THE proposed oil palm development on Reresare land in Vella, Western Province, is expected to employ up to 5,000 people once fully operational, stakeholders were told during the first formal consultation held last week.
The milestone meeting brought together chiefs, landowners and community representatives to discuss the initial concept of the project and its potential impact on livelihoods, infrastructure and economic growth.
The employment projection was received with optimism, with many attendees describing the project as one of the biggest economic opportunities ever proposed for the island.
Chiefs of Vella publicly welcomed the proposed oil palm project, citing its importance not only for landowning tribes but also for surrounding communities, the province and the country as a whole.
Chief Freedom Tozaka who is also the Ward Member of Ward 100 said chiefs said the large-scale employment would significantly reduce unemployment among youths and create income opportunities for families who currently rely mainly on subsistence farming and small-scale cash crops.
He noted that beyond direct employment, the project is expected to stimulate growth in local businesses, transport services, food supply, accommodation and other support industries.
Tozaka added that improved infrastructure such as roads, wharves and utilities would benefit both the project and the wider public.
However, he stressed the importance of proper consultation, transparency and fair benefit-sharing arrangements moving forward.
Island Sun understand that the consultation last week marked the first step in a broader engagement process, with more meetings expected to be held with landowners and stakeholders in the coming weeks.
As discussions continue, expectations remain high that the oil palm development could become a major driver of economic transformation for Vella and Western Province.
The Member of Parliament for North New Georgia and acting Opposition Leader, John Dean Kuku, has raised serious concerns over the absence of any mention of the Labour Mobility program in the 2026 national budget.
Speaking during the parliamentary debate on Monday, MP Kuku highlighted the critical role the program plays in supporting Solomon Islanders’ livelihoods and generating foreign exchange.
Thousands of workers are engaged in Australia and New Zealand, sending remittances home to pay school fees, support families, and grow small businesses.
“Yet, in the 2026 budget speech, the Minister for Finance is silent on this area,” Kuku said.
“There are no numbers, no strategy, no budget support for training, pre-departure preparation, financial literacy, or integration of workers when they return. There is no plan to negotiate lower remittance costs or better conditions on accommodation and travel. This is a serious omission.”
He warned that labour mobility is not merely a foreign affairs issue, but a core part of the country’s economic and social strategy.
“If we give less attention to this important scheme, it may end up as modern slavery,” he cautioned.
MP Kuku urged the government to strengthen the program and provide the necessary budget support to ensure it continues to benefit Solomon Islanders and contribute to national development.
St Mary Tanagai Community High School (CHS), west of Honiara, celebrated a major milestone on Friday 28 November 2025, hosting one of its biggest and most colourful graduation and prize-giving ceremonies to date.
A total of 211 students were honoured under the uplifting theme “Together We Achieve the Best,” bringing together parents, teachers, church leaders, community representatives and education officials in a strong show of unity and support.
Students proceeds to the school field and formed a circle after the official program.
The day began with a school mass from 8 to 9am, led by Guest of Honour, Rev Bishop-Elect Fr Jacob Aba, followed by a procession to the school hall where the official program commenced.
Chairman of the School Board Mr Daniel Donua delivered the opening remarks, setting the tone for a day focused on gratitude, achievement and a brief history of the school.
School Principal Mr James Mepobu, Guadalcanal Provincial Education Authority (GPEA) CEO Mr Timothy Ngele, and Rev Bishop-Elect Aba each addressed the gathering.
In his speech, Principal Mepobu thanked the invited guests and praised the collective effort that made the 2025 academic year a success.
He said the theme reflected the school’s belief that unity, teamwork and collaboration remained essential in achieving the best outcomes.
“Our school motto, Education for Life, speaks volumes today,” he told the students.
“The lessons you’ve learned go far beyond academics. They are lessons of faith, compassion, resilience and unity—qualities that will guide you long after you leave this school.”
