BY CHRIS ALEX
An evening of storytelling, music, and cultural exchange lit up the capital over the weekend as Ngarluma artists from Australia’s Pilbara region joined forces with local Dreamcast artists in a celebration of tradition, creativity, and unity.

Held on Saturday, August 9, the event brought together the two group to share songs, dances, carvings, and centuries-old stories, blending the heritage of Australia’s First Nations peoples with the vibrant cultures of the Solomon Islands.

The cultural event, supported by Big HART and the Australian High Commission to the Solomon Islands, was designed to highlight the enduring bonds between the two peoples and promote mutual understanding.

Speaking on behalf of the Australian High Commissioner, Samuel Cox said the event was a rare and powerful opportunity to see two rich cultural traditions meet on equal ground.

“It is an opportunity to show how this shared culture around story, song, dance, carving the dreamtime stories and the custom stories here in Solomon Islands as well. I think we’re going to see a really beautiful conversation between these two cultures that’s based on respect and a long-standing, deep connection. We’re proud to be the major sponsor of this activity,” Cox stated.

Ngarluma cultural leader Patrick Churnside said the visit was more than just a performance it was a deep cultural exchange that allowed both groups to learn from each other.

“We’ve come all this way to the Solomon Islands for cultural exchange, making art both traditional and digital and creating space to exchange culture among First Peoples,” Churnside said.

As part of the collaboration, Ngarluma and Dreamcast artists co-designed a program that blended modern and traditional elements. This included fusion dance band practices, digital art workshops for local youth, and immersive sessions exploring each other’s heritage, stories, and customs.

BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele confirmed last Friday that the Solomon Islands government prioritises the Bina Harbour project and actively pushes its progress.
At his fortnightly press conference, Prime Minister Manele detailed ongoing consultations with landowners and community engagement efforts.
“We operate the Bina Harbour office under the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. I appointed a government backbencher to chair a cabinet subcommittee dedicated to Bina Harbour,” he said.
The subcommittee works closely with the ministry and landowners to address key issues and raise community awareness.
While acknowledging progress in landowner understanding, Manele emphasized that the project still requires significant effort.
“This is a massive project that we will implement in phases. Clearing the land comes first and is essential,” he said.
Manele stressed the need for international funding and partnerships to move the project forward.
“We need support from European partners through a mix of soft loans, borrowing, and grants from our development partners,” he explained.
The government plans to build essential infrastructure including electricity, water, and port facilities before constructing the fish processing cannery.
“We engage actively with our partners. Some have already reviewed the initial business case for Bina Harbour,” said the Prime Minister. He expects to complete a revised business case by October, which will open doors for deeper discussions and collaboration.
During his recent visit to New Zealand, Manele praised New Zealand’s long-term support for the Solomon Islands’ fisheries sector.
He highlighted their backing of the Aruligo Tilapia hatchery and funding for the Bina Harbour office within the Ministry.
“I expressed our strong interest in New Zealand continuing to partner with us, especially in coordinating other development partners and advocating for the Bina Harbour project,” he said.
The government drives the Bina Harbour project as a critical initiative to strengthen fisheries and stimulate economic growth in the Solomon Islands.

BY NED GAGAHE
The Solomon Islands government has acknowledged growing public calls for compensation related to the impacts of World War II, including concerns over unexploded ordnance.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele confirmed that the government plans to re-engage with U.S. authorities to explore viable solutions to these long-standing issues, more than eight decades after the war ended.
Speaking at a recent press conference, Prime Minister Manele recognized the emotional and historical weight these claims carry for affected communities.
“I understand some years ago, I think there was a group, an association, spearheading this. We’ll pick that up again. We have not been quite active in raising that issue, apart from the issue of unexploded ordnance.
“We’ll also raise this with the U.S. authorities. What’s the best way going forward 83 years after World War II.
The government intends to revive discussions with relevant partners to seek appropriate measures that acknowledge the legacy of the conflict and support affected individuals and communities.
This move comes amid renewed public interest in addressing the lasting impacts of WWII in the country, particularly in areas still dealing with unexploded bombs and other remnants of the war.

BY NED GAGAHE
The Solomon Islands government is advocating for increased educational scholarships and expanded youth employment opportunities with New Zealand, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele announced during a recent press conference.
Following discussions during his official visit to New Zealand, Prime Minister Manele highlighted the strong partnership between the two countries, particularly in the areas of education and youth empowerment.
“We shared the idea of increasing the number of scholarships available to Solomon Islands students,” Manele said.
“There are many outstanding young people eager to pursue higher education, and we hope New Zealand will consider expanding its scholarship programs to support them.”
In addition to education, the Prime Minister addressed the need for greater employment opportunities for Solomon Islands youth under New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, which currently allows workers to take up short-term contracts in horticulture and viticulture.
“Our youth workers have expressed that the current seven-month contract period is too short. We are requesting that New Zealand extend these contracts to nine months to better suit seasonal work needs,” he explained.
Prime Minister Manele also proposed broadening the scope of work sectors available under the RSE scheme.
“We are looking to explore opportunities in other sectors such as forestry, fish processing, and caregiving,” he said, noting that while caregiver roles already exist with Australia, similar options could be developed with New Zealand.
The Solomon Islands government views these initiatives as vital to empowering its young population and providing sustainable employment pathways that contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele also acknowledged New Zealand’s ongoing support for education and youth programs under the Pacific Community (SPC) and encouraged continued collaboration to nurture the potential of Solomon Islands youth.
He said the government remains optimistic about strengthening its bilateral relations with New Zealand to open more doors for its young people.

BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has confirmed receiving a formal submission from the Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU) calling for the immediate establishment of a tripartite body to review and reform the outdated Schemes of Service for public officers.
Prime Minister Manele confirmed this when asked by local media on Friday, August 8.
“I just received a submission from the trade unions. It’s currently in my in-tray now. I will look through it and ask my officials to look into that.
“It’s an important one. We’ll have a similar process as to what we are dealing with with the SINTA log of claims now. So my officials will handle that,” the Prime Minister said.
SICTU last week urged the government’s three coalition partners — OUR Party, Solomon Islands People First Party, and the Kandere Party — to urgently back the creation of a Tripartite Secretariat to address what it describes as decades of neglect in reforming the Schemes of Service.
SICTU National Secretary, Adrian Tuhanuku, said the current Schemes of Service lack career progression pathways, competitive remuneration, and effective skills development mechanisms, leading to inefficiency and a “brain drain” in critical sectors.
“Over the years, the failure of successive governments to address this commitment to their workers has resulted in declining service quality in healthcare, education, and public safety, directly impacting citizens’ well-being,” Tuhanuku said.
He said the proposed Tripartite Secretariat, reporting directly to the Prime Minister, would be tasked with reviewing and fixing the outdated and underfunded Schemes of Service for all public officers, including teachers, police, correctional services, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and general service officers.
Island Sun understands SICTU has been consistently lobbying for the body as a way to strengthen dialogue and collaboration between government, employers, and workers in the labour sector.
Tuhanuku added that despite repeated calls for inclusive policymaking, workers remain excluded from ministerial committees, state-owned enterprise boards, and parliamentary standing committees where decisions affecting their futures are made.
He said this unilateral approach undermines the spirit of tripartism endorsed by the Ministry of Commerce and the Labour Advisory Board.

Honiara to focus on climate change, ocean peace, and resilience efforts in line with 2050 Strategy

BY NED GAGAHE

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele says the upcoming 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting (PIFLM) in Honiara will spotlight critical regional priorities, including climate change, ocean peace, and the Pacific Resilience Facility, as Pacific leaders unite to advance the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific.
Speaking at his fortnightly press conference on Friday, August 8, Prime Minister Manele dismissed concerns that the forum’s significance would be diminished following the deferment of the post-forum dialogue.
He expressed confidence that the event will still attract strong attendance and deliver meaningful outcomes for member countries.
Prime Minister Manele emphasized that these issues remain top priorities for Pacific nations.
He said the focus of the PIF Leaders is on key intra-regional matters such as the High-Level Political Talanoa, the Declaration on the Ocean for Peace, and the Pacific Resilience Facility—issues of paramount importance to the region’s security and wellbeing.
“This is a call to action and a reaffirmation of who we are — one Blue Pacific Continent. A call to strengthen regionalism and act with purpose for an integrated, resilient, and sustainable Pacific,” Manele said. “Together, we signal to the world that the Pacific stands united.”
The Prime Minister described the Pacific Islands Forum’s role as the cornerstone of regional unity, cooperation, and collective action.
He stressed the importance of Pacific-led ownership of the regional agenda and cautioned against distractions from divisive external influences.
“As the incoming Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Solomon Islands remains fully committed to upholding the Forum’s centrality and integrity, fostering strong friendships with all Pacific Island countries and external partners alike.
“We understand this decision requires sacrifice—including forgoing special guest invitations during this Forum—but it is necessary to ensure engagement is conducted through a robust, transparent, and strategic mechanism that reflects our priorities, protects our sovereignty, and strengthens our collective voice globally.”
He added that the Pacific Islands Forum remains a beacon of regional solidarity and collective action.
“The agenda for the forum is usually developed jointly with the Forum Secretariat since this is an original meeting. Several issues consistently appear on the agenda. Standing items such as climate change and sea level rise are certainly included, as they remain the number one issue for our region.
“There are also important topics concerning the oceans. For instance, the Declaration on the Ocean for Peace, initiated by Prime Minister Rabuka, will be discussed and adopted here in Honiara.
“We will also address the Pacific Resilience Facility. In addition to the Ocean’s Declaration, earlier this year we hosted a fisheries summit on SDG 14.4, which led to preparatory meetings for the meeting in Nice, France. The outcomes we adopted at Nice will be reviewed during this forum leaders’ meeting.
“Broadly speaking, the sectors covered about four or five within the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific, include climate change and the environment. These provide the framework guiding the discussions among forum leaders.
“Leaders typically will deliver their statements during the plenary session here in Honiara, with the actual decisions to be made during the retreat in Noro, Western Province.” Prime Minister Manele said.
The 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting, taking place from September 8 to 12, will bring together leaders from across the Pacific to advance a shared vision for a sustainable and resilient future in the face of environmental challenges.