut down the existing cocoa tree, keep the bottom and do the grafting,” Viulu explained.

Cocoa grafting is a technique used to reproduce cocoa trees by joining a stem (scion) from one tree onto the root system of another (rootstock).

Viulu mentioned that their estimate of 12,000 metric tons of cocoa is because of the assumption that one tree can produce one kilo of dried cocoa in one year.

He informed the PAC that, in fact, with improved variety of cocoa seeds, they can reach a maximum of six kilos per tree.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Solomon Islands Rangers Association have concluded a three-day ranger training session at the Apunepara Ha’amwaora Natural Resources Association (AHNRA) office in Waitoto village, Maramasike Passage, Small Malaita.

This training, held from November 10^th to 12^th is a component of the SI Rangers initiative carrying the slogan “Gender Inclusivity in Conservation and Environmental Management” with the aim to empower female rangers to become citizen scientists.

SI-Ranger Program Manager and Key Facilitator, Mr Edward Huitarau, said the theme signifies the creation of an environment where individuals of all genders can participate fully, equally, and meaningfully in the management of natural resources and ecosystems while benefiting from it.

“It extends beyond merely including women to actively addressing and transforming social norms, power disparities, and systemic inequalities that have historically barred women and other marginalised genders from decision-making roles and access to resources,” Mr Huitarau said.

The ranger training saw participation from ten tribal conservation groups: Mamara’o’orou, Raunimamu, Pautaiwmane, Sulu’oa’oa, Hurunilou, Apunepara, Waware, Aluhe’ala’ala, Araunaonao, and Paua.

These tribal conservation groups are situated within the mangrove ecosystem of the Maramasike passage.

Several of these tribal conservation groups are currently engaged in developing a Protected Area (PA) management plan, mapping the PA region, and formulating a land use plan, which will eventually lead to the creation of a designated protected area.

The training covered; Understanding Ranger Work, Leadership in Protected Areas, Effective Communication & Awareness for Protected Areas (PAs) and Field Survey, Monitoring and Data Collection Guide for Protected Area Rangers (including GPS Basic Mapping).

The third day involved a Field Practical Session, where participants were trained to operate GPS devices and engaged in hands-on activities related to coordinate marking and waypoint creation.

The training was proudly supported by SPC-PPAC (Pacific People Advancing Change) (PPAC), in partnership with the SI Rangers, who serve as the primary implementers of this funding initiative.

“Ultimately, achieving gender inclusivity in conservation and environmental management with rangers’ work is crucial for building a more resilient, inclusive, and effective conservation sector that can successfully protect our natural world for current and future generations,” Mr Huitarau said.

Photo: Supplied

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

AHNRA Sisihola initiative launched

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Apunepara Ha’amwaora Natural Resources Association (AHNRA) recently launched their Sisihola initiative (Our Story) Project.

The project, themed “Restoring Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Cultural Practices”, aims to restore and revitalise Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and practices within the conservation communities in Maramasike Passage, in Small Malaita.

The primary goal of the project is to capture ancestral practices and ecological wisdom that have historically been the foundation of the community’s relationship with the environment.

The attendees were told that the project’s theme pertains to the recognition, revitalisation, and application of the accumulated knowledge, practices, and beliefs that indigenous and local communities have developed over generations regarding their local environment.

Henceforth, the project aspires to restore damaged ecosystems and encourage sustainable resource management by merging these time-honoured methods with contemporary conservation practices.

The launch was officiated by four guests: Mr David Mane, Malaita Provincial Government Southern Region Senior Admin Officer, Mr Jeffery Kinifu, Malaita Provincial Government Southern Region Senior Forestry Officer, Mr Francis Nori, a conservation representative from Mamara’o’orou and Edward Huitarau of SI-Rangers.

The project was initiated and launched by the Apunepara Ha’amwaora Natural Resource Association (AHNRA).

Representatives from ten communities attended this significant event at Waitoto village, Maramasike Passage.

Photo: Supplied

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

In the small, remote village of Oliveti, situated in the highlands of Northwest Choiseul in Solomon Islands, a harsh reality looms.

There is the community’s clinic, and although built with great hope and anticipation, sadly, it has remained without a nurse and essential medical equipment since it was completed and handed over to the community in 2019.

Although it stands as a symbol of progress to offer basic medical care to the villagers, the clinic has become a hollow structure, empty of the very healthcare workers who are supposed to fill it.

For the people of Oliveti, this issue has resulted in tragedy after tragedy, with the most vulnerable paying the highest price.

For years, the clinic has remained a beacon of hope, yet that hope has gradually turned to frustration and despair. For villagers who depend on it for everything from routine check-ups to emergency care, the clinic has become a sad reminder of the deep injustices that persist in rural healthcare systems.

