BY BEN BILUA
GIZO

“The ball is now on your court.” This was the strong message from the Western Province Minister of Education, Gordon Zebo, during the official launch of the Nutrition Improvement through School Meals Project.

Speaking at one of the recipient schools, Zebo said the project, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNICEF in partnership with the Solomon Islands Government, offers schools and communities a unique chance to promote healthier eating habits among students.

“UNICEF, with the support of Japan, has made life easier for schools to venture into new healthy practices,” Zebo said.

He stressed that the project’s success now depends heavily on the active participation of students, teachers, and nearby communities.

“To the recipient schools and surrounding communities, this is an important opportunity for us to grab with both our hands.

“Your enthusiasm, drive, and willingness to partner will go a long way in ensuring not only success, but sustainability of this initiative long after the project is accomplished,” Zebo said.

He said the initiative will transform both the learning environment and health outcomes by helping children adopt better nutrition habits.

Zebo acknowledged the Government of Japan for its funding and thanked UNICEF and the Solomon Islands Government for their leadership in coordinating the project.

“Health is not just a blessing – it’s the foundation of everything else” he said.

Zebo affirms the Western Provincial Government’s commitment to support the project in any capacity needed.

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By BEN BILUA
GIZO

MORE than 2,875 children and 156 teachers across nine schools in Western and Isabel Provinces will benefit from a new school meals initiative funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNICEF in partnership with Solomon Islands government.

Launched under the title “Nutrition Improvement through School Meals”, the three-year pilot project represents a US$3.4 million investment aimed at tackling malnutrition, improving school environments, and strengthening local food systems.

Speaking during a recent visit to schools in Western Province, Benjamin Grubb, UNICEF Pacific’s Chief of the Solomon Islands Field Office, said the project was designed not just to address children’s immediate nutritional needs but to build a long-term foundation for a healthier and more food-secure nation.

“We are creating direct partnerships between your schools and local farmers in surrounding communities.

“This means establishing short food supply chains where local producers will supply fresh, nutritious ingredients directly to your school kitchens,” he said.

Grubb said the project has four major focus areas including; building sustainable local food systems, developing nutritional capacity and knowledge, creating safe and hygienic school environments, and establishing a national framework that can be scaled across the country.

He said participating schools will receive essential farming tools and agricultural support to strengthen ties with local producers.

Grubb adds that kitchen facilities and food storage systems will be upgraded, while teachers and staff will be trained in food safety and nutrition education.

“You’ll learn practical skills that will serve you throughout your lives,” he told students.

Grubb also said that the project will support better water supply and sanitation infrastructure, ensuring meal preparation occurs in clean and safe environments.

“Access to clean water, proper sanitation, and good hygiene practices are fundamental to healthy eating and learning,” he said.

Grubb said agriculture experts will assist schools in developing waste management systems that promote reuse in farming; contributing to both sustainability and education.

He said the goal is to create a successful model that can be replicated throughout Solomon Islands, providing lasting impact for schools and communities beyond the pilot phase.

“What we’re doing here is more than just providing school meals; we’re building a model that can help schools across Solomon Islands,” Grubb said.

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BY CHRIS ALEX

This week, Vois Blong Mere Solomon (VBMS) proudly launched a powerful new campaign titled “Hands That Plant, Holds the Power”, that aims to advocate for fair and dignified treatment of local farmers especially women within the Honiara Central Market system.

The campaign seeks to bring long-overdue recognition to the vital role women farmers play in feeding communities, sustaining livelihoods, and supporting the local economy. With this initiative, VBMS is pushing for systemic change that empowers farmers, influences market policies, and creates a fairer, safer environment for those who produce our food.

This campaign’s focus is on the following components;

-Advocate for fair market access for local farmers, with a strong focus on women.

-Raise public awareness about the struggles faced by farmers, from unfair fees to lack of market space and mistreatment.

-Influence Honiara City Council (HCC) market policies to prioritize farmers’ rights and dignity.

VBMS Director, Nerol Vaekesa voiced that farmers must be guaranteed a permanent and protected space within the Central Market where they can sell their produce directly, without interference from middlemen or resellers.

“This is crucial to ensure they are not pushed out or marginalized by black-market vendors”, she said.

VBMS is calling for a more reasonable and humane process, allowing farmers to set up their goods before being charged and only after a fair market price has been established.

This would prevent them from being forced to pay high fees upfront, only to walk away with little to no profit.

VBMS urges HCC and market authorities to establish and enforce transparent, fair, and gender-sensitive market policies. These should include:

-Standardized fee structures based on space, not produce type.

-Protections against harassment, verbal abuse, and produce theft.

-Support services such as access to water, sanitation, and shelter at affordable rates.

-Clear grievance procedures for reporting market abuse or misconduct.

Vaekesa pointed out that women farmers are the backbone of our food systems yet too often they are overlooked, underpaid, and pushed aside.

“This campaign is about shifting power back to the hands that plant and ensuring their labour is met with respect, fairness, and protection,” she said.

VBMS is calling on community members, local leaders, policymakers, and market authorities to stand with farmers and support the campaign’s goals.

Vaekesa furthered that the future of our markets, our food, and our economy depends on how we treat those who grow it.

“Let’s amplify their voices. Let’s reform our markets. Let’s ensure that the hands that plant truly hold the power”, she said.

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By RODRICK DESURI

AUKI

Malaita provincial government has announced its continued open arms policy towards any shipping operator that wishes to run services in the province.

Provincial Secretary of Malaita, George Erick reiterated that there is no restriction imposed on any shipping company that wants to serve in Malaita province. 

He said the province welcomes any shipping company that wants to provide reliable service to its people in the province. 

In an interview with Island Sun Auki, Erick said that it is the people who choose fast-crafts over others that run slower. 

