SICCI Chair, Jay Bartlett delivering his official remarks at the signing ceremony.
Police Commissioner Matthew Varley delivering his official remarks.
THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) have signed a partnership agreement aimed at strengthening mutual relationship to work together.
The signing ceremony held at the Rove Police Headquarter was attended by the members of the business community, SICCI Board, Senior Executives of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and members of the diplomatic corp.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is aimed at strengthening the relationship between SICCI and RSIPF to collaborate. Both parties recognized that there is a strong link between the rule of law, growth and investment which underpins private sector development and job creation.
The agreement will provide a conduit through the set-up of an Executive Group comprising of both parties to explore, discuss and resolve areas of common interest. In brief the MOU will allow both parties to share and exchange information, explore and promote crime prevention initiatives, including recognizing the commercial perspective of businesses in the Solomon Islands. Both parties also recognize and share a social conscience for community wellbeing.
SICCI Chair, Jay Bartlett in his official remarks acknowledged the role of RSIPF in recognizing the need to collaborate through the signing of the MOU.
SICCI Chair, Jay Bartlett delivering his official remarks at the signing ceremony.
“Today our two institutions will mark a historical milestone in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and the significance is in the acknowledgement. It is an acknowledgement that we need each other” said Mr Bartlett.
“The relationship between the public and private sector is one that we believe needs to be continually strengthened in order to adequately face the challenges ahead of us”
The Chair further highlighted that it is time to do things differently, to collaborate, to co-ordinate and to better communicate. “This platform will provide an opportunity for the private sector to take a more pro-active role in supporting our Police Force and vice versa” said Mr Bartlett.
RSIPF Commissioner Matthew Varley also acknowledged the commitment and leadership from the private sector in agreeing to collaborate and reinforcing the need to work together.
“This new partnership that we are cementing together between RSIPF and SICCI recognizes the strength of working together. We can combine the resources and ingenuity of the police and business communities across Solomon Islands to solve problems and improve communities”
“Strong partnership gives strengths to communities and therefore communities can grow and prosper,” said Mr Varley.
The signing ceremony follows 11 months of work behind the scene to finalize the agreement.
SIWIBA’s first market for 2018 took place at the Girls Guide headquarters yesterday.
Speaking at the program, Australian High Commission’s programme manager working with SIWIBA, Mrs Vanessa Teutao congratulated the association and its members for their work and making the event happen.
She also commended the Secretariat and Board for coming together and ensuring there is strong leadership as the search for a new CEO continues.
Mrs Teutao stated that while Australia supports initiatives like the SIWIBA market, formerly known as “Mere’s market”, they are also working together to ensure that there are plans in place to keep providing the technical support necessary for the organisation’s continuance.
She stressed that one of their development programmes involving SIWIBA is in the area of women’s economic empowerment.
“When women are able to actively participate economically like they are doing here today, everyone benefits. Men, women, boys and girls,” said Mrs Teutao.
She furthered that there are reasons why economic empowerment of women in Solomon Islands is critical to development in the country thus they are proud to be supporting this through the work SIWIBA is doing.
LANDOWNING tribes and communities within the Gold Ridge catchment area have been urged to respect the revived Gold Ridge Mining operation.
This, the Chairman of the Gold Ridge Council of Chiefs, Dick Douglas emphasised during a chupu ceremony over the weekend, which seek the cultural consent of those residing within four of the pits that are part of the mining lease for the Gold Ridge Land, to move out.
The ceremony saw a total of 25 chupus being presented to members of the 16 tribes that own the Gold Ridge land, including tribesmen and women of nearby regions within Guadalcanal.
Douglas, who was instrumental in the consultation process, which seeks to involve a peaceful means of getting his people out of the mining pits, called on his people that have resettled in the mine sites to respect the company and the process that will be conducted for their removal.
“Respect is an important thing in our culture where we will show to all parties involved that we agree upon and we would also want the process to go smoothly so we can achieve what we anticipate as the good part in the operation of the mining company on our land.
“And you all should be proud of the fact that we as landowners for the first time, own a company that will give benefits back to our people.”
He then appealed to his people through representations of the chiefs of Gold Ridge from the 16 tribes that are living within the pits, “to respect and honour the agreements that will see our moving out from these pits”.
Meanwhile, Douglas acknowledged the Gold Ridge Community Investment Limited (GCIL) Management team and the chairman, for what he termed as a vision, on the work done and recognising the importance of ensuring a smooth and effective way to deal with our people and other friends in these pits.
