By Elton Lonaratha Jnr

A narco-sub believed to be the same one found by MP Ben Maenu’u earlier this week off Ramos Island has beached at Goveo village, west Maringe district, Isabel province.

Hudson Lalahura, a villager present at the scene told the Island Sun that the vessel was discovered at approximately 6am on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

“Two boats were used to tow the sub ashore after it was found drifting in the harbour,” Lalahura reported.

He noted that notable items recovered from the submarine include clothing and a voter ID card featuring a photo of a Black individual, and Spanish words, with the only word familiar to the locals being ‘San Francisco’.

“The vessel is currently anchored in Goveo Village, along with four outboard motors (OBMs) attached to it. It is believed that the submarine is powered by four 85-horsepower engines,” he added.

“One of the cabins inside the sub remains locked, and attempts to unlock it have been unsuccessful,” Lalahura explained.

He also mentioned that while they were aware of the unusual discovery, the speed at which the sub drifted can be attributed to the tsunami warning issued the previous day, Wednesday, July 30.

Maenu’u and his crew found the narco-sub floating off Ramos Island around 5pm on Monday, July 28, 2025, during a fishing trip to Isabel Province.

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BY IRWIN ANGIKI

Leaders of Wagina, Choiseul province are calling on the government and partners to help revive their seaweed industry after most of their seaweed farms were wiped out by tsunami currents on Wednesday night, July 30, 2025.

Wagina’s seaweed farms contribute around 90 percent of Solomon Islands’ seaweed exports. Wagina’s farms are also recognised as collectively the largest seaweed exporter in the South Pacific.

On Wednesday night, strong currents from the tsunami generated by the 8.7 earthquake in Russia’s east coast hit Wagina and washed away the seaweed farms.

Speaking to Island Sun from the eastern end of Tetongo island group, the seaweed hub of Wagina, member of provincial assembly (MPA) for Wagina, Tongoua Tabe said how quick they can rebound from this disaster will depend on help from the national government.

Former MPA, Mofete Tupou echoed the same sentiment from the western end of Tetongo island, urging national government not to delay.

Mr Tabe said: “Every farmer is affected and looking worried because to recover would need more ropes and planting materials which would be hard to acquire over this damage.

“The planting cycle is also greatly affected, hence, the harvesting and selling means that the income will be irregular and affect many families and eventually, the money cycle in Wagina and Choiseul province as a whole.

“This is the sad effect of this damage looking at the economy circulation and how everyone including shops, market vendors, school fees and other family commitments would be affected drastically.

“This is why it’s critical for our national govt and donor partners to quickly assess this seaweed damage at Wagina being the main sustainable contributor to the national economy that played a key role in the national government’s vision of rural development and decentralisation and how seaweed farming has become an economic catalyst to our farmers.

“The farmers will recover but it’s about speeding up the recovery process when they are supported quickly by the national government and our donor partners. Seaweed farming has proven its worth in the national economy and it’s important to give seaweed back its well-deserved assistance to allow its socio-economic benefits to rebirth again.”

Regarding seaweed exports, Solomon Islands has just lost 90 percent of its seaweed supplies therefore it is foreseeable that the monthly exports will be drastically cut if not halted altogether if seaweed farmers from other provinces do not meet the current demand.

“The loss from this damage is not only the loss to our Wagina seaweed farmers but to the loss to the whole economy of Solomon Islands,” Tabe said.

“This is why this call is urgent and a call for our national leaders to quickly address as national disaster for the whole country.”

In mid-May this year, new fisheries minister Braddley Tovosia told parliament that the GNUT government viewed the seaweed industry as a ‘strategic investment’ which it had so far invested $18 million in – $7m in 2024 and $11m in 2025.

Tovosia said GNUT hopes to reach 100,000 tonne production by this year’s end, which would rake in an estimated $50 million in revenue.

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-Major setback for Solomons’ seaweed trade as major producer, Wagina seaweed farms, severely damaged by currents associated with Russian tsunami, Wednesday night

-Authorities caught napping

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Wagina seaweed farms have experienced severe damage from strong currents on Wednesday night, July 30, 2025.

