DEAR EDITOR, an overview of health in the Solomon Islands remains characterized by high levels of infectious diseases, including malaria, respiratory diseases, water borne diarrhoea diseases and an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The latter, as I have consistently written about, because of changes in diet and lifestyle habits.

Among the major determinants of population health are water quality and sanitation. I have no updated figures, but the 1999 census found that 69 per cent of households had access to a safe water supply, ranging from a low of 42 per cent in Guadalcanal to 95 per cent in the Honiara Municipal area. Overall 52 per cent had piped water of some sort, 22 per cent used rivers and streams while 16 per cent used water tanks. Access to safe sanitation was much lower, with only 23 per cent of households reporting that they had modern toilets.

Lack of adequate water and sanitation contributes to a high national rate of diarrhoea, and also to the high prevalence of stunting and underweight among children. In 2002 the Community Peace Restoration program funded 92 water and sanitation projects – mostly water tanks.

Two newspaper reports last week, both published in the Island Sun newspaper, tended to underscore the statistics I have just mentioned.

The first report concerned the terrible state of the ablution block, consisting of a dilapidated leaf hut structure at the Tulaghi clinic. A shocking facility being the only one existing and extensively used by postnatal patients, children, parents and personnel of the Labour Division.

The current situation was reported to have existed for nearly two years and the conditions said to have increasingly raised great concerns for the health and welfare of patients and especially for babies and children.

It is very much hoped that the reporting of the deplorable state of the ablution block will bring about some immediate action to provide proper and sanitary ablution facilities at the Tulaghi Clinic.

The second report I read related to a speech given by the Deputy Prime Minister when he was quoted as saying, “My government is totally committed to ensuring that every child in my country has access to basic water, toilet and hygiene facilities in schools.”

The Hon Manasseh Sogavare was speaking during the launch of the National Standards on WASH (a project development on water supply, sanitation and hygiene) for schools.

The Deputy Prime Minister took the opportunity of thanking the government of New Zealand and UNICEF for supporting ongoing WASH projects in 42 schools in Guadalcanal Province.

Mr Sogavare also said, “I am happy to note that two main ministries – Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education dealing with water and sanitation have converged here to align their priorities on WASH in schools.”

Ending his speech, he mentioned that he looked forward to more collaboration between the government, UNICEF, donors, bilateral organisations, NGOs, academia and other institutions to collaborate and address WASH concerns in schools with a priority to achieve the SDGs on water and sanitation.

It is my wish, too, that there will be greater collaboration as Mr. Sogavare mentioned to achieve much better water and sanitary conditions in all schools and across the whole country.

It should not be forgotten that women are the primary users and managers of water, sanitation and hygiene education at the household level. The participation and engagement of women will be necessary to ensure initiatives and activities in water supply, sanitation and hygiene are successfully implemented and sustained.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

DEAR EDITOR, the problems associated with littering in Honiara are concerns that I have taken notice of for the past 21 years and when I read this week in the Island Sun that the Honiara City Council’s Health Inspector, George Titiulu, was again appealing for the public to take extra care in disposing of their rubbish, I was reminded of King Canute and his bid to push back the waves.

Littering is a serious problem and detracts from the appearance of the nation’s capital and often the comment of returning visitors to their home countries.

I extend my appreciation to the Honiara City Council for the enforcement of the Littering Ordinance and to the many volunteers who aid the Council in helping to clear away litter and plastic waste.

I do hope that the general public will take more pride in keeping the city clean and thereby contribute to a better and safer environment for all to enjoy.

I would also like to take the opportunity of thanking the community in Gizo who celebrated the recent “World Environment, World Ocean and Coral Triangle Day” by organizing a massive clean-up in Gizo town and in surrounding islets.

A lot of cans and plastic was removed from the environment and local business owners offered their vehicles to remove the unwanted rubbish,

Well done to all concerned, volunteers, tourist stakeholders and the provincial government.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

DEAR EDITOR, New Zealand fruit growers are full of praise for the seasonal workers from the Solomon Islands as quoted in a news bulletin broadcast by Radio New Zealand today, 7 June 2018.

