SUSTAINABILITY OF FOREST RESERVES

Importance of sustainability emphasised at JCC

Quoting the Solomon Star newspaper – 30 January 2019

“THE importance of sustainability in terms of harvesting and using of current available forest resources has been highlighted at the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) comprising of various line ministries and stakeholders that has convened its fourth and first meeting for year 2019 recently.

“JCC was established as one of the monitoring mechanism under the Sustainable Forest Resource Management (SFRM) Project implemented by the Ministry of Forestry and Research in collaboration with Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“In his opening remarks, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Forestry and Research Dr Vaeno Vigulu says the current caretaker government, Solomon Islands Democratic Coalition for Change Government (SIDCCG) sees the importance of sustainability seeing the fast harvest of our available forest resources.

“Equally, the government is also keen to maximize benefits to the resource owners along with other measures to be considered that are priorities, he adds.

“The Permanent Secretary says at a sustainable rate in terms of harvesting the available forest resources, it is between 300,000 to 400,000 cubic.

“Currently the harvesting rate is beyond sustainable and the Ministry of Forestry and Research will be working on making a huge reduction in terms of cubic meters in the years to come.

“This declining trend is to be enforced down to a reasonable sustainable figure that reflects the current available forest status, he says.

“Dr Vigulu says as such decision making into whatever available options must be considered; Sustainable Forest Resource Management is one such alternative means.

“He acknowledges the collaboration with the Japanese Government under JICA and the Ministry of Forestry and Research as first of such with the ministry and is a project of hope.

“With the progress made so far, two established pilot sites - Falake Community in Kwara’ae, Malaita and Kumoniboli Community in East Guadalcanal, Guadalcanal. We are committed and grateful to continue to do the good work this year.”

“The Permanent Secretary also welcomes the SFRM short-term experts under JICA who will be part of the collaborative efforts to run activities at the identified pilot sites.”

Copyright @ 2018, Solomon Star News.

SECURITY PLANNING IN THE SOLOMONS MUST NO LONGER EXCLUDE RURAL COMMUNITIES

12 July 2018

RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRICKLE DOWN JOB CREATION FUNDAMENTAL TO NATIONAL SECURITY

Against the backdrop of recent talks to establish a long-term vision for the future with a functional national security policy I believe an elderly mother from Malaita Province had some words to say over the weekend which, to me, highlighted one of the most neglected security concerns at the core of national unity and economic prosperity, the lack of rural development and job creation that has beset the country for the last 21 years to my knowledge.

Indeed the analysis of the current security threats facing the nation, as outlined at the workshop to consider a national security policy for the future, were no different to the threats that I spoke about in 1998 and threats that were later highlighted in a Security Review undertaken by the Australian Government, at the request of the Solomon Island Government, at my urging in mid-1998.

Rural development and trickle down job creation has been left behind by successive governments for far too long

Speaking to the media from Auki on the eve of the 40^th independence celebrations, Maria Teikui, used words which I believe are words most people would want to say to the government of the day.

She reportedly said (quote)

“The government needs to redirect much needed economic development activities to rural centres in Solomon Islands.

“To me, the country’s 40th year of independence is another time for current leaders to remember past achievements.

“I believe that if the government concentrated on redirecting economic development down to rural centres in Solomon Islands, government services will reach every Solomon Islanders equally,”

She reportedly went on to add that the lack of economic development in the rural areas in Solomon Islands has forced young people to leave their communities to search for jobs in Honiara.

Mrs Teikui added -

“This is a pull -factor that the government needs to redirect and consider, by creating strategies that rightly targets the interest of young people.

“Nowadays, I see most young people are interested in going to Honiara, where they think they can find a decent job.

“This has caused less participation of youths in the development of rural communities nationwide

“Leaders should take up full responsibility to providing equal government services to all citizens.

There was no talk in the past of a “Bottoms Up” approach to rural development but nothing materialized and if national security is to be reviewed then rural development and localised job creation must no longer be sidelined.

I would like to suggest that the SIG consider Community Based Integrated Rural Development Centres to confront the challenges of low economic infrastructure, development, job creation and biodiversity loss through the participation of rural communities in a variety of sustainable livelihood activities.

Rural communities in the Solomon Islands have endured too many decades of economic marginalization and lack of basic social services.

Thailand has offered help to the Solomon Islands Government in the past and I would encourage the SIG to seek the help of the Royal Thai Government to learn about the success of Thailand’s Population and Community Development Association which created many Community Based Integrated Rural Development Centres since the 1980s to deal with the concerns and needs of the rural population and obtained much success to the satisfaction of many communities.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

CLIMATE CHANGE: AUSTRALIA SAID TO BE OUT OF STEP WITH THE PACIFIC

Australia out of step with Pacific says academic

Quoting Radio New Zealand – 10 September 2018

“An academic in security studies and Pacific geopolitics says it is disturbing Australia is driving a strong security agenda while undermining the importance of climate change action by Pacific leaders.

“Pacific Island leaders at the recent Forum in Nauru called on the United States to return to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga, said Pacific leaders would not tone down their message to the US, implying Australia had wanted a more diluted signal.

“Anna Powles from Massey University's Centre for Defence and Security said Australia is demonstrating its lack of regard for Pacific issues.

"I think it shows that Australia is out of step with the Pacific and Pacific countries and leadership, despite their step up in terms of re-engagement with the Pacific. The number one tension point is obviously on climate change and allegations that they've tried to water down, sought to water down the communique, are deeply disturbing," said Anna Powles.

“Dr Powles said Australia's intention to set up the Pacific Fusion Centre to boost security of maritime areas and transnational crime was positive but she hopes it is not just a one way arrangement and efforts are made to build Pacific security capabilities as well.”

"For New Zealand's credibility's sake and for our legitimacy within the region and for the success of the "reset" and indeed for the success of the claim that we are part of the region, not separate to the Pacific islands region, we're going to have to be very mindful of how we negotiate some of the more contradictory areas of Australian policy within the Pacific," Anna Powles said.

“The academic said it was interesting the US representative at the Forum, Ryan Zinke, did not not mention climate change in his post-Forum statement, despite pledging assistance to the Pacific and asking for its support with sanctions on North Korea.

"There has to be some quid pro quo here. We cannot expect Pacific countries to support initiatives that do not directly impact Pacific countries, whereas climate change is the existential threat to the Pacific."

Copyright @ 2018, Radio New Zealand.

Government To Upgrade All Provincial Airports This Year

The Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Aviation and Communications (MAC), Francis Lomo, told a reporter of the Solomon Star late last month, his Ministry would upgrade all provincial airports and terminals in the country following complaints having been raised that some provincial airport terminals are unhygienic.

If tourism is to develop in the Solomon Islands then having safe, secure and hygienic airports is crucial to the policy of encouraging more visitors to our shores.