He also acknowledged Fr Jacob’s role in strengthening Catholic values through regular masses, spiritual programs and recollection activities.
Fr Aba congratulates graduants
CEO Ngele echoed similar sentiments, commending the resilience of students who completed Years 9, 11 and 12.
“Each of you faced ups and downs that tested your strength and commitment,” he said.
“These challenges have shaped your character. But this is not the end—your education journey continues.”
A key highlight of the ceremony was the school’s announcement that Form 6 Science will be introduced in 2026, marking a significant step forward in improving academic pathways for students.
Excitement built as subject awards, special prizes and the prestigious Dux Awards were announced.
Year 11 student Emily Pada was awarded the Senior Dux Award, topping English, Mathematics, Science, New Testament Studies and Business Studies.
Dux student senior category Emily Pada being congratulated by Guest of Honour Bishop Elect Fr Jacob Aba
In the junior category, Year 9 student Irene Bosamete was awarded the Junior Dux Award, achieving top marks across English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Agriculture, Business Studies and Home Economics.
After the official program, the school community moved to the field, forming a large congratulatory circle where parents, guardians and supporters congratulated graduates in an emotional and celebratory moment.
This year’s graduation saw a notable increase in student completion numbers:
Form six students smilling for the camera as during procession.
Year 9: 73 graduates
Year 11: 73 graduates
Year 12 Arts: 65 graduates
This marks a visible rise compared to the 2024 cohort, which saw 68 graduates from Year 9, 59 from Year 11 and 46 from Year 12.
Formerly known as Marara Community High School before its name change last year, St Mary Tanagai CHS continues to grow in student population and academic capacity.
The day concluded with feasting and lively performances, wrapping up what many described as the most memorable graduation the school has ever hosted.
Housing crisis hits hard on Solomon Islanders, warns Kuku
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
THE housing crisis in Honiara and other urban centres is threatening the livelihoods of public servants, young professionals, and small business owners, warns John Dean Kuku, Member of Parliament for North New Georgia and acting Opposition Leader.
Raising concern over the 2026 national budget currently before Parliament, MP Kuku described the housing situation as a “silent emergency.”
He said rising land prices, restrictive bank lending, and a lack of affordable housing programs are forcing many into informal settlements with poor living conditions and no security of tenure.
“Our young professionals, nurses, teachers, police officers, public servants, and small business owners are being priced out of decent accommodation,” Kuku said.
“Many of our people end up in informal settlements, paying rent for poor conditions with no security of tenure,” he said.
MP Kuku stressed that the budget offers little focus on housing programs or customary land recording, leaving key issues like urban land reform and affordable housing unaddressed.
He added there is no subsidy or support framework for first-home buyers and no plan to protect indigenous Solomon Islanders from being displaced by foreign investment.
“This is not a problem we can leave to the market while we watch from the side,” Kuku said.
“It is a structural issue that demands a serious policy response. The 2026 budget continues to ignore it.”
The call highlights growing public concern over the rising cost of living and the urgent need for government intervention to secure safe and affordable housing for all Solomon Islanders.
THE Western Province has begun consultations toward establishing a Market Ordinance that will govern all provincial markets across the province.
A special committee appointed by the Western Provincial Assembly is currently undertaking the consultation process as part of the groundwork before drafting the ordinance.
On Monday December 1, 2025, the committee held its first round of consultations in Gizo with key stakeholders including the Gizo Market Vendors Association, Environmental Health, the Provincial Agriculture Office, and other partner institutions.
Following the meeting, the committee travelled to Noro to continue consultations with local stakeholders and partners regarding the proposed regulation.
Chairperson of the committee, Gideon Tuke, said the initiative originates from the Western Provincial Government, which currently owns four major markets located in Gizo, Noro, Munda and Seghe.
He said it is important that a proper legal framework is in place to safeguard these public facilities and ensure they are managed effectively.
Tuke said the ordinance will also aim to address key service areas such as waste management and human health.