Quote:

“We couldn’t have done it without you” – New Zealand fruit grower John Van Vliet was full of praise for his Solomon Islands workers at a community gathering held to farewell them at the end of another successful season.

“Mr Van Vliet, known as JR to his workers, grows and exports apples and pears to Europe and Asia from a 135 hectare property near Greytown, an hour north of Wellington.

“He said their contribution in helping fill 14,000 bins and pack 250,000 cartons of apples and pears for export this season was crucial to the success of his business this year.

“John Van Vliet said the industry could no longer survive without the Pacific labourers who are brought in each season under the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme.

“The workers that come here for that period really want to work and they want to send money home to their family.

“During picking time JR’s Orchards Ltd employs more than 100 seasonal workers and half of them are Solomon Islanders here under the RSE programme.

“Mr Van Vliet said he still makes an effort to try and employ more New Zealanders but there just isn’t enough interest.

“But I firmly believe also that we should also employ New Zealanders as well so I have twenty permanents all year round and that is why I think there is quite a good mix.

“So we are actually giving 20 families in New Zealand a permanent job and then we are giving those families that come from the Solomon Islands money to take home which New Zealanders aren’t picking up,” said Mr Van Vliet.

“After finishing strip-picking the orchards the group from the Solomons was done for the season and getting ready to head back home.

“One of the longest serving RSE workers at JR’s Orchards Tony Analau was among the first lot to come to New Zealand through the scheme in 2008.

“Mr Analau is now the foreman of the Solomon Islands men at the orchard and is on call 24/7 managing them.

“Tony Analau said his earnings over the past 11 seasons had been a real game changer for him and his family.

“There are a lot more men than women in the Solomon Islands group at JR’s Orchard and this reflects the wider seasonal worker landscape in both Australia and New Zealand, with the World Bank recently calling for more opportunities to be made available for Pacific women.

“At JR’s Orchard Pamela Aitorea is just finishing up her first season in the pack house.

“She said she was a little downhearted because she had been looking forward to going home to her two-year-old but had just been told the women would have to stay back a week longer than the men because there were still more than 700 crates of fruit to pack for export.

“Also Pamela Aitorea said seasonal workers did not earn very much in their first year.

“Us first-timers find it a little difficult because of deductions for airfares for both this season and the next. So the pay for first timers is not really big income because there are a lot of deductions,” Pamela Aitorea said.

“If you are on your second or third season I think you should be making good money. Because there are expenses here rent and deductions so sometimes all we are left with is $75 that is for us new ones.”

“But on the bright side Pamela Aitorea said the extra week meant she could earn a little more cash to take home and she was looking forward to returning to work next year because her airfares had already been deducted, and she would be earning a lot more.”

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

DEAR EDITOR, the Solomon Islands will shortly celebrate its 40th year of independence as a sovereign nation and I reflect on the past twenty one years in particular.

I would like to focus on the help the Solomon Islands has received in those twenty one years from many volunteers that have come from many countries, including in the time I spent in the country, the members of the US Peace Corps and young volunteers from Japan Taiwan and Britain.

In more recent times, the country has seen growing numbers of volunteers come to aid services country wide, including volunteer specialist doctors, nurses, eye specialists, ear specialist, nutritional experts, those with special training and interest in caring for the disabled and those aiding women and girls suffering from domestic violence.

Other volunteers have come as craftsmen, builders, joiners and those skilled in water and sanitation projects.

Often schools have been helped by craftsmen that have built new classrooms or repaired facilities.

In this 40th year of independence let us remember all those volunteers who came and those still serving and give thanks for their selfless, devoted help to the nation.

As I write the NZ volunteer service is to expand its work in the Pacific

Quoting Radio New Zealand, the New Zealand volunteer agency, Volunteer Service Abroad, has said a lift in funding from the New Zealand Government will allow it to expand services around the Pacific region.

The 14 percent increase was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, who said “VSA was an important partner for the government in supporting its regional development aspirations.”

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT