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POLLUTION RISK IN SI

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118 of 210 shipwrecks in SI considered as pollution threats

BY LORETTA B MANELE

ONE hundred and eighteen of 210 shipwrecks in Solomon Islands could be considered as pollution threats.

This is according to Dr Matt Carter, the research director for “major project foundations” who spoke about the status of Potentially Polluting Wrecks (PPW) in Solomon Islands at the “Strengthening Marine Pollution Incident Resilience in the Pacific Islands” workshop last week at the Heritage Park Hotel.

A potentially polluting wreck (PPW) is said to be a shipwreck which holds fuel or cargo that could cause environmental harm.

In Solomon Islands, around 210 major wrecks were found across the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and 118 of these could be considered as pollution threats.

“We believe around 118 of those could be considered pollution threats, and we’ve identified a top 20 of highest kind of risk, and we’ve gone through and actually done some additional research on those top 20”

Carter expressed that fuel from these wrecks can be the fuel from the ship itself, including a cargo like a fuel tanker that has oil as well as hydrocarbons.

He emphasized that it’s these kinds of wrecks that pose an environmental hazard in Solomons and in the Pacific.

Carter said an additional problem with these shipwrecks is that a lot of them still contain unexploded ordinances.

Apart from PPWs there are also APWs (Actively Polluting Wrecks) as well.

He said this is happening now because some of the shipwrecks are out there, just a couple of kilometres away and are leaking oil and are actively polluting the environment.

“Some of them are doing that in what we call chronic leakage where relatively small amounts of oil coming are out, coming to the surface over a long period of time. That can still be toxic for sensitive species, especially small baby fish and coral. So even though it might be a small amount, it can still do damage”

Speaking of the 118 wrecks, Carter said from the top 20 highest kind of risks identified they broken down those top 20 into four core areas of where these wrecks are.

He said “Area 1” is Honiara and surrounding areas where the shipwrecks there range basically on the shore, from zero metres deep to 130 metres deep.

Carter mentioned that they are in a range that’s challenging but it’s not incredibly difficult to investigate these shipwrecks.

Area 2 is said to be the area around Savo Islands with shipwrecks 750 to 2,500 metres deep which as stated as very deep in terms of any sort of marine work.

Carter said even though these wrecks are really deep, traditionally people haven’t really worried about deep shipwrecks.

However, he mentioned that satellite imagery shows that oil is coming to the surface of the sea from these wrecks.

Tulagi and surrounding areas come under Area 3 and as mentioned, this area has shallower wrecks.

“These are shallower wrecks again, so anything kind of deeper than about 80 metres starts becoming really quite challenging, but these are, they’re at a depth that they can be investigated with the right equipment to understand what condition they’re in”

Lastly, there is Area 4 which is the Western Solomons and the three wrecks identified in this region as noted could either be potentially polluting or actively polluting wrecks that require further research.

Carter said nobody really knows how much oil has been lost from these wrecks and if a shipwreck’s leaking even a small amount over a long period of time, that can significantly reduce how much oil is in it today.

He stressed that there’s around 8800 shipwrecks right across the world and this is a global problem.

Carter said what they’ve found is that in some shipwrecks, people look at it and say that it can’t hold an oil.

This however differs in quantities and how sensitive the wreck-stricken area is.

Carter said some of these wrecks do hold oil, even in small quantities and if a ship wreck is in a sensitive enough area and releases oil, it can cause really significant damage.

“So, something which I’ve got here is the wrong wreck in the wrong place. It can be even a small amount, it can be really damaging, or the opposite to that too”

Innovative initiative bridges business gaps

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    Nambi Pituvaka

    BY INDY MAEALASIA

    LOCAL entrepreneurs in the Solomon Islands face significant hurdles—limited promotions and fragmented information keep their businesses hidden from potential customers, however, one ambitious entrepreneur is rising to the challenge with her innovative initiative aimed at bridging this gap.

    Twenty-nine-year-old Nambi Pituvaka, owner and founder of “Solomon Savvy”, aims to solve the issues by designing a “centralized information system” that serves as a directory for local businesses and entrepreneurs.

    Her grand idea involves setting up a dedicated booth at the airport where international travelers- her primary targeted customers- can access printed brochures featuring local businesses, activities, and services such as transportation, Arts and Craft and many more.

     By providing easy access to this information, she aims to cater not only to tourists but also to locals who may be unaware of available options.

    “Even people in the country are not aware of some of these entrepreneurs and their businesses,” Pituvaka remarked, “Though there are several existing promotions, very few businesses have the visibility they deserve.” 

    Her initiative was fueled by a visit to the United States a few years ago, where she had her “light bulb moment,” “I traveled to the US and saw how technology plays a huge role in their daily lives, where people simply scan brochures and access various services,” she recalled.