He said this vision should be given thorough acknowledgement because it will give the people of Gold Ridge a pure opportunity, to hold hands with not only fellow landowners for a common good, but so as for the benefit of both the company and the landowners.
“On that note, I therefore urge the management to look at our people and listen to their concerns, bringing them (issues) on the table for discussions to ensure they are met in ways possible, so we can support each other in this important development.”
He however asked that the Solomon Islands government also look into the outstanding issues of his people known to have been pending, “and it is very important that they are given due diligent and considerations so we can iron them out for the benefit of all involved in this important project”.
“I would also want to reiterate that the support of our people on the local company the GCIL is paramount and for that I want to salute the people from the 16 tribes that own gold ridge for your continued support in the processes that we have been through up till now.
“I would also want to thank the work of the Council of Chiefs and the team that you have put in place, with the emphasis in what we now see as another important part in the process, and that is for our people’s removal from the pits
“We don’t want anything to disturb the operations, don’t we?” the Chairman for the Gold Ridge Council of Chiefs asked the gathered Gold Ridge Chiefs, elders and community members present at the occasion.
Also speaking during the ceremony, mines minister and Member of Parliament for East Guadalcanal, Bradley Tovosia, in his response, assured those residing in the pits that the government will see whatever issues they are facing as far as relocation is concerned.
He said the government will look at where necessary to ensure that whatever issues or claims pit settlers have against the company including certain claims, are thoroughly looked into.
He also called on the company to also join hands with the government in the assurance to also ensure that whatever grudges or issues raised against them (company and government) are sorted out and dealt with, but reminded pit settlers that they have got to move out.
“Our acceptance of these chupus, is a cultural significance that we also accepted the call and facilitation to move out.
“And the company has the legal right to run all its activities within these pits and as a government, we also respects the lease given to this new GRML set up, and remember also, that since the government’s approval to renew the mining lease over the gold ridge land, you no longer have the legal rights to do anymore activities including further panning for gold,” Mr Tovosia added.
In acceptance of the calls for government’s consideration into people’s issues, the Minister also called on landowners and fellow tribesmen of the 16 landowning tribes to bring their concerns to the government.
“As long as I’m still Minister until my term lapses on the 7th of December, I will see that all your concerns and issues are looked into by the government and see where possible within our capacity, we will deal with them.
The ministry is there for the people, it belongs to the people of Solomon Islands, and issues of relevancy to our ministry should be dealt with at all legal and proper costs,” the mines minister explained.
Ministers shown sporting facilities built for the landowners (LOs)
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
WORDS of thanks comes from the communities at Rennell as a result of the recent visit to Rennell Island by government ministers, led by the Minister for Mines & Energy Bradley Tovosia,
Community landowners and school teachers welcome the visit by the ministers and government officials as ‘timely, being very necessary and encouraging’.
Although the visit was very short, the objective of their visit has been met, which is to see and witness firsthand information on the mining operations on the ground and its effect on the environment and the people.
Much has been said on social media and print papers on mining but unless one pays a visit and set foot on the ground before they could understand the real impact and situation on the ground.
The visit also coincided with book donations to Tupuaki Primary School and New Place Secondary school.
The visit also gives an opportunity for the ministers to have a glimpse of the provincial headquarters which has run down tremendously.
Ministers and officials have also visited the company’s nursery programme which is aimed at reforestation of valuable and marketable tree species to sustain community financial capacity in the future.
This is a very important company policy initiative to assist communities assist themselves.
During their visit to the mine sites, the ministers were shown the Electronic Digital weighing scale which is used to weigh all soils which contain Bauxite.
Ministers shown sporting facilities built for the landowners (LOs)
The minister were told that all vehicles carrying or transporting these elements must go through the electronic digital weighing scale before transported to the ports for loading into shipping lines to be exported.
“This is necessary to give confidence to the landowners,” they were told.
The ministers were also shown the sports infrastructure and facilities the company has built and is continuing to build for the communities significantly the young sport enthusiast of Renbel Province.
“We are working in partnership with the landowners and communities to effect these initiatives, says the spokesperson of Bintan Mining SI Limited who had also accompanied the delegation during the visit,” the spokesperson for the company explained.
The company had also donated educational school books to the Tupuaki Primary School and to the New Place Secondary school in Rennell during the visit.
Both school head teachers of the schools have thanked Bintan Mining for their donations of these very important school materials.
Electronic scale showed to the visiting delegation. Photos suppliedCompany’s nursery site the delegates were taken to.