He added that the purpose of the current consultation is to gather views, concerns and recommendations from stakeholders that will guide the drafting of the ordinance.
“This committee was established by the Assembly to seek views and insights from our partners and stakeholders. The information gathered will help us compile a draft ordinance,” he said.
Mr Tuke explained that the first step will be to establish a Market Policy, which will guide the ordinance and ensure it is effective and enforceable across the province.
He said information gathered during the consultation will form part of the policy which will later scrutinised by the provincial assembly.
Residents of Gizo joined the rest of the world on Monday December 1, 2025 in commemorating World AIDS Day with a public awareness program held at the Gizo Market.
The event attracted a large crowd, with many people stopping to listen to health talks delivered by officials as part of efforts to raise awareness about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Pamphlets containing educational information on sexually transmitted diseases were also distributed to members of the public.
Speaking during the program, Health Promotion Coordinator for Western Province, Titus Moatakapu, reminded the gathering that HIV remains a deadly virus and continues to pose a serious threat to communities.
He warned that the number of HIV cases is increasing in Solomon Islands and urged people to be more cautious about their lifestyles and choices.
Mr Moatakapu also encouraged those who attended the event to share the information with others as part of efforts to save lives and stop the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, a recent report from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services revealed that the country has recorded 34 new HIV cases, bringing the cumulative total to 79.
Of the 34 new cases, 25 are males and nine are females. Last year, the ministry recorded eight new HIV cases, marking a noticeable surge in infections.
Health authorities continue to call on the public to practice safe behaviour, seek regular testing, and support ongoing awareness efforts across the country.
The celebration and awareness were organised by Western Province’s Health Authority through the Health Promotion Division.
THE Gizo Market Vendors Association has welcomed the proposed Market Ordinance currently under public consultation, describing it as a timely and much-needed development for Western Province.
In an interview with Island Sun, the association’s representative, Lauretta Nasala, said the province urgently needs a market ordinance to strengthen the enforcement of market rules and regulations.
She explained that while Gizo Market already has internal rules, enforcement has remained weak due to the absence of a legal framework.
“People understand that the market rules have no legal threat and they continue to ignore them. “Most times, those who breach the market rules walk free,” Nasala said.
She said the proposed ordinance will be a game changer, not only in protecting market facilities, but also in empowering market wardens to carry out their duties effectively.
Nasala added that the ordinance will establish a proper legal framework for regulating markets, ensuring public health and safety, promoting orderly operations, and strengthening urban governance.
“At the moment, we do not have an ordinance, so issues relating to breaches of market rules cannot be penalised.
“This is sad because we are trying our best to ensure the market is clean, food is healthy, and the general management of the market is easy, but we have been criticised for failing to take action,” she said.
Nasala revealed that in some cases, vendors who breached market regulations were arrested but later released because there was no law to support further legal action.
“We did arrest some vendors who broke the market regulations, but we just released them because there is no law that allows us to take the matter further,” she explained.
Nasala reiterated the association’s full support for the proposed Market Ordinance and called on stakeholders and the public to support the consultation process.
THE Lau/Mbaelelea Constituency officially handed over a new medical transport boat to Ndai Clinic on Monday December 1, 2025.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Chinese Embassy in the Solomon Islands and the Lau/Mbaelelea Constituency, led by Member of Parliament Hon. Ben Maenu’u.
The official handover ceremony took place at Rax Boy, with Mr. Gu Wenlong, Head of the Political Division of the Chinese Embassy, and Hon. Maenu’u present.
Mr. Gu Wenlong handing over the boat and engine to Hon. Maenu’u and his CDO Moses Lugitau.
The 21-foot round cabin fiberglass boat is equipped with a 40-horsepower Yamaha engine.
Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Moses Lugitau described the initiative as a sign of progress, hope, and promise fulfilled.
CDO Moses Lugitau delivering his speech.
“My brothers and sisters of Ndai Island, this medical transport belongs to you,” Lugitau said.
