Wansolwara: Issue 2, 2019

Wansolwara Issue II: NOVEMBER 2019

ISSN 1029-7316

28 Pages

An independent journalism student training newspaper and online publication since 1996

INSIDE: 7-PAGE SPECIAL REPORT: SOLOMON ISLES CLIMATE WOES

Vatukola Village resident Anna Madi, left, does laundry in the Boneghe River in Guadalcanal as granddaughter Erica looks on. Vatukola is located in West Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

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CATIONS & MARKETING

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President Hilda Heine, right, was installed Pacific (USP) as the 26th Chancellor

by USP Pro-Chance of The University llor Winston ceremony in Thompson at September. the second graduation Picture: SUPPLIED/ USP SPAC

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VC’s Forum: $5m upgrades w Page 3

USP Council appoints BDO recommended commission By

EPARAMA WARUA

A commission appointed by The University of the South Pacific Council has been tasked with implementing the findings and recommendations of an independent investigative report by Auckland-based accounting firm BDO into recent allegations of abuse of office.

The allegations, penned in a paper prepared by USP Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia to the Council early this year titled, ‘Issues, Concerns and Breaches of Past Management and Financial Decisions’, were levelled against some senior management and former vice-chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra.

On November 7, the council appointed three pre-eminent people to the USP Commission. n Continued on Page 3 A summary of the BDO report released by the USP Council.

Picture: WANSOLWARA

High and dry

ROSALIE NONGEBATU, ROMEKA KUMARI and BEN BILUA

Report by

VARIOUS communities in Honiara, the Solomon Islands’ capital city, blame ongoing logging and climate change for the multiple adverse impacts to their environment and livelihoods.

Communities that have seen their wells drying up, streams polluted, plantations destroyed and receding shorelines, are crying out for urgent action.

A Wansolwara news reporting team that travelled to Honiara witnessed first-hand the effects of a deteriorating landscape along coastal and inland settlements.

Reporting for these stories was supported by a grant from Internews/Earth Journalism Network’s Asia-Pacific program.

Communities in four areas—Kukum

Fishing Village, Lord Howe Settlement, Barana, and Vatukola—are fighting back with self-help projects. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP), UN Development Programme, UN-Habitat, UN Human Settlements Programme and Oxfam, are actively working the areas.

While community-centered projects such as the Barana Nature and Heritage Park on Mt Austen are encouraging, more needs to be done. The COP23 report on the Solomons states that temperature increases of up to 0.18 degrees per decade since the 1950s threatens both agricultural exports and subsistence agriculture.

Warming seas and rising sea levels threaten fishing, a major part of the diet, as well as a leading export commodity.

The trend raises major concerns about

food security for the country’s 642,000 inhabitants, who mostly live near the coastline. The COP23 report further states that the future of human habitation in the Solomons depends on its ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change and overexploitation.

The country has a national climate change strategic plan, but activities such as logging contradict this policy.

According to the 2018 Global Witness report, the rate of logging was four times over the ‘sustainable yield’. This could alter local watersheds and increase the risk of flooding. Based on the Wansolwara team’s interviews and observations, some dire predictions are a daily reality.

‘One People, One Ocean’ - www.wansolwaranews.com

n Full Report on Pages 12-18 n Editorial on Page 6

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$5m to upgrade facilities DIPESH KUMAR

THE University of the South Pacific can expect improved facilities after Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia confirmed at least $5 milion would be invested in deferred maintenance works next year.

During the USP Vice-Chancellor and President’s Forum on September 13 at Laucala campus, Prof Ahluwalia said deferred maintenance works and improving the state of some campuses and facilities topped the list of priorities for the University.

He said this did not mean USP was out of the woods in terms of its financial standing.

“It just means we are starting to address a very long-standing issue at the University,” he said.

“Although our income has slipped, we are not in any financial crisis. We are managing our finances well.”

Prof Ahluwalia previously told Wansolwara that a lot of maintenance works had been deferred.

“Some of our regional campuses like the Solomon Islands are in critical condition, so we need to fix those things, but there are other campuses which also needs investments, like Alafua.

“There is only a fixed amount of money, and it’s how we distribute the money and how we make sure we maintain the estate we have.

“If we don’t invest in it, it keeps getting worse.

“So it’s clearly imperative that we have to invest. It’s what speed and at what rate we can do that.

“We have to do it in a sustainable

way,” he had said.

The forum provided a platform for staff members to raise issues regarding the overall operations of the University.

And while the USP community and stakeholders were rocked by recent allegations of abuse of office levelled against some senior management and former vice-chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra, Prof Ahluwalia said the council-appointed commission would deal with the issues.

“I have to take faith and put trust in the council and if I am helping in any way, (I would) tell staff that they should trust that process,” he said.

“I wanted to draw a line so that the future is where we are going. I absolutely understand where people are coming from but it’s not a decision I control. It’s a council decision.”

An artist’s impression of the proposed Solomon Islands’ campus. The new campus is expected to be constructed opposite King George School in Honiara to cater for the growing number of students. Picture: USP SPAC

REILEEN JOEL

IT is part of the Chinese spirit to share the culture and develop relations with the South Pacific people, says Chinese kungfu instructor Pengbiao Zhang during a recent session with students at The University of the South Pacific’s Confucius Institute in Suva.

Mr Zhang said the first section of the martial arts class started early this year with only three students and

by July, the class attracted as many as 40 people.

“Students were taught the different types of Chinese martial arts such as tai chi, boxing and fighting. They ended their five-weeks training with traditional martial arts performances,” Mr Zhang said.

He said they had also changed the name of the class from martial arts to Chinese kungfu.

The appointment comprises Professor Satish Chand, Professor Jenni Lightowlers and Graeme McNally.

The commission would look into matters relevant to the operations of USP including but not limited to remuneration policies and control, inducement allowances, and responsibility and acting allowances, bonuses, consultancy arrangements, succession planning, human resources, transition arrangements, and governance and oversight.

The commission would also look into BDO recommendations around the operations of senior management team, interface between governance and management, committee structure and responsibility.

In a statement, the USP Council said they looked forward to the contribution of the three appointees to strengthening the performance of USP. “Through the work of the commission, we are confident that USP will continue to strengthen and grow as a regional learning and research institution,” the statement read.

The council said the commission was expected to commence work later this month. According to the terms of reference (TOR) approved by the USP Council at the Special Council Meeting on August 29-30 this year, a sub-committee of members was appointed to oversee the council’s response to the independent investigation undertaken by BDO Auckland.

The sub-committee appointed the three commission members, inclusive of a chair, to lead the implementation of the recommendations of the BDO Auckland report of August 21, 2019.

“The commission will be able to source support, internal and external, for its activities where needed. The commission will develop and implement an action plan to address the findings and recommendations of the BDO report and other matters relevant to the sound operations of the University,” the TOR stated.

The TOR said the commission would also report quarterly to the council through the sub-committee.

Meanwhile, the USP council said the commission was expected to complete its role within a year and to be reassessed at the end of that year.

Who are the the three commission members: q Professor Satish Chand — The deputy head, School of Business at the University of New South Wales. He has been a Professor of Finance since 2009 at UNSW and is Adjunct Professor (Economics) at ANU and USP. He is an external examiner for the University of Malta and University of Mauritius. His research fields include economic growth, economic development, public finance, corporate taxation, internal trade, political economy and global financial markets. q Professor Jenni Lightowlers — Founding partner of Francis, Abourizk, Lightowlers (FAL) Law Firm.

She is considered one of Australia’s leading advisers to universities and has a deep understanding of the university and higher education sectors, particularly their compliance and operational issues.

She is a former Deputy Chancellor of Deakin University. In 2014, she undertook a review of the USP legal, governance and management structure. q Mr Graeme McNally — An independent consultant. He is the former dean of the Faculty of Commerce, University of Canterbury and former strategy, operations and finance partner of Deloitte, New Zealand. He has wide range of work experience in the tertiary education sector with the Ministry of Education and Tertiary Education Commission of New Zealand. He is also a former external adviser/member of the USP’s finance and investments committee.

The Japanese Training Squadron Band during a performance on the Japanese drum, Wadaiko, at the USP Japan-Pacific ICT Centre in August. Picture: JENNIS NAIDU

Musical concert boosts relations By

JENNIS NAIDU

THE thundering beats of the Wadaiko, a Japanese drum, echoed throughout the walls of The University of the South Pacific’s Japan-Pacific ICT Centre, leaving the audience captivated and excited.

The beats were played by the Japanese Training Squadron Band during a joint musical concert in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces in August.

