Group discussion session on differences between Gender and Sex. Photo credit: Angelina Halumae, UNDP Solomon Islands
SINCE March 19, the UN Development Programme in Solomon Islands, in cooperation with the Government of Solomon Islands and the International Labor Organization (ILO), is delivering a one-month training leadership in peacebuilding programme for youths in the Weather Coast within the Empowering Youth as Agents for Peace and Social Cohesion in the Solomon Islands Project’s framework.
More than 100 young community leaders aged 16-24 years from five youth caucuses participated in a complex training programme on leadership, peacebuilding, effective governance and gender equality. Among the main training’s goals are to empower youth to become peacebuilders and leaders in their communities and boost youth participation rate in decision-making to ensure everyone’s voices heard and counted.
Since the Solomon Islands Government committed to prioritize youth rights and address youth aspirations and well-being, UNDP Solomon Islands, through the Youth Empowerment Project, aims to engage young people across the country in peacebuilding efforts and increase their inclusion in the social and economic life of their communities.
The Youth Caucus from Purepure (East Weather Coast of Guadalcanal Province) listening the facilitator’s presentation on gender stereotypes and peacebuilding
UNDP Solomon Islands Project Manager Vardon Hoca noted the importance of youth empowerment through such leadership programmes: “Education, cultural diversity, gender equality and youth empowerment have a central role in building a resilient, competitive and sustainable Solomon Islands’ future. Following this training programme, we tried to swiftly present the first set of initiatives addressing key competencies for lifelong learning, peaceful co-existence, and fostering common values and inclusive education.”
The programme goal is to empower its participants to assume a leading role in improving peaceful communication between the different groups and open a window for dialogue in society. It is expected that the participants lead this initiative and disseminate their experiences in their communities by sharing them with the other youth networks and active youth organizations.
Participants are presenting their ideas on how to empower youth and engage them in peacebuilding decision-making processes
“Young people can be important drivers and agents of change in the development of their community, province, and most importantly, our country as a whole. In order to bridge the communication gap between generations, people must start listening to each other. Hence, programmes like this must involve youth to make the decision-making process more inclusive,” said one of the participants from Nagho caucus.
With the 2030 Agenda as a guiding thread, UNDP works to advance young people’s civic and political life, economic empowerment, and role as peace- and resilience-builders.
The training programme which will last till the end of April, 2021 is being conducted by the Empowering Youth as Agents for Peace and Social Cohesion in the Solomon Islands Project and implemented by UNDP Solomon Islands with the financial support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
Continue- Public Servants IPAM participants achieving their IPAM course certificates. Below- National Statistics Officers who participate in the IPAM Training achieving their certificate.
The Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) congratulates Public servants in various ministries including staff of the National Statistics Office (NSO) for participating in the IPAM workshops held earlier this year on February and March 2021.
IPAM on Wednesday 7th April held a graduation ceremony for the public servants.
A total of 130 Public servants participated in IPAM workshops this year with four of them from the National Statistics Office who took part in the customer service and knowing about the public service trainings.
IPAM through the Ministry of the public Service has facilitated these workshops as a center for National productivity for the Public servants from various ministries in the country.
The Training workshops offered are, Knowing your Public service, Customer Services, Microsoft power Point and PMP. These accredited trainings target the training needs of the public service and they are offered to enhance the skills and the competence of public officers in delivering public services and to encourage public officers build their career pathways.
Chairman of the Public Service Mr Milner Tozaka, in his speech to the participants, emphasised the importance of the training and the need for training.
“Training is an important aspect of human resources development, an avenue as well as a tool that one can develop a particular skill or acquire a particular information to help oneself to do a particular thing”, he said.
“And the need for such training in an IPAM workshop is for everyone irrespective of skills and qualification.
Front row- Center- Right- Chairman of the IPAM- Mr Milner Tozaka and center left- Director of IPAM Mr Solomon Manea, and all the Public servants who participated in the IPAM Training.Leni Taisia receiving her certificate present by IPAM Director.
Mr Tozaka mentioned that training is essential as the working environment is changing; this helps increase the knowledge on a particular subject and increasing competency of employees in an organisation.
The participants expressed their appreciation.
Florence Walekwate from NSO said attending the Customer service workshop broadened her knowledge on how to interact with customers when approaching customer or public through face to face or through answering a simple official phone call.
“Customer service approaches is for all public servants and not only for receptionists.
