BY DOUGLAS VAHIA

A copra and CEMA buying agent in South Small Ngella calls on the government to increase funding for the CEMA Agent initiative saying the initiative is empowering farmers in his communities like never before.

Samuel Su’unorua is a copra farmer and an agent of the Commodity Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) from Vuturua village in South Small Ngella.

Mr Su’unorua actively purchases copra from farmers in surrounding communities, helping to improve market access and strengthen rural economy.

Su’unorua left his formal employment with the Solomon Islands Ports Authority in 1997 to dedicate himself to developing his coconut plantation.

“I’d rather work for myself, earning money from my own sweat,” he recalled.

After many years of hard work maintaining his coconut plantation, he took another significant step in his farming journey when he became a CEMA agent last year.

“In April last year, I became a CEMA agent. With the financial support provided by CEMA, I started buying copra from farmers in Vuturua Village and surrounding communities,” Su’unorua said.

He said becoming a CEMA agent has empowered him by allowing him to grow beyond being solely a farmer into a small-scale commodity buyer.

“It gives me great satisfaction to put money into the hands of other farmers, enabling them to provide for their families and meet their household needs,” he added.

Su’unorua acknowledges CEMA for introducing the agent initiative and encourages the Authority to continue strengthening and expanding the programme.

He also calls on the Government to increase funding for the CEMA agent initiative so that agents are adequately resourced to meet growing demand.

Su’unorua explained that in his village, where church activities play a significant role in community life, farmers sometimes refrain from harvesting their produce for a period to allow coconuts to mature before a collective harvest.

“When the harvesting period arrives, the cash available is quickly exhausted because many farmers bring in their copra at the same time,” he said.

He urges the Government to allocate more resources to support the CEMA agent initiative and encourages CEMA to continue managing the programme effectively for the benefit of farmers throughout the country.

Today, Su’unorua collects between 20 and 30 bags of copra every two to three weeks from farmers in his area. His greatest challenge, however, is transporting the copra to Honiara. Although Small Ngella is located just across from Honiara, transportation remains a significant obstacle for the Vuturua CEMA agent.

The CEMA agent initiative was revitalised to bridge the gap between buyers and farmers by bringing purchasing services closer to rural communities.

The programme aims to enable farmers to receive payment more quickly, strengthen and improve the reliability of the commodity supply chain, and better coordinate transportation and marketing arrangements.

The initiative forms part of CEMA’s broader FARMERS FIRST vision, which recognises the tireless efforts of Solomon Islands’ cocoa and copra farmers.

Above all, the vision seeks to ensure that farmers receive greater value from their hard work and maximise the benefits from the commodities they produce.

Photo: Supplied

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

FOURTEEN communities on Gizo Island have received much-needed relief supplies following the devastating impact of Cyclone Maila.

Volunteers from the Solomon Islands Red Cross Western Branch yesterday completed the distribution of relief items to more than 30 affected households across the communities.

The relief supplies included tarpaulins, shelter kits, kitchen sets, hygiene kits and household kits.

The items were donated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Save the Children and the Australian Government through AusAid.

Red Cross Western Branch volunteer team leader, Samantha Ratu said the distribution targeted households identified through assessments conducted after the cyclone.

She said beneficiaries included families whose homes were partially damaged, those who lost their homes entirely, households with children and people living with disabilities.

“Recipients are the ones who have lost part of their house, completely lost their houses and also families with children as well as people with disability,” Ratu said.

She acknowledged the support of donor partners and the efforts of Red Cross volunteers in Western Province who assisted to deliver the supplies to affected communities.

“The items were donated by our donor partners while Red Cross volunteers in Western Province helped with the distribution to the affected families,” Ratu said.

Community leaders and women have welcomed the assistance, saying the supplies will help ease the burden on families as they continue rebuilding their lives after the cyclone.

One of the recipients, Vorivori village resident Maxwell Gori, described the relief supplies as a blessing for his family.

Gori said a large tree fell onto his family’s kitchen during Cyclone Maila, destroying cooking utensils and damaging part of the structure.

He said the damage forced the family to prepare meals in the open for weeks after the disaster.

“This tarpaulin and kitchen set are a huge blessing for me and my family. I wholeheartedly acknowledge the donor partners, the government and the Red Cross Western Branch for these supplies,” Gori said.

The 50-year-old lives with his wife and grandchildren and vividly remembers the terrifying night Cyclone Maila struck the village.

“There was no rain, only the wind. It was really strong. We watched in awe as the wind rushed through the village. All of a sudden, a branch broke from a nearby tree and landed on our kitchen,” he recalled.

Gori said the family endured sleepless nights as powerful winds battered the village, bringing down tree branches and causing widespread damage.

The relief distribution forms part of ongoing humanitarian efforts to assist communities affected by Cyclone Maila as recovery work continues across Western Province.

Photo credit: Ben Bilua

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BY CHARLES STENNETT

Work on various sections of the carriageway which covers Tandai Highway and Henderson to Mberande Highway in Central Guadalcanal, are expected to be fully completed by early August after which it will be handed over to the people and the government of Solomon Islands.

A statement from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID), said work is continuing to meet the deadline with the first and second layers of asphalt surfacing now reaching the area in front of ITA Hardware along Mendana Avenue, land side, starting from the Hot Bread Kitchen Roundabout.

It said the contractor China, Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), is making steady progress along this westbound lane carriageway towards the Honiara City Council (HCC) roundabout and calls on motorists and pedestrians to exercise caution when traveling through the active work zone and follow traffic management signs and instructions provided by on-site traffic controllers to ensure safety.

“We understand that these upgrade works cause temporary traffic delays and detours for Honiara’s travelling public, local businesses, and the working class. However, we sincerely thank you for your patience and cooperation during this final phase of the road component under the Land and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP), a joint initiative funded by the Solomon Islands Government and the Asian Development Bank,” the statement said.

The finishing touches for sections under this project will include the installation of road safety furniture such as guardrails, line markings, traffic-calming measures, speed signage, directional posts, and gender-responsive design features.

Photo credit: MID

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BY CHARLES STENNETT

Work had started on key road sections across Auki township with bitumen spraying and prime coat application now in progress.

A statement from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) said the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, CCECC, has been preparing these sections for the final asphalt layers.

The statement said these works are being carried out on sections that are now clear after the installation of drainage systems and the relocation of utility lines.

This China-Aid rehabilitation project spans the full 9.2 km stretch from Kwaibala Bridge to Kilu’ufi Hospital, including key feeder roads.

The statement said utility relocation activities by Solomon Power, Solomon Water, and Our Telekom are nearing completion, enabling the carriageway to be prepared for the road expansion and asphalting phase.

A key feature of this project is the use of high-quality materials, including asphalt concrete pavement with a thickness of 50 millimeters, ensuring long-lasting durability.

The statement said with proper maintenance, these roads are expected to serve the community effectively for 10 to 20 years, contributing significantly to Malaita Provinces’ land transport infrastructure.

It said as major works near completion, the contractor has scaled back local labor activities. The targeted completion date for the project is set for November, which will also coincide with the official handover ceremony.

The statement said this project is rooted in the government’s National Transport Plan 2017-2036, which advocates for a systematic approach to transport infrastructure, prioritizing accessibility, safety, and efficiency to foster social and economic growth.

It also serves as a testament to the Peoples Republic of China’s support for the Solomon Islands’ infrastructure development under the guidance of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development initiative, further cementing the friendship.

Photo credit: MID 

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE Chairman of Vorivori Village has expressed disappointment over the recent relief distribution, claiming that several families severely affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila were left out of the assistance program.

Village Chairman Warren Patteson said a number of households that suffered significant losses did not receive any relief supplies.

He claimed that two families whose homes were completely destroyed were not included in the distribution list despite losing everything during the cyclone.

Patteson also said another two households that lost their kitchens were similarly excluded from receiving assistance.

He said the problem stems from the initial damage assessment carried out in the community following the disaster.

“The issue started with the assessment. Officers who came to conduct the assessment did not properly visit all affected households,” Patteson alleged.

He claimed that assessment officers spent most of their time near the beach and later returned without conducting a thorough survey of the entire village.

Patteson said families living further inland, who also suffered damage and loss of property during the cyclone, were not captured in the assessment report.

He calls on relevant authorities to revisit the village and conduct a fresh assessment to ensure all affected families are properly identified and assisted.

Patteson said relief assistance should be distributed fairly and based on the actual impact experienced by households.

The chairman stressed that many families are still struggling to recover from the effects of the Category 5 cyclone and require support to rebuild their lives.

Authorities responsible for the assessment and relief distribution were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

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