The Japanese Training Squadron Band was conducted by the Japan Training

Squadron Bandmaster, Lieutenant Keiichi Okazaki.

“We take military-to-military exchanges at a very high note, and basically the performance was a very good example of this exchange,” said Lt Okazaki said.

The Japanese Training Squadron Band has 19 members, who had been nominated from six Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) bands. The band embarked on this journey since May to promote international relations through the power of music on the Japanese naval ship, JS KASHIMA.

Picture: FAL Lawyers

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Martial arts interest grows

Work set out for trio

Picture: aqa.ac.nz

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‘Healthy media vital’

The late Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva was a leading figure in Tonga’s democracy movement.

Picture: PIFS By

MARCUS FRASER

The late Tongan Prime Minister, Samuela Akilisi Pohiva, was one of the kingdom’s best known pro-democracy activists, who went on to become the longest serving people’s representative in the Tongan Parliament.

Pohiva, who died on September 12 this year aged 78, was an alumni of The University of the South Pacific where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in history/politics and sociology.

USP Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia said the USP community was saddened by the passing of a true statesman who served his country and the Pacific with distinction.

“His invaluable support and contribution to the University is deeply appreciated and will not be forgotten. At the regional level he has also contributed greatly to addressing the challenges facing the region,” Prof Pal said of Pohiva.

“As recent as August, he proactively participated at the Pacific Island Leaders’ Summit, pushing Pacific’s agenda on climate change.

“We wish to convey to members of parliament, his family and the people of the Kingdom of Tonga our deepest sympathy.”

According to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s website, Pohiva was Tonga’s 16th Prime Minister. He previously worked as a teacher and journalist.

“He became active in Tonga’s pro-democracy movement in the late 1970s. He then became assistant editor of the Democracy Movement’s monthly newsletter, Kele’a,” PIFS said.

Participants at the milestone capstone event for the East-West Center Journalism Tour around the US for regional journalists. Sitting from left: USP Journalism Programme coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh, East-West Center Professional Development Program media programs manager Susan Kreifels, Pacific Islands News Association managing editor Makereta Komai and East-West Center Pacific Islands Development Program interim senior manager, Scott Kroeker.

Picture: WANSOLWARA By

EPARAMA WARUA

There is no democracy in the world today that can operate without a healthy media, says The University of the South Pacific Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia during a media symposium at Laucala campus in October.

The symposium marked the capstone for the East-West Center Journalism Tour around the US for regional journalists from September 4-11.

And according to Prof Ahluwalia, media as the fourth estate was part of the power dynamic.

“It is a vital part of our political system. If we really want genuine democracy, we need a genuinely open media that can participate in that process to keep the machinery of politics honest and working. This is a fundamental requirement,” he said.

Dwelling on USP’s robust journalism programme, Prof Ahluwalia said they had a lot to offer in terms of upskilling regional journalists.

“We want to make sure that the world knows that we’re not just a journalism school, but rather we are something different and that we try to do things different,” he said.

“For me, this is an important part of our university, the program in journalism. It has done a

USP Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia. Picture: WANSOLWARA

lot over the years. It has educated a lot of people in the region. Some of our best journalists are graduates of our program.”

He said there was a need to provide more supportive learning and teaching environment so that USP students and graduates were equipped with quality resources.

“I’ve been trying to find ways to strengthen the program and ways of making sure that we build more media labs and get into some different kinds of journalism,” Prof Ahluwalia said.

“Since we’re still a developing nation, our resources are fairly limited but we are, in the next

couple of years, going to really try and build this program up a bit more. So for me, this is really important.”

First-year journalism student Josefa Babitu shared similar sentiments and said the media played a vital role in decision-making for most people.

“The media is important because when you are comfortably spending time with your family or hustling with work, there is someone who is living his or her life on a 50/50 chance trying to get all the information needed for decision making,” he said.

Babitu said studying journalism at USP had given him the opportunity to make an impact in society.

“I took journalism because I want to get information first hand and also understand them better. With journalism, I am able to make a change in the community I serve and that is through reporting. I want to be a story-teller too,” he said.

The 19-year-old iTaukei student also believes good democracy is depended on a free and open media.

“Media is like the middleman between the public and government. The media raises issues to the government and they look into it,” he said.

CAMPUS BRIEFS

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Security concerns

Focus on inclusivity

USPSA By-election

By DIPESH KUMAR The outsourcing of cheap security companies will come with reduced performances, says The University of the South Pacific (USP) vicepresident regional campuses and Dr Giulio Paunga. infrustructure Dr Giulio Paunga.

Picture: USP During the Vice-Chancellor’s Student Forum at USP last month, Dr Paunga said the outsourcing of security services was essential to cut costs.

He said students and staff also had a responsibility to look after their belongings and report any security issues to management.

By ELIZA KUKUTU Six disabled students were part of the 1735 cohort that graduated from The University of the South Pacific in September. And according to USP’s Dis- Alfred Anthony. ability Centre manager Alfred AnthoPicture: USP ny, this showed that the University was becoming more inclusive. He said four students were based at Laucala campus, one in Tonga and another from the Solomon Islands. The student from Tonga graduated with a masters degree. According to Mr Anthony, there were 46 students enrolled in the various programmes under the USP Disability Centre this year compared with 10 in 2013.

By BERANADETA NAGATALEVU Student candidates that contested the 2019 USP Students Association (USPSA) by-election are calling for an Students cast their improved electoral process when the vote. Picture: FILE main election takes place.

USPSA religious chairperson, Mesake Leitabu, said it was important to address issues raised by students. Dominic Mahuri, FALE post-graduate rep, also highlighted his disappointment at the lack of time given for campaigning. USPSA has also drafted a new transformative strategy 2019-2021 to achieve its vision of the best experience possible for student.

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‘

Editorial

Resilient communities in the Pacific

‘

C

The Solomon Islands, with a population of 642,000, is one of the hardest hit by climate change ...

LIMATE change has been dubbed one of the most defining global issues of our time by the United Nations.

From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the UN says the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale, and without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.

The Pacific, according to USP Journalism Programme coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh, remains at the forefront of climate change impacts on top of other problems such as rape of fisheries and forestry resources, plastic pollution and waste disposal management.

Environmental issues in the Pacific continue to be underreported compared to the magnitude of the problems, Dr Singh points out.

Organisations like Internews/Earth Journalism Network (EJN) have recognised the problem of undercoverage, and lack if expertise among Pacific journalists, and addressing these through training and journalism grants.

It was one such grant of $US20,000 (Internews/Earth Journalism Network Asia-Pacific 2019 media grant) won by the

USP Journalism programme that allowed a team of one staff and three students to travel to Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, in June, to report on the situation first-hand.

It was an invaluable training and reporting opportunity.

The team met resilient communities who continue to live with these devastating climate impacts.

Water sources drying up, depleting fish stocks and lack of food gardens as a result of climate change and changing weather patterns have forced some of these communities to revert to traditional practises to mitigate the impacts.

Some communities by the coast live each day in uncertainty. Uncertain about their livelihood. Uncertain about their next meal. Uncertain about what the future holds for their children. It focused on reaching out to vulnerable communities who were adapting to and mitigating effects of climate change and island sea level rise.

The people are resilient. They dug wells when their water catchments dried up. They moved their food gardens further inland when their previous gardens were inundated with floodwaters.

They planted trees and set up nature reserves when logging activities and unsustainable practices spelled glaring disas-

Hot spot for kava consumers

PILOKSY

Patrons at the Kava Bure along Grantham Road in Suva.

Picture: SUPPLIED/ABBAS ALI

By

SHREEYA VERMA

KAVA Bure PTE Ltd is no doubt one of the most thriving ventures at the new Sports City building along Grantham Road in Suva.

Kava Bure business owner Abbas Ali said the kava shop employed nine people including a security guard.

He said the kava drinking spot catered between 150 and 250 customers and opened 24 hours, seven days a week.

“We have a clean and hygienic environment. We provide the tanoa, bilo and also mix the grog for the customers. We also have entertainment like television and music,” Mr Ali said.

He said busy days were from Wednesday to Saturday when at least 250 people turned up daily to drink kava while there were between 120 and 150 people from Sunday to Tuesday.

“The reason we chose the spot was because of the movement of people in the area, and people can easily catch a taxi from here after their kava sessions,” he said.

Mr Ali said the kava was supplied directly from farmers in Savusavu.

Considering the good business, some kava shops had also opened in the Suva area where people can sit down after work or during the day to enjoy the drink.

Mr Ali is not only the owner of the Kava Bure Shop. He is also the project manager for Western Builders.

