Arosi Easter Festival Set

(Solomon Star, 24 Feb, 2010)

Sport women and men of Arosi in Makira/Ulawa province are looking forward for a sporting festival schedule between 2nd-6th April during the Easter period.

Called Arosi Easter Challenge the sporting festival is to unite people through sport while celebrating the Easter.

Coordinator of Arosi Easter Challenge Golden Kiloko said the sport events that will be played are soccer seven’s and netball.

Cash prizes and winning trophy for the Easter challenge has already been secured thanks to El-Shaddai Enterprises. Managing Director John Kwaita said his company is honored to support sports in the province.

He said as a company providing shipping services for the province they are happy to contribute in uniting the communities through sport.

Sports carnival in Makira

Saturday, 19 September 2009


A ONE inter-primary sports carnival is currently underway Wainoni, Makira.

Reports reaching Star Sports revealed that four schools are participating in the carnival.

The schools areTama, Rama, Naharahau and Warohinou.

They competed in soccer, netball, volleyball and athletics.

Head Master of Tama Primary school Thomas Waro speak highly of the tournament saying looks like next year Rama will host the carnival..

Some hundreds people turned up to witness the event from the neighbouring communities around Wainoni.

Village people have also taken advantage to sell their produce during the carnival.

Reports said the locals’ students have showing alot of skills.

Makira is one of the provinces, which produced top runners for this country, and there are potential skills in the rural areas.

[Source: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/]

Where’s East Makira funding? -From Solomon Star Letters to the Editor

By Chief Stanley Sukurunita

Tawaroga, East Makira

Tuesday, 22 September 2009


DEAR EDITOR –
Listening to the radio now and then I heard service messages from some MPs talking about things they buy and send home for their constituencies.

These kinds of messages talked about church buildings, clinics, schools, solar lighting, fishing gears and the list goes on.

I would like to ask our honorable member for East Makira about how he uses RCDF, Micro funds and other such funds available to the MPs for the betterment of village life.

Whilst other MPs are using these funds to help improve their constituencies, I am sad to say that ours is not doing that.

Except for outboard motor engines and boats, chainsaws, bags of rice and flour yes; but these often go to certain families only.

And the issuing of such support seems to be going to these people only, not everyone and anyone in the constituency who deserves the assistance. Support through these kinds of materials as you and I know live a very short life.

We prefer bigger projects that address the common good of all constituents.

I was moved by a recent radio program which featured a big centre for east Choiseul. That is the kind of support which exists for the good of everyone and is what I mean my MP should spend the money he’s been getting over his entire tenure in parliament.

The East Makira constituency has one of the longest serving MPs since inception in the early or mid 80s.

Hon. David Sitai has served six terms or 24 years. I am sure that a lot of people think this constituency had developed more than any other in the country because of its stable leadership.

But sad to say, it is definitely not. So I would like the MP to answer the following questions:

Why no projects? Why no funds available but other constituencies are enjoying many good things their MPs are using the funds on for them? Why no shipping services? Where is the money – millions – gone or going?

Who is using it?

The media always talks about millions of dollars being earmarked for rural development through MPs, but what community projects are there in east Makira?

Why hasn’t the constituency set up such community projects? Not long ago Alfred Sasako published a report which said a copra project centre valued at $200,000 was set up in east Makira. Where was it set up?

Another rumour also talked about a ship for the constituency last year, to be bought either from Australia or Japan.

Is this true? And when is it going to come to serve this forgotten paradise of Makira? Wat taem?

All the loyal supporters of the MP throughout his 24 years in parliament are regretting this loyalty.

Their trust and hopes have been in vain. They have been misled by the vain promises made during the past campaign periods.

But then again, I am not sure whether or not it is the member who is at fault because he has a horde of conmen surrounding him all the time.

And I am certain that a lot of good intentions the MP had had during his 24 years had been squandered by this bunch.

Like others are saying, I call on the MP and his cohorts to put in this forum how they have spent those millions in the last 24 years.

Koloale Fans Flock into Honiara

BY FRANCIS PITUVAKA, SIFF MEDIA
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:12 AM

Fans from Makira expected to make up the thousand strong Koloale support at Lawson Tama come Saturday. (Source: Joy Basi

Hundreds of soccer fans from Makira Province and other provinces are flocking into Honiara to watch the showdown between Koloale and Auckland City on Saturday.

Makira fans traveled to Honiara to see one of their own son Nicholas Muri play the first leg of the O' league finals.

Reports say fans from other provinces too are traveling to the national capital to witness Koloale as they take on New Zealand's best club.

It would be a David and Goliath affair, as Koloale try to repeat Kossa's feat in 2008 when it beat Waitakere 3-1 in Honiara.

Koloale has proved it has the players who can stand up to the might of Auckland City and will on the day give them a run for their money.

