BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Chief of Sikaiana has decried a recent media report by the Solomon Star which implied that the community on Sikaiana collectively attacked a nurse serving the isolated atolls.
Chief Leonard Semalu Hakamele said the media report was framed to make it appear as if the people on Sikaiana rallied to attack the nurse.
This is simply not true and misleading, said Mr Semalu.
What happened was this incident involved only the nurse and attacker, both of whom were drinking alcohol together and initiated an argument between themselves without involvement of anyone else from the community, and entered into physical confrontation by themselves without any involvement from anyone else from the community, said Semalu.
In preparation for the Malaita Day on August 15 this year, a notice was sent out to the community by the religious and cultural leadership, banning consumption of liquor in respect of the occasion.
However, the nurse and the accused deliberately chose to break this rule and drank alcohol.
So, while the community on Sikaiana went about commemorating Malaita Day in peace and harmony, the two men (nurse and attacker) consumed alcohol by themselves.
The attack incident reportedly occurred at the clinic compound in which the accused attacked the nurse, reportedly leaving him with injuries and wounds.
Semalu calls on relevant authorities to investigate the matter.
“The community respected that day and set rules to honour no drinking till evening, however, the islands celebrated the event peacefully whilst the Nurse in charge and suspect ignored set rules by leaders in the island,” said Semalu.
“We know it is embarrassing but we must check the other side of the coin, don’t judge on one side only, because we want to draw an understanding to the ministry that we need to put an investigation into this issue as it is not serious as said.
“The chief apologizes on behalf to the relatives of the Nurse in Charge, the Ministry of Health and Kilu’ufi Admin for this unexpected issue. We all know that throughout Solomon we have cultures that guide us, but other ignores the fact that we have our cultures and CPC bylaws placed on the island.”