The building, which is owned by the Fiji Public Service Association, was constructed by Western Builders of Ba and officially opened late last year.

Mr Ali said the actual construction of the main bure would start by the end of September this year and his goal was to complete the $2 million project before the Christmas break.

STUDENT EDITORS Editor Divisha Deepti

Insight Features Editor Romeka Kumari

Deputy Editor Ashweta Raj

Sports Editor Shreeya Verma

Chief of Staff/Online Editor Emi Koroitanoa

Sub-Editor/Layout Dipesh Kumar

Chief Sub-Editor Jennis Naidu

Reporters Eparama Warua Sereana Salalo Reileen Joel Josefa Babitu Jamil Suleman Dhruvkaran Nand Shreya Kumar Eliza Kukutu Priya Nand

News Editor Talei Matairakula Campus Editor Beranadeta Nagatalevu Regional Editor Junior Oiofa

6

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TEACHING STAFF Photographers Marcus Fraser Harison Selmen Epeli Lalagavesi

Wansolwara Supervising Editor-in-Chief Geraldine Panapasa The Co-ordinator, USP Journalism Programme Dr Shailendra Singh Broadcast Teaching Assistant Eliki Drugunalevu

ters waiting to happen. They did not wait for Government.

They took ownership of the land their forefathers toiled as they should, given the urgency to address climate change and its impact at the global level.

The Solomon Islands, with a population of 642,000, is one of the hardest hit by climate change, compounding other environmental and developmental challenges that the country has faced.

Ranked fourth among 15 countries with the highest disaster risk in the World Risk Index 2018 Report, Solomon Islands is particularly affected by sea-level rise and cyclones and like neighbouring Melanesian country Vanuatu, it is unable to reduce the disaster risk without external support.

Like many other Pacific Island countries facing the brunt of climate change, some communities in Honiara are steadfast in their belief that their children can have a future if they act now to mitigate the impacts.

They are leaving small footprints in the sand, hoping the world’s biggest carbon emitters would adhere to the Paris Agreement to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celcius.

Report by GERALDINE PANAPASA

Piloksy was moved by a USP staff/students’ notice about a stray dog that had given birth near the Land Management Building at the Upper Laucala campus, and was reportedly territorial, having bitten a few pedestrians. The security notice assured that the dog would be removed to keep the campus safe. Piloksy reckons the dog was only doing what comes naturally —protecting her babies—and hoped that she was humanely removed, along with her litter. The notice asked to report any stray dogs posing a 'threat' to the campus community, although Piloksy feels that some humans are a greater threat to dogs than the other way around, with frequent reports of shocking cruelties, such as deep gashes caused by cane knives and severe scalding from hot water thrown at them. Government and society as a whole need to better for our animals rather than hurt and neglect them.

Piloksy was amazed to see the long cues for free lunch at the USPSA student council election this year. It was far longer than the cue for voters!

"Welcome to Fiji. ad. the left side of the ro We do not drive on left of the road.

We drive on what's Welcome to Fiji. ds you."

Where happiness fin

Students from QVS mesmerised the Journalism newsroom during Open Day when Sione their Tokai two-second cheer USP turned student into a (Tonga) full two-minute song followed by a heart throbbing hip hip-hooray. Their presence was indeed a pleasure.

Wansolwara is the independently produced student training publication of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the USP. This biannual newspaper is printed by The Fiji Sun, which distributes it nationwide as an insert. About 3,000 additional copies are distributed free at various locations around the country. An e-copy of the newspaper can also be accessed via www.wansolwaranews.com.

Contact us E-mail: wansolwaranews1@gmail.com Facebook: Wansolwara Newsroom#: 3232-186 Editor: 2733-268 Editor-in-Chief: 3237-184

Snail Mail: The Supervising Editor-in-Chief, Wansolwara School of Language, Arts and Media (SLAM) Private Mailbag, Laucala Bay, Suva.

Twitter: @USPWansolwara Hashtag: #wansolwara #wansolwaves #wansolnews #uspjournalism

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Novel

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‘Love letter to me’ By

EMI KOROITANOA

AN old proverb suggests that a pen is far mightier than a sword.

For Shazia Usman, her new book comes with a mighty message for all Fijians — “Our first love should always be ourselves”.

Usman had recently launched her first ever self-published novel, sharing that it was “a love letter to my younger self”.

Kaluti entails the story about a 10-year-old girl from Suva called Zia who hears her Fua (paternal aunt) call her kaluti – a derogatory slang commonly used among South Asians, meaning blackie or darkie.

It’s commonly used in Fiji too. She doesn’t know that word but she knows it’s not a nice word so the rest of the story sees her trying to understand its meaning, and what it has to do with one’s worthiness in this world.

“I say this is a love letter to myself because this is the story I would have loved to have read growing up,” Usman said.

“When I was facing colourism, and trying to understand my own importance in this world. It would have really helped me understand my worthiness better, and at a much earlier age too.

“In this story, I am saying to myself and to my readers, that I see you. I am you. We are enough.”

The story is partly inspired by true events that took place in her childhood and partly by others who have faced more intense forms of colourism.

“No one has ever called me the word directly to my face (just like Zia) but I know it has been used in reference to me. I faced subtle forms of colourism, what we call micro-aggressions,” she said.

She said as a child, some of her relatives would pass remarks about her dark complexion.

“When I was born I was light-skinned, but as I grew older my skin took a more richer skin tone, so I would have relatives saying things like ‘Oh…when she was baby she was so fair and beautiful…what happened’? Or I would have relatives commenting on the beauty of my lighter-skinned cousins and completely ignoring me,” Usman shared.

“You ceased to exist for them. It was as if you weren’t light-skinned, you weren’t beautiful and therefore not important. It’s things like these that makes you think, ‘what is the point our existence’?

“Why are we here on earth? To perform beauty? So those are some of the questions that I was forced to contemplate at quite a young age.”

Usman said self-love was key in creating a healthy foundation for oneself.

“We need to understand ourselves, be kind

Kaluti was written by Shazia Usman.

Picture: SUPPLIED

to ourselves, respect ourselves, and only then will we have a healthy sense of self-esteem and confidence, and won’t allow others to treat us badly,” she said.

“A lot of time we are conditioned - by our families, society, media — that we are not good enough .Not thin enough, beautiful enough, smart enough, rich enough, and so on, and if we haven’t been taught to accept and love ourselves as we are, we tend to believe others’ opinions about ourselves.

“We tend to tolerate abusive behaviour from others because we don’t believe we are worthy of better treatment. That’s why selflove, self-respect and having boundaries is key.”

Usman studied journalism at The University of the South Pacific and holds a Masters in Pacific Media studies.

Writing a book has always been at the top of her wishlist, saying she had always written stories but were intended for herself only.

“Kaluti is the first fictional story I have shared with the world because it’s a story that needed to be told, so that others facing the issues as Zia (the protagonist of the story) could see themselves in her,” she said.

Among several of her favourite authors are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Roxane Gay, Jhumpa Lahiri and J K Rowling.

She advises Fijians aspiring to become writers to write for themselves first.

“Write what you want to read. Keep refining your stories — edit, edit, edit! And when you are ready and willing to, share it with others. Do not be forced to share things to get ‘likes’ on social media. Share when and if you are ready,” Usman said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Library Services Fiji Director Merewalesi Vueti said in terms of cultivating reading habits among children, Library Services of Fiji worked closely with schools in ensuring that it observed the DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) programme “The Department, while recognising the need to develop reading at an early age, has assisted Early Child Care Education (ECCE) with library corner resources to expose young children to books and to develop their love of reading from that age,” she said.

Shazia Usman studied journalism at USP and holds a masters in Pacific media studies.

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Business

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Cooking from the heart

By

ELIZA KUKUTU

The Republic of Cappuccino (ROC) Market continues to support budding entrepreneurs at its monthly fair along Gladstone Road in Suva.

For Felichya Kayes, selling her range of spice products at the ROC Market has been a boost for her business. Mrs Kayes joined a number of vendors for the August market to sell home-made chutneys, dips, pickles and relishes incorporated with various fruits and vegetables.

The 36-year-old mother from Pacific Harbour said cooking was a favourite pastime.

“I loved cooking and learning new things while growing up. I was very fond of my mother’s cooking style and recipes,” she said.

“These pickle and chutney recipes are a family secret.

My mum and grandmum used to make these.

“They are not only home-made but my products are gluten-free and vegan as well.”

She said there was a demand in the market for glutenfree and vegan food products.

While business has picked up at the ROC Market, Mrs Kayes said her biggest challenge was the availability of fruit bases she used in her products.