Left to right- Florence Walekwate and right Esther Paraerae, Receiving their IPAM certificates on knowing your public service.
It’s a very important character that public servants should know how to apply in daily official work”, she said.
In addition, Norman Suunorua a participant from the Ministry of Commerce who attended the ‘knowing your Public Service’ training said it was an eye opener gaining knowledge from the course.
“Now I understand that all the line ministries have procedures under the Government law which bind them under the law of the country linked with the parliament.”
POLICE have arrested a man for the alleged murder of a 25-year-old male at Halavo village, Central Islands Province on Monday.
The arrest was made by Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) stationed at the Tulagi Police Station.
Operation Manager Central Province, Inspector George Mouli said an initial report on the incident states that the deceased and the suspect had an argument.
He said as the argument heated up both suspect and deceased struggled and as a result the suspect grabbed a knife and cut the victim on the left side of his head and stabbed him on the right side of his stomach.
Inspector Mouli says, “The matter was reported at the Tulagi Police Station and officers attended the report and arrested the suspect and placed him in the cell.
He further said the deceased was transported to the Tulagi Mini Hospital and later referred to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) but pronounced dead on the way to Honiara.
“My condolences to the family of the deceased for the tragic loss of one of their loved one,” Inspector Mouli said.
The suspect has been dealt with and charged with murder contrary to section 200 of the Penal Code. He has been remanded at the Rove Correctional Centre in Honiara to appear in Court at a later date.
Inspector Mouli adds, “I call on relatives of both the suspect and deceased in the incident to refrain from any retaliation and allow police to investigate the matter.
“I appeal to people of Halavo Village who may have any information about the incident to come forward and supply the information to investigators at the Tulagi Police Station.”
POLICE are still searching for the mother of an infant, whose body was found early this week at the Holy Cross area in Honiara.
Apparently, the woman or girl left the baby at the church compound after her delivery.
Unfortunately, the baby was already dead when she was found.
At this stage, it’s not known whether the mother deliberately killed the infant or gave birth to a dead baby.
That is still subject to police and medical investigation.
This is not the first case of its kind.
In fact, similar cases have been discovered recently at various locations in Honiara.
Cases like this are a reflection of the moral decay of today’s society.
A situation where human lives no longer matter.
As is often the case, the quickest reaction is to turn around and condemn the mother.
Little did we realise that this is just a tip of a much deeper societal issue in our country today.
Issues such as unemployment, family breakdown, high school drop-out, hard economic situation and lack of respect for each other are some of the contributing factors.
But here’s the thing.
Girls, if you ended up pregnant, seek help.
You have aunties, women support groups, priests and pastors and other trusted friends you can share your stories with.
Don’t suffer alone.
There is always help out there.
Killing or neglecting the baby you carry should never be an option.
Even if your world is falling apart, never resort to killing a human soul.
You will live to regret it for the rest of your life if you do that.
The Holy Cross infant case is now a police matter.
The mother of the baby is out there in the community. Police are looking for her.
She should do the right thing.
Come forward, get help and surrender to police.
That’s the right course of action to take at this time.
Doing that will also allow you to seek much needed medical care!
Communities in Solomon Islands are worried that lack of effective monitoring mechanisms and safe environmental practices by stakeholders are preventing authorities from understanding the full extent of environmental damage brought about by the rampant logging industry in the country.
The logging industry in the Solomon Islands is a huge revenue earner for the country, it is also a curse to the environment.
In 2019, the State of the Environment Report released by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology found that unsustainable forestry harvesting rates are at 12-14 times the established sustainable level.
Among the most notable logging destruction highlighted in the report includes forestry depletion and its knock-on negative effects on biodiversity, pollution of water bodies including rivers, streams and coastal waters remain recalcitrant for the past 27 years
The concern over environmental damages and the ineffectiveness of monitoring mechanisms was raised by communities on Isabel province, the longest island in the Solomon Islands archipelago, an island that features forest cover that has drawn a lot of companies vying to take control of the resources that are available.
Many of these companies are illegally getting license to operate on customary land through bypassing business license from provincial authorities.
Another logging camp at Lelegia village, Bugotu District, Isabel Province in the Solomon Islands.
For most communities in the Solomon Islands, very little has come by since gaining independence in terms of development, hence, availing land to logging companies as a way out of the meagre economic situation they are in seemed a worthy enough incentive.
