BY NED GAGAHE

Premier of Central Islands Province, Hon. Kenneth Sagupari, has assured the people of Central Province that his government remains committed to ensuring fair and equitable distribution of development across the province.

Premier Sagupari made the assurance following public criticism that Savo Island has been overlooked in recent provincial development plans.

“To all our good people of Central Province, especially those on Savo Island, I would like to make it clear that under my leadership, Savo Island remains a top priority for the Central Islands Provincial Government,” Premier Sagupari said.

He clarified that Savo has not been excluded from development plans, particularly in terms of coordination with national government ministries.

“Our government is very concerned about development on the island,” he said.

Premier Sagupari also pointed out safety concerns raised during 2022–2023 by the Ministry of Disaster Management under the leadership of former Premier, Polycarp Galaigu.

The ministry had presented risks related to ongoing volcanic activity on Savo, which affected planning for major infrastructure development.

“Because of these risks, our government will push for the national government to consider a resettlement scheme for the people of Savo,” he said.

However, Premier Sagupari assured that in the meantime, his administration will continue to deliver essential services and small-scale development projects for the island.

Former Premier of Central Province, Michael Salini, has welcomed Premier Sagupari’s assurance that the people of Savo are included in the government’s development agenda.

“It’s good that the Premier and his executive assure the people of Savo that they are prioritised in current development plans,” Salini said.

He confirmed that in the current 2025/2026 budget, funds have been allocated for several projects on Savo under the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF).

“I would like to urge the Premier and Executive to continue implementing those projects — especially the two classrooms that were not completed. We will be following up on this assurance and keeping the government accountable for its promises,” he added.

On the proposed resettlement scheme, Mr. Salini welcomed the initiative but also called for further progress on the geothermal energy project on Savo.

He said the Ministry of Mines had informed them in a previous meeting that it is working on a national geothermal policy to guide future development in the area.

“Once the policy is in place, then further discussions can proceed. Yes, the resettlement programme is an important one that must be pursued,” he said.

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

THE new Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Skills Plan (SITESP) 2026 will offer 1,445 scholarships aimed at building qualifications and skills in critical workforce shortage areas.

Speaking at a recent official signing, Minister for Education Tozen Leokana said the plan is strategically focused on sectors such as health, education, infrastructure and maritime engineering, including Class 3 and Class 2 marine engineer certification.

“This is to strengthen our national maritime workforce pipeline,” Leokana said.

Under the 2026 plan, 82 percent of scholarships are allocated to Pre-Service applicants, while 18% are reserved for In-Service professionals.

These allocations are based on national workforce needs and priority training areas identified in the SITESP framework.

According to the SITESA Board, 88% of the scholarships will be delivered in-country, primarily through the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), while 12% will support overseas study in specialized fields such as health and maritime.

“This reflects the government’s focus on strengthening local institutions while maintaining critical international partnerships,” the Minister added.

Applications for SITESP 2026 scholarships will open on July 14 and close on September 14.

“I encourage all eligible Solomon Islanders to apply early and carefully review the academic fields and training programmes listed in the approved SITESP 2026 plan,” Minister Leokana urged.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Philip Micah Tatagho from the Guadalcanal Province reforestation department from the Ministry of Forestry and Research has called on Solomon Islanders to engage in reforestation.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Island Sun yesterday, July 4, 2025, Mr Tatagho said the country’s forest resources will be gone one day if unsustainable harvesting continue.

He said forest resources especially trees have started to decline due to logging, commercial agriculture and population pressure.

“Very soon and one day, our forests, trees will be gone and so the only option is to plant trees,” he stressed.

Mr Tatagho said that the department’s role is to encourage people to plant more trees.

He pointed out that some places in the Solomon Islands do not have trees.

“One day there will be no timber to build our houses, to cook our food, to export, or to sell to meet our needs and wants. That is why reforestation is important to recover the over harvested forest,” he said.

Mr Tatagho said that the phase in which trees have been harvested over the years is more than three to four times unsustainable.

“For example, in GIPPOL, they have to buy timber from timber yards in Honiara to build their house or even for firewood to cook their foods and this is worrying,” he said.

Mr Tatagho said the Reforestation department of the Ministry of Forestry and Research is introducing new tree species in the ongoing National Trade Fair (NTF) at FOPA, SINU Campus.

“The newly introduced tree species are Teak tree, Mahogany and Eucalyptus and they have more value. It can be harvested within 10-20 years. We are also introducing our local trees, but it takes times to be harvested. The public can come and visit our stall located near the Western gate at FOPA,” he said.

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By CHRIS ALEX

In the National Referral Hospital (NRH), where urgency meets empathy, a quiet revolution is unfolding under the leadership of Dr Janella Solomon, the first woman in many years to serve as Medical Superintendent of the country’s largest hospital.

Appointed in 2021, Ms Solomon’s rise to the top clinical leadership role is not just a personal achievement, but a powerful symbol of transformation in Solomon Islands’ healthcare system.

Of Guadalcanal and Western Province heritage, her journey began far from the bright lights of the capital, rooted in the rural community of Kukundu on Kolombangara Island.