“I’ve created 18 different products so far with my own recipe. I use one fruit to make two or three products. For example, with tomatoes I would tomato mint, tomato coriander and tomato chutney,” she said.

“Vegans are now buying my products to add to their meals. When the fruits that I usually use to make this products are out of season, it creates a big problem for me as the number of products available will not cater for the demand in market.”

Mrs Kayes said this was the third ROC Market event she had joined and even though she did not have a shop, she would deliver orders to Suva twice a week.

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Aroma Kitchens owner Felichya Kayes, right, serves a customer at her ROC Market stall in Suva. Picture: ELIZA KUKUTU

“It has always been my childhood dream to be able to create and sell my products. If you think of something, go ahead and do it because your dreams can turn into reality,” she said.

Mrs Kayes is also a committee member for Corona Fiji, a group comprising mainly expat women. She juggles her charity work with the group alongside managing her business and creating new recipes.

The ROC Market is held every second Sunday of the month.

Samples of products from Aroma Kitchens. Picture: ELIZA KUKUTU

Opinion

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Auckland-based Pacific Climate Warrior Luke Wijohn.

Picture: SUPPLIED/OXFAM PACIFIC

‘

We are shifting the narrative from one that paints us as mere victims of climate destruction to one that recognises our active response

I

N the Pacific, we are taught to recognise the value of narratives and stories from the day we are born.

You need to know who you are: your mother would tell you of the voyage of your people – every lick of the ocean, every patch on your sail, each person whose life gave way to yours.

You have a feud with someone in your village: your grandfather will tell you the story of the way that your families are connected and how the bond you share is one that transcends minor squabbles.

He will tell you the story of how, in our cultures, relationships are integral to our survival.

The climate crisis is no different. It is a story – an ongoing story, but one that we have the unique opportunity to write the final chapters of.

All around the world millions of people mobilised from September 20-27 in the Global Climate Strike, doing their part in the fight against climate breakdown.

As the eyes of the world focus in on young students leading strikes around the globe, young people in the Pacific are also joining in these moments and are mobilising to confront climate breakdown in their own way.

Our communities in the islands have been bearing witness to the realities of climate breakdown for many years.

We are grappling with the effects right

Niu Pawa:

ardship over this land we are called to protect.”

What climate activism looks like in the Pacific now – rising sea levels, salt-water intrusion and devastating cyclones – and we are standing strong in our stories about our people living on the frontlines.

When the rest of the world is calling for their governments to take more action, what does it look like to mobilise within a region that contributes so little to the global carbon footprint, yet is facing some of the harshest consequences?

In Fiji, 350 Fiji organisation, in conjunction with Oxfam in the Pacific, the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network and Alliance for Future Generations, hosted the Niu Pawa Festival, bringing families together with a focus on creating awareness about climate breakdown, its impacts and how to get involved in climate activism.

Niu, the Fijian word for coconut, is symbolic of the tree of life, our culture and the important role that it plays in informing and directing climate action.

It plays on the English word “new”, implying that we need to adjust our perspective

‘

ERNEST GIBSON and CHRISTOPHER TENISIO By

and practice to be innovative and dynamic in our approaches.

Pawa means strength and power – this movement is about giving power back to the people and generating mass mobilisation.

Meanwhile, Pacific diaspora communities are joining with the School Strike 4 Climate movement to call on greater action from governments.

From New Zealand to the United States, the 350 Pacific Climate Warriors joined the school strikers, other indigenous groups and millions of parents, workers, teachers and community leaders to gather as one, share frontline truths from people of the Pacific and strike for climate justice, for everyone.

Their movement is being powered by a mantra shared all around the Pacific, as well as the Pacific diaspora of Australia, New Zealand and the United States – mātagi malohi, or “strong winds” in Tokelauan.

“You are matagi mālohi. Strong winds. A symbol of our movement blurring identities, validating purpose and strengthening stew-

Pacific peoples are at the forefront of this story about climate breakdown.

We are shifting the narrative from one that paints us as mere victims of climate destruction to one that recognises our active response.

While our cultures and identities face an existential threat, we are actively drawing on our indigenous knowledge and time-tested traditions to mitigate the impacts of climate destruction and to strengthen our resilience.

The climate crisis story is unfolding around us. But we are all also the main characters in this story.

We are the solution. We can be the heroes and the authors of our future.

For some, that looks like joining the Global Climate Strike, to get in behind this current moment.

For others it looks like galvanising families to become climate warriors, documenting stories from the frontlines and showing solidarity with this global movement.

This is the moment to stand up and demand climate justice for everyone, everywhere. n Ernest Gibson is with Oxfam in the Pacific and Pacific Youth Council Technical Advisory Group; and Christopher Tenisio works with 350 Pacific Climate Warriors Auckland, New Zealand. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors.

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9

News

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Sulphur reduction in fuel to cut emissions from ships By

HARRISON SELMEN

T

he International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be imposing a significant reduction of sulphur content in the fuel used by ships to reduce carbon emissions.

This was confirmed by IMO secretary general Ki-tack Lim at The University of the South Pacific in Suva this year.

The regulation is expected to come into effect from January 1, 2020 and aims to reduce emissions from 3.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent around the world.

Mr Lim said the organisation’s biggest challenge was climate change. The sulphur content in fuels used by many ships is another contribution to low air quality and human health, in particular coastal areas.

“It is very challenging but we are taking different kinds of measures, which we will finalise by 2023, aiming for a 50 per cent emission cut for shipping companies and individual ships to 90 per cent cut,” he said.

IMO sustainable development adviser Taholo Kami said a combination of the ocean and climate change were the two most critical issues affecting the Pacific,

adding Pacific states had been active on the issue of emission.

“A little thought on what we are doing with Fiji, the Marshall Islands and six other Pacific countries. It’s called the Pacific Blue Shipping partnership. It came with a commitment in the Pacific transportation forum last year for a 40 per cent reduction for domestic shipping on the use of fossil fuel,” Kami said.

He said IMO’s mission was to promote safe, environmentally sound and sustainable shipping, through co-operation by adopting the highest practicable standards of maritime safety, efficiency of navigation and control of pollution from ships.

Pacific Islands have committed to a 40 per cent reduction in fossil fuel use for domestic vessels by 2030. Picture: US Federal Government/www.news.navy.mil

Improving women’s access to justice By

JENNIS NAIDU

“I

did not know where to go or who to seek help from. I thought about my family because our society still holds that notion, about ‘good’ women and ‘bad’ women.

The good women are seen nowhere near the court house. That is the perception.”

This was the response of a woman who began experiencing violence on the second day of her marriage, but only reported the matter when her husband allegedly poured benzene on her with the intent to set her on fire. Speaking at a seminar on ‘Balancing the Scales’ at The University of the South Pacific in Suva this year, Artika Singh said there were barriers such as cost, distance and complexities involved when talking about access to justice for women.

Ms Singh, who is a research officer under the gender and transitional justice programme for the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM), said many women experienced violence and were oblivious to it.

“It can be physical, emotional or verbal abuse. There are victims of abuse who do not know where or who to seek help from. Help is only sought once the matter has gone out of hand.

“If you earn $49.50 a week, and it takes $50 or more to take a case to court, would you use that money to put food on the table or take a case to court?” said Ms Singh.

Bala:

Solo mums project gains momentum

FWRM has come up with recommendations sioned by the FWRM has been successfully to create awareness and better informationprogressing for three years. sharing to overcome these barriers.

“The project has provided valuable informa“One of the key recommendations that we tion and recommendations towards made to all formal justice systems, fostering an enabling environincluding ourselves was to ment for improved have posters or to inform women’s access people of instances such to justice,” as that when you said the head of actually go to cooperation at the court, there is a Delegation of the provision for a European Union for fee waiver.” the Pacific, Christoph The data in Wagner. the research unThe research also veiled studied the trend of averthat age rape sentencing by the it takes High Court in Fiji from Artika Singh speaks at a seminar women about 2016 to 2018. on ‘Balancing the Scales’ organised 2.5 years to The trend showed that there by the School of Government, go through had been a subsequent increase Development and International a formal in sentencing from an average of Affairs at USP. justice 10.8 to 11.8 years in the course of Picture: JENNIS NAIDU system to three years. seek help.

