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Pana is a lot like tourism: CIP’s tourism mentor

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Central Province Tourism Mentor Ms Annabelle Hender delivering her speech.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

IN many ways, Central Islands Province (CIP) current Tourism Mentor from Australia Ms Annabelle Hender think that Pana (root vegetable) is a lot like tourism.

Taking part in the Pana Festival last week coinciding with the 2018 Independence Cruise at Haroro Village (Big Ngella) along Sandfly Passage, CIP’s Tourism Mentor explained with encouragement during her speech that a community needs to agree together first in deciding they want to harvest tourism.

“Then you need to work together to plant the seed (tourism infrastructure),” said Hender.

“Things like establishing water resources, building guest houses and facilities, sweeping rubbish from the beach, agriculture, completing hospitality training or working at your specialist traditional trades.

“At first progress is slow and it might appear as if nothing is happening and maybe there are set-backs such as through bad weather or natural disasters, but continue to work hard maintaining your crop believing that tourism will grow.

“Today we can enjoy not only the yield from hardworking Pana farmers but we can also see a fine example of what can happen when a community works together towards a goal.

Imperial Travel Service Managing Director, Ender Rence, the Pana Festival local committee of Haroro and guests
during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival.

“There is a famous motto which I believe was once written on Solomon Islands emblem which says ‘Together we stand, divided we fall’. It takes the co-operation and effort of an entire community to achieve a celebration like this, and I applaud the planning committee, tour and transport operators, local businesses, performers, tradespeople and community members for their collaborative approach in creating this event.

“You have demonstrated that by working together in which you really can achieve great things.

Central Province Tourism Mentor Ms Annabelle Hender delivering her
speech.

“The theme for today’s celebration is ‘Own your future, Embrace it’, here in Solomon Islands I can see you face challenging times in making the right decisions regarding your resources and economic development. There are many tempting options such as mining and logging which promise quick gains but so often result in irreversible environmental damage. Now more than ever, it is important to ‘Own your future’.

“It is time to think now about the legacy you will choose to leave behind for future generations.”

Ms Hender took the opportunity then to congratulate the people of Haroro for having the vision to see that they determine their own future and in taking steps to preserve their traditions and cultural practises by sharing them with others.

Showcasing the different varieties of Pana during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival at Haroro Village, Big
Ngella, last week.

“The CIP Tourism Officer has informed me that you are a shining example practicing and preserving your customs such as wood carving, dancing, traditional songs and of course growing and cooking Pana.

“I want to thank you for sharing them with us all today,” said an appreciating Ms Hender.

“With proper planning and protection of resources, tourism can provide a sustainable economic future for Solomon Islands. And it’s our job within the Tourism Division at the Central Provincial Government to help facilitate this so that instead of cutting down forests, we can celebrate the beauty of them.

“Instead of blowing up the reefs with dynamite, we can protect them so that marine life species can thrive. Instead of local customs and traditions being lost, let us celebrate them as we are here today and continue to see them being passed on to the children and grandchildren.”

One of the local Ngella women’s dancing group performing for visitors during the 2018 Pana Festival at Ngella.

Ms Hender before completing her speech thanked all the visitors who chose to attend the Pana Festival last week Friday coinciding with the 2018 Independence Cruise to mark Solomon Islands 40th Anniversary.

“Thanks for coming with such a positive outlook and for your eagerness to learn about customs and the way of life in this region,” said Hender.

“As you enjoy today’s festival, I encourage you to take a moment to look around you at the faces of the community members.

“These are the people whose futures are a little brighter and more secure as a direct result of attendance here today.

CIP’s Tourism Mentor added that it is fair to say Haroro Community have been working diligently towards their tourism crop, and while it has not been easy, they have persevered as now is the time to join together to enjoy the harvest.

The Managing Director for Imperial Travel Service, Ender Rence, really appreciated Ms Hender’s contribution in the festival, boosting up few hiccup areas of expectations where some prominent leaders should have contributed in as well.

Pana Festival being held at Ngella is the first of its kind and is suggested to be an annual event for Ngella people to showcase the significance of Pana to their tradition and culture.

