The current renovation of Aligegeo School facilities to become the new covid-19 centre for Malaita province……..Photo supplied. (2)
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
MALAITA provincial government continues to support partners in the province on the current covid-19 operation for the province.
Deputy Provincial Secretary of Malaita province, Mr David Filia Tuita made the statement to this paper in response to social media enquiries asking where the provincial government is during the current covid-19 outbreak in Malaita.
He said the support provided by MARA government is the current renovation work of facilities within Aligegeo provincial secondary school for the new provincial covid-19 centre.
He said MARA government had recently passed $1.9 million for the work and resources its staffs to carry out the very much needed work for the province.
Tuita also said MARA government through its administration office continues to liaise with PDOC and other stakeholders in the province amidst the situation.
He said renovation work on Aligegeo School facilities is near completion and will soon use as the new covid-19 centre for the province.
Tuita said MPG is ready to provide whatever support requires from them as face with the current situation.
Solomon Airlines wishes to clarify the current airfreighting of Government and private cargo to the Solomon Islands Provinces under the arrangements supported by the Australian Government.
Solomon Airlines aircraft are providing limited, cargo-only domestic flights within the Solomon Islands, partially underwritten by the Australian Government, to support the distribution of essential Government medical equipment and supplies, including PPE, to the provinces.
The Solomon Islands Government through the COVID-19 Oversight Committee (OSC) determines every day which routes they require Solomon Airlines to fly.
“We understand that there has been some confusion among the public about opportunities to send personal cargo on these aircraft, and also about the underwriting of airfreight costs by the Australian Government,” said Solomon Airlines CEO, Brett Gebers.
“Solomon Airlines can only fly routes which have been approved by the OSC. The OSC looks at each application and prioritises the routes based on where medical supplies are required. The space left over after these essential medical supplies are transported is available for any other cargo shipped by our customers at our normal rates.
“Our normal cargo rates were set at a time when we were allowed to fly a mix of passengers and cargo in both directions. Because we are not allowed to fly passengers unless specifically approved by the OSC, we have empty sectors back to Honiara where we earn no revenue. Flying empty sectors with no income is a loss-making exercise.
“This is where the Australian Government is assisting Solomon Airlines. The Australian Government covers the costs that are not recovered from the normal sale of cargo.”
Australian High Commissioner Lachlan Strahan said, “The Australian Government is not covering the full cost of current domestic Solomon Arlines flights, but underwriting some costs to ensure the flights and SolAir can keep operating. Australia is delighted to work in this partnership with Solomon Airlines and the Government of Solomon Islands to keep Solomon Airlines operating and delivering essential medical supplies, food and other goods to the provinces.”
“Our team are working every day to ensure that if there is sufficient room for private cargo, we carry it, or if there is sufficient demand to warrant a flight, we do our utmost to make that happen,” said Brett Gebers.
“Solomon Airlines will continue to work closely with the Solomon Islands Government and Australian Government to ensure that we swiftly distribute critical medical supplies to where they are needed.
“We thank the Australian Government for their support for our nation.
“Currently Solomon Airlines is transporting medical and PPE equipment only, and we are ready, and able to also transport food supplies, should that be required of us,” he added.
A surge in COVID-19 sick patients is expected for provincial hospitals and rural health centres, according to the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Culwick Togamana.
“We are expecting a surge in COVID-19 sick patients in our provincial hospitals, Area Health Centres and Nurse Aid post,” Togamana said.
He said the Ministry this week will continue deploy more oxygen supplies, PPEs and equipment and Pharmaceutical to level two medical stores to distribute to the various health services.
Togamana said many of these have been distributed in the past week and are slowly reaching the designated facilities.
He also said further training for health workers were conducted last week in Honiara and the provinces in the management of COVID-19 patients from various levels like moderate to severe and critical cases.
“Such training of COVID-19 management will also be conducted for provinces to manage our vulnerable and at-risk population such as our elderly’s and those with comorbidities as well as those with long COVID-19 syndrome after being discharged from health facilities,” Togamana said.
A community elder of Simbo Island who is also a Senior Officer of Western Province has come up with an initiative to translate COVID-19 safety rules into the Simbo language.
Gideon Tuke said he has produced over 200 pamphlets, distributed to households in Ward Two in Simbo.
