By RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

In the rural communities of Malaita Province, women are still facing many significant challenges.

Malaita Provincial Government Legal Advisor Godfrey Male voiced this during yesterday’s celebration marking International Women’s Day in Auki. 

He said many of the challenges women face include inequality in education, limited access to opportunities, and barriers in leadership and decision-making. 

“They endure violence, discrimination, and injustice in silence. Some also carry the heavy burden of unpaid care work while striving to provide for their families,” he said. 

He said although women face these challenges, they do not give up but rise up.

“Every day, women contribute immensely to our society and economy. They cultivate our land as farmers, serve as market vendors sustaining our local economy, shape our institutions as professionals, and act as caregivers holding families and communities together,” he said.

Male said in order to support and mitigate the challenges faced, there must be action.

He said that there must be a change in the mindset of people, shifting away from traditions and attitudes that limit women’s involvement.

“As a society, we must change our mindset, move away from our traditions and attitudes that limit women, and instead embrace values that uplift and respect them,” he said.

He also encourages men to be partners in the journey to support women.

“To the men here today, you are the partners in this journey. Supporting women’s rights is not a women’s issue; it is a human issue.

“When women rise, families rise, communities rise, and nations rise,” he said.

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By RODRICK DESURI 

Auki 

The Auki Market Vendors Association celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday with the theme “Rights, Justice, and Action” at the Auki Central Market. 

The important day for women formally falls on March 8 every year, but this year’s celebration was organised to be celebrated for two days, starting yesterday and continuing today. 

Speaking during the celebration, the president of the Auki Market Vendors Association, Kathy Pearson, said they are facing many challenges in the market environment. 

She said many issues have occurred and been witnessed in the market that need consideration from partners and the government. 

She said that although they have faced and experienced difficulties, they don’t give up and work alone; they are supported by their partners and the Malaita Provincial Government.

“Yes, in the market, we have experienced and faced a lot of challenges, such as the violence against women. Many of them have occurred, and we have witnessed.

“However, we are not alone; we have our sectors and stakeholders, like the Malaita Women’s Congress and the provincial government, who have supported us,” she said.

She also wishes all mothers and girls in Malaita and in other provinces safe celebrations. 

She encouraged the mothers and girls in Malaita to be strong, resilient, and to have the strength to work together to address the challenges they face. 

“I just want to wish our mothers and girls in the province a happy International Women’s Day.

“I want us to be strong, resilient, and carry the strength so that we can work together and address the challenges that we have faced and are experiencing,” she said.

Island Sun understands that the event is celebrated annually in Malaita Province.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

While the government is ramping up efforts to continue service delivery in Solomon Islands, parliament is also working to fill in the vacant chairman positions of parliamentary committees.

Island Sun has received reliable information from sources that two Government backbenchers have submitted their letters to the Speaker of Parliament in relation to these chairman positions.

Sources close to the paper said they are Namson Tran, member of Parliament for West Honiara who is to be the chairman of the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) and Ben Maenuu, member of Parliament for Lau Mbaelelea Constituency as chairman for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

These are two important committees that play a major role of scrutinising bills and budgets before they are debated on and passed in parliament.

Island Sun understands that only members of Parliament who do not have ministerial portfolios can become chairpersons to parliamentary standing committees.

When Island Sun reached out to parliament about the two MPs without naming them in regards to confirmation of the above, Director of Parliamentary Committees Secretariat, Wilson Orisi said that upon advice from the Speaker to Parliament, the Speaker will only make announcement on issues of parliamentary constitution on the floor of parliament.

As when these two MPs can begin executing their roles as parliamentary chairpersons, it remains unclear.

In the midst of the current political scenario, government is doing its best to ensure ministries carry out their duties and delivery of services continue to roll out in the country.

The government through its ministries has carried out a number of tasks.

This week, a government team including officials from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) and Ministry of Police travelled to Vanikoro in Temotu Province to visit and progress critical infrastructure works that aim to enhance border security and national resilience in the eastern region.

The Press Secretariat of OPMC in a statement on Tuesday said these outposts are designed to secure the country’s borders, support safe and orderly movement, facilitate regional trade, and safeguard maritime resources for future generations.

The Ministry of Commerce Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) is also moving forward with the implementation of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act 2025.

A statement from the Government Communication Unit (GCU) on Tuesday this week said key developments include the formal appointment of Board Members of the Solomon Islands Special Economic Zone Authority, with the initial Board Meeting scheduled soon.

“Regulations to support the SEZ Act are being finalised in consultation with the Attorney   General’s Chambers, and the recruitment for the CEO is underway.

“In another major move, the Ministry’s Immigration Division has introduced a new Online Visa and Payments system through an E-gate payment bank account with the ANZ Banking Group Limited, part of a broader Border Management system roll out,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Environment Conservation, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECCDM) is also putting in work.

A statement from GCU this week said the ministry is making strides in reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and enhancing climate resilience.

MECDM Permanent Secretary, David Hiba, outlined the Ministry’s key activities and several reforms undertaken by the Ministry.

“Notable among these activities is the progress made in trialling the Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)–Diesel Blended Fuel,” the statement said.

There is also the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) that is prioritising the Bina Harbour project on Malaita as a flagship programme to boost the country’s tuna fishery and maximise economic benefits.

Government has allocated SB$120 million in this year’s budget towards the project as a demonstration of its commitment to ensure the project gets underway.

GCU in a statement on Wednesday this week said the project is progressing with planning for early works infrastructure, including the construction of a domestic jetty.

There are also ongoing site studies with hydrological studies to determine water sources for construction and operations.

“The Korea Cooperative Supporting Centre for Overseas Port and Development consultants are conducting a feasibility study, with a draft report expected in April,” the statement said.

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BY JUNELYN KELLY

The Western provincial government has said China’s donation of 40 outboard motors (OBM) will ‘enhance service delivery across the province’.

Western Province received 40 OBMs from Fujian Province, China, in a handover ceremony held on Wednesday this week.

The donation marks a significant milestone in the growing relationship between the two provinces, following the establishment of their sister-province partnership in 2023.

The assistance comes after discussions on how Fujian Province could best support Western Province in improving service delivery.

With its predominantly maritime geography—stretching from Ngatokae in the east to the Shortland Islands in the west and covering approximately 5,475 square kilometres—the province relies heavily on sea transport.

Deputy Premier of Western Province, Brian Lotikena, speaking on behalf of the Premier, the Executive Government, and the people of Western Province, expressed sincere gratitude for the generous support.

He said the donation as a “very kind gesture” that will greatly enhance service delivery across the province, particularly in remote island communities.

Lotikena also highlighted the need to develop policies and frameworks to support pre-service scholarships, particularly in technical fields such as information and communication technology and engineering.

“As a province, we see this as a pathway to empowering our human resources to better address current challenges and improve economic and livelihood outcomes,” he said.

He added that the outboard motors will significantly improve access to services across key sectors, given the province’s island-based setting.

Lotikena said the donation is expected to strengthen private sector activities and enhance people-to-people engagement, contributing to economic development in Western Province.

Photo credit: Junelyn Kelly

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) Governor Dr Luke Forau has discouraged buying fuel out of panic in light of the ongoing crises in the Middle East.

He told media this after the Public Symposium on “From the Middle East to the Pacific: Understanding the Global Oil Shock and Its Economic Implications” at Kukum Lecture Theatre on Wednesday.

Mr Forau said that engaging in the panic buying mode will only fasten the crisis even for the country itself.

“We should not go into that panic buying mode. Although it’s uncertain, we just buy how much is enough for us to consume and let the economy function. Because if you do that, you will just expedite it. The economy will be affected because people will store the fuel for their own use” he said.

He adds that this will lead to jeopardising others who need fuel.

“It’s not helping anyone. At the end our economy would not function. So, it’s better that we just buy what is needed for us to consume. And then we continue the process,” Forau said.

He said that the country would not feel the impact until May and beyond.

“Fuel should be paid with our normal price. If sited increase of price somewhere, meaning it is illegal and should be reported to the authorities,” he said.

Forau said that the key mandate of CBSI is to ensure or maintain the price stability, in particular, inflation, ensuring that inflation is maintained or contained at a sustainable level.

“Increase of fuel price will definitely increase price of goods. That will cause inflation to increase. Now, our mandate is to contain inflation,” he said.

He said that it is a supply-driven or cost-push.

“The CBSI can only be able to influence a demand-driven inflation. In other words, the monetary policy tools that we have at the moment are very blunt to even absorb the supply-driven inflation. What we do is we collaborate with the government because only the fiscal policy can be able to address the supply-side-driven inflation.

“With those actions where the government will be able to address, hopefully in the next few days, that should be able to address the inflation. At least cushioning, definitely it will increase, but we need to reduce the impact,” Forau said.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Governor of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) Dr Luke Forau said the country does not have fuel security but fuel for consumption.

He made the statement when he responded to a question raised by a local journalist on the country’s position on fuel crises in relation to the current crises in Middle East at the Public Symposium on “From the Middle East to the Pacific: Understanding the Global Oil Shock and Its Economic Implications”.

Speaking at the Symposium which was held at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Kukum Lecture Theatre on Wednesday this week he said at the moment the country does not have a fuel security in place.

“When you say fuel security. I think at the moment we don’t have fuel security in place. What we currently have is fuel for consumption,” he said.

He however said that it is an agenda the CBSI with stakeholders are looking into addressing it together with the Government.

“That is something for the government in the medium to long term to look into,” he said.

He said that fuel security is one of the agenda that they are looking at to collaborate with the government to ensure that there is fuel security policy in place.

“The impact of it not having a fuel security is if the crisis is prolonged. At the moment, we don’t know how long it will take. But if it goes beyond what we cannot imagine, then it will definitely have an impact on us. If supply is short, it means that we don’t have any fuel,” Forau said.

He said that most of the businesses that are depending heavily on fuel will be affected.

“Their operations might scale down or even close. And that is the worst-case scenario, which we don’t want to go to that extent,” he said.

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