DEAR EDITOR, publishing progressive reports in the media on the developments taking shape in the constituency as done by Hon J Manele is an honourable thing to do and needs acknowledgement.

It shows he is a responsible, transparent, trustworthy and honest leader.

If Hon Manele can do it, why not others?

The constituents and public need to know what’s happening with their money.

Maybe other MPs are not doing it because they don’t have anything at all to report on.

If that is the case then all the millions of dollars taken by MPs in the last 4 years must be investigated.

Anyway some leaders are doing good and Hon Manele is one.

Great job, great leader.

John AONIMA

G-Camp

DEAR EDITOR, the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) should be commended for their work and effort in ensuring that the National General Election (NGE) next year 2019 are fair.

The crackdown on those potential candidates who attempted to take and hold on to the IDs of voters as a sort of insurance is a security move to stem out corruption and ensure the fairness of the Elections.

I wish to point out one of the crucial security measures which the SIEC must take in order to ensure the elections are fair. This concerns the security of the Ballot Papers, especially the Printing of the papers. This is more so given the high level of corruption in the country.

First, the SIEC must ensure that the printing of the Ballot Papers are put on Public Tender.

The SIEC must ensure that the winning bidder is Neutral to the extent of not tampering with the papers.

But ensure that the level of Security regarding the Ballot papers is high and credible the Ballot papers must be printed overseas.

The printing of the Ballot Papers Overseas would be relatively cheaper even matters such as freight and handling charges are taken into account.

This is in view of the inflated mark ups Local Printers charge.

The Overriding consideration is the Security of the Ballot papers, hence the fairness of the elections.

Your Sincerely

John Sivoli

Honiara

DEAR EDITOR, the Solomon Islands contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is negligible, but—like it’s neighbouring other Small Island Developing States—it is already suffering disproportionately the effects of global warming.

It was outlined at the Cop23 meeting held in Bonn in November 2017 that the future of human habitation and agricultural production in Solomon Islands depends on its ability to adapt to and mitigate temperature increase, sea-level rise, warming seas, and over-exploitation.

What we know already (quoting from the Bonn meeting)

“There has been an increase in temperatures between 0.12 and 0.18 degrees Centigrade per decade since the 1950s. This increase threatens agricultural production, including the main exports of copra and palm oil. In addition, the increase in temperatures threatens subsistence agriculture production for the local people, endangering food security.

“The sea level has risen an average of 8 mm per year, well above global projections. The rise threatens local communities as the majority of Solomon Islanders live near the coastline at sea level. The higher ground in Solomon Islands is volcanic and mountainous, ill-suited for human habitation and agricultural production. Coastal flooding has increased, with the Western province, the Roviana region, especially at risk due to its population density.

“Coral reefs and the larger surrounding areas are under threat from the rapid increase of acidity levels in sea water. With temperatures and acidification expected to continue increasing, migratory patterns may be altered and local reef populations may die out, negatively impacting the fishing industry and exports.

“The harvesting and logging of timber is past the point of over exploitation. Logging began in the 1930s and has continued at an increasing pace. In 2005, the export of round log reached 1 million cubic metres, four times the sustainable allowable cut limit estimated by the government and outside observers. A national inventory took place in 2006 to assess the timber market. The Inventory predicted a rapid and complete depletion of timber by 2015. A majority of the citizens of Solomon Islands used timber to cook with and heat their homes, an activity that has now been virtually eliminated. The depletion of local forests may alter local watersheds and increase the risk of flooding for local communities. The lack of windbreak provided by forests also exposes cleared land and villages to stronger winds, endangering agriculture and putting settled areas at greater risk in storms.

“Solomon Islands is working with the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy to focus on resilience and mitigation under the Roviana Climate Change Resilience Plan 2013-2017. The plan intends to map the vulnerability of marine and coastal habitats to climate change; assess coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove health; survey coral bleaching and disease; measure water quality and flow; document coastal gardens and forests and identify issues affecting the adaptive capacity of the people.”

It was at the same Bonn Conference that Arnold Schwarzenegger famously said (quote)

“I want the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to come up with a rule that no one is allowed to talk about climate change without talking about health.”

Following up on what Mr. Schwarzenegger said, in a paper written by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu and published in the Bull World Health Organ in February 2018, it went into much greater detail what I regard as a serious concern for the ongoing health and welfare needs of the Solomon Islanders given the already profound impact of climate change.

I will quote extracts from Mr. Ghebreyesu’s article to underscore my concerns.

“Climate change is much more than an environmental issue. It poses a serious threat to our health and survival. It impacts all of us, no matter where we live.

“The health of humanity is directly related to the health of our environment. We depend on our environment for everything we are and everything we have – the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink.

“Climate change increases the risks of extreme weather events that cause damage to our lives and livelihoods. Climate change fuels the spread of infectious disease such as malaria, dengue and cholera; it also increases the risk of no communicable diseases by polluting the air, food and water that sustain life.

“Climate change is not a futuristic scenario that is unlikely to happen in our lifetime. People are feeling its impact right now in many parts of the

“Sadly, those who contribute least to the causes of climate change bear the most severe brunt of its impact. People living on small islands are on the front line of the impacts of climate change.