“It stands as a sign that our leaders are listening and working for the good of our people. Let us take care of it and use it well for the benefit of our families.”
He expressed gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for their generous support, which he said strengthens the ongoing partnership between the embassy and the constituency.
“The Constituency, under the leadership of MP Maenu’u, is committed to ensuring that the people of Lau and Baelelea receive the essential services they rightfully deserve,” Lugitau added.
He noted the importance of the new boat in improving healthcare access.
Unpacking the 40 Horse-power Yamaha Engine.
“Access to proper healthcare is a fundamental need, and with this sea transport, we are taking a major step toward addressing that need. No longer will our people of Ndai Island, Ward 12, face difficulties reaching medical facilities on the mainland of Malaita. It will also improve emergency response and referral cases to Malu’u or Kilufi Hospital.”
Lugitau explained that the office of Lau/Mbaelelea Constituency is guided by a clear development plan focused on the needs of its people.
“Our vision is for a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous future for the people of Lau/Mbaelelea Constituency,” he said.
Mr. Gu Wenlong presenting his remarks.
Hon. Maenu’u also thanked the Chinese Embassy for its support, acknowledging its vital role in improving essential services for his constituency.
Mr. Gu Wenlong meanwhile, expressed pride to the successful delivery of the mini project while commending the great commitment of MP Maenu’u towards Lau/Mbaelelea Constituency.
SI records dramatic rise in new HIV cases as Minister warns of growing threat
The Ministry of Health has raised a serious national alert after confirming a sharp and unprecedented spike in HIV cases across the country, marking the most significant jump in infections since early 1980s.
Speaking during World AIDS Day commemorations in Honiara yesterday, Minister of Health Dr Paul Bosawai revealed that the country has moved from detecting just one to two cases per year in previous years to eight new cases last year, and now a staggering 34 new cases in 2025 alone.
The surge brings Solomon Islands’ total number of HIV-positive to 79, with 27 deaths already recorded from advanced HIV disease.
“This is a worrying trend,” the Minister said. “The rise in new infections shows the virus is spreading faster than before. We must act now.”
Minister Bosawai said 25 of the 34 new cases recorded this year are men, with nine women also testing positive.
He said while the majority are currently on treatment, three individuals remain untreated, prompting the Minister to issue a direct and urgent plea for them to come forward.
“You are not helping yourself or your loved ones by hiding,” he said. “When you start treatment, your viral load drops, and you can live a long life. If you are listening today, please come to our health facilities.”
The Minister also linked the rise in cases to broader regional patterns, citing HIV outbreaks in Fiji declared last year and partly driven by intravenous drug use and the 11,000 cases reported in Papua New Guinea.
He said frequent travel between Solomon Islands and neighbouring Melanesian countries increases the risk of cross-border transmission.
The Minister also raised concerns over the growing threat of methamphetamine (“ice”) and other illicit drugs, which globally have contributed to rising HIV infections through high-risk behaviour and unsafe practices.
Beyond the numbers, the Minister used his address to condemn stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV, sharing his own experience as a medical trainee caring for an HIV patient.
He said that experience showed him the humanity behind the illness.
“They are Solomon Islanders like us,” he said. “Churches, communities, families – please do not push them away.”
Minister Bosawai said the Government, through the ministry supported by DFAT, WHO and SIPPA, is now working to update national HIV policies and strengthen testing, treatment and prevention services, including efforts to decentralise HIV services to provincial clinics and improve mother-to-child transmission prevention programs.
However, the Minister warned that the global funding crisis threatens to undermine progress unless partners continue to support the national HIV response.
“We cannot rely on domestic financing alone. We need sustained political leadership, international cooperation and a human right–centred approach,” he said.
For much of his life, Venda Solomon Imutu lived under a shadow not of his making.
Born with physical challenges, he grew up in a world that was often unkind—where whispers followed him, laughter cut deep, and rejection became a daily companion.