Haroro’s Pana Festival local committee leader Mr Peter Sagupari during the recent memorable event at Ngella being
held for the first time.

Haroro Community and Sandfly (Big Ngella) as a whole are grateful that despite the fact of hiccups faced, they thank everyone who has assisted in one way or another to make the festival take place into reality.

Special thanks also goes for the Tulaghi police and business houses who have contributed in kind such as the Solomon Star, Tropic Aluminium and Glass, EIGHTH Note, Sunday Isles Media and Fair West Shipping.

Local Ngella women said the festival gives an opportunity for them to showcase Pana’s significant value of life in how it is planted, harvested, eaten and respected by their people.

Arrival of visitors to Haroro Village along Sandfly Passage at Ngella during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana
Festival. Greeting them on Ngella shores were Haroro Community’s local warriors and garlanding girls.

Just for a start but visitors both locals and foreigners during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival are already looking forward for the next festival expressing their appreciation in having the chance to experience knowing, learning and understanding the unique local root vegetable and its significance to the people of Ngella.

This includes exploring the natural beautiful environment of Ngella as well. Others amongst the visitors during the Pana Festival were also foreigners taking part at the MACFest in Honiara.

Fourteen different varieties of Pana were displayed during the Pana Festival. To add the flavour to the festival day, different traditional recipes out of Pana were also prepared for the visitors to have sample tastes from in which they did and enjoyed.

The 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival was a successful event organised by Imperial Travel Service and Haroro’s local committee headed by Mr Peter Sagupari.

Pana Festival is also dubbed to promote peace, happiness and unity within Solomon Islands.

2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival visitors enjoying their time to taste the different recipes of Pana being prepared during the special event.
A female visitor travelling during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana
Festival enjoying her time learning a local traditional pattern dance with a
Haroro community women dancing group.
Owner of Roderick Bay lodge at Sandfly Passage, Haroro, Mr Patrick Sara
during explaining to visitors the different varieties of Pana.
Custom story drama showcased by Ngella’s famous local musician Mr Peter Meke
Visitors visiting local stalls during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival

St Francis parish hosts second cruise trip

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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St Francis Parish choir members.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

St Francis Parish choir members.

THE St Francis Parish in White River held its second cruise trip to the Central Islands on June 7.

Island Sun was able to join the one day cruise which parishioners, families and friends all enjoyed.

The Central Islands is home to a string of islands complimented with white sandy beaches, mangroves and welcoming villagers who waved as the vessel carrying the passengers on the trip, MV Estrella passed by.

After passing through islands covered by clear blue waters, we finally rested on Hanesavo Island where kids went canoeing and swimming.

Villagers also paddled to the island to sell locally prepared food before everyone was entertained by the St Francis choir who belted out tunes to local gospel songs.

Parish Rector and member of the committee responsible for organising the trip, Father Stephen Sage explained that the trip is purposely to raise funds that will go towards the construction of a new church building for the parish.

When asked if they plan on organizing another cruise trip in the future, he said they have already considered hosting one next year.

“Yes, of course. We will organize one next year, a cruise trip on Easter Monday,” said Father Sage.

Temotu youths benefit from PCDF project

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

YOUTHS in Temotu province are benefiting from the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) projects which were implemented in 2008.

In a report by the provincial government of the two projects implemented for youths and sports sector, 4,051 female and 4,108 males have benefited by way of employment.

Since the inception of Provincial Governance Strengthening Programme (PGSP) in July 2008, there has been positive impact of development successfully implemented, and youths and sports is one of them.

Other benefits include a new dormitory for 120 boys at Luesalemba Secondary School.

Two new sixth form classroom blocks provide a lot of opportunities to students to complete their sixth form in Temotu.

More than 500 students have gone through sixth form and few have made it to various universities of higher education.

40 years of independence and no change

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A concerned citizen voices that Solomon Islands after 40 years of independence still hasn’t changed much.

Mr Solomon Wala of Malaita province expressed this to the paper yesterday.

He explained that back in 1978, when the country first gained its independence, the independence celebration back then was not just colorful from Henderson to White River, but the capital was also clean.

Wala added that Solomon Islands is now 40 years old but Honiara remains very dirty and the peace experienced in the past is non-existent today.

He emphasised that some recent developments also indicate that the country is also moving backwards.

Wala referred to CBSI’s newly introduced $40 note as an example.

He pointed out that instead of a new $40 note, why not the announcements of a new $200 note to show that we are moving forward.

“40 years after independence and we are moving backwards,” said Wala.

He mentioned that if Honiara benefited from previous governments we should see changes.

Wala furthered that our capital should look better and much cleaner after 40 years of being an independent country yet this is not the case.

“This means that something is not right,” said Wala.

40 years on – A private sector perspective

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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SICCI Chair, Jay Bartlett.
SICCI Chair, Jay Bartlett.

THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) has congratulated the people and Government of Solomon Islands on the occasion of the country’s 40th Independence Anniversary on July 7, 2018.

As the peak body representing the private sector in Solomon Islands, SICCI acknowledged the positive and tremendous changes that have occurred in the economy in the last 40 years.

SICCI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dennis Meone highlighted that the private sector has grown with huge investments occurring in the country, underpinned by a lot of foreign direct investment but also many Solomon Islanders venturing into business which is a very positive thing.

“We should celebrate the fact that a lot of Solomon Islanders are into entrepreneurship and commercial activities,” he said.

One of the key features of the private sector is, the sector has expanded and grown from a very small sector – “In fact the private sector is now is very different from that in the past,” Mr Meone said.

Although small compared to other regional countries and internationally, the private sector is still the mainstay of the economy because it is where jobs are created and it is where goods and services are being marketed.

SICCI is also conscious of the realties the country is faced with including the fast-growing population. Our economy has huge potential but in order to maximize these huge potentials we must ensure that our priorities are right.

Policy dialogue between government and private sector has to happen and has already happened. The Advisory Group has been functioning and is an excellent start but the work has just begun. “The biggest question is where we see ourselves in 20 to 40 years’ time,” says the CEO.

PM Hon Rick Hou (center), SICCI CEO Dennis Meone (left) and SICCI Chair Jay Bartlett (right).

A lot hinges on the relationship and interaction that the private sector has with the government, to ensure that investments (big or small) do happen and the benefits are actually felt in the economy.

The CEO highlighted that SICCI’s relationship with Government is really important.

Meanwhile, SICCI Chair Jay Bartlett highlighted the very need for getting our vision and priorities right, reinforcing that as a country we need to be vigilant in realizing what changes we want to see and what changes we believe we need to develop into in the next forty years.

“As a country that is heavily dependent on aid, we are blessed with all the resources, we are blessed with population.

“We have a young population and that is a good opportunity that we have a young population that can work and create economic growth,” says the SICCI Chair.

Mr Bartlett said geographically Solomon Islands is located in a strategic position in the Pacific where it can become a hub for aviation, shipping and transportation.

“We have got the elements to become a successful country and with our human capital we need to uplift our education standards and this human capital can drive this growth.

“We need the leadership and the political will to be able to implement and carry out the reforms that will create this growth that we desperately need. I think we can do it, 100 percent,” Mr Bartlett boldly said.

–SICCI PRESS

Solomon Islands slowly sinking: study

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY EZEKIEL TALATAU

RECENT published studies from Australia says that five islands in the Solomon Islands are dropping below the ocean surface and some others are severely eroded.

The researchers carried out the study based on monitoring system using satellite and aerial images of 33 islands made from 1947 to 2014 and drew additional accounts by local residents.

The five islands that had vanished were all vegetated reed islands of noteworthy sizes and were uninhabited, but subject to occasional use by fisherman, the study reveal.

Between 2011 and 2014, 10 houses were swept in to the sea on one of the six reef islands that have undergone severe erosion damage from the rising sea – result from global warming.

In addition, the receding shorelines of two sides had forced communities that had existed since 1935 to relocate, the researcher said.

Sea level rise has risen three times than the global average, making the islands an ideal place to study such phenomena.

Threat from logging evident in SI forest

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Logging impacts in Solomon Islands IMAGE story.

By Ezekiel Talatau

 IMPACTS of forest loss on community and ecosystem in some of our provinces in SI divulge a significant threat to our wildlife ecosystem.

University of Queensland wildlife conservation society research team (WCS) have stated that Solomon Islands has been found to increase land clearing for logging. Even if the best manageable practice is in place, the country has already experienced unsustainable levels of soil erosion, and significant impacts of downstream water quality.

WCS added that these impacts will compromise the integrity of the lands for future agriculture uses, interrupt access to clean drinking water and degrade important downstream ecosystems.

Impacts of Logging does not only affects our forest but it also affects animals living within the forest.

Dr Christopher Fillardi of the American Museum of Natural History has also exposed that the poorly managed logging operation has a clue to an extinction of a population of birds. He added that, for 20 years, they have search for a bird which he describe as a Ghost bird (Moustached Kingfisher). A rare species found in Solomon Islands only.

He added that increased logging could result in the decline of this species.

A concerned citizen also reveal that logging in Isabel province (Medoru) has influence in extinction of one of the unique mangrove shells that was used for red money and the nearby communities are struggling to find mud crabs.

The permanent secretary of forestry and research has also declared that Solomon Islands forest ecosystem has suffered from the massive harvest.

Hou pays special tribute to RAMSI

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela during the 40th Independence anniversary on Friday last week paid a special tribute to the men and women who served in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

He said through RAMSI our Pacific brothers and sisters were part of the journey in these forty years of independence.

“To the brave men and women of RAMSI, your families, your nations, we owe a deep sense of gratitude.

“To the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that our people can now enjoy peace and stability again, your sacrifices will never be forgotten, and we offer our most sincere and heart felt gratitude for sacrifices you have made,” PM Houenipwela said.

He said now that law and order has maintained it is Government’s core responsibility to always ensure that Law and order is maintained.

And is being carried out through the RSIPF crime prevention and community strategy.

In terms of our Border security issues, the Government is currently working on a new strategy for enhancement of the Border Security and Management System.

PM Hou also highlighted that the international scene, RSIPF is now linked with Interpol, regional and international police, security and intelligence agencies.

Call to prevent corruption

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela says corruption must be prevented otherwise it will deprive people’s benefits expected from the country’s resources.

“We must prevent the culture of corruption from taking hold in our country.

“If we do not, it will lead us down a path that will deprive our people of the benefits they should rightly expect from our country’s resources.

“In this regard I am happy to inform the nation that the Anti – Corruption Bill (2018) and the Associated Whistle-Blower Protection Bill (2018) will be tabled in Parliament this year,” PM Houenipwela said.

He also said in a relatively short period the SIDCC Government has driven a number of key legislative and policy reforms and economic opportunities.

And some of those reforms were also championed by the previous DCC government with bipartisan support. These reforms represent important milestones in our journey since Independence and going forward into the next 40 years, PM Houenipwela said.

The next will be a big one: Pana Festival

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Olevugha (Olex) Women Dancing Group who performed during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival as well. PHOTO CREDIT

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

Olevugha (Olex) Women Dancing Group who performed during the 2018 Independence Cruise Pana Festival as well. PHOTO CREDIT

THE next Pana Festival at Ngella to be organised soon coming next year according to its organizing committee should be more in terms of its showcases and set-ups.

Kenneth Sagupari speaking to Island Sun said plans will not delay as they will be going according to plans as soon as possible within coming days meaning they are starting preparations now.

The ‘Pana Festival’ held for the first time at Ngella by the Haroro Community and its surrounding communities coinciding with the 2018 Independence Cruise to mark Solomon Islands 40th Anniversary is history in the making for Ngella people to showcase a root crop having significant value in their tradition being part of their culture.

Many witnessing the showcases during the one day event included visitors attending the MACFest in Honiara as well.

It is understood that Ngella’s Pana Festival will be an annual event.

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