“Small island states, where an estimated 65 million people live, have long been recognized as especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.Their situation is highlighted in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, by Ministers of Health at the 2008 World Health Assembly and in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“At the COP23, in partnership with the Fijian Presidency, WHO and the UN Climate Change secretariat launched a special initiative to protect people living in small island developing states from the health impacts of climate change.

“The initiative has four main goals to be achieved by 2030, aligning with the deadline for the sustainable development goals.

“First, to support health leaders in small island developing states in drawing greater attention to the threats these nations face.

“Second, to gather evidence to build the business case for investments that combat the health effects of climate change.

“Third, to prepare for climate risks through preparedness and prevention policies and to build climate-proof health systems.

“Fourth, to triple the current financial support for climate and health in small island developing states.

“Despite years of talk, the international response remains weak. Less than 1.5% of international finance for climate change adaptation is allocated to health projects, and small island developing states receive only a fraction of these resources.

“Unless countries fully implement the Paris Agreement, climate change is going to increasingly threaten the health and well being of people everywhere.”

A large number of reported deaths in the Solomon Islands are attributed to non-communicable diseases brought on by the avoidance of traditional foods to rice and imported processed foods, resulting in Vitamin A deficiency, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, strokes and obesity.

If food security becomes threatened by climate change, as is predicted to occur, then turning to processed foods will only add to the health issues being occasioned already.

As less than 1.5 % of international finance is said to be being made available for climate change adaption, the optimistic vision that some country’s will be able to withstand climate change and provide adequate health care is not looking good and it is my hope that the Solomon Islands will very soon be able to access substantial funding to protect and care for the health needs of all its people.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

DEAR EDITOR, the Solomon Islands has a total population, according to the last census, of about 600,000 but the population is estimated to exceed 1 million by 2050.

Against this backdrop, the Solomon Islands is still one of the least developed island states in the Western Pacific with continuing high rates of unemployment, especially amongst youths, and little or no income for rural people struggling to make a living by subsistence farming and increasingly facing the threats brought about by climate change.

According to an article from one visiting doctor from Australia he said (quote)

“The community here face significant health challenges and on multiple fronts. They lack even the basic health infrastructure, and universal access seems an almost impossible health policy goal. Despite this, I found the healthcare teams here work with courage and resolve.

“Persisting social disparities mean they face significant health challenges through what is termed the “triple burden” of disease. The community deals with communicable diseases alongside rising rates of non-communicable diseases combined with the threat of climate change which we know already hits hard too regularly.”

Quoting from the same article, the doctor went on to write:

“It is clear that the underdevelopment of healthcare infrastructure compounds inequalities.

“In Pacific Island countries, including the Solomon Islands, there is a high need for basic critical care resources. Equipment such as oximeters and oxygen concentrators are needed as well as greater access to medications and blood products and laboratory services. [iii]

“A cross-sectional survey study examining critical care resources in the Solomon Islands found that inadequate resources from primary prevention and healthcare contribute to the high degree of critical illness. This study suggested that the solution lies in simple therapies and context-appropriate resources to mitigate the high burden of morbidity and mortality.

“Therefore, the emphasis should be on the development and acquisition of simple and inexpensive tools rather than complicated equipment. This helps to prevent critical care from diverting resources away from other important parts of the health system.

“Empowerment is key to improving health service development in the Solomon Islands. The focus needs to be on strengthening the health system and improving access to services but bringing health care to these areas is no easy task.

“It needs a partnership which filters right down to the community level. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is really working hard towards enabling these partnerships to ensure a more planned approach to funding health services.

“Australia is the largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Solomon Islands, providing almost two-thirds of overseas aid in 2016-17.

“Since 2008, the MHMS, with their development partners including Australia, has led a sector-wide approach to the delivery of health services in the Solomon Islands.

“The overall program goal is to improve the access and quality of universal health care in the Solomon Islands.

“The current funding supports the Solomon Islands National Health Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and provides direct budget support, performance-linked funding and technical assistance.

“It is clear that Australia is doing its fair share for the Solomon Islands. There is now alignment in terms of ensuring best outcomes from this funding. This will certainly help build health services for this nation. But there is always more to do.”

I am certainly in full agreement that more can be done and why I believe the partnership arrangement with Take My Hands (TMH) my partner charity in New Zealand needs renewing with the second payment (of NZ25,000) being paid to see to the supply of medical equipment and medical supplies being shipped in up to 8 containers per year.

The container due to arrive in Honiara on 19 November contains two portable ultra-sound machines, in addition to 50 hospital beds and wheel chairs – all supplies very much in keeping with the desirability of obtaining the kind of things the medical services are in need of, according to what was mentioned in the visiting doctor’s informative article.

The idea occurs to me that there might be one or more organizations in the Solomons that might agree to share the costs of freighting medical equipment and medical supplies, regularly in need, via TMH on a 50 -50 basis very much in a similar way in which the Solomon Forest Association (SFA) helped out on many past occasions, although the SFA always went the extra mile and donated the full shipping costs.

I mention this thought because after the container arrives on 19 November, to be followed by a second one with 50 more hospital beds, TMH will not be able to continue helping the MOHMS/NRH, or the Hearts of Hope (HOH) charity unless the outstanding payment of NZ$25,000 is met and the terms of the existing MOU are fulfilled.

I would greatly like to hear from any organization willing to help and I can be contacted via the link on my website.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short