“Currently, the province doesn’t impose any restrictions on shipping companies that run services to and from Malaita Province,” the PS said. 

When asked why other ships like Taimareho and Fair Glory don’t provide their services to Auki, he said that when people choose fast ships like Pelican Express and Auki Express for traveling, others like Taimareho have fallen short because their expenses are higher than their income.

“It is the people’s choice that these ships, like Taimareho, scale down their service, but we in Malaita want more shipping services to our ports because every day people are traveling from here to there,” Erick said.

“These ships depend on passengers and bulk loading,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pelican Shipping Limited today posted on their official Facebook page stating that they will not allow any cargoes and bulk luggage onboard as it’s part of their onboard restrictions.

It stated that this is part of their continued efforts to comply with safety regulations and ensure passenger comfort when traveling, as well as directives from the Marine Department.

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BY CHRIS ALEX

A delegation from the Bougainville House of Representatives have commenced a one-week parliamentary attachment with the National Parliament of Solomon Islands.

This is part of a continuing initiative to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation in the Pacific.

The visiting delegation comprises of Peter Topura, Clerk of the Bougainville House of Representatives, Mr. Adrian Hihiru, Assistant legal counsel and Wesley Porake, Director of Finance and Administration.

“This attachment programme forms part of a long-standing parliamentary twinning arrangement between the Bougainville House of Representatives, the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, and the Parliament of New South Wales (NSW), Australia,” Jefferson Hallu, Clerk to the Solomon Islands Parliament said yesterday during a press conference.

The trilateral partnership, established in 2007 under the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Pacific Twinning Programme, aims to enhance institutional capacity, promote democratic governance, and foster regional cooperation among Pacific parliaments.

During their week-long visit, the Bougainville officials will engage with various departments within the Solomon Islands Parliament, including the Parliamentary Procedure Office and the Finance and Administration Division.

The programme is designed to offer hands-on exposure to the administrative, procedural, and legal frameworks that support parliamentary operations.

“This visit further strengthens the commitment of the Bougainville House of Representatives and the National Parliament of Solomon Islands to ongoing collaboration and mutual learning in the development of effective parliamentary institutions in the Pacific region,” said Topura.

He said the focus of their visit is to mainly to look at committee procedures.

Topura stated that his focus is also on the financial aspect of Parliamentary Services in understanding how finance, legal, and procedural services function within the Solomon Islands Parliament.

The attachment is expected to promote professional development, foster institutional dialogue, and reinforce shared values of transparency, accountability, and good governance across the Pacific’s parliamentary landscape.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Unexplained fish deaths along the Chovohio river, also called Metapona, is worrying villagers who are calling on authorities to investigate.

Derick Tova, a resident of Turarana village in Central Guadalcanal, raised concerns after discovering a dead fish in the river.

He said other members of the community have also seen unexplained fish deaths, a situation that has persisted for three days.

In an interview with Island Sun on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, Mr Tova said he encountered the dead fish while walking along the river on Thursday last week.

Turarana village is situated inland on Guadalcanal Plains along the Chovohio River.

Tova, a former teacher said they are situated downstream from the Gold Ridge mine, which is currently in operation.

He added that their community has a population of around 6000 individuals and is located approximately 5 kilometres from the Gold Ridge mine.

“Who will go to raise this issue with the company? We Turarana people and Tausoro people, suffer from this containment,” he stressed.

He said the situation consistently arises during periods of rainfall, at times worsening further.

The Director of the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) at the Ministry of Environment, Joseph Hurutarau, was formally informed of the matter following an inquiry from Island Sun regarding the issue.

He said he will have his officer asses the pollution.

However, Hurutarau said that mobilisation can only commence if a formal request is submitted through the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification.

“This way, we can respond appropriately. In terms of mobilising additional personnel and resources for assessment, we first require that request and will then consider the budget, finances, fuel, and so forth,” he said.

Despite the difficulties, Hurutarau said that two of his officers will be sent to the location.

“My team will be dispatched, although I am uncertain regarding the Ministry of Mines. One or two of my officers may attend. I require someone to accompany them,” he said.

The Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification has not responded to attempts by this paper for comments.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA) has successfully concluded its investigation into the incident that involved a crew that fell from the Pelican Express last month.

A crew member from the Pelican Express II fell into the sea during a trip from Honiara to Auki on June 7 when the ship passed between Gela and Alite Reef. The vessel departed Honiara at 4pm.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with this paper on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, SIMA Director, Thierry Nervale said the crew is still missing.

“The body has not been found for the information we have, and so for us, he is still missing at sea,” said Nervale.

Following the investigation, Mr Nervale said that SIMA administration formulated a series of recommendations to the shipping company.

“The investigation is an administrative investigation that aims to understand the cause of the accidents. We found that the crew member went into an area that was exposed to weather conditions. The waves were going over the poop deck, and so yeah, he exposed himself, and then he’d been washed off,” he said.

He said that the recommendation could apply to any vessel.

“It’s more than recommendations because we verify that they implement them. I request them to put in place a safety management system and train their crew members to apply procedures,” he said.

He said that he also talked to the deceased’s family regarding the investigation.

“Now we’ll move into the phase where we will monitor the shipping company in implementing the recommendations. Make sure that everything is in place,” he said.

He said that the investigation is to improve the safety management of vessels and not to cancel the shipping company’s business licence.

“When you are on board a vessel, you sit at a place that is safe, designated by the crew for you to stay. You don’t expose yourself when the vessel is already at full capacity.

“Going at sea, there is always risk because of the weather, because of the sea. Anything can happen. This instruction is the same for the crew members. The crew members need to be at their duty stations. Where it’s allocated to them to do their job. If they are at rest during the voyage, they should be at a rest station. That is designated and is safe and not just walking around,” said the SIMA Director.

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