BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
GIZO
PAGEPITU
THE current heavy rains is affecting Gizo town and its citizens, however they are showing resilience and vigilance by choosing to take advantage of it.
The town had been wrought by serious water problems before the rains, but not anymore.
People are trapping rain water and storing them in whatever containers, small or large, they can lay their hands on.
However, many are also concerned what will happen when the rains stop – because they know that the rains are only a temporary respite.
Some question if the national government or the provincial counterpart have any plans on store to address Gizo’s longstanding water problem.
“Water shortage few weeks ago in Gizo was so bad, residents tried drilling through basement floors for groundwater as reservoirs dry up and people have no access to safe drinking water,” says one drenched Gizo man.
Water problem had been a battle that the Western Provincial Government, NGO, private sectors and other business houses have been trying to address for years.
A Mr Andrew Koke claims that few weeks ago, before the rains, Gizo was facing a ‘severe critical’ stage in its water issue.
He adds that Gizo people are not satisfied with officials from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in Honiara who visited Gizo town few weeks ago to assess the water shortage in the provincial capital.
NDMO Director Loti Yates had promised that they will establish certain points in Gizo where water can be delivered to people from tanks.
Koke added that NDMO also suggested that a formal request be made to the Solomon Islands Red Cross to bring a water module to Gizo to purify water.
“When will these promises and statements will come true because I’m very concern and question over the long standing issues that they fail to address for many years now.
“I’m very sad to hear responsible authorities always hoping for rains to come and solve the water crisis as people struggling to get water during dry session,” said Koke.
