SI: MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND GOVERNMENT POLICY ON MENTAL HEALTH

23 May 2020

Solomon Islands: A police officers comments begs the question whether there is a Mental Health Policy in place today

 In an article in the Solomon Stat newspaper yesterday an unidentified police officer was quoted as saying, “It is very sad when the whole city is in lockdown, we realized we have a lot of mentally ill people living with us.”

The police officer’s comments came in respect of what he saw during his tour of duty during the 36 hour lockdown which commenced on Wednesday night.

The Solomon Star newspaper accompanied the article with a photo of a relatively young man, described as a “mental man,” walking through a Honiara street during the lockdown on Thursday.

It strikes me as very sad indeed that a lockdown has served to highlight the number of people with special needs in Honiara.

With the greatest respect I ask what is the extent of the situation in the Solomon Islands today, and not just in Honiara, with regard to the numbers suffering mental health concerns, and what care and possible treatment is available to them.

I believe a National Mental Health Policy was drafted in 2009 but I am not sure whether it was ever endorsed by the Cabinet.

I know, too, a number of the population still turns to traditional healers or church leaders for purposes of healing, seeking help from Western medicine only after all other alternatives in the community have been exhausted.

Is there still a long way to go before mental health services are available, affordable and accessible to the whole population, including people living in geographically remote areas?

From 2012 to 2014, the Solomon Islands Integrated Mental Health service worked with Asia-Australia Mental Health to build workforce capacity and deliver sustainable community mental health programs and emphasised the importance of greater community ownership and involvement in community-based mental health care, and of moving from centralised services to increased local and accessible care.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

SI PM ADDRESSES THE NATION

SI PM ADDRESSES THE NATION AT INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS

Quoting from the Solomon Star newspaper – 9 July 2018

“Speaking last week during the 40^th Anniversary Celebrations, Prime  Minister Rick Houenipwela cautioned the nation on high rate of youth unemployment in the country and unveils important steps to address the problem.

“PM said our youth, which comprise more than 50 percent of the county’s population, do not have adequate employment and / or entrepreneurship opportunities.

“Therefore they are not able to contribute effectively to our country’s economic development,” he pointed out.

“A reform in our education curricular will ensure our youths are more competitive in the labour market,” Mr Houenipwela stated.

“He said that the Government is now taking steps to create innovative employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for our young people through-out the country.

“This year we will introduce a new Youth Empowerment Policy to drive youth employment and entrepreneurship in the country,” he highlighted.

“Mr. Houenipwela said this framework will also include programs for leadership training, in sports, arts and drama and many other areas of interest to our youth population.

“To enhancing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for youths in the country, I am personally seeking to put in place formal labour mobility agreements with several countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and Taiwan that I hope will help provide huge opportunities for our youths and alleviate the youth unemployment challenges in our country,” PM revealed.

“We must step up efforts to support our women in businesses initiatives and programs as well,” he said.

“Economy shows positive signs

Solomon Islands economy has been enjoying positive growth for the past several years, says Prime Minister Rick Hou.

“The Prime Minister highlighted this, when speaking at the country’s 40th Independence celebration in Honiara, last Friday.

“He said, that would have enhanced opportunities for business in areas such as infrastructure services, tourism development, sustainable forestry, agri-industry and fisheries.

“In recent years, except for a contraction in 2014 caused by devastating floods and the closure of “Gold Ridge mine, it grew by 2.9% in 2015, 3.2% in 2016 and in 2017 of growth of 3.0% has been recorded.

“However, the strong momentum in 2017 is not expected to carry into 2018 and 2019, with GDP growth projected to be 3.5 percent in 2018 and 3.4 per cent in 2019.

“This is primarily due to the expected fall in the value of log exports and fishing activities,” said the Prime Minister.

“He added, the Government is addressing this simmering risk to revenues and foreign exchange earnings.

“Prime Minister Hou said that, given the impact from the closure of Gold Ridge Mine, it is one of the main policy drivers of the Government to reopen Gold Ridge.

“After much discussion, I am more than hopeful that this will eventuate with the first gold pour in 2019,” he said.

“As the country celebrates its 40 years of independence, Prime Minister Rick Hou says there is a need for people to work in unity to solve the challenges facing them.

“Prime Minister Hou made the tough call, when addressing the nation during the 40th independence celebration last week, in Honiara.

“As we all can recall, we have faced serious challenges including the ethnic conflict.

“But the challenges we faced, strengthened our resilience as a people, and our resolve as a nation,” Prime Minister said.

“He added that the challenges we faced showed us the value of unity, for there is more that unites us, than divide us.

“We must ensure the security of our nation remain strong and firm. That we remain united, as one people, living in peaceful co-existence.”

“He said this is the legacy we must guard with honour to pass on to our future generations – the legacy of peace, reconciliation and unity; the legacy of one people, one vision, one destiny and one nation.

“Fellow Solomon Islanders, we all have a collective responsibility to our beloved nation. It is my hope that we can work together for the common good of current and future generations.”

“He said, regardless of where we are, and what we each do – we all have a moral responsibility to our nation.

“Together we can all contribute to the kind of Solomon Islands we wish to leave behind for our children and grandchildren. He said.

“Never before has there been a better platform for us to launch our journey for the next 40 years than we have now.

“We have learnt from our lessons. We know what it is like to grieve; but we also know what it is like to be rise above the hurts and be reconciled, to be liberated and to be free.

“So let us join hands as we march with confidence toward our future,” the prime minister said.

“The future of Solomon Islands is in our hands. Actions and decisions by our Leaders today, in all walks of life, will determine what kind of Solomon Islands we will see in 40 years.

“Our decisions and action today can either empower or condemn our future generations – We must choose wisely,” he added.

“Meanwhile, the prime minister said, to guide us, we must be united with a vision that portrays “a strong, secure, peaceful and prosperous Solomon Islands whose people are educated, healthy and manage their resources in an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable way”.

Copyright :  Solomon Star.

YOUTHS COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVE

22 January 2019

Youths leading by example and making a difference by voluntary community service.

Last weekend the youths of Ngossi carried out a voluntary clean-up in the grounds of the Honiara National Referral Hospital (NRH).

The initiative was organised by the Ngossi youth executive  in order to involve young people in their community and to encourage them to work together in taking care of the city.

It is believed OXFAM Solomon Islands was the main sponsor for the clean-up by providing funding.

Assistance was also given by the Honiara City Council

Ngossi community youth are endeavouring to be part of a positive change in the local urban community and encouraging participation in the orderly and wider development of the nation.

Source:  Island Sun newspaper.

Well done to all concerned.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

NZ's PACIFIC AID BUDGET

16 July 2018

New Zealand ODA Budget Raised to Further Aid Regional Countries

According to the most recent news from Radio New Zealand the New Zealand Government has increased its Overseas Development Assistance budget by $US488 million, lifting the total to $US1.5 billion over the current four year funding cycle.

 “The ministry's deputy secretary of Pacific and development, Jonathan Kings, said $US124 million would be dedicated to a strategic development investment fund for the big issues in the region, including climate change resilience and a land reclamation project in Kiribati.

"But as well as that we are re-orienting the aid programme to reflect this government's priorities and some of the resources will go to address the challenges that this government has identified that they want to see addressed in the Pacific," Mr Kings said.

"For example, health and education. gender issues and women's empowerment issues,” Mr King was claimed to have added.

Commenting on the new development assistance, a research academic at the Australian National University reportedly said using aid to foster a stronger and more prosperous neighbourhood benefited the entire region.

It is understood that Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor L’Este are considered by New Zealand as most in need of aid funding.

Source – Radio New Zealand.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short