“The maximum sentence for rape in Fiji FWRM is also is a life sentence, and in 2018, a life sentence conducting legal literacy sessions for was given for the first time,’ she added. members of the community and appointed Shockingly, all of the victims of rape identithem as community legal leaders to be able to fied within the three years have been children further their reach in the nation. with an average age being 10 (2016), 16.5 “Many women, instead of directly going to (2017) and 14 (2018). any formal justice sector agencies, are going There have been a total of 14 policy and to people in their communities,” she said. legislative changes in Fiji that promote “It is important that everyone knows who women’s rights and penalise domestic vioour formal justice sector agencies are, what lence since 2004. type of support they are going to provide and The FWRM is one of the many pillars of also to have basic legal literacy,” she said. leading feminist organisations in Fiji that The project, ‘Balancing the Scales: Improvwork towards legislative and policy reform to ing Fijian Women’s Access to Justice’, funded eliminate all forms of discrimination against by the European Union (EU) and commiswomen.

By

PRIYA NAND

MAKING use of opportunities can be a lifeline for several single mothers across the country.

The Solo Moms Project, an initiative by International Needs Fiji, provides one such opportunity for women in Fiji from informal settlements between Nasinu and Navua to have a more stable standing in society.

Executive director Tomasi Raiviu says the project trains women for three months in culinary skills, floral decoration, and sewing as well as in jewelry and handicraft making.

He said these opportunities would provide women with the necessary skills to start their own business.

“We run programs targeted at single mothers who live in communities and have few opportunities to become independent.

“We provide them with training that will allow them to take advantage of the learning and be less dependent when they go back into their communities,” he said.

Mr Raiviu says the New Zealand Government-funded project empowers single mothers from the ages of 20-45 and has seen the graduation of more than 50 women in the past five years.

This year, 19 single mothers had

the chance to graduate from the Solo Moms Project and one of them was 36-year-old Janifa Bibi.

Ms Bibi says the training taught her how to be in a financially stable position to support her family.

“I had some experience in sewing before being a part of this project and I have learned quite a lot from the training. After the graduation I am looking forward to starting my own tailoring business,” she said.

Ms Bibi, who is the sole breadwinner of her family, says she does not receive support from her exhusband and her business will allow her to fund the education of her two daughters.

Another single mother who graduated from the project was 37-yearold Susana Corocoro, the sole breadwinner of her family of four who joined the project after losing close family members.

“I lost my eldest daughter two years ago after she committed suicide and then I lost my mother last year after she passed away from a disease.

“My husband is also no more so there’s just me to look after my children,” she said.

The mother of three, who was trained in clothing and textiles, encourages single mothers to make use of any opportunity they get to become independent for the benefit of their children. m Layout: DIPESH KUMAR

‘Peace is what the world needs’ By

DIVISHA DEEPTI

“P

eace is something that the world agrees we need, but it remains out of reach.”

This was the message shared by the Minister for Local Govern­ment, Housing and Envi­ronment, Parveen Kumar, at the first Peace Summit at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva this year.

Organised by Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL), a non-government and non-profit international organisation, the summit aimed to garner attention and support for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, an international peace law consisting of 10 articles to become a UN resolution.

10

It is a comprehensive document which clarifies the role of members of the international society to prevent and resolve conflicts. The International Peace Youth Group, which is an affiliate of the HWPL, managed to gain the support of 1.5 million people from more than a 195 countries.

The event featured the delivering of a peace letter written to the Minster for Youth and Sports.

Mr Kumar said the peace letter was the start of great work in ensuring peace and harmony.

“You all can be rest assured that I will personally deliver this letter to the Office of His Excellency the President,” Mr Kumar said.

Chloe Choi, the chief branch manager of

NOVEMBER >2019>www.wansolwaranews.com

HWPL Eastern Seoul and Gyeonggi, said she was privileged to host the peace summit in Fiji.

“It is an honour to have the opportunity to introduce HWPL and to share its peace activities in Pacific countries,” she said.

HWPL also took the opportunity to sign two memorandums of understanding with The Island Sun of the Solomon Islands and The Nuku’alofa Times of Tonga.

The two media organisations would actively report and promote peace events within their countries.

The 2019 HWPL World Peace Summit was held in 150 locations in 110 countries including Fiji, South Korea, France, United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, India, Zambia and the US.

Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment Parveen Kumar, left, at the Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light peace summit. Picture: DIVISHA DEEPTI

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Regional

Vigil for West Papua By

HARRISON SELMEN

The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) and YoungSolwora students at The University of the South Pacific led a candlelight vigil at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Suva recently to support West Papuan’s call for a referendum and independence.

The event was a show of solidarity to share and pray for West Papua as recent media reports revealed escalating tension, unrest and alleged deaths of indigenous West Papuan protestors.

According to media reports, the tension stemmed from alleged racial abuse from Indonesian soldiers and civilian militia, calling Papuans ‘monkey’.

PCC’s Reverend James Bhagwan shared an appeal for solidarity by the churches in Papua and urged Pacific communities to raise awareness on the deteriorating human rights issues in Papua.

“Our aim is to outline the current situation in Papua as well as over the context of injustice and conflict facing our communities,” he said.

Rev Bhagwan said PCC also echoed the call by the Ecumenical Forum of Papuan Churches and the World Council of Churches for an immediate visit by the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to Papua.

However, a recent online report by Radio New Zealand suggested that the visit might take some time as Ms Bachelet revealed her office had been unable to secure a

Youngsolwara students from USP stand in solidarity with West Papua during the candlelight vigil at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Suva recently.

Picture: HARRISON SELMEN

trip to West Papua so far.

Over the past few weeks, civil society organisations in different Pacific Island countries such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu assembled to show support for West Papua.

Winston Tarere, a priest from Vanuatu serving at St Christopher’s Church in Nakasi, echoed similar sentiments by former father of independence, Walter Hydi Lini.

“Melanesia is not free until West Papua is free,” he said.

USP students representing Youngsolwara, a regional movement of a collective of activists from the Pacific, presented two powerful poems at the vigil.

The poems reflected the challenge and long-time cry of West Papuans for freedom.

“Youngsolwara calls on the Pacific leaders to uphold and protect human rights in West Papua,” the organisation said in a recent Twitter feed.

On September 6, neighbouring Big Brother New Zealand also expressed concern over the recent violence in West Papua.

The RNZ media report highlighted as many as 10 people were killed in separate clashes between Papuan demonstrators, security forces and vigilante mobs.

It said New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry was closely monitoring the security situation and expressed these concerns to Indonesian authorities.

Members of the public joined the West Papua vigil in September.

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Logging the life out of Lungga

By ROSALIE NONGEBATU

“

There is a particular tree that grows by the Lungga River. We call it the lania tree. I have been by the riverside and I have seen the tree. I have seen our father, even our great grannies walk alongside the Lungga River and gaze at the tree. I have been told, countless times, that breaking even the smallest part of the tree and dropping it in the river will bring rain, thunderstorms and flooding. Since childhood, we’ve been told never to cut trees by the river side.”

These were the words of the Barana community member, Justina Mane. She was speaking to Wansolwara at the launch of the Barana Community Nature Heritage Park project, including the Environment and Resilient Resource Center in July this year.

The launch at a rural community on the outskirts of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, served as an occasion to reflect on the damage caused by years of clearing trees for homes and gardens— trees once considered sacred, and recognised as integral to the Lungga river system.

The river was the lifeblood of the community — a source of clean water and food such as fish, prawns, eels and crabs. Due to the pressures of a growing population, the demands of modern society, and the lure of the dollar, traditional wisdom and knowledge were ignored, and the river’s surrounding vegetation removed to clear land.

In time, the river began to shrink noticeably. The water quality declined and the food that it provided dwindled. The community, who had always lived close to nature, were affected physically and mentally. Major concerns were over water shortage, forest clearing and deforestation such as logging and unmanaged milling on the upper Lungga and Mataniko rivers as direct threats to the village’s water sources.

For an emotional Mane, the Barana community project was a reminder not to take the environment for granted, but to treasure and nurture it in the way of their ancestors.

The environment provided physical and psychological sustenance — not only was it a source of food, but also tied up with culture and tradition.

“The times of our ancestors were different. Now there are significant changes in how we live and how we treat the environment,” Mane said.

The project was a partnership between the Barana community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP).

Under its Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change (PEBACC) project, SPREP has provided $US123,300 ($F270,738) over three years, earmarked for 5000 hectares of forest area on Mount Austin, which hosts one of the largest water catchments supplying water not only to the Barana community but to the wider Honiara city.

The Barana Community Nature Heritage Park project involves reforestation to reduce the risks of flooding, replanting the watershed areas to reduce soil erosion, identifying and implementing sustainable land-use management activities, land-use mapping, development of eco-tourism and nature-based income-generation activities.

