BY DOUGLAS VAHIA

More than 40 university students gathered at Saora Theological College over the weekend for the annual June Camp Conference organised by the Solomon Islands Universities Christian Fellowship (SIUCF).

The three-day conference, held from June 19 to 21, brought together students from the University of the South Pacific (USP) and Solomon Islands National University (SINU) for fellowship, Bible study and spiritual growth.

This year’s conference was themed “A New King”, based on 1 Samuel 8, and was led by SIUCF National Director, Edward Wate.

The conference aimed to train and equip students with practical tools to help them study the Bible effectively through small group discussions and keynote talks centered on the conference theme.

The gathering also provided students with an opportunity to relax after their examinations, connect with fellow believers and deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ through Bible study and fellowship.

Participants attended a series of Bible talks and group sessions focused on the lessons and teachings found in 1 Samuel 8.

A total of 53 students registered for the conference, however only 40 were able to attend.

Conference facilitators expressed gratitude for the successful event and thanked God for those who participated.

“We are grateful to God for the students who were able to attend and continue to pray for those who could not join this year due to studies and other commitments,” a facilitator said.

The annual June Camp Conference remains one of SIUCF’s key programs that aim to strengthen the faith and leadership of university students in Solomon Islands.

Photo: Supplied

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BY DOUGLAS VAHIA

As part of the social safeguard requirements under the second Solomon Islands Roads and aviation Project (SIRAP2), FinnOC has successfully concluded a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Awareness Training in Honiara and Santa Cruz on May 23 to 25 and June 9 to 11 2026.

FinnOC Global consultancy company provides services in planning, procurement and implementation of sectoral development projects.

A statement from SIRAP2 said the training forms part of ongoing efforts to promote safe, inclusive, and respectful communities during the implementation of activities supported under SIRAP2.

The SIRAP2 project is funded by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Communication and Aviation (MCA).

The training sessions brought together workers from the contractors engaged in the Aviation Building Complex, Air Traffic Control Tower and Santa Cruz Airport Upgrade works, alongside representatives from nearby communities, services providers, local authorities, and other stakeholders.

The initiative aims to equip participants with a deeper understanding of GBV, sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment. It also strengthened awareness of prevention strategies, reporting mechanisms, and survivor-centered response approaches.

Participants learned about key concepts relating to GBV risks in project environments, as well as the roles and responsible of individuals and institutions in preventing and responding to incidents of violence, exploitation, and harassments. 

FinnOC emphasised the importance of continued awareness and capacity building to reduce social risks associated with infrastructure development projects.

Permanent Secretary of MCA, Mr Alwyn Danitofea, said the Government is committed to ensure that all infrastructure projects are delivered safely and responsibly, with strong attention to the well-being of workers and surrounding communities.

“Training such as this is essential in strengthening awareness, preventing harm, and ensuring that all stakeholders understand their responsibilities in maintaining safe and respectful environments,” he said.

The training also provided an opportunity for participants to discuss local challenges, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, and improve understanding of available support services for survivors of GBV.

Participants welcomed the initiative and acknowledge the importance of continued awareness activities to promote community well-being, gender equality, and protection of vulnerable groups.   

Photo credit: SIRAP2

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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

SOLOMON Islands has become the first country in the Pacific region to implement the Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) framework, marking a significant milestone in strengthening healthcare services across the country.

The achievement was highlighted during the opening of the Western Province Health Summit last week, where Australia’s First Secretary for Health, Jemma Thompson, commended Solomon Islands for taking a leadership role in adopting the globally recognised framework.

Thompson said the PHCPI framework helps countries and communities focus on what matters most in primary healthcare by linking investments in health systems with the actual health outcomes experienced by people.

“The PHCPI links investments in health systems, including staffing, facilities, medicines and funding, with service delivery and the actual health outcomes experienced by communities,” Thompson said.

She said the approach goes beyond simply counting activities and outputs, instead it provides a clearer picture of how well the health system is functioning.

Thompson said the initiative enables health authorities to monitor progress over time and compare performance across provinces in a fair and constructive manner.

“This supports better targeting of investments and reforms so that limited resources are directed to areas where they can make the greatest impact.

“PHCPI asks questions about how well the system is working, where quality is strong, and where there are gaps or bottlenecks that hold performance back,” she said.

