BY NED GAGAHE
The British Royal Navy ship, HMS Tamar, anchored in Tulagi on Friday morning as the first stop in a week-long visit to Solomon Islands.
The visit by HMS Tamar follows two successful Royal Navy ship visits to Solomon Islands in 2023 and 2024. The ship’s company were delighted to bring HMS Tamar back.
HMS Tamar has been permanently deployed in the Pacific region for 5 years, providing support on maritime security. The ship is involved in a wide range of operations including humanitarian and disaster relief, counter-illegal fishing, and counter-narcotics deterrence.
On Friday 15 May, with support from the RSIPF Maritime Police, the vessel visited Tulagi in Central Province.
It was fitting that HMS Tamar visited Tulagi as it was where the British Protectorate set up the first capital of Solomon Islands. British High Commissioner, HE Paul Turner, and Provincial Premier, Kenneth Sagupari, along with Provincial Ministers, were in Tulagi to greet the ship and welcome the ship’s party ashore.
HMS Tamar subsequently sailed into Honiara for week-long engagements with a range of Solomon Island institutions, including the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), central and local government and representatives from civil society and the media.
British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Paul Turner said the return of HMS Tamar to Solomons celebrates the longstanding connection between our nations and provides an opportunity to further deepen our partnership and work closely on issues such as maritime security.
He said the ship’s visit to Tulagi was particularly poignant given the historic links between Tulagi and Great Britain.
Premier Sagupari also underlined the strong historic links between Tulagi and Great Britain and said that visit was an important milestone in the province’s recent history. The Premier visited the ship with HE Turner and was greeted by the ship’s commanding officer, Commander Tom Lindsey.
Crew members from HMS Tamar also went ashore to visit the new museum in Tulagi that is due to open in June. The museum is on the site of the British Commissioner’s residence – Haus Number One. It will house a permanent exhibition show-casing Ngella culture as well as the history of the British Protectorate.
Sub-Lieutenant Robin Blyth, the communications officer for HMS Tamar, remarked on the welcome the ship had received on Tulagi.
“I must have visited over a dozen countries in the last year with the Royal Navy, and I cannot remember a warmer welcome. Everyone in the ship is really looking forward hosting guests on board and hoping to see as much as possible of the beautiful Solomon Islands,” he said.
The ship’s visit is an opportunity to develop further the collaboration between the United Kingdom and Solomon Islands.
This partnership was evident on Friday with the RSIPF working with the Royal Navy to ensure a smooth passage of crew and delegates from ship to shore.
The British High Commissioner paid tribute to the RSIPF, underlining the excellent job they had done in facilitating the delegation ashore.
HMS Tamar will be docked in Honiara until 22 May and will host several events with local dignitaries as well as educational visits for youth groups.
Photo Credit: British High Commission
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