He said the pamphlet accommodates pictures as well as simple COVID-19 Safety measures.
Tuke said it is important for messages to be translated to local languages as most of the messages were written in English and Pidgin.
“Our people are action oriented and it is important for us to make such small contribution to our communities as our contributions towards fighting this pandemic.
“I come to realize that people will more attracted to their language/identity as such giving out message in local languages is very important,” he said.
Tuke encourages those who access to computers and other accessories to help communities understand COVID-19 safety measures.
CHAIRPERSON of Western Provincial Disaster Operation Committee has called on family members of people who are undergoing self-isolation at homes to take responsibility in making sure COVID-19 protocols are respected.
Jeffrey Wickham made the call following reports that few people have breached safety protocols.
He said managing home quarantine in urban centres has been very difficult given the limited manpower and financial resources to meet people’s expectations.
“We are certain that those who are undergoing home quarantine in villages are easier to manage because we have community based COVID-19 taskforce to look after the patients.
“But it is quite difficult in our towns, therefore, those concerned must be responsible not to spread the virus,” Wickham said.
Reports reaching Island Sun Gizo said that few individuals who are living with positive cases were seen walking freely at Gizo town.
Concerned Gizo residence feared such practice put the general public at high risk and that responsible authorities need to address the issue.
Solomon Airlines has welcomed Australia’s new international border rules, which this week open the country’s borders to all fully vaccinated visa holders, preparing for the return of tourists, business travellers, and other visitors.
Since the Australian Government started a gradual reopening of the country’s borders from 1 November 2021, more than 580,000 overseas travellers have arrived in Australia to reunite with family and loved ones, or to work or study.
From today, travellers across all eligible visa categories can now enter Australia, as long as they are COVID-19 fully vaccinated or have acceptable proof that they cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Visa holders who are not fully vaccinated still require a valid travel exemption to enter Australia, and are also subject to the country’s state and territory quarantine requirements.
Solomon Airlines said the new rules will mean many more passengers for the airline’s service between Honiara and Brisbane which currently operates every Friday through to 1 July 2022.
To coincide with Australia’s border reopening, the airline has restored its normal booking process for its Honiara to Brisbane weekly flight. It is again possible to book seats on the flights via the website www.flysolomons.com and through travel agencies who have access to Solomon Airlines flights.
“This is a welcome relief to our business and will also be very welcome news to many people who need or want to fly to Australia and other countries via Brisbane,” said Solomon Airlines CEO Brett Gebers.
“Australia’s reopening is credited to the overwhelming COVID-19 vaccination rate within the country.
“As of this month, over 94% of all Australians over 16 years of age are fully vaccinated, a vaccination level that we must strive to get close to in the Solomon Islands,” he said.
Solomon Airlines said the convenience of again being able to book Honiara to Brisbane online, will benefit passengers who prefer to book via the airline’s website using a credit card. It also means those flying via Brisbane and transiting to other countries can book their flights on a single ticket.
Passengers travelling from Solomon Islands to Australia are currently exempt from pre-departure testing requirements. Passengers transiting in Australia to another country will likely require proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test and will need to check the requirements of their other airline and destination country.
A Digital Passenger Declaration is required to be submitted within 72 hours prior to departure, replacing the previous Australia Travel Declaration form.
Honiara to Brisbane bookings can be made online via Solomon Airlines website www.flysolomons.com or by calling the airline’s Reservations team on 177 (local call) or visiting their Point Cruz Sales Office.
Brisbane to Honiara flights are still only bookable through the airline’s Sales Offices in Point Cruz and Australia and are currently unable to be booked online, due to border restrictions, approval processes, mandatory checks and quarantine requirements.
More than 50 people from 15 different countries attended the training course from Payap University in Thailand
During the recent Covid outbreak when so much was shut down, three educators attended an online course entitled, “Arts in Literacy and Education Material Development”.
The course was offered by Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In total, fifty people from fifteen countries around the world took the three-week course.
Margaret Saumore, a principal education officer for Multilingual Education at the Ministry of Education and Human Resources (MEHRD) was one of the local participants, along with Corina Leve, a lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Solomon Islands National University.
The local group was facilitated by Martha Matzke, a literacy and education specialist serving with Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group (SITAG).