DEAR EDITOR, SINU Management wishes to provide the following information on the progress made so far in the implementation of Solar Hybrid Power Generation Project.
This is to make clarification and to response to the news item and the statement from the Honourable Prime Minister in relation to the Solar Hybrid Power Generation Project for SINU donated by the Republic of China, Taiwan.
The SINU Management would like to correct the misleading statement by the news article which appeared in the Island Sun newspaper issue of Tuesday May 29, 2018.
The SINU since the beginning of this year has been working closely with the Republic of China Embassy Office to implement the Solar Hybrid Power Generation Project.
Both parties have agreed that the tendering process for project should be in line with the SINU tendering and procurement procedure.
SINU has established its Project Team that worked on the project.
The fact is that the university Tender Board has already identified the winning bidder out of the two ROC Solar companies that bided for the project but since the value of the project is USD 1 million equivalent to approximately SBD 8 million, the recommendation of the Tender Board Committee was then submitted to the joint Finance and Investment Committee Planning and Development Committee of the SINU Council for its approval.
The SINU Management wants to clarify there is no delay from SINU on the implementation of the project.
Since the announcement of the funding last year, the SINU has not received any clear information on how to get the project started but at the beginning of this year, SINU has been working with the ROC Embassy office to implement the project.
The SINU Management does not think it is fair on the PM to put the blame on SINU senior Management on the current progress and status of the project because the SINU Project Team has worked really hard with support from the SINU Management to get to the current stage of implementation.
Had the PM or the Island Sun newspaper reporter sort clarification from SINU Management before going out to the media, the SINU would provide the right information needed.
There was no delay from the SINU Management but the joint Finance & Investment and Planning and Development Committee of Council demands for a Business case and other cost benefits analysis data from the benefits of SINU having the Solar Project implemented cause the delay in the formal confirmation and formal announcement of the winning bidder.
The article as appeared in May 29, 2018 issue of the Island Sun is really a disappointment to the SINU Management, its hard working staff and other colleagues from Solomon Power (SIEA) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy who were actively involved on the Project.
The SINU Project Team has worked closely with our counterpart from ROC in moving the project forward and communication has been done on regular basis.
SINU Management hopes this clarifies our side of the story about the Solar Hybrid Power Generation Project that there was no delay as perceived in the article but the University making sure that project has gone through its internal process for checks and approval.
DEAR EDITOR, as I write this piece I am mindful that there are many hundreds of ex-patients of the Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital (NRH) that have had limbs amputated due to diabetes and who are still awaiting replacement prosthetics due to the closure of the once operational rehabilitation workshop at the NRH and there being no money to rehabilitate and re-equip the important facility.
According to the WHO (quote) “Replacing traditional foods with imported, processed food has contributed to the high prevalence of obesity and related health problems in the Pacific islands.
“Scattered across the Pacific Ocean are thousands of islands which make up three regions known as Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Beyond the image of white sandy beaches and carefree lifestyles, the Pacific islands are facing serious health problems, the prime culprit being imported foods.
“In at least 10 Pacific island countries, more than 50% (and in some, up to 90%) of the population is overweight according to World Health Organization (WHO) surveys”
I am pleased to have observed that a specialist from the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) in the Solomon Islands has been urging local community members from the Balasuna area to eat a balance diet every day during meal time.
James Yu, when speaking at an integrated workshop held at Balasuna in North-East Guadalcanal on Friday last week, said “It’s important these days that you eat a balance diet to control non communicable disease (NCD) that is on the rise at the moment,”
Mr Yu went on to say, “Though everyone can have enough energy consumption, how to choose a balanced diet is also important for health.”
He added, “Adequate vegetables diversity is necessary, so we are able to stay away from NCDs,”
More than 30 people attended that training and it my hope that the TTM will continue to teach proper nutrition throughout the country and especially involve school age children and their parents.
The health risks posed by diabetes cannot be emphasised enough and a report carried today, 29 May 2018, by Radio New Zealand really underlines my message.
Quoting Radio New Zealand – May 29, 2018, “Fiji has highest death rate from diabetes in the world with 188 of 100,000 fatalities being attributed to the disease.
“The head of Diabetes Fiji said the ranking highlights the magnitude of the problem and the need for a more proactive approach.
“Project Manager Viliame Qio said people are shying away from medical attention and treatment out of denial and so when they do come forward they have more severe complications from their illness.
“Mr Qio said many people were also turning to traditional healers for help first, further delaying effective treatment.
“He said there needed to be more community education about diabetes.
“We have three amputations that take place in a day in the major hospitals and the main reason is the people are presenting late, they come very late, and they are not coming early. So we want to get people to be educated that they have to seek medical attention first before they resort to other traditional methods or herbal methods,” Viliame Qio said.
“Mr Qio said diabetes is also the leading cause of disability in Fiji and people need to heed public health messages about poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.”
DEAR EDITOR, following a reported overwhelming turnout for the Gizo-Kolombangara by-election last week, the poll closed with a landslide victory for Mrs Lanelle Tanagada, a former teacher and the holder of a Masters degree from Waikato University in New Zealand.
Mrs Tangada won by a 987 majority from the 2580 votes that had been cast.
Her historic win means she is the fourth women in the history of this country to enter parliament.
The current parliament will now have two female MPs.
The other current female MP being the Hon. Freda Tuki of Temotu Vatud.
The win by Mrs Tanagada has been described as a sweet victory for women in the Solomon Islands.
In 2009 Florence Naesol then the Deputy Clerk to the National Parliament, said “Women taking up senior positions in the Public Service are becoming acceptable among us and I’m seeing a brighter future with Solomon Islands women assuming leadership roles in government”
I too, over the years, have witnessed seeing the value of women’s increasing participation in decision making processes in the public service and across the broader areas of life in the Solomon Islands.
Clearly, from Mrs Tanagada’s election victory attitudes towards women’s in the electoral role are changing, albeit still too slowly, but nevertheless I see change is on the way.
Some commentators have already said the victory is about advancing women in leadership and gender equality.
Another voiced the option that Mrs Tanagada’s win was a huge victory because the silent majority had spoken.
Mrs Tanaganda will be sworn in as a new MP soon.
I believe all will wish Mrs Tanaganda success in her parliamentary role.
IN his closing remarks at a lunchtime banquet held in his honor in Taipei last week, Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela made an interesting remark. As a matter of fact, it is a phrase in diplomatic parlance I have come across for the first time.
It is this.
“The cordial and friendly tie between our two countries is bound by the principle of leaving no one behind.”
It’s a great statement of intent indeed – the principle of leaving no one behind.
Properly adhered to in spirit and the letter of its intent, it is a good principle. It is good because its intention is inclusive and caring. In broader terms, and fairly applied, it has the potential of making the people of Solomon Islands feel they are not being left behind.
However, the phrase stands to be interpreted in different ways.
In many ways the phrase must have epitomised the intention of Taiwan’s multi-billion dollar aid program to Solomon Islands over the last 40 years. Policymakers in Taipei must have felt that no Solomon Islander should be left behind.
In the context of Solomon Islands, nearly 65 per cent of the nation’s growing and groaning population have been left behind in recent years in terms of their share in Taiwan’s funding – more than $100 million each year.
One assumes that education, health and agriculture are paramount in the funding disbursements, particularly in the rural areas. And the annual funding is more than enough.
In many ways we in the Solomons have not seen evidence of any tangible economic growth from Taiwan’s investment because politicians have changed roles with technocrats. Instead of sticking to being lawmakers, politicians have assumed the role of administering and controlling donor funding for development.
As a result, many in Solomon Islands have been left behind. The funding has become divisive in more ways than one. This is why I have advocated the need for tied aid.
In the current free-for-some aid, only those who voted for winning candidates enjoy the money lavished on us by Taiwan, whose intention, unlike ours, it is that the funds be distributed equally for the benefits of all the people of Solomon Islands, particularly the 85 per cent of the population that live in rural Solomon Islands. This eighty-five per cent is a reservoir of resources waiting to be tapped, waiting to be unleashed given the fair and correct policy mix.
Instead of the free money doing wonders in the rural area, in terms of helping people in engaging in small scale businesses, it had turned many a community into them and us.
In more ways than one, the free money has become a weapon of threat against those who used their democratic rights to vote for the candidate of their choice. It is going to happen again when Solomon Islands go to the poll in February/March next year.
Consequently, thousands of rural people will again feel being left behind unless there is a complete overhaul of the current system of disbursing Taiwan’s aid money.
Sadly only 35 percent of Solomon Islands’ population enjoy Taiwan’s money year in, year out. It would seem this would continue into the medium and longer term unless there is a change in direction, purpose and vision.
Solomon Islands will continue to take the plunge down the tube with little hope for a bright future for the rest of the people of Solomon Islands unless there is a change.
Then and only then will the principle of leaving no one behind will be meaningful to the people of Solomon Islands.