“A few of our elderly people died because there was no one to help. I believe if we had a nurse, these people wouldn’t have died. On occasion, we have to carry our sick to coastal clinics. This is the sad reality we are facing,” said Chief Raziva Vatukikesa.

In Oliveti, it’s not uncommon for women to give birth at home or even during a trek. The absence of a trained healthcare worker to oversee deliveries is a grave issue, one that has cost the community dearly.

 “We want a nurse here, someone who can help us when we need it most. We have a lot of cases where women gave birth in the community, some along the road while on their way to coastal communities where clinics are built. Luckily, most of these children are alive,” Vatukikesa said.

The loss of life in Oliveti, due to the lack of skilled medical staff, is not confined to childbirth. People suffering from basic illnesses like malaria, pneumonia, or infections often face a grim reality; with no healthcare professional available, they must either travel to a distant clinic or, too often, wait until it’s too late.

The lack of a nurse affects not only the immediate health of the village but also the long-term well-being of its people. When emergencies arise, they are forced to either rush to the faraway clinics in the coastal communities, which would be a four to six-hour trek, or attempt to treat themselves with little to no medical knowledge.

This situation also means that medical conditions that could easily be treated with timely intervention are left to escalate into life-threatening situations.

The people of Oliveti are not idle in the face of this ongoing crisis. The village has been asking for a nurse to be stationed at the clinic for years.

The clinic, though built with good intentions, stands as a monument to unmet needs. While the structure itself is functional, it remains an empty shell without the necessary human resources and medicines. Without a nurse to offer care, the facility is essentially useless.

“We don’t need a fancy clinic.

 “We just need a nurse. A person who can deliver babies, who can treat fevers, who can help when someone is injured. That’s all we need,” says Joseph Saotokesa, his voice filled with quiet frustration.

While urban centres benefit from advanced healthcare systems and well-staffed clinics, rural villages like Oliveti continue to suffer from the lack of even the most basic services. The villagers’ call for a nurse to be stationed in their clinic is not an unrealistic demand; it is a necessity for survival.

A nurse in Oliveti could mean the difference between life and death. It could prevent needless suffering, offer critical care during emergencies, and provide the knowledge and support that every community deserves.

For the people of Oliveti, the fight for a nurse is more than a request; it is a plea for dignity, for survival, and for the right to access the basic care that every human being deserves.

*Reporting for this story was supported by Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS)

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU 

The first thing a visitor notices at Oliveti community in the highlands of Northwest Choiseul Province in the Solomon Islands is the silence, a silence not of emptiness, but of resilience.

It is broken only by the rhythm of winds striking pristine forests and the laughter of birds echoing through the forest. At the heart of this fragile, self-sustaining world live the Oliveti guardians whose authority is not written in books, but carried in stories, rituals, and the memory of their people.

For the 100 or so residents of Oliveti, a remote community in the land, the people are more than leaders. They are the link between generations, holding knowledge about planting seasons, fishing grounds, sacred sites, and the moral compass of the community. Their role is both spiritual and practical, anchoring highland life in a world where modernity arrives by wind.

To reach Oliveti, one must traverse four to six hours of bush tracks from the coast, with coastal villagers often carrying visitors’ essential supplies such as backpacks, food, and other belongings.

The community’s life revolves around a subsistence-based lifestyle. Families cultivate gardens of potatoes, yams, taro, sugarcane, beans, bananas, pineapples, and vegetables, which provide food for the household and occasionally surplus to sell at markets in Taro, the provincial capital or at coastal communities.

“The Oliveti people are not just people nor chiefs. They are keepers.

“They keep our respect for land. Without them, we are just adrift. This is our land, which our ancestors gave us. People go and come,” explains Chief Raziva Vatukikesa.

Oliveti’s remoteness brings significant logistical challenges. Medical access is risky, with villagers risking dangerous land journeys to reach Taro Hospital, or coastal health clinics, especially during bad weather, long distances, which has tragically resulted in lives lost.

Oliveti’s isolation has long shielded its customs. With no school in the community and poor road links, daily life still revolves around subsistence gardens, river fishing, and community ceremonies. Within this pace, the Oliveti guide balances: settling disputes, reminding families of taboos, and protecting sites where ancestors are said to dwell.

The communities’ youth, many of whom now leave for schooling in the coastal communities or in Honiara, return to find the Oliveti still shaping life. An elder notes, “Our children grow up between two worlds. But the Oliveti keep one foot firmly in the world of our ancestors.”

Despite challenges, signs of resilience are everywhere, projects such as the building of a clinic in the community, water supplies, community hall and church building whose iron roofing required coordinated effort across days under adverse conditions, exemplify the determination of villagers to improve local infrastructure.

“We really need better roads. Our children need education. We don’t have school here. So, our children have to live with our relatives in the coastal communities to attend school. We have a clinic, but since then, no nurse has been stationed here. Communication remains under development here,” said Chief Raziva Vatukikesa.

Yet even the community of Oliveti is not untouched by the outside, and local foods play a vital role in sustaining the livelihood of the Oliveti people.

“The land tells us when to hunt. The trees tell us when to plant, but now the seasons change.

“The land is sick. If we lose that knowledge, we lose ourselves,” Chief Vatukikesa explains.

To adapt, some Oliveti people have begun working tirelessly, blending traditional stewardship with modern life. Women weaving traditional baskets, men mending homes from sago-palm leaves. Each act is a quiet defiance against forgetting. And the Oliveti community remain at the centre, steadying the community through continuity.

Oliveti may appear as just a small dot on the Choiseul province map, but they embody a lesson with global reach: that culture and environment are inseparable, and that wisdom is not only inherited but practised.

As night falls and the sun glows over the community, the Oliveti people gather in silence. They do not speak loudly, for they do not need to. Their presence is enough: a reminder that guardianship is not about power, but about remembering what must never be lost.

*Reporting for this story was supported by Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS)

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

BY LORETTA B MANELE

A meeting next week is supposed to have renewed commitment from Solomon Islands two partners, Australia and New Zealand.

Collin Beck, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) spoke about this before the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) Hearing on 2026 Appropriation Bill 2025 on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

In regards to the meeting, he informed the committee that the PACER Plus arrangement by next week is an important one for the country, especially in terms of trade.

Beck said the term for the first phase of the implementation in terms of rolling out support will come to an end on the 12th of December.

“So, the meeting next week is supposed to have renewed commitment from our two partners, especially Australia and New Zealand, he said.

Beck mentioned that under the PACER Plus agreement, the first cycle was around Australian AUD 25 million.

“So, we are expecting with the increased number of activities, we expect the envelope to increase and that will be signed off by the minister at ministerial level. So that again will be hosted here in the Solomon Islands,” he said.

Speaking of some of the economic activity they are engaged in under the PACER Plus Agreement, Beck said they are working with Chilli farmers as one issue Soltuna is facing is the lack of Chilli.

“And I think they have been importing Chilli from Nepal, from abroad. So, under the PACER Plus arrangement, we are trying to work with MAL (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock),” he said.

Beck mentioned that they have also worked with an agriculture expert in terms of trying to ensure that those from the province, especially Western Province which is closer to the Soltuna factory, can grow Chilli.

According to MFAET, The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus is a regional trade agreement between the FICs, Australia and New Zealand.

The Agreement, initiated back in 2009 aims to achieve closer economic integration and trade relations within the Pacific and is intended to be a development friendly deal that facilitates sustainable growth for FICs (Forum Island Countries).

For feedback, contact: [email protected]

BY LORETTA B MANELE

One of the major challenges in the energy sector is having a legislative framework that is not really compatible to enable us to control the sector says Chris Vehe, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE).

He raised the concern as a panel member of UNDP and MMERE’s Panel Discussion on “Pathways towards better electric power availability, affordability, and sustainability” on Friday, November 14, 2025 at Heritage Park Hotel.

Vehe voiced that we need to have an energy sector that encourages economic development, promotes environmental protection and supports health and education.

He added that disaster preparedness is also very important for this matter.

“It is important that people have to know how to quickly prepare themselves for disasters. I’m not too sure how much people prepared yesterday when there is a sudden change in the weather pattern here in Honiara,” said Vehe.

He highlighted that this comes back to how efficient we can use the sector to be able to disseminate appropriate information.

“…..not only on the judicial review side of things, but we really, really need to have political champions in this space,” added Vehe.

He pointed out that we need to have our leaders with us, driving even this campaign.

“I just want to encourage the team. We need to engage the Prime Minister’s office in driving this.

“We cannot leave them aside while we are trying to do it, because they are the ones who handle the wheel, and we need to be together,” said Vehe.

He also stated that engaging churches, youths and schools is very important as well.

Vehen furthered that he really appreciates the effort so far and encourages everyone to put their heads together in coming up with better policy directions for our leaders in regards to the energy sector.

Commenting on a current survey on national energy planning by MMERE and UNDP, he said unless they carry out proper surveys, only then can they be able to produce proper plans that are practically sound when it comes to implementing.

“Otherwise, we will just be developing policies that are baseless. They are not data-driven, so we ended up having ourselves caught up in a situation where we developed policies that are not practically sound with what is happening in our society,” he said.

For feedback, contact: [email protected]