Against a background of large-scale unemployment amongst many youths in the Solomon Islands, despite the job opportunities created by the seasonal workers project initiated by the Australian Government and the SIG, there still remain many young people who struggle to give leadership and instill the ideals of national unity, pride in the country and community aid.
It seems a pity that the work and ideals of such youths are going unseen by the national government and by members of Parliament.
When serving in the Solomon Islands now two decades ago, I was impressed by a group of young people who had taken to try and beautify Honiara by voluntarily planting flowers and shrubs on the barren verges alongside the main roads. My interest and support led to them being given some basic gardening tools to further their public-spirited work.
The leader of the volunteers, I enrolled as a special constable and she became a staunch supporter of the community policing outreaches I undertook both in Honiara and in parts of East and West Honiara.
I know young people are active but seemingly unseen by today’s government in motivating the youth for good and the SIG I believe is missing out on the opportunity to seek them out and assist their good work in the urban and rural communities.
A youth group that comes to mind is led by a young man previously recognised and rewarded by H.M. the late Queen Elizabeth II with a Leadership Award and the one selected to oversee the lighting of bonfire beacons across the Solomon Islands in the days of official national mourning that followed the late Queen’s death just a short time ago.
I am aware that this same youth, Nolan, Salomon Parairua, has been officially notified of having been selected to be the official Solomon Islands national flag bearer at the Commonwealth Day celebrations in March next year.
Nolan’s achievements for his fellow youths have seen him recognized by the Commonwealth Secretariat and earlier by the late Sovereign Queen of the Solomon Islands and he is known by the British Government and the BHC in Honiara, but his voluntary services to his country and others like him seem to be off the radar to the government and national leaders of his own country.
I have never met Nolan but am constantly inspired by what I know he and other young people are striving to attain for a better Solomon Islands, and so my plea is for the SIG to look towards seeking out their worthy work and deeds and giving them a helping hand in building, together, a better country, one more equated to nation building and understanding of the inspiring ethics of the youth.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