    Describing herself as an “adventurous type,” Pituvaka has progressively laid the groundwork for her dream. She usually travels out of Honiara on sightseeing trips to connect with local entrepreneurs and build her network.

    However, she recognizes that much work remains. This includes collaborating closely with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce, and local entrepreneurs.

    Recently, Pituvaka took a significant step toward realizing her dream by joining the inaugural cohort of thirty-three women participating in the US-funded Academy of Women Entrepreneurship (AWE), launched last month.

     Reflecting on how the program will aid her efforts, she expressed its potential impact, “This program provides an invaluable opportunity for female entrepreneurs like myself to learn how to manage our businesses and effectively execute our goals financially,” she added.

    ‘Honoring the memory of my late father’

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      Chris Kamu'ana Rohoimae. Photo supplied.

      BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

      Chris Kamu’ana Rohoimae is set to grace the WOMADelaide stage in 2025, after emerging victorious in the Pacific Break 2024 competition.

      Reflecting on this achievement, Chris shared his emotions with Island Sun, expressing a deep wish for his late father to witness this milestone. “I feel quite emotional because I wish my father could have seen this moment. He often told me that great opportunities for our music were on the horizon. Now, reflecting on his words, I have achieved what he envisioned, and I wish he were here to witness it,” Chris revealed.

      Raised in a musically rich environment, Chris was profoundly influenced by his late father, a musician who led the Narasirato panpipers and traveled worldwide. “My father led the Narasirato panpipers and traveled globally,” Chris explained. “I developed an interest in music at the age of five, but my father kept me focused on my education and did not involve me in music much during my early years.”

      Now, at 28, and representing Malaita Province, Chris has emerged triumphant from a pool of over 300 entries spanning 18 Pacific nations. His victory secures him a spot at WOMADelaide, Australia’s largest international festival of music, arts, and dance, scheduled for March 2025.

      Reflecting on the moment he learned of his win, Chris recalled, “They initially told me it was just an interview, but it turned into an hour-long announcement of the winner, which took me by surprise as I had not prepared for it.”

      The song that earned Chris this prestigious win is titled The Naratana Manu, which translates to ‘The birds crying.’ In the Are-Are language, Chris explains that Naratana Manu explores the challenges faced when forming connections with people who might not align with one’s true self or intentions. “It signifies the times we find ourselves with someone or pursuing paths that are not meant for us, ultimately leading us to realize that those things do not align with our true purpose. I want to dedicate this award to my late father; he is the one who truly deserves it, and it means everything to me,” Chris expressed.

      Growing up surrounded by his father and the members of his band, Chris naturally found himself drawn to music. “Being close to them during performances allowed my passion for music to flourish. I became more engaged in music two years ago when I faced financial difficulties in paying my fees. This journey led me to win this award,” he noted.

      Looking ahead to WOMADelaide, Chris shared his excitement and his plans to not only perform but also record his music. He expressed a deep sense of purpose, inspired by his father’s legacy and the musical path he has carved for himself.

      Social-cultural impacts from oil spills

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      BY LORETTA B MANELE

      Social-cultural impacts is one of the impacts from oil spills that doesn’t get much attention especially in economic figures, however it is still important as other impacts.

      Sheridan Rabbitt, of Rabbitt Consulting talked about this at the “Strengthening Marine Pollution Incident Resilience in the Pacific Islands” workshop at Heritage Park Hotel last week.

      She said “social-cultural impacts are one of those impacts from oil spills on the coastal communities that people don’t think very much about and it varies from country to country.

      Rabbitt explained that for instance if there were an oil spill in Brisbane it won’t have that much of a huge impact as compared to coastal communities here in the Solomon Islands.

      “Maybe we can’t go to the beach, but it’s a bit annoying, but we can drive somewhere else. It’s going to be quite different in the Pacific Islands context”

      She said in the case of an oil spill in the coastal communities, in the short-term people can’t fish because their coastline is unsafe and there are missed opportunities for social connection.

      Rabbitt explained that these missed opportunities for social connection can include a group of women who often go out on gleaning trips together or men who go fishing just to hang out with their friends and connect with people in the community.

      Relocation of people from one village to another is also another social-cultural impact of oil spills.

      Rabbitt said because of this there will also be missed opportunities for people to share their cultural knowledge because people have a deep attachment to their grandparents and parents and their cultural knowledge is passed down from one generation to the next.

      “If you remove people from that situation and you’re putting them into another village, that’s not there their land, some of that cultural knowledge is going to be impacted”

      Rabbitt mentioned that there will also be a lot of land tenure challenges when people are being moved from one village or community to another.

      Murder case returns to court for accused to take plea

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      BY ROMINAH FAKA

      A man accused of raping a 31-year-old woman which led to her death in Ngella in August this year is expected to take his plea on October 25.

      The case was mentioned in court and then adjourned.

      Joe Koti is facing one count of murder.

      Prosecutor told court it had received outstanding documents which include five statements from the witnesses and has served them to defence.

      Prosecutor adds that only the autopsy report remains to be collected.

      Defence confirmed receipt and indicated that it has chosen a short form preliminary inquiry for the committal hearing.

      Police alleged on August 25 at New Vunuha village, Ngella, Central province, the deceased was at her home with her family.

      On that day, the deceased’s family was having a family gathering.

      Around 6pm, the family had their dinner, which was followed by discussion and storytelling session. The meeting ended around midnight.

      After the meeting, all the people that gathered for the family meeting left while the deceased and two women remained at the deceased’s house for clean-up.

      Between 12am and 1am the deceased and the two women were still cleaning when a person called in at the house. It was alleged that this person had just come back from fishing. He gave some fish to the women.

      The deceased told one of the women to cook the fish while she went to a Frank and Mary’s house about 50 metres away from her house.

      She was returning a pot they had borrowed for the family gathering earlier that night.

      Police alleged that these two women waited for more than an hour for the deceased to return but she did not return.

      The deceased suddenly returned after an hour passed and told one of the two women that her body was not okay.

      The woman saw that the deceased was bleeding heavily.

      The deceased told the woman that on her way to Frank and Mary’s house, the accused grabbed both of her hands and shut her mouth and dragged her into the grass and raped her with great force.

      The deceased said she had told the accused that she was bleeding profusely and he got up and took off.

      Prosecution said the deceased struggled and managed to get herself up and tried her best to walk back to her house.

      As she reached her house the two women tried their best to stop the bleeding but were unsuccessful.

      They took the victim to Tulagi that morning, August 26, where she was referred to the NRH in Honiara.

      When they reached the NRH the victim was pronounced dead.

      John Wesley Zoze appears for the crown and PSO appears for Koti.

      Fraud case returns to court Oct 15 for sentencing

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      BY ROMINAH FAKA

      The case against a woman found guilty of false pretence has adjourned for October 15 for sentencing.

      The matter was heard in court on Thursday last week, in which sentencing was initially scheduled to happen.

      However, defence raised a concern regarding the delay in the case, prompting court to instruct prosecution to file an explanation for the delay.

      Pauline Peqoa Sipi was charged with false pretence. She pleaded not guilty to the charge and a trial was conducted at the magistrate court.

      After the trial court found Sipi guilty of false pretence.

      Court heard Ms Sipi at Henderson area, Guadalcanal Province on July 3, 2019, obtained $5000 from the victim for the install payment of a vehicle she was reportedly selling.

      She had said she won the vehicle from a police tender.

      Again, on August 2, 2019 Sipi obtained $20,000 from the victim purportedly for the second installment payment of the vehicle.

      The matter was reported to police when the victim did not receive the vehicle.

      Steward Tonowane of Office of Public Prosecution acts for Crown and Allan Tinoni of Public Solicitor Office acts for Sipi.

      MHMS urges prioritisation of employee mental health

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      Participants putting on a dance.

      BY INDY MAEALASIA

      THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), has emphasized the need to prioritize employees’ mental health in the workplace, highlighting that a healthy work environment is essential for overall well-being and productivity.

      Director of the Mental Health Division, Stephen Araitewa, emphasized this message during the World Mental Health Day event at the HCC outdoor court, yesterday.

      Araitewa stressed that, “In the workplace, the impact of mental health cannot be overstated.  Stressed burnout and mental fatigue can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and low morale.”

      However, the director emphasized that by prioritizing mental health, employers can cultivate a culture that enhances employee well-being and boosts organizational success.

      “A positive and supportive workplace environment can also support recovery for patients with mental health conditions. Research shows that workplaces that support mental health see higher levels of engagement and innovations,” Araitewa added.

      The director further suggested several actions employers can take to foster mental well-being:

      “First and foremost, we must create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their mental health. Training for managers and recognizing signs of mental health struggles and how to provide support is also critical. This refers to implementing supportive policies that support mental health in the workplace,” he said.

      He also underscored the urgent need to raise awareness about the mental health resources available in the Solomon Islands.

      “By promoting these resources, we can encourage individuals to seek help without fear or stigma,” he added.

      Additionally, the director also emphasized the need to improve the level of mental health literacy, in organizations and companies.

      “Let’s also recognize the power of community in the workplace. Open dialogues about mental health dismantle stigma and foster an atmosphere of support,” Araitewa said.

      “Together, we can build environments that support mental well-being and empower everyone to flourish both personally and professionally,” he added.

      Other stakeholders including WHO, UNICEF, HCC, Pasifiki HR, and the Disabled People’s Association of Solomon Islands (DPASI) were also part of the event.

      Health impacts of oil spills on coastal communities

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      Sheridan Rabbitt delivering her presentation at the workshop.

      BY LORETTA B MANELE

      There are several health impacts of oil spills on coastal communities.

      Sheridan Rabbitt of Rabbitt Consulting stressed on this at the “Strengthening Marine Pollution Incident Resilience in the Pacific Islands” workshop that will end today at the Heritage Park Hotel.

      She said there are a couple of health direct impacts of oil spills on coastal communities.

      Speaking of coastal communities, Rabbit said there are harvesters who will be out in the marine environment and if oil is washing up on the shore and if they get into the water to try to harvest seafood there’s going to be direct contact with oil.

      “There’s going to be health implications as a result of that direct contact”

      She added that if they then consume the seafood, they’ve collected given that the seafood has been touched by oil they will have impacts from the consumption of contaminated foods.

      Rabbitt mentioned that water source is also another important aspect of people’s livelihoods that can get contaminated when oil spills turn up in the first couple of weeks.

      She said a lot of our remote villages in Solomon Islands don’t always have access to a lot of fresh water and in some cases depending on where the water source is coming from it might also be contaminated.

      Rabbitt stated that there are also gendered impacts in the health sector because women are more often in direct contact with saltwater when they’re harvesting seafood more frequently than men who are often fishing from boats.

      “So, for our health sector that’s something that we really need to be thinking about”

      Accounting institute calls for investigation into OAG report on ESP

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      BY IRWIN ANGIKI

      The country’s institute of accountants (ISIA) has added its voice to the growing call for government action to investigate the audit report findings on the economic stimulus package (ESP).

      ISIA’s call joins that of the Leader of Opposition Matthew Wale, Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI), Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU), and public for government and relevant authorities to act on the OAG report of the economic stimulus package (ESP) 2020-2021.

      Chair of parliament’s public accounts committee Gordon Darcy Lilo, MP for Central Honiara, has told media that he intends on initiating a full hearing into the OAG’s ESP report.

      In a statement themed ‘Drastic Reforms in Public Sector Financial Reporting Standards and Strengthening of Integrity Institutions is the way forward’, the Institute of Solomon Islands Accountants (ISIA) said:

      “The seriousness of these breaches calls for immediate government action to further investigate based on the findings of the Auditor General to hold those responsible for these breaches to account.

      “These investigations must be pursued with all the due process required, and with the assurance of the integrity and independence of the authorities concerned. 

      “Any conflict of interest, or perceptions thereof, of those involved in these inquiries or investigations should be avoided.

      “A credible mechanism including relevant central agencies of the Government and watchdog institutions should provide the necessary support and impetus to appropriate authorities like RSIPF and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to take these matters further to conclusive outcomes.

      “Effective deterrents and consequences are a necessary part of longer term structural and capacity improvements in public financial management in Government.”

      Meanwhile, ISIA also recommends strengthening of integrity institutions such the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), Solomon Islands Commission Against Corruption (SICAC), the Leadership Code Commission (LCC), the Office of the Ombudsman, and Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI).

      “This practically means that the Government should ensure that these organisations are fully resourced (and truly independent).

      “This is how the Government can practically show their commitment to the fight against corruption – by ensuring high standards of transparency and accountability over the systems and processes through which public resources are being managed and allocated.”

      The OAG released its audit of the ESP on Wednesday last week. The audit covered the ESP from 2020-2021.

      The report’s findings revealed ‘major fraud risk, poor to non-existent administrative controls and almost zero transparency in the disbursement of $309 million in government funds’, an OAG statement this week described.

      First HRD network established in SI

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      BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

      The Solomon Islands has launched its first-ever Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Network working committee, marking a significant step in the country’s commitment to human rights advocacy.

      The formation of the Network was announced during a workshop focused on developing a protection strategy for human rights, held from October 8th to 10th in Honiara.

      The newly established HRD working committee consists of a chair and six members, who will tackle various human rights issues within the country. Participants at the workshop discussed both short- and long-term objectives for the Network, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with local and regional stakeholders.

      The workshop, funded by the Swiss Embassy in Canberra, brought together human rights defenders from the Solomon Islands, students from the University of the South Pacific Solomon Islands and Solomon Islands National University, as well as civil society organizations and HRDs from Fiji and Vanuatu.

      Organized by the Pacific Human Rights Defenders Network (PHRDN) in partnership with the United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR) office, the three-day event was a crucial step towards fostering a robust human rights framework in the Solomon Islands.

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