Environment and Resilient Resource Centre The Environment and Resilient Resource Centre, based on traditional designs, will serve as a space for creating awareness about the importance of good environmental practices and the role of ecosystems and biodiversity in community resilience.

The earmarked area includes a number of World War II viewpoints and battle sites, which makes it an important part of the heritage of greater Honiara, with potential for tourism.

“This project will help us undo some of the damage to the environment. It is encouraging to know that we can save our environment —that we can enjoy what our

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A dusty track leading to a rich forest cover inland in Kakabona, west of Honiara in Guadalcanal. Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

Piles of logs are a common sight along the road to Kakabona, west of Honiara in Guadalcanal. Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI Logging activities along the river mouth west of Honiara in Guadalcanal. Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

ancestors had enjoyed,” Mane said.

At the launch was 10-year-old Marina Mane, who represents the future generation. Her generation will face the full brunt of the environmental degradation and fallout from climate change unless actions are taken to mitigate the effects.

“My name is Marina and I am very happy that you all helped build this resilience center to plant trees for my future,” she said at the event.

Marina’s traditional attire during the opening ceremony—a grass skirt and beads made of tree bark, and shell money from sea shells—was representative of her community’s ties to their land and the marine environment.

The project aims to educate and empower the future generation as the future custodians of the environment.

Standing next to Marina was a community elder Evangeline Kuva, also donned in a grass skirt with traditional painting on her face. She indicated she had seen better days as far as their environment was concerned.

“I never thought this would happen to our community, however, I am happy that this initiative has come to my village, to help us,” she said.

Both Marina and Evangeline welcomed guests at the launch with big smiles, hugs, and looks of relief on their faces. Speaking in the local Guadalcanal dialect, their words reflected the desperation of a community feeling the impacts of their natural environment changing right before their eyes.

It is the small communities in the country that pay the highest price for a national economic base primarily sustained by the exploitation of natural resources.

Justina Mane and her grandchild in Barana, Mt Austin, Solomon Islands. Picture: ROSALIE NONGEBATU

The Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Environment website states that while forestry, mining, fisheries and agricultural are vital for growth, they pose a threat to biodiversity, cause pollution, and are responsible for coastal degradation.

The foreign companies engaged in such projects benefit the most while the communities suffer the impacts of a damaged environment.

Logging impact According to a report released by the Global Witness last year titled, ‘Paradise Lost: How China can help the Solomon Islands protect its forests’, logging, while a major source of foreign exchange, has caused major environmental and social problems, as well as corruption.

The report highlighted that the rate of logging in the Solomon Islands was four times over the ‘sustainable yield’, and rife with transfer pricing, misreporting and tax avoidance.

“The economy is heavily dependent on the forestry sec-

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Authorities turn to native knowledge

The Barana Community Nature Heritage Park boasts a healthy forest cover on Mt Austin in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Picture: ROSALIE NONGEBATU

The Under Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Chanel Iroi, speaks to Wansolwara’s Rosalie Nongebatu, right, about disaster risk reduction efforts in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Picture: BEN BILUA

By ROSALIE NONGEBATU

From left: Evangeline Kuva, Marina Mane and Melinda Kii in Barana. Picture: ROSALIE NONGEBATU

A signboard depicting the main ecosystem around Barana and surrounding areas in Guadalcanal.

Picture: ROSALIE NONGEBATU Left: The SPREP-supported Environment and Resilient Resource Centre in Barana on Mount Austin, Solomon Islands.

Picture: ROSALIE NONGEBATU

tor, and yet the country’s forests continue to disappear fast.

The Solomon Islands’ authorities are well aware that, without change, the country’s timber trade will soon slow to a trickle with nothing left to log and barely any timber to trade,” the report stated.

“The first step to prevent this from happening is to make sure that — at a very minimum — logging companies in the Solomon Islands comply with the country’s laws.”

The report said the Solomon Islands exported an astonishing 19 times more timber than was sustainable, yet despite this, the rate of logging was still increasing.

The Solomon Islands is China’s second-biggest source of tropical logs after Papua New Guinea, according to the report, despite the fact that the Solomon Islands is only twice as big as Beijing.

The report stated the Solomon Islands exported more than 3 million cubic metres of logs in 2017.

“Our estimate of sustainability is the most recent we can find, and comes from a report commissioned by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community,” the report said.

Tree planting project The Barana community tree replanting project is seen as a push back against the system. Before the project was established, the community faced water shortages, with logging on the upper Lungga and Mataniko rivers a direct threat to the community’s major supply source.

The project aims to protect the land used for community gardening and a water catchment that supplies Honiara residents.

Barana community member and event organiser, Melinda

Kii, said simple developments such as the resilient center and nature park could change lives.

“The Barana community is happy to host this milestone initiative that connects us to the national, regional and international discussions on climate change,” said Melinda.

“We are very fortunate to participate in this initiative. It gives all generations a chance to listen, learn and practice under one common global agenda — climate change.”

Kii shared an old Barana saying: tabu kavi la lania ke ta bochana visa meke rasana usa meke tambe na ovo (don’t cut that lania tree because lightning will strike, the rain will fall and the river will flood). Flooding is indeed a grim reality facing the community.

SPREP director general Kosi Latu, a guest at the event, said the project spoke of many interlinking issues in conservation, community resilience, and natural solutions such as replanting to revive river systems and the eco-system as whole.

“Improving livelihoods by providing renewable energy and a source of clean water are important for the future generations. That’s what this project is about,” he said.

“It’s not about infrastructure. It’s about going back to nature and to then traditions and practices of past generations.

We’re reviving them and demonstrating their benefits.”

The Barana community nature park is the first of its kind in the Solomon Islands. It empowers the community to fight back rather than to be the victims.

The success of the project is crucial for similar parks across an archipelago facing devastation from decades of environmental degradation.

THE Solomon Islands is turning to native knowledge to boost current efforts in disaster risk reduction by incorporating traditional information in the establishment of early warning systems and plans on managing and coping.

And according to the Under Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Chanel Iroi, the Solomon Islands Government recognised this in an effort to deal with climate change in the country.

During an environmental reporting project in Honiara, Solomon Islands in June this year, Mr Iroi told Wansolwara it was crucial to document knowledge and past experiences of people in communities as this would assist with predicting future outcomes in relation to climate change.

He said the ministry and other stakeholders were working together in this area.

“The ministry is working with the National Disaster Management Office to look at the usage of traditional knowledge in the area of early warning,” Mr Iroi said.

“We believe that information about the weather used by our ancestors in the past is very important, in terms of how this knowledge can be used in understanding weather patterns and the ability to accurately predict future events on how the climate is likely to affect our people.

“Our aim is to ensure this information can be incorporated in our early warning network and system and also in our overall work.”

Willie Masua, a final-year degree student in education at The University of the South Pacific’s Laucala campus in Suva, said it was high time local knowledge was recognised and practised to help people in communities mitigate and adapt to the changing weather.

“Our ancestors have survived over the years using local knowledge, whether it be fishing, travelling by sea, gardening, hunting or looking after the environment.

They have been adapting and mitigating to changing weather patterns long before authorities regarded climate change as a problem,” he said.

“They hold invaluable insights into the direct and indirect impacts the changing weather has on their people and communities and the environment which could be the key in effectively rolling out national and regional climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives.”

The Government’s move is in line with a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) article on climate change titled ‘Indigenous Empowerment Is Vital for Climate Action’, which highlighted that traditional knowledge held by indigenous people was key to understanding what changing weather patterns meant for the people, communities, the environment they lived in and their culture. n Reporting for these stories was supported by a grant from EJN’s Asia-Pacific program. www.wansolwaranews.com> 2019> NOVEMBER

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Dug-out wells

By ROSALIE NONGEBATU

T

A dug-out well in Vatukola Village. People in the community have to look for new water sources after experiencing water shortages, they believe, are caused by global warming.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

Vatukola Village chief Michael Sarapidina spoke to Wansolwara about the impact of climate change in the community.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

Vatukola villager Raygan Kasiano has seen changes in the natural landscape over the years.

Picture: ROSALIE NONGEBATU

HE sight of several dug out wells greet us at Vatukola Village in Kakabona, northwest of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. It rains fairly often in Honiara and historically, fresh water has been plentiful. But in recent years, the wells, which once provided a ready source of water, have been mysteriously drying up.

Scientists from Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change have found that while drought, heavy rain and flooding occur naturally and involve many factors, these can be exacerbated by climate change.

They have also attributed the loss of water from the soil and plants to high temperatures caused by the changing climate.

On Guadalcanal, where Vatukola is situated, there is an average of 2177 mm (85.7 inches) of rainfall per year, or 181.4 mm (7.1 inches) per month. This is considered ample rainfall, but problems of water shortages in Honiara and nearby settlements persist.

