Congratulations Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela.

YOUR trip to Japan for the PALM8 Leaders’ summit or at least the benefits from sideline meetings has given Solomon Islands what to hope for in terms of infrastructure development, largely in Honiara and climate change overall in the region.

Solomon Islands will be a beneficiary of the Y1.3 trillion regional funding initiative which Japan announced this week. Roll out of the program is expected in 2020 – just two years away.

There is more for the Solomon Islands, an initiative between Solomon Power and Hitachi Ltd to work together in developing a solar power plant in Solomon Islands. These are commendable initiatives and congratulations to the Prime Minister and his delegation.

But hang on.

All these juicy announcements were made against the background of a nation sinking deeper and deeper into what can only be described as an economic quagmire which seems to get thicker by the day.

Avid readers of our social and mainstream media would notice a lot of things do not align well with all the good announcements overseas.

Take for example the announcement by the National Referral Hospital this week. Its Chief Executive Officer Dr Steve Aumanu has told the media that the NRH would no longer be responsible for meeting the return sea fares of patients referred to the NRH.

The decision comes into force on Monday 21 May 2018. It does not mean you are barred from coming to the National Referral Hospital. No. But it does mean that you don’t expect the NRH to reimburse your sea fares or pay the cost of your return.

It simply means you will be responsible for meeting your own costs.

A look beyond Honiara on the power front paints quite a picture in terms of power supplies. The media reported this week that the Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Power, Pradip Verma signed an agreement with Hitachi Ltd to jointly develop a solar plant in Solomon Islands.

It is great news. But it is not so great news for life-saving institutions such as Atoifi Hospital in East Malaita for example. The hospital also hosts an extension of the Pacific Adventist University (PAU).

For some weeks now the Atoifi Adventist Hospital is going through a severe power crisis, denying students and hospital staff power. PAU students, and there’s more than 40 odd students there, are due to sit their exams next week. But they could not do their studies at night.

Hospital staff too are denied power supplies due largely to the fact that the Hospital is only using an 80KVA generator to run the hospital. That was about two weeks ago when I visited there then. I am not sure that things have changed since.

It is quite possible that other hospitals in the rural area, run by churches, face the same or similar challenges. Why can’t SIEA take the initiative in visiting such institutions with a view to setting up power supplies to these life-saving institutions?

State-Owned Enterprises with potential rural constituents such as the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority, Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) and so on should begin looking beyond their offices with tinted glass windows to see the greater needs of the people.

We cannot expect the so-called development to take place unless government instrumentalities look beyond Honiara and or other urban centres. Eighty-five per cent of the nation’s resources are currently locked up in the rural areas.

Unless and until the camaflouge of neon lights are removed from our vision so that we could see the common good, nothing will move.

That is why I hold the view that until government leadership looks beyond the RCDF grants and its conscience-numbing effects on the way ahead we could be in for a long haul.

So Mr Prime Minister you are bringing a lot of good news for the country, but who benefits ultimately?

CIVIL society characterises themselves as representing the critical mass.

However, over the past weeks civil society organisation and networks in Solomon Islands have been tested to its core when a bipartisan trip to Indonesia rocked its fundamental principles.

The work of the CS is critical in the sense where they represent interest groups with public’s interest that play a significant part in ensuring the country operates and function smoothly. They are made of community base organisations and Non-Government Organisation

While the government or public and private sector takes care of law and order, and businesses that offer goods and services, CS pride itself as driven by volunteerism, patriotism and not for profit undertakings.

The three fundamental civic principles are based on; participatory engagement, constitutional authority, and moral responsibility.

The fundamentals are therefore the kingpin of a successful CS organisation and movements, recognising the need to work together, adhere to constitutional requirements and of course the moral obligation to uplift our people and country from the snare of prevalent social upheavals.

I understand that upholding those principles is often challenge by our diverse approaches and strategies in tackling the issues of our communities and society.

In particular when it comes to political issues, CS network on many occasions been placed in wayward circumstances.

Despite that, it should not deter us from fulfilling our mandatory responsibilities in achieving the positive change we aspire for our country.

For instance, the bipartisan trip to Indonesia last month is a classic example that put to test our vibrancy and solidarity to say the least.

Observing the social media, commentators expressed diverse opinions perceived on the said trip.

Explosive as it may seem, lest we forget that we are a TEAM weaved and bonded by the principles that established that modality we uphold.

There are also times we did not see eye to eye on prevailing issues, but I believe, that is healthy for our movement if we need to create a stronger footing to counteract the societal issues we continuously face with in our modern society.

My point is this; we cannot allow ourselves to be divided, given the differences in opinions, convictions and ideals over issues that we need to explore the depth and width of it.

I have the feeling that commentators often employ reactive approaches, social media do have room for that however being knowledgeable and analytical is a good thing, hence the need to do proper research and analysis of any given issue; is a necessity.

The April Indonesian trip rocked the social and print media big time, shaking the CS Networks, creating room for disenfranchisement, although it may have impinged a little bit but that should not move our solidarity.

Now, let us reflect and gauge ourselves against the underlying principles we practise through our organisational values.

Shall we be able to rejuvenate that spirit of unity as one key variable to the principle of participatory engagement?

Note that we make up for the large sector, apart from the public and private sectors, hence our solidarity is of essence.

Therefore, I appeal to the leaders of the civil society in Solomon Islands to reconsider the values of our usefulness should we want to see the change in our Country.

Let us not allow our varying positions to jeopardise our cohesiveness as there is always a way to optimise conflicts for good rather than destructive.

Finally, I would presume we convene a meeting soon and harmonise the situation to ensure we revive the organic spirit as lessons learnt from the past experience through embracing CS fundamental principles.

For the good of our people and country, civil society shall always prevail.

REDLEY S RARAMO

Former President of FSII