Honiara Central Market

Dear Editor – The Central Market in Honiara is an important venue for the market vendors, shoppers and tourists alike. Always a hive of activity and a place I liked to visit during my time in Honiara. I was pleased to learn the members of the Honiara Central Market Vendor’s Association (HCMVA) are committed to…

Urgent need to police the common border

The need for police and immigration presence at our common border with neighbours Papua New Guinea is urgent than even. Right now, the border was left unattended by these responsible authorities. While historically people living on both sides of the border were blood related, this does not mean cross-border activities should be allowed to go…

Culture a unique tourism product, says minister

The Minister for Culture and Tourism Bartholomew Parapolo says the country’s diverse and unique cultures are an important product as a tourist attraction that must be harnessed in the country’s development agenda. Speaking at the official launch of the Government’s new National Tourism Development Strategy Friday, Parapolo said culture is an important fabric of Solomon…

Survey finds many have high stress, trauma level

Most people in Malaita lived stressful and traumatic lives, a survey has found. The High Level Stress and Trauma Self-Assessment Survey was carried out by the Commission on Justice, Reconciliation and Peace of the Anglican Church of Melanesia in Malaita. It focused on the problems that affect the physical, mental, behavioural, emotional and spirituality of…

SINU plans to reclaim malaria lab building

Solomon Islands National University (SINU) intends to reclaim and renovate the run-down and disused Solomon Islands Malaria Training and Research Institute building at Kukum. The building, once of the prides of Honiara, was built by the Japanese Government. It has since been abandoned due to its debilitating condition. SINU’s vice chancellor Dr Glynn Galo said:…

Top UN official visiting here

Appointed Special Representative of the United Nation’s General Secretary on Violence Against Children (SRSG), Marta Santo Pais will be visiting the country this week. She will be here for two days from Wednesday 20 to Friday 22. The purpose of her visit is to advocate and support the national government and its partners to achieve…

Call to maintain FOPA

A local tourism operator has urged responsible authorities to maintain the Festival of Pacific Arts (FOPA) village in east Honiara. The government built the village, which costs millions of dollars, as the central venue for the festival of arts, which the country hosted in 2012. After the festival ended, the venue of the village was…

Committee set up for Protected Areas

A first ever advisory committee for protected areas in the country has been established according to the Protected Areas Act 2010. The committee held their first meeting on 7 May 2015. Agenda discussed includes deliberation of the first application for bio-prospecting and bio-research permit to be issued under the Act. The first 5-6 Protected Areas…

Rural workers told of roles

Rural workers were told their communities expect more from them. Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination Permanent Secretary, Shadrach Fanega told more than 50 community helpers from the 50 constituencies who were trained on 20 different modules on community facilitation and CDD approach. The month-long training was organised under the Rural Development Project (RDP)…

Mother with a big heart

This could be the biggest mothers’ day gift ever for any mother in the country. Cathy Nori is one of the mothers who celebrated Mother’s Day last weekend. But what’s more special about her celebration was the gift she got on that day. It was not just any gift but a ship she and her…