Vatukola villagers are among the worst affected. They have been forced to find new sources of water. The sight of several wells, where one or two used to be sufficient, is a sign of their desperation.

The village chief, Michael Sarapidina, said it was not always this way. Once, their few wells provided an abundant source of water, but nowadays this community of about 500 people have to keep digging new wells.

Based on what he has seen, heard and experienced, Sarapidina is convinced that global warming is real and that it is affecting their environment.

“There has been a noticeable change in the weather over the past few years. This is affecting our livelihood. The heat from the sun has dried up the dams and water streams that once supplied our community.”

Scientists from ‘Climate Impacts on Water Resources’ have predicted that as temperatures rise, water quality will be affected and water reserves are likely to drop.

“You will see that all the families in our community are now using dug out wells since our water sources have dried up,” said Sarapidina.

“Now, even the water level in the wells are decreasing.

We don’t know any other way to resolve this but to dig deeper to get to a water source,” he says, a hint of despair in his voice.

“If the wells continue to dry out, we will have bigger problems. I don’t know what we will do if that happens.”

Kukum Fishing Village chief Robert Satu shows the seafront, which is a lifeline for many families and communities along the coastal plains of Honiara.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

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Another factor Mr Sarapidina feels has led to the drought is the increasing number of logging operations in the area, which have seen the removal of trees from around their water sources.

Because of the apparent environmental damage, social problems and corruption caused by logging, it is seen as more of a curse, less as a blessing for the Solomon Islands, despite propping up the economy.

Last October, the international non-governmental organisation, Global Witness, reported that tropical timber across Solomon Islands was harvested on an unsustainable scale and that much of the activity was at high risk of being illegal.

The report noted timber exports reached more than three million cubic in 2017, 19 times the estimated annual sustainable harvest, with 82 per cent of exports headed for China. The Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Finance has suggested that continued logging at current levels would see the country’s natural forests would exhausted by 2036.

Sarapidina is deeply worried by such trends.

“Without the trees, the heat of the sun falls directly on to our water sources, our soil and lands,” said Sarapidina.

“Logging could be the reason for the lack of water and also for the dirty quality of our water.”

Sarapidina said food security was another concern. Hotter conditions and a noticeable rise in the sea levels had made it challenging to plant, especially near the coast, he said.

“It is almost impossible to grow food in the coastal area so we’ve have to move inland where our gardens yield better produce since it is cooler. Because of the heat, our kumara and cassava gardens cannot a produce good harvest.

This also affects our income,” he said.

The community had turned to selling betel nut to make up for the lost income. Sarapidina said betel nut grows anywhere, under any conditions.

But there are longstanding concerns the use betel nut as a

Health, sanitation

By ROMEKA KUMARI

C

OMMUNITIES along the coast of Honiara are tackling the impact of climate change one day at a time.

For Kukum Fishing Village, situated along the Kukum Highway, east of Honiara in the Solomon Islands, the effect of climate change on their social system and health has become a concern.

Village chief Robert Satu told Wansolwara that the issue of climate change had affected food sources, health and sanitation for coastal communities.

He said many people in Honiara were dependent on the sea and river for their livelihood.

“Health and sanitation is a concern because many people use the river and sea for sanitation. This has led to various health problems,” Mr Satu said.

While more than half of the households have their waste collected by government waste collectors, at least 36 per cent dispose of their garbage in the sea, according to

a 2014 climate change vulnerability assessment report on Honiara by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

“Many people find it convenient to use the rivers and sea for sanitation purposes but they don’t realise they are polluting the environment, a place some even consider a food source,” Mr Satu said.

About 26 per cent of the total population of Kukum Fishing Village have flush private toilets while 59 per cent use shared water sealed toilets, the UNDP-UN Habitat report stated.

“According to the community focal group discussions, one of the significant issues for them is the depletion of fish catch. Inadequate income from fishing affects their food security, since they are now more dependent on the market compared to before. Sourcing food in a market system is challenging due to increasing prices,” the report said.

UN-Habitat Solomon Islands consultant Steve Likaveke shared similar sentiments,

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a lifeline for Vatukola

Villagers of Vatukola in Kakabona, northwest of Honiara in the Solomon Islands have been forced to dig new wells as water sources have become scarce in the community.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

INSET: A dug-out well nearly empty as in Vatukola Village, northwest of Honiara.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

stimulant due to serious health problems, such as oral cancer.

Once consumed in traditional ceremonies by adults, betel is nowadays consumed daily and affects all age groups. It has been commercialised and appears to be a major source of income for most households in Honiara.

Sarapidina said that besides, water wells, some rivers also appear to be drying up. Fifteen minutes’ drive from Vatukola Village is the Boneghe River. We came across Anna Madi washing her clothes by the riverside, with her granddaughter, Erica.

Anna, a long-term residence of a nearby village, believes

the river is now half the size of what it used to be.

“We use the river to bathe and fish but it has shrunk,” she says. Like most people in her community, she believes logging is to blame.

“During the rainy season, floodwaters inundate the area, destroying our gardens,” she said.

Vatukola villager Raygan Kasiano said a few logging companies were active in their area. He questioned whether the Ministry of Forestry had guidelines for logging companies to follow when crossing streams and rivers.

With no bridges he has observed loggers dragging and

pulling logs through the streams and rivers, which he believes is destructive. He blames this practice for muddiness of their once clear streams.

“The natural appearance of our rivers is gone,” he said.

Raygan says the community feels powerless against the loggers. He is sad that their cries are falling on deaf ears and their concerns ignored.

“If the government had genuine concerns, it would be carrying out reforestation rebuild the environment that has been destroyed by logging,” he said.

The Under Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Chanel Iroi admitted that “we have depended on extractive industries for a while now. When people hear the word Ministry of Forestry, they think about logging”.

However, he said a lot of good work had been done by the ministry in reforesting areas that had been logged.

“Reforestation is an important programme within the ministry with substantial government funding,” he said.

The ministry was implementing the “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Plus programme”. This is based on creating a financial value for the carbon stored in forests.

Developing countries are given financial incentives to preserve forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

“This program is helping us to see how our forests can be managed and how we can benefit from it,” said Iroi.

While the ministry’s efforts are commendable, the villagers are understandably skeptical give the sheer scale of the problems they are facing — from wells and rivers drying up, to their gardens producing far less, and the logging companies apparently operating with impunity.

There are signs that water shortages are getting worse. For a few weeks in May and June, this year, the Solomon Islands Water Authority closed the supply from the Kongulai catchment, which serves about 60 per cent of Honiara’s population.

The closure was forced due to sediments in the water from a logging operation upstream. This incident raised alarm bells throughout the main island. Whether it will lead to improvements remains to be seen.

vital for community and said financial constraints were a stumbling block for most families wanting to build proper housing and sanitation in informal settlements.

“Many villagers in the informal settlement do not have jobs that earn them good money and because of that reason, it is hard for these people to build proper sanitation facilities,” Mr Likaveke said.

Traditionally, Kukum Fishing Village depends on fishing as a source of income but recent studies show that households are shifting to other sources of income.

Located in the Vura Ward, Kukum Fishing Village comprises an area of about four hectares and a population of 463 — 227 men and 236 women.

“It has a density of 115 persons per hectare and an average household size of eight. The Fishing Village is exposed to storm surges and sea level rise, as well as some flooding from the surface runoff from the hills.

“The coastline exhibits signs of coastal erosion from previous storm surges, wave

action, and sea level rise,” according to the UNDP-UN Habitat report.

While there are no studies in the Solomon Islands to link health and climate change as indicated by an increase in disease incidence, the UNDP-UN Habitat report states that people in the city are exposed to vector-borne and water-borne diseases, such as malaria and diarrhea, that can easily be exacerbated by climate change impacts.

Agencies such as Australian Aid has played a hand in improving the health of many people in Honiara, including those living in Vatukola Village, northwest of Honiara in Guadalcanal. Vatukola Village Chief Michael Sarapidina said they appreciated the Australian Aid’s assistance in tackling dengue and malaria cases in the area.

“Many of the sufferers of dengue and malaria were able to get the treatment they needed. Agencies like Australian Aid are lending a hand to improve the health system in the country,” he said.

