PM Hou delivers his speech during the occassion marking the 76th anniversary of WWII at Bloody Ridge.
BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela has revealed the intention for the Bloody Ridge National Peace Park to be transformed into a tourist attraction site.
Prime Minister Hou said with this intention the government plans to develop the peace park in connection with other World War II battlefield attractions and activities to become the signature icon WWII tourism product of the Solomon Islands.
“I am glad that this site is significantly recognized by the world for the historical events that took place here 76 years ago.
“While the historical significance of Bloody Ridge will be maintained in our stories, the potential that this site has as one of the key draw cards for tourism development is immense.
“I understand that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has commenced discussions with development partners for the formulation of the Park’s development concept plan. I applaud the Ministry for their vison and insight in this endeavour,” he said.
Hou said he was also advised that a draft development plan has been developed and has already gone through the initial stages of consultations with all respective key stakeholders.
“With that I am confident that the National Peace Park project will be successful and we (government) are eagerly looking forward for it as its completion will pave the way for more cooperation with our development partners to contribute towards this national asset,” Hou said.
THE Malaita provincial youth division has saluted and acknowledged the office of the Youth@Work in Auki for creating opportunities for youths in the rural areas in Malaita province.
This was said during the opening of the two weeks of the entrepreneurship component-two training for youths at Laugwata community on Wednesday this week by Youth desk officer for Malaita province Mr Timson Talui.
Talui said the Malaita provincial government has considered that all youth programmes initiated by Youth@Work office in Auki as very important for this young generation.
“Most of our youths were unemployed and such initiatives will definitely meet their needs for their future.
“Currently vocational schools have been introduced around malaita and the country at large but only few will have chances to go on with further skills trainings on those institutions depending on requirements and qualifications.
“But the office of the Youth@Work makes it so simple to organize and assist in activities that will also benefit our youths.
“Our provincial youth office will continue to work together with the Youth@Work office in Auki especially in its implementation and monitoring trainings and programs carried out by the office from the Youth@Work.”
Talui calls on the Malaita provincial government, provincial ward members and the responsible ministry to address and prioritise the issue regarding the welfare of youths.
Mr Wei-Chou Chang presenting the donations to the school principal.
BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
Mr Wei-Chou Chang presenting the donations to the school principal.
THE Solomon Islands and Taiwan Health and Medical Services Cooperation Inspection Mission have donated school equipment to Visale Community School on Wednesday.
Speaking at the donation ceremony, Mr Wei-Chou Chang, a senior specialist from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital expressed that it is not just about the transmission of knowledge but also improving teaching devices.
He also thanked the school for the long term support and assistance they have given since the establishment of Taiwan Health Centre and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital’s parasite and nutrition programmes in 2009.
The school received two laptops and begun the first day of the Growth and Nutrition Evaluation for School age Children and Adolescents workshop which will end today.
Members of the mission visited the workshop which was attended by staff and students and facilitated by Professor, Ms Meng-Chuan Huang who is the Director of Department of Nutrition and Diabetics from Kaohsiung Medical Hospital University (KMUH) with assistance from young KMUH volunteers.
They later visited the school’s new and old library, toured the school compound to see the progress of crops farmed under the nutrition program and visited nearby areas including the Visale Rural Health Clinic.
Members of the mission are from Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare and Kaohsiung Medical Hospital University.
A glance at the school’s crop progress.A plot of the school’s growing vegetables.
Bakale shields the ball from the Kingz player Philip Maeta.
More areas need improvement, says Jacob Moli
BY ROMULUS HUTA
Malaita Kingz midfielder runs on as Makau sets up defense.
WESTERN United has romped to a 60 thrashing of Malaita Kingz in yesterday’s contest of the Telekom S-League at Lawson Tama Stadium.
Coleman Makau and Alfred Elvis scored a double each while the other two goals came from Moffat Kilifa and Junior Molis.
United led 2-0 by halftime before adding another four goals in the second half.
Head coach Jacob Moli congratulated his boys for an impressive winning start to their S-League campaign.
“For a start it’s a good win. But looking at our performance, we need to improve in some more playing areas.
One area we need to step up is our fitness in which toward the end, our players were lying down all over the pitch due to muscle cramps, so fitness is an area to look into,” a delighted Moli said.
Moli added that they only have two days rest before their second match which is on Sunday against Solomon Warriors and stated quick recovery as one of his key targets.
