Unfinished road works

Dear Editor – It was good to see the rapid repair works of the city’s highway in Honiara prior to the RAMSI’s farewell celebration last week. Contractors have been working flat out even during the night to fix the roads and patch up the pot holes. Some contractors are continuing with their work but there…

A letter of response

Dear Editor – In this article I wish to refer to the answer to my letter to the editor by the Minister of the Ministry of Public Service. My article appeared on the Solomon Star on Thursday 15th June 2017. First of all, I wish to point out that I did not retire from the…

Queens young leaders award

Dear Editor – Radio New Zealand International this morning, 4 July 2017 (yesterday), reported that four Pacific women have been given Queen____s Young Leader awards for their work dealing with social issues in their countries. Acknowledged for her community work was Solomon Islander, Karrie Jionisi, who helps unemployed girls and single mothers to learn new…

Thanks govt, RAMSI

Dear Editor – I wish to thank the government for allowing a public holiday to honour RAMSI in their farewell program. Earlier there was a call made through this paper’s Letters column calling on the government to consider allowing a day special break to allow the Honiara residents to come out and witness the final…

Recording the truth

Dear Editor – The Honourable Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, spoke last week at a high-level symposium on the legacy of RAMSI. The PM said it was important that future generations are fed the right information about what actually happened during the period of the countries ethnic tensions, because as he said, “This is going to…

April Valley

Dear Editor – Amidst the local celebrations marking the work of RAMSI, three years on from the terrible floods in Honiara in April 2014 when 21 people from the Kao Valley community died as the Mataniko River burst its banks, the hundreds of people that were relocated to the eastern foothills of Honiara are still…

RAMSI ends: what’s next for SI?

The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) officially comes to a completion on Friday, June 30. For the past 14 years the Australian-led mission has been assisting the Pacific Island country to reestablish stability and functionality after a period of ethnic violence from 1998 to 2003. During this period hundreds of people were killed,…

RAMSI farewell: Blong samfala nomoa

Dear Editor – There is no doubt that RAMSI has helped our country turn and return from the edge of the abyss of long term destruction and despair.  It was rather unfortunate that most of the “farewelling” occurred only in one place. All the parties, cocktails, toasts, speeches, ceremonies and fireworks were done in hotels…

Mining

Dear Editor – Despite controversies surrounding specific mining projects throughout the country – Gold Ridge, Renell and Bellona, Temotu, and Isabel to name a few, the DCC appears to be doing something to improve how things are done in this industry with the recent launch of the National Minerals Policy. I assume that, the document…