Her childhood, spent between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, taught her resilience, adaptability and an unwavering commitment to service qualities that now define her leadership.

Solomon’s medical career began in 2009 at Atoifi Adventist Hospital, followed by several years at Kilufi Hospital in Malaita.

These early postings in remote areas, often under challenging conditions, shaped her passion for equitable healthcare and community-led service.

Determined to specialise in paediatrics, she rose through the ranks at NRH, serving as Senior Paediatric Registrar (2013–2017) and becoming a full paediatrician in 2018.

Her academic path includes a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Papua New Guinea, a Master’s and Diploma in Child Health, and an International Postgraduate Diploma in Child Health from the University of Sydney.

Beyond the hospital walls, Solomon is a passionate educator. She has mentored countless young doctors and nurses, coordinated training programs with Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and collaborated with institutions such as the University of Sydney and Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital.

Between 2014 and 2021, she played a key role in medical internship training and capacity building across the region.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the NRH COVID-19 Isolation Ward and stepped in as Supervising Medical Superintendent, helping to steer the hospital through one of its most demanding public health challenges.

Yet, her path to leadership has not been without its struggles. In a healthcare system where women make up the majority of the workforce but remain underrepresented in leadership, Solomon has had to confront and overcome deeply entrenched norms and stereotypes. She did so not with confrontation, but with consistency, excellence and quiet courage.

Now, as she leads with vision and humility, Solomon is more than a medical leader she is a beacon of hope for women and girls across Solomon Islands. Her story challenges long-held assumptions and shows that rural beginnings can be the foundation for greatness.

Solomon’s leadership is not just shaping the future of Solomon Islands healthcare it is reshaping what leadership looks like in a country where women are stepping into spaces once considered out of reach.

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By CHRIS ALEX

A landmark Post-Colloquium Learning Exchange hosted by the Pacific Women Mediators Network is underway in Honiara this week, bringing together a dynamic inter-generational group of Solomon Islands women leaders.

The event is being held in partnership with Vois Blong Mere Solomon, the Solomon Islands National Council of Women and the Young Women’s Parliamentary Group (YWPG).

The gathering serves as a key step toward developing a national women-led mediators’ network, focusing on advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and gender equality efforts in the Solomon Islands.

Participants represent a diverse cross-section of the country, including leaders from Guadalcanal, and Outer Islands, Isabel, Malaita, Western Province, Choiseul and Rennell & Bellona.

Key sessions include Legacy Mapping and in-depth discussions linking gender equality, peace, and human security priorities to local realities.

The exchange emphasises the importance of grounding national peacebuilding efforts in community experiences, giving participants the chance to share insights and strategies from their provinces.

“This is not just a meeting it’s a movement to embed women’s voices and leadership into peace and security conversations across the country,” said one organiser.

The program also delves into the regional and global frameworks shaping gender equality and peace in the Pacific. Discussions explore how national action can align with commitments such as the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Boe Declaration, the Revitalised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration (2023), the Blue Pacific Strategy to 2050 and the Pacific Platform for Action for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights.

Participants are also exploring how these regional visions intersect with national policy commitments and international treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and relevant national legislation.

As the Learning Exchange continues, the hope is to build a resilient, women-led network of mediators capable of influencing peacebuilding and policy from the ground up. Organisers and participants alike recognize this initiative as a vital contribution to creating more inclusive, secure and gender-equal communities across Solomon Islands.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Schulte Maetoloa, owner of a successful smoked tuna business called “Gizo Smoked Tuna”, says he appreciates the government for hosting this year’s Annual National Trade Fair (ANTF).

His business aims to add value to the local yellowfin tuna catch and support rural fishermen in the Western Province.

He set up his seafood processing business in Gizo in 2023.

Participating in this year’s ANTF is an opportunity for Schulte as a provincially based businessman.

“This NTF is a nice opportunity for us, businesses and organisations to showcase products and services. I thank the government through the Ministry of Commerce for assisting us to take part in this event,” he said.

Married to a Kiribati-Solomon Islands family, Maetoloa ventured into the seafood business to utilise seafood resources, which he described as plenty in the western province.

“I decided to go into the seafood business after I noticed that there are a lot of sea resources in the western province. There are plenty. I see how their fishermen catch big tuna, good price. So, from there, I said to myself that it would be better to do downstream processing. That was the idea to come up with the business,” he said.

At the NTF, the Gizo Smoked Tuna is promoting smoked tuna as well as smoked reef fish.

Maetoloa, popularly known by his artist name, Solid-T, who is a well-known singer and songwriter, comes from a family-run butcher business, which provided him with skills in meat preparation and processing.

“It is indeed a privilege for us in the province to showcase other seafood products during this NTF as well,” said Maetoloa.

Maetoloa got assistance from government ministries such as the Ministry of Commerce to kick start his business.

Dealing with cool room facilities and freezers, electricity is said to be one of the challenges.

“We started with limited capital. Although we started slowly, I believe we will build up to where we want,” said Maetoloa, who has transitioned from his music career to establish his successful smoked tuna business.

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