Thompson added that the framework aligns closely with Solomon Islands’ national health strategies and its commitment to achieve universal health coverage, ensuring that all citizens can access essential health services without suffering financial hardship.

She praised the country for pioneering the implementation of the initiative at the sub-national level.

“It is worth acknowledging that Solomon Islands is showing leadership as the first country in the Pacific to apply this approach sub-nationally. This is something we can be proud of,” she said.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is already using the PHCPI framework to assess and improve the national health system.

Through the development of local Vital Signs Profiles (VSP) and provincial scorecards, the framework supports evidence-based planning and decision-making with primary focus on critical areas including healthcare financing, service capacity, performance monitoring and equitable access to health services across the country’s scattered islands.

The adoption of PHCPI is expected to further strengthen primary healthcare delivery and support Solomon Islands’ ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes for communities throughout the nation.

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BY RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

Prime Minister Matthew Wale has assured his constituents that his previous and future overseas visits will benefit the country. 

PM Wale made the assurance on Sunday, June 21, during his constituency visit to the Lalana community, ward 30. 

He said his overseas visits are mainly to reset and strengthen Solomon Islands’ relationships and enhance partnerships with Solomon Islands’ friends. 

He said that on Friday, June 26, he will begin his overseas travels once more to restructure the relationships. 

“So, after this visit, on Friday, I will travel to Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Washington DC, Tokyo, the UN, and then to Europe.

“All these overseas visits are to put all our relationships straight forward and to make sure we can benefit from them for the longer term,” he said.

He hopes that from the visits, his government will at least achieve what needs to be done for the good of the people of this country.

“Many times, our people have raised their complaints about the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF). From the visits, we will seek possible ways to address and support our people,” he said.

Walew said he will try his very best to show how the government should run in addressing what this country needs, even though they have only two years to lead the country.

Meanwhile, he also promised that his government will find a way forward to improve the country’s currency.

“We want to see our people get many things when they buy with a 100 note. It is very sad when we buy with 100 notes and only get a few things,” he said.

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BY DOUGLAS VAHIA

Rising from the sea around Isabel Province, a new sculpture by British artist, Jason deCaires Taylor, was installed last week. 

Former Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele, whose constituency is in Isabel, and British High Commissioner, HE Paul Turner, attended the opening event, a statement by the UK High Commission yesterday said.

The live-size sculpture, called ‘Solomon Siren’, depicts the story of climate activist, Gladys Habu Bartlett, whose ancestral land on Kale Island has gradually disappeared beneath the sea, the statement said. 

Over the past two decades, rising sea levels have inundated the island, forcing her family to relocate. 

In recent years, Gladys has highlighted the plight of Kale to demonstrate the world’s complacency towards the threat faced by many small island states in the Pacific, the UK High Commission said. 

A new assessment by the UN indicates that global sea levels are increasing at twice the rate of a decade ago.

The sculpture of stainless steel and concrete depicts a life-size figure of Gladys, her head resting against a tree stump, the statement said. 

The figure represents all women in the community, reflecting on the loss of their lands to the sea.  At high tide, the sea submerges a large part of the figure. 

The body of the figure is inscribed with a series of dates that mark Kale Island’s fate: 2006, when rising sea waters became alarming; 2016, when scientists confirmed the complete loss of Kale; and 2026, the year the sculpture was installed, the statement said.

“The sculpture will serve as a memorial to the vanished island of Kale,” said artist Taylor. 

Taylor, who is based in London, is an award-winning sculptor who is widely regarded as the founder of underwater art. 

He has constructed sculptures in seas all over the world, including in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean. 

Through his works, he aims to draw attention to the fragility of the maritime environment and the communities in these regions.

Manele and HE Turner opened the event last Thursday with Gladys Bartlett cutting the ribbon.  Turner told the community that the UK will continue to be a voice for Pacific Island states on climate action, the UK High Commission statement said. 

He said that ‘Solomon Siren’ is yet another wake-up call for climate-change deniers to understand the impact of rising sea-levels on people’s lives. 

The timing is perfect just before the COP Summit.

The official opening was attended by landowners of Kale and the provincial community who marked the poignant event with songs and prayers. 

As everyone departed in the late afternoon, the Solomon Siren stood alone against the incoming tide, as it will for many years to come.

Photos credit: UK High Commission

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BY RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

Prime Minister Matthew Wale said the Free Education policy will begin in January next year. 