Yet, not much has been done to ensure communities are protected and informed of the environmental impacts such operations pose to the ecosystem.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Dr Melchior Mataki in a recent interview with local journalists’ points out that the forestry sector, especially logging is carried out almost unfettered with clear disregard for environmental safeguards.
Logging has also damaged streams on Isabel provinces used for cooking and drinking.Logging roads running through once pristine rainforests.
He said there is the lack of priority given to environmental management by stakeholders involved in natural resource extraction.
He said there is a need to significantly invest in the environment sector to strengthen safeguards, and enforcement and compliance.
“Safeguards whether enacted under laws or captured in relevant policies and administrative processes need to be enforced and complied with, without fear or favour and supported with requisite level of resources,” he stressed.
Mangroves and other trees are being cut to make way for logging development.
And landowners like Charles Tabiru are worried that prolonged absence of an effective monitoring system to safeguard the environment could lead to irreversible damage to the environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, rivers and biodiversity in whole.
Mr Tabiru from Talise village, on West Bugotu, Isabel Province points out that the problem lies with the Solomon Islands Ministry of Environment and Conservation and the Ministry of Forestry.
“I want to know if there are plans the government to monitor damage to the environment due to logging in my province and in nearby communities.
“As a local resident, we do not have the capacity in terms of really monitoring all those logging operations in very remote locations,” Tabiru said.
“Our rivers are not safe for drinking. When we experience heavy rainfalls, most of our rivers are polluted and this poses health risk due to our reliance on it for drinking and cooking.”
Talise landowner, Charles Tabiru pointing to a site used for drinking that was damaged due to logging activities.
He also mentioned that contaminated water run-off from a logging camp close to nearby Lelegia village could possibly be the link to a recent health crisis where people got sick drinking from water sources near the village.
Lelegia village mother Olivia Bako said years of logging activities within their area has had negative impacts on the village , some of the impacts has seen water sources drying up or becoming murky and not suitable to drink.
She said women in the area used to collect seashells from the mangrove area close to a logging camp close to Leleghia village.
“Our mangroves were untouched and abundant for many years.
“Back then, some of us would follow the cascading streams uphill during afternoon hours and come back with mud shells (dovili) and mangrove fruits for dinner,” Olivia recalled.
“It is a big concern for us now that the mangroves have gone because it is the place where we found food.
“We used to go there to find food, but not anymore.
A food source for hundreds of years, mangroves are being damaged due to the effects of logging.
“On Isabel, a matrilineal society, women are highly regarded as the custodian of land. Their role in society is important, but with the logging industry, it is men who are making decisions and getting royalty benefits from the proceeds.
“Even if the logging goes out, we will not be able to use that area anymore. Our fishing ground here is destroyed. This is a big problem for us mothers,” Olivia said.
A senior officer from the Ministry of Environment confirmed that there has been a lot of environmental impact caused by logging within West Bugotu and Isabel Province in particular.
He asked not to be named in this report over fears that he would lose his job.
A logging camp at Nagoibo, Isabel Province.
“The monitoring and compliance of the logging industry is in the hands of our Ministry and the environment Division of the Isabel Provincial government. I must honestly state that monitoring has been minimal over the years,” he said.
“As of last year, we created a division in the department to take care of environmental compliance of the logging industry in the country, nothing has happened.”
But Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, said the Ministry has been challenged every year financially to carry out its monitoring and compliance and enforcement responsibilities because of consistent low budget allocation towards his office by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.
Mataki also said there is the lack of priority given to environmental management by stakeholders involved in natural resource extraction.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Dr Melchior Mataki
He said this is evident in the conduct and environmental performances of extractive industries.
“The attitude is often supported by government authorities both national and provincial and leaders, who actively support such undertakings.
He stressed that the pursuit of economic profit supersedes ‘environmental profit’ and this is directly supported by the prevailing political economy and amplified by the economic concept that assigns environmental outcomes of an economic activity as externalities.
According to an academic publication called “Dynamics of Logging in Solomon Islands: The Need for Restoration and Conservation Alternatives”, Solomon Islands academic, Dr. Eric Katovai teamed up with overseas researchers to look at the effects of logging in the Solomon Islands.
The report mentioned that poor monitoring of logging activities in Solomon Islands has resulted in excessive logging subtly carried out over several decades
“Forest authorities have insufficient funds and human resources to conduct effective monitoring.