Its 4-0 win over former O'league rep Kossa last Saturday showed how serious they were about their prospect of playing in the FIFA World Clubs Final later on this year.

With the warm climate and hundreds of screaming green army expected to flock to Lawson Tama, it will definitely be a cracker.

Meanwhile, match officials for the first leg of the O'league finals between Koloale and Auckland City have been named.

Australian, Strebre Delovski is the match referee and will be assisted by Michael Mouauri (Cook Islands), Hillary Ani (PNG) and Chris Beath as the fourth official. He is from Australia.

Neil Poloso will be the referee assessor while Solomon Islander and Auckland-based David Firisua is the OFC coordinator. He will be assisted by SIFF Development officer Noel Wagapu.

The Protocols of a 'Custom House'

Monday, February 25, 2008 6:54 AM

The traditional 'custom house' from Makira - Ulawa Province. (Source: STO Archive)

The Solomon Islands, with its diverse culture and people, have some very unique traditional protocols that must be observed if one were to visit these beautiful Islands.

Makira - Ulawa Province, one of the Nine Provinces in the Solomon Islands, has a unique custom house that comes with ancient protocols.

Frank Hui, a man from Makira, explained the importance of these custom houses.

"In Makira we regard these custom houses, particularly the ones with carved posts, as a house full of symbolism and traditional protocols" said Mr Hui.

"A custom house is a specially built house that symbolizes compassion and kindness, those villages with the most custom houses shows that they have had many great feasts"

More importantly, said Mr Hui, a custom house is one of the greatest gestures from a grown child to her parents "to pay back what their parents did for them when they were children." "It's the best way to express your gratitude to your parents...a big feast is also made in the custom house." Mr. Hui said

While the custom house does have some important symbolic gestures, the ancient protocols are equally important. "Unfortunately women are not allowed to enter the house until the feast is over...it is our belief that if any woman enters the house before the event then the spirits that protects the house and family from harm will leave the house." Asked why this so, Mr Hui said "that's just how it is...I do not have an explanation for it"

Mr Hui was quick to point out that not all men are allowed into the custom house "only authorized men can enter the house."

Mr Hui said that it is important for anyone partaking in the 'opening' of these custom houses to understand its protocols because they are still applied to this day.

"In the Solomon Islands we have very different cultures and people living together, so it's important to learn and understand such traditional protocols so that we do not offend each other" Mr Hui said.

Our Telekom Launches Kirakira Breeze GSM Mobile Service

BY PRESS RELEASES (OUR TELEKOM),

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 6:06 PM

Kirakira GSM Mobile Tower, (Source: Photo Supplied)

Our Telekom will launch its Breeze GSM Mobile Service in the Makira provincial capital, Kirakira, on Tuesday 29th July, 2008.

Our Telekom will offer Mobile Sales Special on Mobile phones and SIM cards with unbeatable prices to customers in Kirakira during the launch.

The mobile service installation in Kirakira was completed on the 5th May and was put on trial for a month. Our Telekom engineers have carried out coverage tests which produced good reception for Kirakira Township and its surrounding areas.

The Breeze GSM catchment areas goes as far as Wango point, Arosi One in the Western part of Makira and goes as far as Wainoni Catholic Station, Wainoni Bay in the East.

Residents in and around Kirakira with existing mobile phones have been using the mobile service since it was installed. However, those who are yet to own mobile phones are hoping to buy their handsets during the launch.

Mrs. Edith Hanuagi of Telekom Kirakira said the people in Makira are very excited about this new development being extended to the province.

"The mobile service makes communication much easier to people in the township and the surrounding areas especially to where landlines never reaches such as the Kirakira airport terminal. Airline passengers can now easily contact Solomon Airlines in Honiara from the airport to find out about flight movements," Mrs Hanuagi said

Our Telekom has continued its rural development this year by extending the GSM mobile services to Lata in the Temotu Province and Kirakira in Makira Province and Buala in the Isabel Province.

The next roll out of Breeze GSM mobile service will be in Taro in Choiseul and Seghe in Western.

Porn Shocks Premier's Conference

BY JOY BASI

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 9:47 AM


The Premier's Conference in Lata was cut short on its first day after obscene pictures began appearing on the screen during a Power Point Presentation.

The laptop used was said to have been owned by the Permanent Secretary of the Provincial Government, Fred Ganate, who also chairs the Premier's Conference.

Described as disgraceful, the chairperson who was also apparently shocked, apologized to the leaders and then volunteered to step down as chairperson of the conference. He was later suspended from chairing by Prime Minister, Derek Sikua, who was also present at the meeting.

According to sources, the Permanent Secretary revealed that the laptop was his however, the flash drive used for the Power Point Presentation was not his.

The Lata police are now investigating the matter after removing the flash drive.

The Power Point Presentation by Fred Ganate before the incident was on the last Permier's Conference held at Lake Tengano in Rennell.