The incident is reportedly associated with the tsunami from the Russian earthquake.

As Wagina seaweed farms make up more than 90 percent of Solomon Islands’ seaweed exports, and regarded as the largest commercial seaweed producer in the South Pacific, this is said to be a major setback for Wagina seaweed farmers.

The national disaster management office (NDMO) in Honiara told Island Sun on Thursday, July 31, 2025 that they were not aware of the situation.

Meanwhile, the whole country was put on notice nearly the entire day before, for a potential tsunami from the earthquake that struck off Russia’s east coast 10:25am Solomon time.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) declined to comment when Island Sun reached out to them yesterday.

Only Choiseul province’s disaster management office had some sort of plan to respond to Wagina’s dilemma.

An initial assessment carried out by local farmers on Thursday, July 31, 2025 estimated that around 98 percent of seaweed farms have been destroyed.

Member of provincial assembly (MPA) for Wagina, Tongoua Tabe told Island Sun that every farmer in the eastern end of the Tetongo seaweed island group have reported losing “everything”.

Former Wagina MPA, now seaweed farmer, Mofete Tupou told Island Sun on Thursday, July 31, 2025 that in the western end of Tetongo, only three out of 200 farmers reported that their farms were safe.

Speaking to Island Sun, George Tego from Choiseul province’s National Disaster Management Office said they are yet to conduct an assessment regarding the situation.

“Here on the ground, I was not aware of the matter until I saw it in a media article that was published and circulated on social media,” he said.

Tego said the plan now is to discuss with the chairman of the Provincial Disaster Committee (PDC) and the Provincial Disaster Operation Committee (PDOC), call in the committees, brief them and decide on the appropriate action to take.

“What normally happens is to verify the situation, coordinate with the Fisheries officer here. Meaning we have to deploy Fisheries personnel to go and do detailed findings and assessment on the damages and see what their recommendations are to support these farmers. If they need support, then they will liaise with the MFMR fisheries office in Honiara,” he said”

Tego also assured Wagina’s seaweed farmers that the result of the discussion will determine what steps and actions the province can take.

“We will see what action needs to be taken on the ground at the provincial level. The result will be determined from our discussion,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tupou told Island Sun that on Thursday morning, July 31, 2025, that he and other farmers on the western end of Tetongo carried out their assessment of the damages and found that “almost every farm was destroyed”.

He said 510 ropes of seaweed from his two farms have been destroyed, which he estimates to cost around $35,000.

“Only one rope of seaweed remained unscathed by the tsunami,” Tupou said.

One farmer in the eastern end of Tetongo, Bara Tokanapiri, said he had lost more than 100 ropes of his seaweed.

MPA Tabe said that every farmer he had interviewed so far has said the same thing.

“Everything is gone!”

Tabe described the Wednesday night experience as “frightening”.

Tupou said they are now discussing ways of salvaging the seaweed for whatever is of commercial value, and will also come up with how each farmer can get a fair share from sales.

“Because Wednesday night’s tsunami currents rolled up all the seaweeds into huge bundles, which are now scattered on our shores or floating around us. I don’t know which bundle my seaweeds are in,” Tupou said.

Both Tabe and Tupou call on the government and donor partners to assist Wagina seaweed farmers to recover from the disaster.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Minister of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), Franklyn Wasi, applauds the launch of the Agriculture Investment for Markets and Nutrition (AIM-N) Project.

On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, he told the paper that he had been voicing the importance of this project since last year up until it’s signing on Monday this week.

“I have been talking about the project on the floor of Parliament since last year, and finally it has just been signed,” said Wasi.

The signing comes after Solomon Islands Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) launched US$20 million AIM-N Project to Boost Food Security, Nutrition and Rural Income.

According to a press statement from MAL, the project aims to improve food security, enhance nutrition, and build resilience to climate change, directly benefiting more than 18,000 people over six years.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Finance and Treasury, (MoFT) Harry Kuma, and IFAD Country Director and Representative for Pacific Island Countries, Chandra Samekto.