“Furthermore, remote areas are often difficult to access due to lack of transportation, and therefore are frequently neglected by authorities. Yet these areas contain some of the largest timber stocks in the country.
“Resource owners may work alongside loggers by providing support to the logging operations, and their lack of knowledge of logging codes-of-practice may limit their ability to identify illegal practices.”
* This feature story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) under its Asia-Pacific Project 2020.
A young photojournalist, Mr. Lachlan Eddie, is utilizing his skills in photography to drive change in his community. He is an emerging photographer with a passion to work with people in every work of life. His five years in the photography industry have been shedding light on the voiceless, especially young people, women, and children.
He is being recognized in the media industry as an imminent photojournalist working with the Solomon Star Newspaper Company. He also joined the One More Shot team of photographers in the Solomon Islands to raise funds for a sick person with cancer who later went to diagnose in Fiji.
Lachlan lives by the common motto: Pictures tell a thousand words. Through that, he is determined social change can happen through photography, and it is an avenue the country needs to support young people with.
He said, “The changes I want to see in this country is, we need to support our filmmakers, writers, photographers and content creators in advancing their dreams and skills in terms of building a huge hub for youths.”
“Currently the country has Dream Cast Hub but it is too small to accommodate more aspiring youths who want to be involved in writing, photography, videography, content creator and many more.”
“These bunches of visual artists have contributed much in some changes in our communities and societies as well as the country as a whole,” he said with a smile.
Lachlan started his photography skills after buying a Haus phone at Noro Telecom. He used the Haus phone to capture photos and posted them on his Facebook account. From there the love for photography developed.
He said, “I follow my Uncles, Navo Philip, Jayson Philip, and others to renovate some staff house and warehouse at Rinngi. When we got money from our contract, I manage to buy a Haus phone at Noro Telekom. After that, I started to capture some pictures and uploaded them to my Facebook account. From there my love for photography started to develop.”
“The interest in photography skills continues to rise. I shoot landscapes and portray photos, and posted on social media. As people commented on my photos it impresses me to continue to capture more pictures and continue to upload.”
“One day I send a friend request to a person from Norway but living in Australia. He is a professional photographer. His name is Kristian Melgard. He married Rossy from PNG.
We were close friends, and then one day, my friend Kristian after seing all my photo uploads on Facebook, he asks me. Lachlan, you seem interested in photography. “Would you like to study photography online?
Then I replied to him yes. Later Kristian registered my name and paid my fee to study photography online with the Shaw Academy, an online photography class.
Not only that, but his friend Kristian also bought him a Nikon D90 Camera and Sigma 17-50mm lens which boosted his passion for photography to sour to new heights.
Reaching this far, Lachlan commended his mother for the dedication, determination, and belief that rested on him. She is the one behind him to find his dreams in photography and graduated in Media and Journalist.
He said, “I was raised by a single mother and have grown up living my childhood life at Ughele village with my mother. I got the name “Lachlan” from a white man called Lachlan Shyves who came to Ughele in the western province, and live with the Chief of Ughele called Willie Lianga.”
My mum was a house girl for chief Lianga and his wife late Dyrin. My mum got married to my stepdad so I live with my grandfather Eddie Hoe who is a farmer and fisherman. He supports our family by selling his produce from his garden and fishing.
Lachlan is excited that despite the difficulties encountered during his entire childhood, he continues to receive support from his mother, grandfather, and close relatives.
Lachlan aims to be a lawyer. However, plans were changed when he dropped out from form six at Beulah Provincial School and no financial assistance to study law at the University of the South Pacific.
Thus, he decided to change his career pathway and went to study journalism and media at Solomon Islands National University. After completing the course, he went back to his home village to support his mother.
In 2017 he went back to Honiara, searching for a job in his qualification in journalism and media.
Currently, Lachlan work as a photojournalist with the Solomon Star Newspaper Company supporting the newsroom team. While with the newsroom team, he was fortunate to learn from Charles Kadamana.
“I learned some tips from Charles on how to shoot photos for the newspaper. It was my first time to know that newspaper pictures are different. Newspaper pictures tell a story and catch people’s attention.”
“Newspaper pictures are to attract the reader to buy the paper and as a photographer, you must select good pictures for a front page. Kadamana left Solomon Star. Solomon Star Manager wants me to take up the photography work replacing Charles Kadamana. It was a big challenge for me.”
