THE Tongan Government is reportedly considering withdrawing from the Miss Pacific Pageant following the debacle of the event in Honiara three weeks ago. MATANGI TONGA Online disclosed this in a news report it published on Friday February 28 (Saturday Solomon Time). The paper quoted the country’s Minister for Justice and Tourism, Mo’ale Finau that Tonga…
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) officers in Tulagi, Central Islands Province, have remanded a father who allegedly raped his 19-year-old daughter at Big Ngella, recently. Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent David Soakai, said it is alleged that prior to the rape incident, the suspect had attempted three times but failed. Superintendent Soakai said on…
Bethalyn Kelly – a young leader from Solomon Islands – has been nominated for the prestigious Commonwealth Youth Award. Twenty extraordinary young individuals, including social entrepreneurs, climate advocates, innovators, and community health champions from across the Commonwealth, have been shortlisted for the 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work. The top regional winners and…
Project Period Tax Reform (PTR) is a voluntary, youth-led initiative dedicated to improving the well-being of young girls and women in the Solomon Islands. Poor menstrual hygiene has long been a critical issue, impacting not only female health but also school attendance and academic performance. This initiative is led by five young Solomon Islanders from…
Australia has launched a driver training program for local women participating in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, which is helping work-ready women land jobs in Australia. Under the Solomon Islands-Australia partnership, Australia is supporting local driving school, Solomon Islands Professional Driver Training Services (SIPDTS), to upskill more women in the PALM scheme. With…
Last month, I was contacted by Martha and Timothy Matzke from the Summer Institute of Linguistics (Pacific-based), who sought my insights on the theme for this year’s International Mother Language Day: “Taking Our Languages into the Future.” At the time, I was preoccupied with preparations for my move to New Zealand, making it a particularly…
In a significant milestone, the Besi Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) Christian School celebrates its first graduates enrolling at the University of South Pacific (USP) in Honiara. Alyssum Firisua has become the first student from the school to enrol in a Bachelor’s program at the University of the South Pacific (USP). This achievement marks a proud…
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Australian Government and strategic stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to tackling cervical cancer through a day long planning workshop held today, Friday, funded by the Australian government. The program brings together local and overseas technical experts to deliberate on how best cervical cancer can be prevented and eliminated…
The Solomon Islands Professional Driver Training Services (SIPDTS), a woman-led local business, and the only formal driving school in Honiara, will receive newly renovated training facilities and a new cost-shared training vehicle, supported by Australia, to strengthening skills development in Solomon Islands. Driving skills are essential for improving employability as well as economic self-empowerment. The…
The newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands, Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia-Allan, has pledged to support Miss Kiribati, Kimberly Tokanang, in raising awareness and advocating for climate change action in the Pacific region. Miss Kiribati has been a vocal advocate for climate change, representing her country at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) held in Baku,…