The statement said that AIM-N project will tackle issues such as stunting and overweight by revitalising local food systems and creating sustainable economic opportunities linked to nutritious food production.

MAL said that the total project costs US$19.82 million, with a US$6.1 million grant from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) to be administered by IFAD, and a US$9.3 million loan from IFAD.

The agriculture ministry also noted that a financial institution from the private sector will contribute US$820,000, while the government and community will provide domestic co-financing of US$1.2 million.

As noted, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will manage another US$1.4 million from GAFSP.

Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) will implement the project in Choiseul, Isabel and Western provinces.

The project is expected to benefit 18,330 people in 65 rural communities where subsistence farming is the main source of livelihood.

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

VICE Chancellor of Solomon Islands National University (SINU), Professor Transform Aqorau emphasised the importance of unity and coordinated maritime security in fostering peace and prosperity across Pacific communities.

Speaking at a recent maritime workshop, Aqorau described Pacific communities as “diverse yet interdependent”, noting that their strength lies in mutual support and shared success.

“Maritime security coordination is like tending to a shared lagoon of cooperation. It involves clearing away the foreign threats what I call the “crown of spiders” which bring crime and conflict, and ensuring our waters remain clear and safe for all,” he said.

Aqorau highlighted the need for a collective and strategic approach to security and development in the region, supported by the principles of solidarity, sovereignty, and peace.

He pointed out that as a region, we have charted our navigational course based on these values.

 “We’ve surveyed the waters, acknowledged the dangers that lie ahead, and prepared our canoes with strategies, partnerships, and institutions to face them.

“What remains is for us to paddle forward together, with courage and clarity of purpose,” said Aqorau.

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BY BEN BILUA
GIZO

Six communities in Ward 13, Western Province have received much needed projects, courtesy of their Provincial Member, Alesina Redfern.

The projects were received following a series of handover programs in the communities.

Redfern said the projects are part of the Ward Development Grant 2024-2025 allocation which totalled to SBD100,000.00.

He added that the projects were identified by WDC of Ward 13 following consultations with communities within Ward 13.

Six projects are as follows;

-Mandou community – zone 1, (15hp engine),

-Kinda Women’s Group (15hp engine),

-Samarae Clinic (sanitation project),

-Niu Mala Women Group (Sewing Machines),

-Boboe community (community hall project)

– Rarumana Primary school (roofing irons).

Redfern said SBD100,000.00 maybe small but careful consideration and planning can enable such a small fund to help communities.

He acknowledges the Ward Development Committee for their support and identifying much needed development projects within ward 13.

WDC Chairperson Allenia Viga urges project recipients to utilise the machines and tools for the benefit of everyone.

He strongly encourages community leaders to take good care of the projects.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Regional solidarity is not just a lofty ideal, but it is a practical necessity today, says SINU Vice Chancellor, Professor Transform Aqorau.

He highlighted this at the recent Pacific Maritime Security Workshop, co-convened by the University of Adelaide and the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) in Honiara.

Aqorau stressed that maritime security means more coordinated operations, shared assets and integrated policies.

“We have promising examples, the Quad Lateral Defence Coordination Group, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, India and France and New Zealand have long combined resources for aerial and naval surveillance across our region,” he said.

Aqorau said their joint patrols and information sharing, often in cooperation with local officers via ship rider programmes, have extended the country’s enforcement reach.

 “We welcome these contributions, especially where they operate under our regional frameworks,” he said.

Aqorau said the Pacific Fusion Centre, an outcome of the Boe Declaration, is enhancing how Pacific states pool intelligence on issues from illegal fishing to broader geopolitical trends.

He voiced that the Fusion Centre, alongside the Pacific Coast National Crime Coordination Centre, helps ensure that no piece of critical information falls through the cracks between the region’s national agencies.

Aqorau said the roles of the Pacific Islands Forum and sub-regional the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Polynesian Leaders Group have become more important than ever to maintain unity and resolve differences internally.

“We have a collective identity and a common purpose reinforced by our Blue Pacific strategy for 2025.We, the people of the Pacific, own our ocean and will decide its fate,” said Aqorau.

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