“I am still young and new to the photographer department where Kadamana has left to me. Working in a Newspaper Company is not an easy task because you have to meet deadlines. But I slowly adapted to the work because some Solomon Star journalist supports me to do my work.”
“There is more room for improvement. I want to thank God for his ultimate support towards my work. He is our Lord and he deserves to be praised,” he said.
Besides working as a photojournalist, Lachlan created a personal Facebook page early this year. He called his Facebook page Matazonga Photography. Mata means-Eye Zonga-Accuracy. So Matazonga means Eye Accuracy.
If you an aspiring photographer, Lachlan encourages you to keep shooting and shooting and also teach yourselves from lots of photography tutorial in YouTube.
Looking to the future, Lachlan plans to own a photoshoot studio and ID Photo studio. His major challenge currently is, machine to print photo ID.
Plans for my photography In the future I want to run a photoshoot studio and ID Photo studio because some people ask me to shoot their ID photo but I don’t have a machine to print the photo ID.
GOVERNOR General, Sir David Vunagi will not undertake any provincial and international tours this year.
This was after the Ministry of Finance and Treasury not allocating any budget in the $4 billion budget currently before the Parliament for debate.
According to Public Accounts Committee report tabled in Parliament yesterday, the Office of Governor General did not submit any bid to the Budget Unit this year.
This is due to the redirection policy of the Government that there will be no bid submissions accepted from ministries for pay roll and other charges expenditures.
Only Baseline Budget was given.
“This will affect the Governor-General in performing some of his roles and functions such as community visit to the provinces as a symbol of national unity and leadership.
“Further it also affects his role to undertake international state visits, and also to undertake medical treatment overseas,” OGG said.
THE Public Accounts Committee has made 20 recommendations to the Government after it completed its hearing on the $4 billion budget which was held from March 22-31.
A total of 257 witnesses appeared before the Committee to give their testimonies.
The report of the PAC was tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The recommendations are:
Recommendation 1
The Committee urges the Central Bank to exercise regular supervisory and prudential oversight of DBSI.
The Committee recommends that the composition of the DBSI Board be reviewed so that Board members are truly independent of both the Government as owner and the Central Bank as regulator and not include political appointees.
Recommendation 2
The Committee recommends that:
The Government provides further capital injection of $50 million to DBSI to enable it to provide further loans to SMEs and rural investors.
The bank enter into international banking arrangements to enable foreign currency transactions to facilitate forestry accounts and transactions.
DBSI develop transparent guidelines to avoid refinancing of non-performing loans from commercial banks.
Recommendation 3
The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development prepare a Cabinet paper to seek further assistances to boost the economy through productive sector under the ministry to fund specified crops for processing.
Recommendation 4
The Committee recommends:
That the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock needs to review the Biosecurity Act to enable the ministry to be more effective in controlling our borders against foreign pests.
That the existing threats to Biosecurity of, coconut rhinoceros beetle, Asian bee and giant African snail, are adequately funded to seriously address the need currently experienced in the country.
Recommendation 5
The Committee recommends:
That the Ministry of Public Service continue to coordinate with the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to resolve the dire need for functional review of the OAG and allocate to the Office the required manpower.
That the Government allocate funds to the OAG to secure the AG’s residence from ongoing encroachments of settlements.
Expedite the appointment of the Auditor-General.
Recommendation 6
The Committee recommends that the SINU Act be amended and that governance and the relationship of unions and management are clarified.
The Committee urges the expedited appointment of a replacement Vice-Chancellor.
The Committee recommends the Government study the option of establishing an institute of technology to take over the trades schools from SINU.
The Committee urges MEHRD to seek external quality assurance assessment and accreditation of SINU course offerings.
The Committee urges that the terms and conditions of award of scholarships be reviewed for affordability and incentivises and prioritises Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The Committee urges the Government to commission a study into Education financing.
The Committee recommends the roll out of multilingual education (MLE) in primary schools.
The Committee urges the Government to strengthen the apprenticeship program and give sole responsibility for it to SITESA.
Recommendation 7
The Committee urges the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to liaise with the Governor of the Central Bank to collect the uncollected revenues of $300 million identified as “dead money”.
The Committee is concerned at the slow pace of tax reform and urges the Ministry to progress these reforms in a more timely manner.
The Committee recommends that exemptions granted to Mamara development be on capital items only.
The committee recommends that appropriate packages of fiscal incentives are devised to attract quality and sizable investment in strategic sectors.
