World consumer day

Dear Editor – It was my pleasure to attend the celebrations for World Consumer Rights Day in Gizo on 28 May, organised by the Ministry for Commerce. Primary and secondary school students from local schools including Gizo CHS, Titiana, Ngari and Kukundu all demonstrated excellent public speaking talents in addressing the theme for the day:…

Treatment of girls & women

Dear Editor – I would be most grateful if you would publish the following comments in your Solomon Star. Treatment of girls and women in the Solomon Islands and other countries. To keep up with the local, regional and the world’s happenings, the good, the bad, and the ugly, I try daily to buy a…

Responding to someone

Responding to someone called, John Vilivata of Honiara, Skyline. Reference to your paper Friday 30th May 2014 – ( Naezon and Rayboy are true traitors) I request in the strongest manner that if you John Vilivata truly a Guadalcanal man then I ask for compensation under Guadalcanal customary against what u have said against me…

Costly deal: Gov’t paying for land it does not own

Government is still paying thousands of dollars each year to landowners of Komarindi, central Guadalcanal, since 1996 although it has yet to acquire the land. The 12,900 hectare Komarindi site had been earlier proposed for a major hydro project that would provide electricity to Honiara. But the project never got off the ground, nor the…

Blood programme resumed

Red Cross has resumed its voluntary blood donation programme. The programme was disrupted after the humanitarian organization and its many volunteers turned their attention to last month’s devastating flash floods in Honiara and Guadalcanal. Red’s Cross’s Blood Donation Officer Deanne Seppy said their Blood bank team had started their blood drives at Don Bosco Institute…

Why we remain a LDC

The  Prevalence of Trade imbalance, budget deficit, weak infrastructure, less business initiatives and high rate of unemployment are reasons why, Solomon Islands remains under the least Developed Countries (LDC) category. A management professional, who asked not to be identified, also said that trade imbalance is likely to be inherent in the island country. He explained…

Ariki to Forau: Please explain

Member of Parliament for Temotu Vattu constituency Clay Forau is being accused of mismanaging constituency funds, and constituents are demanding explanations. Constituents want the MP to explain where the 2012 Agriculture Funds amounting to $350, 890 for cocoa and coconut rehabilitation, Forestry Fund – downstream processing at $254,872 and reforestation division at $140,000, Church Fund…

Nestle Pacific donates noodle for victims

Flood relief assistance is still pouring in as Nestle Pacific Islands (NPI) delivered a container of noodle for flood victims in Honiara, Friday. The donation worth $100,000 of maggi noodles were donated through Red Cross Solomon Islands by Nestle Pacific’s local distributor, George Wu Company. Red Cross Disaster Manager, Cameron Ngatulu said Red Cross Solomon…

Officials end training

Reproductive health coordinators, teachers, Non-government organisation reps, and provincial disaster coordinators concluded their five-day training on Saturday. The training on Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) was held at the Star Events conference room in Honiara. It was facilitated by Ministry of Health’s Reproductive Division, in collaboration with United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), and…

Helen beats disability to achieve her dream

At the age of seven, Helen Teioli lost her left leg in a tragic car crash in Honiara that left her in a very difficult situation. With her left leg gone, she was introduced to prosthesis (false) leg as a replacement. “Trying to get myself to use prosthesis leg was very difficult,” Helen recalled.“I was…