From primary school to high school, bullying and being treated as an outcast weighed heavily on his spirit. Yet beneath the scars of those years lived a quiet resolve that refused to be broken.
Venda Solomon Imutu receives his certificate
Last Thursday, that resolve carried him onto a stage—and into history.
Before a crowd of students, teachers, parents, and dignitaries at Tabaka Technical Institute, Imutu stood tall as his name was called.
The shy man who once felt invisible became the center of attention as he received his certificate in Automotive Engineering – this program is accredited program and national qualification recognised under SITESA – [Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Skills Authority].
As he made his way forward, the hall erupted in cheers and applause from his fellow graduands—a thunderous affirmation that he belonged.
For Imutu the moment was more than a graduation, it was redemption.
Venda Solomon Imutu delivers the speech on behalf of the graduating students.
Imutu’s journey to that stage was never easy. For more than 30 years, he says, he lived in an environment that made him feel “worthless.” Society labeled him as “disabled” and, in doing so, often stripped him of dignity, opportunity, and hope.
Yet even when the world tried to define his limits, Imutu quietly focused on his dreams.
At Tabaka, for the first time in his life, he says he felt truly accepted—not as a “special case,” not as an outsider, but as a student like any other.
In classrooms and workshops, he worked beside his peers. Teachers guided him with patience and respect. Among students, he found friendship instead of ridicule.
“Tabaka is a good school to start. “I feel more than at home when I’m studying here. Students and teachers respect who I am and the support was enormous,” Imutu said.
It was this environment of shared love and equal learning that allowed him not just to survive—but to thrive.
It is a true testament from “Worthless” to Worthy.
During his emotional speech, Imutu first thanked the school for recognizing his right to education—a right so often denied to people like him.
“For almost 30-plus years, people regarded me as disabled, and I lived hopelessly in that environment. “But today I am somebody. The training and qualifications I received are shaping my present and my future,” he said.
Imutu also expressed gratitude to the Australian Government for sponsoring his studies and believing in his potential when many others did not.
But perhaps his most powerful words were reserved for parents across the Solomon Islands.
“If there is anyone in your community or family with a similar disability like me, please do not deny them what they want to pursue in education,” he pleaded. “Give them a chance.”
Imutu’s story is not just a personal victory—it is a piercing reflection of a national reality.
Across the Solomon Islands, many people living with disabilities remains trapped on the margins of society.
Despite policies that promote inclusive education, the lived reality often tells a different story. Too many children with disabilities are kept out of classrooms.
Some parents, driven by fear, stigma, or lack of resources, stop their children from going to school altogether.
Venda Solomon Imutu prouding shaking hand with parents after his graduation.
As a result, a large portion of our population is left behind—excluded from education, employment, and meaningful participation in national life.
Imutu is living proof of what becomes possible when that barrier is removed.
With a trade, a qualification, and confidence in his abilities, he now stands ready to contribute to the economic development of the country. Not as a burden. Not as a charity case. But as a skilled worker with dignity.
When Imutu lifted his certificate on that stage, the applause that followed was not just for a graduate—it was for every struggle he endured in silence.
Every insult he carried. Every lonely walk to school. Every night he doubted his worth.
In that moment, the boy once pushed to the edges of society stood at its center.
His story reminds us of a simple but powerful truth: disability does not mean inability. What truly disables people is not their condition—but a society that refuses to give them a chance.
Venda Solomon Imutu was given that chance. And he turned it into triumph.
Principal of Tabaka Technical Institute, Joash Lawrence applauds Imutu’s desires to learn together with the other normal student.
Principal of Tabaka Technical Institute Mr Joash Lawrence.
He said Imutu’s achievement is a testament that other people with disability can achieve their dreams if opportunities and support systems are available.
“I suggest, the national government should look for some alternatives to create a pathway for such graduates.
“Instead of paying constituency, the bilateral grant support fund or CDF to those may with skilled graduates like Venda,” Lawrence said.