“ We are having a short turn around, whereby we will have only two days rest before our next game on Sunday and we will have to manage our few players who have received minor injuries during the game.”
Moli explained that all his players have performed splendidly well.
“All players put in good effort, but the most stand out ones today are our captain Joachim Waroi and goalkeeper Izomo Bird.
Bakale contests against the Kingz player.
“Waroi did very well to keep us in our game and also did quite well with a number of inceptions against their key through balls and passes. These two stepped up well for us. I think these are two big players where they can step up anytime and that was evident in today’s match.”
Despite the big win, Moli said it is too early to determine anything.
“It’s still early days and we have tried to keep our game simple with not many complications.
“When the make the game simple, it can be easily understood by any new player coming in. When you try to do complicated things, it will be difficult for us.
“We try as much as possible to keep the game simple so that our players can understand and play according to it during game time.
“Our next game is against Warriors and that would be our benchmark because they are our current champion. If we can put up something against them then we will know where we are in the competition. But at the moment they are our benchmark and the current champion.
“We’ll try to regroup over the next couple of days and come together one more time as a team, and put things together more as a team on the pitch,” Moli said.
Coleman Makau celebrates Western United’s first goal with team mate Timothy BakaleBakale shields the ball from the Kingz player Philip Maeta.
THE country’s’ national under 19 football team will meet Fiji today at the Stade Pater in Papeete, Tahiti for their second match of the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship.
After claiming respective wins in their opening matches on Monday, Fiji leads Group B with three points via goals difference after taking revenge on Vanuatu 3-1, while Solomon Islands defeated New Caledonia 3-2.
This match is set for 12pm today in what could be the table-topping deciding match for Group B.
Head Coach Batram Suri says he will be sticking to the same squad against New Caledonia because he does not want to disrupt the combination that is starting to build.
“I will be sticking to the same squad I do not want to make too many changes in the starting line-up because if I make too many changes it might affect our game,” he said.
Coach Suri said there are no major signs of injury concerns to his players from their training yesterday and is fully confident in getting three points today.
“There are no major injury concerns to the boys from our training run today.
“A few are having trouble with blisters but as we know blisters are blisters and are not that serious or we can just say are baby ones,” the former Solomon Islands international laughed.
“Apart from that everyone is fine.
“I’m confident in the boys and believe all the hard work they went through to reach this competition is paying off and making everyone wanting to play.
“I’m fully confident and I believe we can get the result tomorrow,” he said.
A win over Fiji mid-day today will guarantee passage into the semi-finals for Batram Suri and the boys.
Starting 11 for Solomon Islands against Fiji today is as follows:
Solomon Islands: 1. Joel NANAGO (GK), 2. George LEAGA, 3. John AETA, 4. Aengari GAGAME, 5. Absolom WAWANE, 6. Patrick TAROGA, 7. Junior DAVID, 8. Henly RAMO, 9. Ali MEKAWIR, 10. Marcus CHAN, 11. Lino HOUAIRIA, 12. Junior MATA (GK), 13. Junior ASHLEY, 14. Franck KABUI, 15. Anthony KASAU, 16. Don KEANA, 17. Tuita MAEOBIA, 18. William KOMASI, 19. Simon JEDZINI, 20. Raynick LAETA
Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands HE Toyama Shigeru paying his respects.
BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands HE Toyama Shigeru paying his respects.
PEACE and propensity enjoyed today exists merely on the sacrifices made during the World War II, says Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands His Excellency Toyama Shigeru.
Mr Shigeru said seventy-three years have passed since the end of the WWII and nowadays more than 80 percent of the people are the generations with no experience of World War two, maybe including the participants here today.
“I believe we should all be aware that the peace and prosperity we all enjoy today exists solely on the enormous sacrifices made during the war.
“We should never forget to hand down the experiences of the sacrifices of war to the future generations, and do our utmost efforts to work in aiming for world peace, and prosperity of humankind on the basis of the lessons of the past history.
“Nothing is more valuable than peace and free and nothing is more precious than life and love,” he said.
Shigeru said lets swear the determination for making a better world of peace, unity and friendship toward the future.
Shigeru revealed this sentiment yesterday on the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Guadalcanal Battle and Bloody Ridge National Park declaration and dedication ceremony which was held at the Japanese memorial, Blood Ridge.
Officials and guests.Children and elders witnessing the occasion.US Marines
JAPANESE ambassador to Solomon Islands His Excellency Toyama Shigeru joins to mark the 76th anniversary of the Guadalcanal battle to remember those killed and injured during the war for the love of country and ideology.
Shigeru through his opening speech yesterday recollected the total number of Japanese remains recovered since the end of the war.
“Since the end of the war, we have recovered more than 15,000 Japanese remains. However, more than 7,000 pillars of the remains are still left deep inside the tropical forest, waiting for return to their home country Japan.
“In closing my eyes, I feel an acute sense of sorrow and grief for them and I reflected upon the lost dreams and lost future of those young Americans, Japanese and other nationals who dedicated their lives to their families and home countries.”
Shigeru on behalf of the people and government of Japan thanked with profound respect and eternal condolence to the souls on both sides who dedicated their lives to their families and homeland as well as to the souls of innocent people who became.
Speaking in light of the war yesterday he cited a statement that was said by Mr Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan on the occasion of 70th anniversary of the end of the war which reads;
“We will engrave in our hearts the past, when Japan attempted to break its deadlock with force. Upon this reflection, Japan will continue to firmly uphold the principle that any disputes must be settled peacefully and diplomatically based on the respect for the rule of law and not through the use of force, and to reach out to other countries in the world to do the same.
Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands HE Toyama Shigeru paying his respects.
“We will engrave in our hearts the past, when forming economic blocs made the seeds of conflict thrive. Upon this reflection, Japan will continue to develop a free, fair and open international economic system. We will strengthen assistance for developing countries, and lead the world toward further prosperity. Prosperity is the very foundation for peace. Japan will make even greater efforts to fight against poverty, which also serves as a hotbed of violence, and to provide opportunities for medical services, education, and self-reliance to all the people in the world.
“We will engrave in our hearts the past, when Japan ended up becoming a challenger to the international order. Upon this reflection, Japan will firmly uphold basic values such as freedom, democracy, and human rights as unyielding values and, by working hand in hand with countries that share such values, hoist the flag of ‘Proactive Contribution to Peace’, and contribute to the peace and prosperity of the world more than ever before.”
On the same note he expressed his heart felt gratitude for the kind support rendered from the Solomon Islands Authorities and all related personals toward the Bloody Ridge National park project.
“I hope that both Japan and United States could coordinate with each other in order to speed up the project in a more effective way,” said Ambassador Shigeru.
The 76th anniversary ceremony was held at the Japanese Memorial and coincides with the Bloody Ridge National Park Declaration & Dedication Ceremony which was led by the Solomon Islands Government.
PM Hou having a chitchat with Tourism Minister, Hon. Parapolo
Youth @work team leader for Malaita province Ronnie Abuito’o during the opening of the two weeks of youth training at Laugwata village on Wednesday.
MORE than 30 youths within the central region of Malaita province are currently in training for two weeks at Laugwata community, starting on Wednesday.
During the official opening programme on Wednesday, Youth@work team leader for Malaita Mr Ronnie Abuito’o welcomed all youth participant for their positive response towards the two weeks of training which commence yesterday.
He said Youth@work sees the need for youths that have been isolated and doing nothing in the communities.
“Youth@Work is in its height trying to involve youths in malaita province finding ways for employment and involving them in economical activities especially in small business.
“At the moment we are working together with youths with our two main components, they are internship and Entrepreneurship.
“These two weeks of training mainly with youths that under component two, entrepreneurship where after completing these two weeks of training they will receive some financial support from the youth@work office to run their respective small business activities.
“The topics that will be covered for the next 13 days are, self esteem, goal setting, innovating mindset development, introduction to small business, piggery and chicken husbandry, peace building, NCD and its impact on the youth, CBRM, Agro forestry and youth leadership, team work and community service.
“This is where the youth@work programmes basically see the need of our unemployed youths in our communities that would bring them to the next stage of life from isolating and involving themselves in other unti-social behaviors in our societies today.”
Youth participants at Laugwata community
This is the final group for this year to undergo the component two trainings (entrepreneurship) where next year we will be looking forward to involve more youths in our ongoing programmes for 2019, Abuito’o revealed.
Youths from Abalolo in the Langalanga lagoon, Kwaibala in Auki and youths from Laugwata community are attending the two weeks of training.
Group photo of the delegation from Taiwan with NRH officials after receiving medical suppliers donation on Wednesday.
BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
Group photo of the delegation from Taiwan with NRH officials after receiving medical suppliers donation on Wednesday.
DELEGATION from the Republic of China (Taiwan) handed over donation of antibiotics and teaching microscope to the National Referral Hospital on Wednesday.
The donation is a follow-up on previous medical supplies Taiwan government through the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital donated in response to the recent drug shortage.
On Wednesday, Taiwan delegation met with NRH CEO Dr Steve Aumanu, Dr John Hue medical superintendent and Mr Selwyn Hou director of nursing.
The meeting was purposely to handover medical suppliers to NRH as additional medical suppliers which the Taiwan Health Center previously sent on July 17.
This round, the delegation donated Rocephin (third generation cephalosporin) 3,000 Vials, one laptop and a nellcor-portable-spo2-patient-monitor, one teaching microscope and 2,500 cassettes.
The medical supplies cost Taiwan Government and people of Taiwan almost SBD$ 280,000.
According to Taiwan Embassy, the antibiotics Rocephin is brand drug with good curative effect to cure bactericidal infectious diseases.
It also adds, the portable-spo2-patient-monitoring system could be used to check patient heart rate and blood oxygen saturation which is easy to carry and could be used in everywhere.
The teaching microscope and 2,500 cassettes from Ministry of Health and Welfare will be used as training purposes, the Embassy said.
It allows physicians to lecture the interns by watching the same slide and improves training quality.
There were 300 activated carbon flat type masks will be sent to pathology department as personal protective equipment.
The Taiwan Health Centre (THC) said with the donation Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital also donated two brand new air conditioners for dengue fever laboratory.
This particularly to address the unstable electric power and restore the air conditioners in dengue fever laboratory that were broken.
Taiwan’s delegations visited NRH yesterday are representatives from Ministry of Health and Welfare Taiwan and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (KMUH).
The visit aimed to understand current operation of Taiwan Health Centre and health collaboration between Taiwan and Solomon Islands.
They are Dr Yuan-Nian, HSU Chief Executive Officer, Hospital and Social Welfare Organizations Administration Commission and Chief Strategic Officer for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Wen-Li, YANG.
Wen-Che Yen, researcher of Office of International Cooperation Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei City Hospital, Professor Chao Yuan Wang Vice-superintendent of KMUH and Mr Wei-Chou (David) Chang Senior Specialist of KMUH and Yu Chau Lin senior nurse of KMUH.
Executive members of UP, Mr Abraham Namokari, and Mr Adam Bartlett accompanied Mr Kenilorea as they submitted
the required documentation at the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties Commission on Wednesday.
Executive members of UP, Mr Abraham Namokari, and Mr Adam Bartlett accompanied Mr Kenilorea as they submitted the required documentation at the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties Commission on Wednesday.
ONE of Solomon Islands’ original Political Parties, the Solomon Islands United Party (UP), has formally submitted its application to register, with the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties.
This is the first step towards UP being officially registered as a Political Party in accordance with the Political Parties Integrity Act of 2014.
After being dormant for a number of years, UP is looking forward to contesting next year’s National General Elections (NGE).
President of the party, Mr Peter Kenilorea Jr stated that although time may not be on their side, the group is looking to contest in as many constituencies as possible in 2019.
Kenilorea Jnr himself is intending to contest the East Are Are constituency, in Malaita’s Southern region.
It is revealed that once United Party is officially registered, and until NGE nominations open, he will be the President.
Kenilorea Jnr also stated that UP is looking to bring back a sense of hope that Solomon Islanders would have felt 40 years ago when Solomon Islands joined the family of nations as an independent sovereign state.
UP is looking to connect its own rich political heritage with a new generation of leaders. Kenilorea Jnr’s late father, Sir Peter Kenilorea, was once the leader of the UP.
“We have been receiving strong support from many in the rural areas who have signed our membership forms. This is very encouraging,” Kenilorea Jnr stated.
Kenilorea Jnr also stated that he is a firm believer of the Political Party system saying that, ‘the value that a strong party system can add to our political discourse needs to be fully realized. We would like UP to contribute as well.’
The UP President said he understands that a number of other parties are also looking to register in time for the 2019 NGE.
Kenilorea Jnr further expressed the hope that the process to consider and officially register UP is done in good time to allow the Party to begin its outreach and preparations for the NGE and also fulfill its obligations under the Political Parties Act.