The Committee urges CBSI to review the effectiveness and relevance of current monetary policy tools and consider options to strengthen the effectiveness of transmission of consequences of monetary policy to consumers.
The Committee urges the Ministries of Finance and Planning to ensure that there is full disclosure in budget documents of donor funding through non-appropriated expenditures.
Recommendation 8
The Committee urges the expedited appointment of the Ambassador to the United Nations.
Recommendation 9
The Committee recommends that the Government support the roles and functions of the Governor-General by allowing it to make budgetary bids for its Other Charges and Development budgets.
Recommendation 10
The Committee recommends to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services that any improvements to the current National Referral Hospital (NRH) and the proposed development of the new NRH must take into consideration the population growth and the aging population for the next 30 years so that structural designs are intended to last longer and can cater for the growing and aging population.
Recommendation 11
The Committee recommends:
That Government takes control of vaccine procurement and rollout.
That the Ministry of Health and Medical Services work with other government agencies, networks and stakeholders such as churches to help with educating our people about the vaccine and its roll out program to convince our people to get vaccinated.
Recommendation 12
The Committee recommends that the Government commission a review of National Referral Hospital to look at clinical governance and corporate governance with a view to the possibility of establishing an independent hospital board and urge the government to consider procuring technical assistance to undertake such a review.
Recommendation 13
The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Health and Medical Service carry out a Cost of Health and Medicals Services study in the Solomon Islands that is similar to the Cost of Policing done by RAMSI. This is so that an overall report on cost of delivering health and medical services can inform on the appropriate budget allocation.
Recommendation 14
The Committee urges the Government to implement the forestry sustainability policy.
The Committee urges the Government to strictly enforce the prohibition of logging beyond 400 meters above sea-level.
Recommendation 15
The Committee urges the Government to review the arms capability of the RSIPF appropriate to border management.
The Committee recommends that the Commissioner of Corrections consider options for community service by inmates.
The Committee recommends the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Service undertake a peer review of the quality of police training.
Recommendation 16
The Committee recommends that the Land Registry be reallocated to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey under the management of the Commissioner of Lands.
The Committee urges the Government to expedite identification and acquisition of land for the resettlement of climate vulnerable communities.
Recommendation 17
The Committee urges:
The Government to continue with the Henderson runway reseal/overlay and to seek additional funding for its completion.
The Committee urges the Government to review the Telecommunications Act to further strengthen competition, improve quality, and reduce cost of services.
Recommendation 18
The Committee urges the Government to adequately fund the National Judiciary and its support services and to expedite reforms to strengthen the independence of the judiciary.
Recommendation 19
The Committee strongly urges the Government to allocate adequate funding for safe houses and support services for victims of domestic and gender based violence.
Recommendation 20
The Committee recommends:
That the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology liaise with HCC to ensure that appropriate development consent was obtained in the developments encroaching the Mataniko riverside and appropriate remedial action is taken to enforce the law.
That a project to be undertaken to clean up the Mataniko river.
That the Government commission a study on the need to establish a climate fund.
That the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology devise a plan and protocols for the relocation of communities vulnerable to sea level rise.
That the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology propose amendments to relevant laws to clarify governance for tubi.
TWO ministries are working together with international immigration to come up with relocation guidelines.
Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey are working on this course following concerns of people living on low lying islands in the country affected by sea level rise.
According to the Public Accounts Committee report tabled in Parliament yesterday, Ministry of Environment said currently, there is a team assessing in the Reef Islands to see issues people are facing.
“This needs a whole of government approach.
“At the moment the ministry is focusing on providing a second safe home,” Environmental Ministry said.
However, traditional donors like Australia and Asian Development Bank are involved directly in relocation of people affected by climate change in the country.
The High Commission informed the PAC that their assistance is channel through infrastructures projects which take into account climate change issues.
However, their programs will not directly involve in the relocation of vulnerable communities. SIG did not ask direct assistance in the climate change space but all programs build in climate change safe guards,” AHC said.
Further to that, ADB confirmed that they have an allocation of US$5m grant to assist communities on natural disaster which can be dispersed in two days, however this assistance does not directly involved the relocation of vulnerable communities.
“The bank is a strong supporter of renewable energy to address climate change. It takes serious measures to mitigate and address natural disasters, responds to disaster risks, mitigate disaster risks and health related risks,” ADB said.