Asthma-like (shortness of breath) then took place this year after the period of coughing since 2016 having forced Deacon Kenneth Soaki, (Purotu Katoa), 39, to come over to Honiara currently suffering with a Tracheostomy (breathing tube) on his neck.
Deacon Soaki who was expected to be ordained as Priest under the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) on June 3, will sadly postpone his ordination due to his current critical condition.
Having served as a Novice under the Melanesian Brotherhood (MB) for three years and seven years as a member of the Brotherhood, Soaki has been healing a lot of people during his service with the MB.
He served in Isabel Province for three years, Makira province for two years and in Central province, for a year until later time, he became a security officer at the South Pacific Oil Company for a while before heading back to Isabel province to carry on with the work of the church, by healing people.
In 2013 he underwent courses at Tasia (ACOM Church Priest School at Isabel) through to 2016; he later graduated with a Diploma and became a Deacon.
He was doing his practical, serving the people of Buala at the Jejevo Parish, when he started experiencing these complications.
Island Sun early this week met Mr Soaki (Katoa) and his wife Mrs Loretta Soaki, who has been strong by his side despite the situation, which had also forced her to skip work for over a month now.
Because of the health condition and situation, the 39-year-old Deacon can only speak in a hoarse voice.
Speaking on behalf of her husband at the Chester House to Island Sun, Mrs Soaki described how her husband came to become in his current situation.
“It all started with non-stop coughing since 2016, we came to the hospital early last year thinking that it might be cancer or so but there was nothing found wrong with him then,” said Mrs Soaki.
“Early this year with his coughing situation worsening, we suggested for him to travel back to Honiara so that he would try re-taking a scan to find out the real cause of his illness.”
“On arrival in Honiara was when he started feeling the asthma like breathing worsening, causing him in finding it hard to breath.”
“He arrived on Thursday and it was Saturday he was struggling harder for his breath that he was taken to the National Referral Hospital (NRH). He first underwent a scope before they found out that there was a growth (meat) inside of his voice box blocking it causing the asthma breathing as there was only a small space left to inhale and exhale from the mouth.”
On finding out the cause of Deacon Soaki’s illness, an emotional Mrs Soaki revealed what upset her then was when the local medical Doctor told them that they could not take any more action over the situation as operation for the growth on him is impossible at the hospital. She said the Doctor added on that there were no facilities for such operation.
But the Doctor adding on the opinion that maybe Specialists can do the operation motivated Mrs Soaki finally getting served by one.
“When reaching the hospital, the Doctor told Deacon Soaki that in order for him to breath, he must sign-up to have an operation to his throat in which he desperately signed by himself and had the breathing tube (Tracheostomy) on him finally managing to at least breath in a normal way,” said Mrs Soaki.
“On the night they operated him was around 7.30pm.
“Next morning the Doctor came around again to do check up and called to have a conversation over my husband’s illness in which I only received negative comments.
“The Doctor said that my husband’s case will now be hard to be treated. This is because Solomon Islands do not have facilities to examine how far the growth has grown inside of him.
“So they said they cannot do anything as I will only have to take him back home to keep him well.
“This is how they told me but in my determination, I believe that there is still a possibility somewhere for my husband to undergo further examination and operation to save his life.
“I believe that we are not helpless as the Lord is there to guide and protect us having a plan for every individual.”
She said she does not buy the local Doctors advice as she has hope.
“If the Doctor said Specialists can do such operation then why end our discussion that there was nothing more they can do to help,” questioned Mrs Soaki.
With her strong determination after numerous attempts of calls to the hospital being said to be ignored to book in seeing a specialist, Mrs Soaki’s struggle was rewarded after being assisted then by a government member.
“I was told that Specialists will be arriving on the 5th of May in which I struggled finding a way to meet up with them. This is because seeking assistance from the hospital was not helpful,” said Mrs Soaki.
“When we rang the hospital, they instead only told us questioningly that if we were booked to see the Specialists then what will they be able to do as they will do nothing.
“We still did not give up, upon meeting one the country’s government members in the hospital, we explained our situation to him and told him that we wanted to be satisfied from the local Doctor’s recent opinion to see Specialists over my husband’s case.
“On hearing this, he assisted us making it possible in which we are satisfied from what we hear from the Specialists.
“A reference was made for us and in the letter stated that we still have a high chance if we go overseas.
“Though it will need a big operation but it can still be treated overseas.”
From the news they have received, plans are now being made within their family by working together to send the couple overseas for the operation.
They are now thinking of ways to do fundraisings not ruling out the fact that they understand too that it is not only them who have gone through the same situation in which many have also received help from the public towards such situations.
A hindrance in the Deacon’s current situation also is the delay of his medical report as it has now been weeks. If the medical report had already been ready at the time being assisted by the Specialists then it is understood that the government member was willing to assist him to one of the 10 reserve beds at Saint Vincent Hospital in Australia.
It is now weeks as they are still waiting for the medical Doctors report.
However, the Specialists telling them also that things would be made possible if they were privately sponsored is why they are taking this route.
“Calling and texting for the medical report has not been made possible yet as there has been no response,” said Mrs Soaki.
“So because of the delay is why we are suggesting of finding ways ourselves by doing small fundraisings and so before finding a way to who we can make contact with in order to arrange our travelling. So this is where we are at now in our waiting.”
On March 4 this year was when Deacon Soaki travelled from Isabel to Honiara and on March 7 he operated being discharged five days later resulting in the couple returning to and fro to the hospital for saxon medicine which to them seems quite unfair.
Mrs Soaki had added raising disappointment to how her husband was operated, the attitude in how they were being assisted and the medicines of only Paracetamol and amoxicillin that Deacon Soaki left the hospital with.
“My husband was normal with his sick, it is after this operation he undertook that is now posing threat to his life,” said Mrs Soaki.
“We have been struggling to rub and clean the sore on his throat with local oil products so that the operation won’t get infected.
“He coughs during night time’s not feeling normal with the tube hanging on his neck.”
Despite of the challenge faced, Deacon Soaki is grateful for the support shown by his wife and their family.
He is humbly waiting for possible ways that will help him receive operation to what he is combating against.
On Sunday, June 3, is sadly Deacon Soaki’s scheduled date to be ordained (Ordination) as a priest which will is unlikely to take place due to his medical situation, but Island Sun is also of the view that having helped people during his church service, his critical situation now, also needs help in a way of giving back to his gracious service.
Within these next two weeks, Deacon Soaki will still be waiting for his medical report at the Melanesian Brotherhood Chester House, Point Cruz.
Anyone with kind generosity who wishes to assist the couple in their plans over the current tragic situation they are facing can call them up on 7773302.
Deacon Soaki and his wife have been married since 2009 and despite the Deacon’s wife has left her work for nearly more than a month now, she says her husband is her priority.
The couple is happily married with a beautiful six-year-old daughter who is currently being looked after by immediate family relatives.
UNITED Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) spokesman Mr Jacob Rumbiak is calling on Solomon Islands to back away from Indonesian influence.
Speaking to Island Sun, Rumbiak said this is what they do and that is to cause division.
“The independence of West Papua is coming soon. God is to lead this movement. We believe we can get it. To get it we need the right leader in Solomon Islands such as Hon Manasseh Sogavare to continue with the West Papuan movement to finish what is still ongoing,” said Rumbiak.
“Only one step now as we are happy that something difficult to do during the past two years was when under the leadership of Solomon Islands leading us into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).
“From that move, we have now brought the case to the United Nation (UN) and this is helped by the leadership of this country.
“Solomon Islands must be proud of this achievement and do not forget we have connections, Hon Sogavare’s success to solve this very heavy burden has now got countries supporting us from around the globe.
“Two years ago Hon Sogavare stood up as a Melanesian leader and he did it, so we need him back to finish this movement. This is so that it will also help in the future development of this country which will be bigger from what that will be received from Indonesia. We have more.
“We are Melanesian countries and we have more than enough for our future and the pacific to depend on such foreign countries as Indonesia.”
Rumbiak is also hoping that the current Prime Minister of Solomon Islands with heart as a leader of Melanesia will stand like the former Prime Minister.
“The people’s voice is the truth, so I hope that the current Prime Minister will stand and believe on that voice. This is how West Papua hopes,” said ULMWP’s Spokesman.
Rumbiak in meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) on his visit had received assurance from Sogavare on the continuous support for West Papua.
It is understood that a draft is under plan over the issue of West Papua purposely to get support from other members of Parliament to support West Papua in the UN.
This agenda according to Rumbiak meeting with the DPM is preparing for the upcoming Parliament Sitting around July or the end of this year 2018 before the National General Election next year.
ULMWP’s spokesman who left the country on Tuesday on his recent short visit said he is happy having received positive feedback as well in continuous support from the grassroots level, SICA and government members as he added that the support shown will be proved in the near future.
