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Local program framework for conservation in SI

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

THE Solomon Islands has endorsed the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which provides a national framework for conservation across the country.

The national framework has been establishes since 2008, when a National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) for the country was produced for climate change, as required under United Nations Framework of the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

According to the National policy framework for conservation endorsed under the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity, Parties to the CBD adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, a ten-year framework for action by all countries and stakeholders is to safeguard biodiversity and the benefits it provides to people.

One of the new targets (Target 11) of this strategic plan requires that all countries ensure that by 2020, at least 17 percent of their terrestrial and inland water and 10 percent of coastal and marine areas are conserved through ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas.

In 2009, to support the CBD commitments, the Solomon Islands Ministry of Environment, Climate change, Disaster and Meteorology (MECDM) produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and supported a desktop GAP analysis to identify conservation priority areas across the entire country.

While identifying conservation and climate change priority areas at a national scale is an important step, conservation success in the Solomon Islands will only occurs when local communities support the initiatives, as access and utilization of land and near shore areas is linked to traditional occupation systems.

Therefore, in order for provincial wide conservation planning to be meaningful, it is critical to work with landowners and provincial governments to identify their conservation priorities.

Climate change impose risk to water resources

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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One of the artificial Islands in the Lau lagoon facing impacts of sea level rise.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

THERE is a very real risk that if Solomon Islands does not urgently find ways to adapt to Climate Change.

It is reported impacts of climate change on water resources, that the people living in these low lying coastal areas and islands/atolls may become Climate Change Internally Displaced People (Climate Change IDPs) due to dwindling freshwater, amongst other factors.

According to SIWSAP, it is likely resulting relocation of these people would put an increased strain on water resources and land, which at worst could encourage conflict.

Despite the need, there are very few Climate Change Adaptation and Water or Climate Resilience WASH initiatives.

On bright side, there comes the Solomon Islands Water Sector Adaptation Project (SIWSAP).

It is one such initiative implemented by Water Resources Division (WRD) of The Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) and Climate Change Division (CCD) of The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM).

The initiative also includes other Ministries such as Ministry of Health and Medical Services and Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination.

The project is funded by “Global Environment Facility managed Least Developed Countries Fund”.

The project was conceived in the context of the 2008 National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), which recognized water as the second highest priority.

SIWSAP works with townships and communities in six provinces which are vulnerable to climate change water related impacts.

SIWSAP focuses on ensuring that there are always sufficient and clean water resources available for consumptive uses, during times of climate variability and when experiencing the impacts of Climate Change.

SIWSAP demonstrates how it is possible to secure year-round access to water in these vulnerable environments in the face of climate change, through adaptation for resilience.

Globally, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) lay out an ambitious goal for clean water, by assigning a dedicated Goal, Goal 6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”.

Crucially, Goal 6 captures the themes of the global freshwater challenge in a holistic “water-cycle” approach.

Without considering sustainable management of water resources and taking Climate Action (SDG13) through adaptation to changes in availability of water resources caused by Climate Change, it will be impossible to achieve the SDGs, and SDG 6.

Nationally, water features prominently as contributing to economic growth (NDS Obj. 1) and poverty alleviation (NDS Obj. 2) through expansion and upgrading weather resilient infrastructure (Medium Term Strategy (MTS) 3) and through basic service provision (MTS 5).

Conventionally, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects often do not explicitly/consciously integrate CCA or resilience, although it may be considered out of necessity to some extent.

Often there is a pre-occupation with providing basic access to water, without due consideration for ensuring access to water when experiencing seasonal climate variations, let alone longer-term Climate Change projections.

Given the urgent need and perceived limited or uncoordinated action being taken, it is important for the water and climate change sectors to share and exchange knowledge of good practices, challenges and lessons learnt in adapting for resilience in water.

This is to empower climate and water champions at all levels for accelerating nationwide scaling up of climate action for a resilient water future.

‘Tourism, alternative sustainable development for SI’: ITS

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

IMPERIAL Travel Service (ITS) management believe that travel and tourism is the alternative sustainable development for Solomon Islands.

Ender Rence the Managing Director of Imperial Travel Service during her remarks to New Zealand’s Craig Hooper under the Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) program working alongside ITS and Guadalcanal Nature Tours for the past months acknowledge the people and government of New Zealand for supporting an organization such as VSA to assist in the local initiative on travel and tourism in Solomon Islands.

“Travel and tourism is one of the sustainable alternative development for Solomon Islands requiring government stakeholders and donor partners so thank you the people and government of New Zealand,” said ITS Managing Director.

“It positively affects the economic growth and development of the country including various industries especially ‘healthy tourism industry’ such as accommodation, transportation, arts, entertainment, wildlife and culture, however, sometimes big challenges affect various resources of the country such as economic, environmental, socio-cultural, and educational.

Imperial Travel Service initiative is the source of jobs to their family, people and revenue to the country. It also has impacts on their living standard and their work partners linked to their small but growing travel business ensuring safety and security.

“Recently VSA supported us with First aid training and bought a first aid kit. We are ready and equipped to look after our visitors anywhere, anytime.

“To attract tourists from abroad, Solomon Islands government need to invest some money in making sure macro businesses are strengthened, tourist destinations are attractive and are safe and secure for tourists seeing that nowadays the risk of criminal activities is increasing too.

“Imperial travel service in its capacity will continue to provide professional services in order to correctly guide our visitors from other countries.

ITS added that in terms of benefit, tourism is one of the economical sources and many lives can depend on, however due to lack of proper infrastructure proper communication and coordination, tourism has not been an easy industry to promote in Solomon Islands.

Ender and her Husband Atkin Rence are the owners operating Imperial Travel Service being a beneficiary of VSA program. Another beneficiary under the VSA program is Mr Stanley Mataniata of Guadalcanal Nature Tours.

Imperial Travel Service is a transport service and its primary product is ‘meet and greet’ at the airport for tourists, doing peace tours as part of promoting the SGD 16, and some logistical support and advices for stakeholders.

“As owners of the Imperial Travel service we are proud of New Zealand for supporting the local initiative in travel and tourism in Solomon Islands,” said Ender.

“I stand here not only representing Imperial Travel Service but taking this opportunity too to also voice some of our common issues that other genuine Solomon Islands macro and small businesses face in the country in which I believe they too deserve better improved services and facilities and special attention to make their business grow and thrive to give back to families, communities and the country.

“To make this happen it takes a village, it takes a community and it takes a nation, in some cases, some external support.

“So I thank New Zealand for enabling our friend Craig Hooper and other Volunteers through VSA in providing professional support, advice and working together for the last 10 months being highly appreciated.

“We could never achieve most of our activities without Craig’s support.

“As a small operation, lack of business know-how, we were handicapped before Craig came.

“An example is the Pana Festival, the first ever festival that was organized in Solomon Islands without any support from any government organization however, our small team with Craig’s support brought together almost 200 tourists to participate at the first ever grassroots level festival. Craig was the one working behind the scene from the production of paper works such as promotional materials, media promotions to psychological support ensuring that our small team were mentally fit to successfully host the festival.

“It was a success. These things Craig will never be forgotten and it will go down in the history of Solomon Islands.

“Unlike our neighbouring pacific countries for example Fiji and Vanuatu, we are slowly developing out travel and tourism industry on which we have to be smart and strong being not easy so we must work hard.

From the inbound travel point of view, ITS is one of the newly established and growing inbound travel and transport operator among the long existing ones in Solomon Islands. How they operated before Mr Craig Hooper went to assist was only learning from experiences and working with existing networks to support their operations.

“With the technical and professional support Craig has rendered to us in the past 10 months is worthwhile, a big boast to improve many of our weaknesses especially when meeting challenges in today’s world of providing standard and professional transport services.

“To curb and handle situations such as the presence of other long existing travel agents poor relationship and partnership with each other, conflict of interest and poor government policies making situation not an easy place to operate services to meet the need of very limited tourist arrivals in Solomon Islands.

“Solomon Islands is one of the beautiful countries of the world. It is full of attractive historical places, natural sites including white beaches, lagoons and small islands in various provinces which make the country a potential tourist destination in the Pacific region.”

Solomon Islands elected to the board of Pacific-China Friendship Association (PCFA)

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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SOLOMON Islands has been elected to the Board of the Pacific-China Friendship Association (PCFA) at the organisation’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM) in China.

The Vice President of the Solomon Islands-China Friendship Association (SICFA), Alfred Sasako represented SICFA at the one-day meeting, held at China’s southernmost island province of Hainan on Thursday 27th November.

Other Members of the five-member Board are Australia, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. Member countries will serve a four-year term.

The meeting also reaffirmed Her Royal Highness Princess Pilolevu Tuita of Tonga as the permanent Patron of the Pacific-China Friendship Association.

Dr Hiria Ottino of Tahiti was re-elected unopposed as President of PCFA while Anthony Leong of Australia is the Secretary General of the two-year-old organisation.

PCFA was established in Nuku’alofa, Kingdom of Tonga on 26th October 2016. Its role is to promote friendship and understanding between all members and the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

At the Tonga inaugural meeting, Princess Royal, Her Royal Highness, Princess SALOTE MAFILE’O PILOLEVU TUITA and Madame LI Xiaolin, President of Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for friendly cooperation as part of the establishment of the Pacific-China Friendship Association (PCFA).

Alfred said after this week’s meeting in Sanya, Hainan Province, he was pleased with the outcome of the vote.

“Solomon Islands was not expecting miracle, but SICFA took the view that it should put in all that needs to be done and leave the rest to higher forces to decide. We did just that and we are pleased that our efforts have paid off,” Alfred said.

He said it was not an easy task, given the fact that Solomon Islands does not have diplomatic relations with China.

“The fact that all 13 members of PCFA voted us in speaks volume of the need to work together as a family rather than one country doing its own. Solomon Islands must seize the opportunity to move forward in order to enjoy the benefits from China’s economic growth, which has attracted both the developed and developing countries to its vast arrays of economic and technological advances in order to keep up with the rest of the world,” Alfred said.

“It’s a do or die situation for us in Solomon Islands. We do it and survive the rigors of economic competition or we don’t and suffer the consequences of being beggars as we have been for the last 40 years, surviving merely on the non-productive investment on iron roofing and solar economy, which has not taken us anywhere,” he said.

Sports and political campaigning

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Mr Saitala

Electoral boss sheds light on issue of political campaigning through sports

BY ROMULUS HUTA

Chief Electoral Officer Moses Saitala.

CHIEF Electoral Officer Moses Saitala warns election intending candidates that display of names by way of t-shirts, promotional banners or posters is a campaign activity and must not be entertained during Christmas festive sporting events until election period has been declared open.

Mr. Saitala made the clarification yesterday when sought for comments by SunSPORTS on such cases where most of the sporting events that usually occur during the Christmas season, probably in most constituencies across the country, are often sponsored by Members of Parliament or intending candidates.

This comes as the country is getting ready to go to polls in next year’s national general elections, which is expected to fall during March or April.

Mr. Saitala explains that such display of promotional banners, t-shirts and posters bearing names of intending candidates during sporting events can only be considered as legal when the election (or campaigning) period is declared open.

But in the event this occurs outside of the election period, then it is strongly deemed as a breach of the Electoral Act and anyone found guilty of this offence faces a penalty of $20,000 fine or two years of imprisonment, or serve both.

“This type of activity is illegal. The displaying of a name of an intending candidate by way of t-shirts or posters is a campaign activity as provided under section 5(2) (e) of the Electoral Act 2018.

“This is campaigning outside the campaign period.

“It is therefore an offence under section 124 of the Electoral Act and an intending candidate can be taken to court as soon as he files his/her nomination papers.

“The penalty for this offence is 20,000 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment, or both,” Mr. Saitala enlightens.

While shedding light on this issue, Mr Saitala on the other hand said, the Electoral Act only allows if the intending candidate or the Member of Parliament sponsors the sporting event.

“Sponsoring sporting events is NOT necessarily a campaign as in the meaning of campaign in Section 5 of the Electoral Act 2018.

“This is not illegal as mentioned above. It is almost like a community service a person provides (irrespective whether the person is a MP or an intending candidate),” Mr. Saitala expressed.

Meanwhile, many constituencies around the country will have sporting events organised for their citizens this upcoming Christmas festive season and most probably, some of them will be sponsored by various Members of Parliament or intending candidates.

New invasive species reaches Rennell

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

By Mike Puia

A new wave of invasive species has reached Rennell Island in Renbel Province.

The organization’s Pacific Secretariat office in Fiji confirmed the new wave of invasive species like the black rat, little fire ant, mikania and lantana have reached east Rennell due to inappropriate development, poor biosecurity and low levels of awareness.

Bird surveys carried out were completed with the results produced by the organization.

The organization found that these species are associated with high levels of impact on biota, gardens and lifestyles.

Concerns around threat posed to East Rennell, being a world heritage site that is now in the endured list, as a result of logging and mining operations that are happening in west Rennell led to the visit by birdlife international.

The survey aimed at understanding the presence of species on the site and on east Rennell and Rennell Island as a whole.

The visiting survey team is working with authorities for the development of risk assessments which will form the basis of a Rennell Biosecurity Action Plan.

The team also conducted a taxonomic assessment on behalf of International Union for Conservation of Nature.

BirdLife International is a global partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity.

The organization, from July to August, team-up with the Lake Tegano World Heritage site association to do the survey.

Regional Programme Coordinator for BirdLife International’s Pacific Secretariat office in Fiji, Miliana Ravuso, said they will return to East Rennell and do consultation with the communities next year.

During which time, Ravuso said they will outline what they propose to do.

BirdLife International looks to organize a Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund mid-term workshop in Honiara around early December.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister reveals extremely high mortality rates attributed to NCDs

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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WHEN speaking at a high-level round table meeting on a NCD policy road map this week in Honiara, Prime Minister Rick Hou said there was no doubt NCDs pose the single biggest threat to the future development aspirations of the people and the country.

The PM told his audience, seventy percent of all deaths in the country are due to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

He added that the deaths are due to heart diseases, diabetes, stroke, chronic respiratory disease and cancer.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also reported that Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a crisis in the Pacific and the leading causes of death in the region.

The WHO has supported Pacific islands to develop “crisis response packages” (CRPs) which are action plans aligned with national NCD strategies and guided by local data and the very cost effective interventions or “best-buy” interventions recommended by WHO.

Most countries are prioritizing the following strategies in their CRPs:

Tobacco control, salt reduction, and implementing the Package of Essential NCD interventions to improve and expand NCD prevention and control in primary health care facilities.

To add further impetus to the growing incidences of NCD related illnesses and the problem facing already over-burdened health authorities in several Pacific Islands states, it was reported by Radio New Zealand, today, Wednesday, 28 November 2018, that American Samoa’s only hospital needs more beds for patients as its pediatric, medical and surgical wards are at full capacity.

The hospital is having to bring in beds from the maternity ward because the hospital is full with patients that have illnesses such as pneumonia, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Solomon Islands: A National Water and Climate Change Forum focusing on water for domestic use in the face of climate change.

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

THE Island Sun newspaper has reported that a National Water and Climate Change Forum is underway in Honiara with a view to focusing on the resilience of water for domestic use in the face of climate change.

The Forum occurs in the light that the United Nations (UN) has forecast that by 2050, globally; one in four people will be affected by recurrent water shortages

During the Forum multiple organizations (government and non-government) will showcase their experiences, best practices, challenges and lessons learnt.

The National Government will conclude the Forum by discussing the next steps for accelerating scaling up of adaptation in the water sector and set out a road map for any associated policy and/or sect oral coordination actions.

(Source : Island Sun newspaper)

Meanwhile, quoting news reported from CNN, a new US government report has delivered a dire warning about climate change and its devastating impacts, saying the US economy could lose hundreds of billions of dollars — or, in the worst-case scenario, more than 10 percent of its GDP — by the end of the century.

“The federally mandated study was supposed to come out in December but was released by the Trump administration on Friday.

“David Easterling, the director of the Technical Support Unit at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, emphasized that there was “no external interference in the report’s development.” He added that the climate change the Earth is experiencing is unlike any other.

“The global average temperature is much higher and is rising more rapidly than anything modern civilization has experienced, and this warming trend can only be explained by human activities,” Easterling said.

“Coming from the US Global Change Research Program, a team of 13 federal agencies, the Fourth National Climate Assessment was put together with the help of 1,000 people, including 300 leading scientists, roughly half from outside the government.

“It’s the second of two volumes. The first, released in November 2017, concluded that there is “no convincing alternative explanation” for the changing climate other than “human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases.”

“The report’s findings run counter to President Donald Trump’s consistent message that climate change is a hoax.”

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Encouraging inroads to “second chance learning”

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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IN a week when several prominent figures in the Solomon Islands, including some in Parliament and the TSI have had a critical lens on reported government spending and payments to retiring Members of Parliament MPs), it was a refreshing change to learn of the success being achieved locally by READ SI.

To add to what the largely volunteer NGO has achieved since its inception in 2015, I will quote from the Solomon Star newspaper article published today, 29 November 2018.

“Resources Educational Advance Development in Solomon Islands (READ SI) is a local non-government organisation (NGO) working together with other partners to get more reading materials into primary schools and communities in Solomon Islands.

“The NGO was established in 2015 purposely to provide a second chance learning mainly for adults and youths who have missed out from education.

“One of its officers Martha Maeli said what they normally do is to educate them using several resources they have to help them know how to read and write.

“For youths, it’s like we give them a second chance to move on in their future,” she said.

“Mrs Maeli said since 2017 until now they have reached 274 villages across the nice provinces with a total of 541 teachers and 2,825 students.

“She said so far 13 informational books have been written by the READ SI with 5,000 of them have been printed and 6,100 reading books.”

“Another officer Revenah Ilala said their role is to bring with those resources down to the communities and educate people who want to learn more about reading to help their standard of living and development.

“Ms Ravenah said when they reached down to the communities, they have learnt that students attending the primary schools even lacks proper reading and they have also joined and learn a lot from our lessons.

“This literacy program also helps those attending the primary to catch up on their level of education especially to be able to read and write,” she said.

“In their 2018 quarterly report headed by Director Joyce Boykin READ SI is currently working together with the Ministry of Education to get more reading materials into primary schools with a goal to reach 300 schools and villages with books to improve reading.

“The National Literacy Campaign started last year and has now been to more than 270 villages and 5 settlements since April 2017.

“The program also included at the Rove Prison Service where inmates teaching reading to other inmates in six cell clocks.

“Mrs Maeli said READ SI is currently sponsored five literacy classes in Honiara in areas like Borderline, April Valley, Gilbert Camp, Lau Ridge and Tasahe B.

“She said they work is just on voluntary bases which comes with great challenge especially when leaving the family behind for 3 weeks.

“However she said it their passion to change the lives of people to be able to know where they want to be and especially to change someones life.”

Copyright @ 2018, Solomon Star news.

I express my gratitude to READ SI for the sterling work already done and for the ongoing progress in aiding children and others to read (and advancing literacy) throughout the Solomon Islands.

I also would like to thank the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for the initial direct aid to READ SI enabling the NGO to get off the ground.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Local nutrition should be the staple food, NOT rice

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

Letters to the Editor

THANK you for allowing me an opportunity to respond to the article appearing in the Island Sun Newspaper of Thursday 29th November.

The article referred to a statement from the Deputy Prime Minister, RH Mr. Sogavare, which stated in the headline, local nutrition should be the staple food, NOT rice for Solomon Islanders. I do not think many would disagree with this. Most probably however on the basis that rice importation is a cost to the country and substituting it with locally grown alternatives would reduce this cost. That makes sense. Blaming rice for NCD’s as an excuse to introduce a tax does not.

The Deputy Prime Minister, as Minister of Finance is about to tax rice imports. The intention is to raise revenue, and again, this is the privilege of the government. The red herring here is that the argument is the impending tax will be introduced for health reasons. This explains why we are seeing so many attacks on rice lately in the media. If you throw enough mud, some will eventually stick. An old political tactic being used here once again. My issue here is not about the tax. It is about misleading media about rice and health.

Deputy Prime Minister, why rice? There is tobacco, a much greater threat, there is sugar, another much greater threat, how about using alcohol in your headline, noodles perhaps, Coca-Cola and other soft drinks maybe? Need I go on about consumables with a much greater contribution to NCD’s than rice? NCD’s include cancers, heart failure, strokes amongst other things, it is unfair to formulate communications such as that in the Island Sun, where it would be possible for the uninformed to interpret all NCD’s are a result of eating rice. This is clearly far from the truth.

Rice is an easy target due to its profile. But rice is a naturally occurring carbohydrate, the same as locally grown products such as sweet potato. Carbohydrates are essential in any diet as they contribute to energy and the effective functioning of the body, including the brain. Carbohydrates, including rice, form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

There is an issue with ALL carbohydrates however, and that can be over consumption. When this occurs the body can store excess to be used for energy later, which will take the form of fat. If the amount of energy (calories) taken in is more than that exerted, the fat will continue to build. This may lead to obesity and obesity may result in a NCD, such as Diabetes or heart problems.

Therefore, responsible suppliers of rice will always recommend a balanced diet and that we should all regularly exercise. Remember, energy in versus energy out is the secret. These are the answers to the potential issues created by over consumption of any foods, not just carbohydrates and especially not just rice.

The Deputy Prime Minister is correct in one area, Brown Rice does carry enhanced nutritional value over white rice, due to maintaining the fiber from the bran layer and cereal germ. Again, most responsible suppliers will provide Brown Rice as part of their offering, as SolRice does. The demand for it however remains very small and we would like to see this grow. Where the DPM was wrong again however, is that Brown Rice is not $600 per bag as claimed and is only slightly more expensive than white rice per kilo.

Editor, I hope this letter brings some balance to the increasing misrepresentations that continue to appear in the media. Deputy Prime Minister, increase revenue through additional tax by all means, but please be sincere when explaining why the price of rice will increase for the people of the Solomon Islands in the New Year, the government needs the cash.

Nick Ellis

SolRice

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