Mr Wale announced this during his speech at Lalana community, Ward 30, on Sunday, June 21. 

He said this is to free up more time to seek funds and deal with important mechanisms and areas that need to be addressed before implementing the GREAT government reform policy. 

He said under his GREAT government, they will need to look at vital areas such as revenue before introducing it. 

“We will begin the Free Education that you have heard about since I was elected as Prime Minister in January.

“We had planned to start with it in semester two, but we don’t have enough revenue to get started.

“So, we will look closely at the area and put in place what is needed first before it is rolled out,” he said.

Wale said he will use his overseas visits to seek funding assistance for the free education policy.

Meanwhile, he appeals to the MPs from the opposition group who have been opposing the free education policy to be patient, as his GREAT government wants to show what they can do for the people of this nation.

Wale said that whatever his GREAT government is pursuing is directed by God, who is the provider of everything.

“For my brother who has opposed this free education policy, you’ll see in January when we have done it,” he said.

Wale also calls on the people of Aoke/Langalanga to continue supporting his GREAT government with their prayers, as they believe in God to lead them and serve the people of this country.

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BY TONY IROGA

Work on the country’s largest rice farm project in North Guadalcanal constituency continues to face disturbance from villagers near the site.

Yesterday police were called to disperse and remove a road-block by the villagers, after they used a tractor and logs to barricade the road and a constituency truck to transport people to man the road block.

The red constituency truck, plate number MD8075, is one of the 13 trucks which were distributed on June 11 to support existing initiatives within the 12 Green Economic Zones (GEZs) across the constituency.

Police have proposed to mediate between the company and the villagers in a meeting tomorrow to clarify a court order preventing disturbances from them on the operation.

It is understood that a court order is active against two ringleader individuals, one of whom led yesterday’s road block. Instead of arresting this individual, police are proposing to give the villagers their final chance to stop disturbing the rice farm project operations.

Guadalcanal PPC Edwin Sevoa in a meeting with the company and its lawyer at the Henderson police station yesterday afternoon said the company and its legal lawyer should meet with the villagers tomorrow at the station to explain the court order to the villagers.

“Similar cases we’ve come across, that’s what we did. Let’s put it this Wednesday, 1pm, the venue is here. We’ll consult with Tetere police and the landowners to come too,” PPC Sevoa said, to which the company’s lawyer agreed.

A senior police officer at the meeting said erecting road blocks is already a criminal act.

Despite $40,000 in road access fees, damage fee and other fees already paid, along with pigs presented through chupu ceremonies, the villagers are still disturbing and harassing the company.

The rice farm is being developed by the South Pacific Economy and Technology Development Co Ltd (SPETD), which is one of two plots which total to 495 hectares that is set to become the country’s biggest rice farm once operational.

The second plot was officially launched on June 4 with a traditional chupu for the landowners.

So far, 40 hectares have been cleared with SPETD ready to sign a deal with a private bomb clearance company worth $1 million to have them clear the site from UXO (unexploded WWII ordnance).

Established early last year, SPETD began trial farming in another smaller plot in GPPOL which successfully resulted in the harvest and processing of fresh rice that were ready to hit the local market.

Prior scientific tests had allowed SPETD to bring in rice species and fertilisers which suited the soil type in the GPPOL plains.

SPETD’s aim is for Solomon Islanders to access fresh rice at very affordable prices, which, once operations run smoothly, can be achieved in a couple of months.

Currently, prices of rice in Solomon Islands are becoming too expensive, and SPETD’s project aims to reverse this.

The company also has plans to venture into sharing their expertise in rice farming to interested local farmers.

Photo: Supplied

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BY RODRICK DESURI

Auki

Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga constituency, Matthew Wale has thanked his constituents for their continuous support with prayers for him in decision making in Parliament.

Mr Wale was visiting his constituency when he gave the word of appreciation to his constituents.

Speaking during the event at Lalana, Prime Minister Wale said their prayer not only guides him, but it also gives him the right time to move and do something for the good of this country.

He assured his constituents to continue with their prayers as he has many tasks to do for the good of the people of Solomon Islands.

“I stayed for many years in the opposition, and I can feel that God was with me. It is God that give me the right timing.

“I encourage you to continue with your good prayer for us the members of Parliament, more especially for me,” he said.

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