The purpose of the training was to train teachers in how to develop learning materials based on the local language and culture in which they work. Each participant made a ‘cultural calendar’ to show things like; the seasons, winds, agricultural and fishing activities, festivals and celebrations for their home culture. The teachers then used the calendar to plan weekly themes for each week of the school year.
The training was based on a model of ‘Discovery, Decide and Develop’. The idea was to discover and study local art forms in a culture including things like; crafts, music, poetry, stories, agricultural traditions, etc.
An Arosi Cultural Calendar produced by Margaret Saumore
The teacher then chooses one idea or theme to develop learning materials for the students, based on that idea. At the same time, teachers are encouraged to think about the students and develop materials that are appropriate for their level of learning.
During the workshop, each person created materials based on one theme. When Margaret Saumore was asked how the course helped her, she said, “The training helped me to understand how to better develop culturally appropriate materials using the existing local art forms.” said Margaret Saumore.
Margaret Saumore chose ‘Ogu’ (the Arosi word for seaworm) for her theme. She created a big book, small reading book, ‘busy picture’, listening story, sequence pictures, song and poem, in Arosi. These materials were created for grade 3 students to help them learn more about seaworms and the place they play in the Arosi culture.
“The training helped me to understand how to better develop culturally appropriate materials using the existing local art forms as well as developing new ones.” said Margaret Saumore.
Corina Leve chose ‘ruku’ (rain, in Roviana) as her theme. She looked carefully at a traditional Roviana song to discover the patterns and style of the song. Then she wrote a new song about ‘ruku’, following the same pattern. The result is a lovely new song to teach Roviana children about the sounds and feeling of rain in their own language.
A ‘Busy Picture’ produced by Corina Leve on the theme of ‘Ruku’ (rain in Roviana)
When asked how this training course might help students studying ECE at SINU, Corina Leve said,“It will help them to discover and decide on relevant exisiting art forms to produce for their community ECE programs; also to create new and develop own materials to use in enhancing foundational learning’’.
The course also focused on looking at various theories of education and how to apply those theories to the development of materials in order to help students to develop and grow in higher levels of thinking.
Martha Matzke, said of the course, “It is exciting to think about how this type of training might be used here in the Solomons to help teachers learn how to make learning materials that are based on the local language and culture of the children.
“There are ways to create materials in the local language and culture that can be in line with the national curriculum. We hope there will be an opportunity to provide this important training in the Solomon Islands,” She said.
The MV Solomon Prestige 2 in Ontong Java on its latest trip last week. PHOTO SUPPLIED
By EDDIE OSIFELO
ONE of the directors of Premium Food (SI) Limited that owns MV Solomon Prestige 2 has refused to give full details on who authorized the vessel to travel to Ontong Java last week.
The ship arrived at Luaniau island with the Patrol boat on Thursday 17th February and offloaded cargoes before leaving for Pelau on Monday night this week.
It is expected back in Honiara tomorrow.
Gabriel Victor Titili who holds 30 percent shares in the company said he is not privy to that information but his captain.
He said the vessel will be back on Thursday and things will become clearer after consulting his captain.
Yang Jian Qing, who owns JQY holds 70 percent shares in the company.
However, John Mao, one of the bech de mer agent of a Chinese in Honiara and a person who lives on Luaniau island, said the ship offloaded cargoes belonging to many local agents on the island.
Mao believed the Chinese in Honiara chartered the ship to Ontong Java.
He said his Chinese boss could not send cargoes on the ship due to internal politics with other Chinese business people.
Opposition Leader Matthew Wale understands that Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Jimmy Rodgers and Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau both confirmed in a talkback show on Sunday that Prestige 2 travelled to Ontong Java without any authorization.
“So the question is if the SPM and the Police Commissioner have confirmed that the ship was not exempted to travel to Ontong Java then who gave the authorization for it to travel? Obviously, the ship should have not travelled unless authorization came from someone in a much higher authority than the Police Commissioner’s Office,” Wale said.
The Opposition Leader said reports that the ship was transporting cargoes for foreign beche-demer buyers in Ontong Java must also be thoroughly investigated.
Wale said the Police Commissioner must urgently investigate this matter and prosecute those involved.
Island Sun sent an email to Police Media but is still to receive any response to date.