Planks of wood and piles of logs can be seen on the drive to Kakabona in northwest Honiara.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

n Reporting for these stories was supported by a grant from EJN’s Asia-Pacific program. www.wansolwaranews.com> 2018> NOVEMBER

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A little girl stands among the rubbish piled along the foreshore of Lord Howe Settlement in Honiara. Picture: GERALDINE PANAPASA

Lord Howe Settlement youth Leoray Panra, right, speaks to Wansolwara journalist Ben Bilua. Picture: GERALDINE PANAPASA

By BEN BILUA

L

IVING in an informal settlement comes with sacrifice, patience and dreams of a better future.

Day in and day out is always a challenge when it comes to basic services like water and sanitation as well as simple hygiene practices.

External shock and stresses due to adaptation deficit in urban infrastructure, housing and service provision are also issues of concern.

There are untold testimonies with a few happy endings while other testimonies exposed emotional hardships and depression among those living in informal settlements.

In the capital city of Solomon Islands, there are as many as 36 informal settlements. Honiara serves as the main transport hub and economic, political, and educational centre on Guadalcanal, the largest island in the country.

Life for mother of two, Monica Havae, and young Leoray Panra hasn’t always been easy. The two reside at Lord Howe settlement, located along the Mataniko River delta.

The settlement is part of the Mataniko Ward and has a population of 631, according to a 2014 climate change vulnerability assessment report on Honiara by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

For Ms Havae, living in an informal settlement was not a voluntary decision but one that was made by her parents long ago.

Like many other women, Ms Havae had to leave school because of financial difficulties and became a mother. While she dreams of a better future for her children, Ms Havae said life in the settlement was improving ‘slowly’ compared with previous years.

“Two years ago when it was high tide, the seawater would run through a few houses situated on the shoreline. Now there is a seawall protecting us from rising tides.

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Monica Havae, (white top) relays the troubles faced by residents of Lord Howe Settlement in Honiara as a result of global warming. Picture: GERALDINE PANAPASA

Hope for a better tomorrow

“Our fear is flooding. During rainy season, some residents have fled to their relatives because of flash flooding while some of us stayed and took the risk. The trauma and fear are still on people’s mind since the April flash floods in 2014,” she said.

Ms Havae said the flash floods caused damage to a lot of properties but luckily no lives were lost.

Walking through the settlement, one cannot help but notice a number of water tanks and makeshift bathing/washing areas. According to Ms Havae, access to water and proper sanitation was a challenge.

According to the survey by UN-Habitat, almost all the households in the area throw their waste into the sea. At least 57 per cent of the population in the settlement get drinking water from a communal tank, suggesting rainwater use, 20 per cent get it from the Solomon Islands Water Authority.

The report said washing water was done mainly through piped water (50 per cent private, 49 per cent shared) while 75 per cent say they have no toilets. The sea is likely used for those who have no toilets.

Ms Havae relunctantly admitted this, saying people from the community would also use the sea to relieve themselves while the mouth of the Mataniko River was used for bathing and washing clothes.

“We know that the river is contaminated upstream and it is a huge health risk for us to use the river, but we don’t have other options,” Ms Havae said.

The other looming issue for Lord Howe settlement is land.

The increasing population has led to overcrowding in the community, and as most residents have revealed, there were no plans for relocation.

The settlement has encroached into the property of the National Referral Hospital, according to the UN-Habitat assessment report, noting that with no more space to expand, the settlement is being hemmed inward.

“The Lord Howe Settlement is exposed to storm surges, sea level rise, coastal erosion, and flooding. Flooding occurs in the area because of a number of factors: overflow from the river and creek, storm surges, surface runoff from higher areas, and high tide which hinders the water from flowing out,” the report stated.

“Flooding impacts on the community include increased difficulty in access (mainly because of creek overflow), muddy areas, worsening sanitation, and skin diseases. Fishermen also say that it makes fishing difficult because visibility is affected.

“The coastline in the area is receding due to a combination of wave action, storm surges and sea level rise. The houses

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Support for nature-based solutions

By BEN BILUA

The seawall at Lord Howe Settlement in Honiara provides some relief during high tide. Picture: BEN BILUA

Lord Howe Settlement residents take a dip in the sea. The settlement often depends on the sea for their livelihood. Picture: GERALDINE PANAPASA

have also been moved in response to the receding coastline.”

Another glaring concern is the lack of food gardens as a result of scarce land, forcing most families to rely on produce sold at the local market.

A few families have food gardens for crops such as cassava and breadfruit. However, even by the seaside the leaves of the crops in the garden are covered in dust.

“We don’t have land allocated to us to plant our own food like other informal settlements in Honiara so we have to buy food at the local market every day. In other word, our life depends on money,” Ms Havae said.

To sustain her family, Ms Havae depends on her family members who are employed to provide financial support. But in difficult situation, she has to sell cooked food by the roadside to meet daily expenses.

“Income generation opportunities are lacking and we rely on our partner’s salaries and income from our food sales to support our families. The cost of living in Honiara is very expensive,” she said.

She said the struggle to survive was real for women of Lord Howe Settlement.

According to the UN Habitat report, the population at Lord Howe Settlement comprises 295 men and 336 women with a population density of 223 persons per hectare, the highest among the hotspots studied.

“It has 76 households with an average household size of 8.

Among the labour force (12+), 41 per cent do unpaid family work, 19 per cent are employed by private employers, 9 per cent are employed by the government, and 9 per cent produce goods for sale,” the report said.

For a youth like Panra, the future is uncertain.

Climate change has brought in new challenges and put a lot of pressure on the community’s livelihood.

“We don’t know where we will be in the next 10 to 20 years. Our settlement is overcrowded and soon families will be fighting each other over land,” she shared.

NATURE-BASED solution is Solomon Islands’ best mitigation and adaptation approach towards addressing the effects of climate change.

The concept encourages rural communities to revive traditional means and methods such as planting of trees and building seawalls using rocks.

Lord Howe Settlement located in the capital Honiara, is a lot safer from storm surges and sea level rise, thanks to a local businessman who built a nature-based seawall.

However, Lord Howe Settlement resident Leoray Panra said sea level rise and flooding continued to threaten communities despite initiatives like the construction of a seawall.

He said the Mataniko River was “eating up” the river bank threatening residents living close by.

“Our settlement is situated in a floodprone area and our community usually inundated with water when it floods.

Some people even get sick because of this. They suffer from diarrhea and other diseases because those living upstream are polluting the Mataniko River.

“We have tried our best to use naturebased solutions like building barricades along the river bank to avoid flooding but we realised that our efforts are not effective. We need a flood protection plan.

“I see the seawall built along Lord Howe settlement shoreline is only a short-term solution. The continual sea level rise in years to come will soon invade the seawall,” Panra said.

The growing population at Lord Howe Settlement has also stretched the limited land capacity.

“The best option is to relocate the

“As a youth growing up in this settlement, I see the future of this community is at risk due to sea level rise as well as other social factors.”

He said a number of organisations had carried out surveys and research on climate change at the settlement but the feedbacks were always failing the community.

Panra feels the lack of employment opportunities and high costs for tertiary education were a barrier for youths in the community. He knows a good education would mean better chances of gaining employment.

He says most youths at Lord Howe settlement are unemployed and most end up on the wrong side of the law.

“Life is really tough for youths here. Most unemployment youth sell betel nut and cigarettes along the roadside to get money and assist their parents,” Panra said.

The duo said chief, elders, women and children of Lord Howe have been seeking assistance from government with relocation. Many decades on, they are still waiting.

UN-Habitat Solomon Islands consultant Steve Likaveke revealed to Wansolwara that the cost of relocation process was still an issue, meaning relocation is far from what most people of Lord Howe expect.

“There are 36 informal settlement in Honiara and at the moment it is difficult to relocate the residents because some of the residents have put all their resources towards their houses and properties,” he said.

“There is a lot of work that needs to be done before the relocation process comes into play. On the tip of the process, the government needs money.

“If relocation is a priority in the next five years, it will be limited to the additional populations who are willing to move out but for those who are not going to move, the village will still be there.”

According to the UNDP-UN-Habitat’s 2014 climate change vulnerability assessment report on Honiara, the Solomon Islands is considered to be one of the world’s fastest

community to higher ground and a much safer environment,” he said.

The launch of the Barana Nature Heritage Park and Environment and Resilience Centre on June 27 also kicked off tree planting and reforestation methods to mitigate climate change in Honiara.

Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management Dr Culwick Togamana said the use of naturebased solutions to address the impacts of climate change was an appropriate approach for the Solomon Islands.

He says the Barana Nature Heritage Park was a beacon of hope and testimony to the Government and people of Solomon Islands.

Dr Togamana says ecosystem-based adaptation can simultaneously meet multiple objectives of adapting to climate change, mitigating climate change, promoting sustainable natural resource management and also attract sustainable development.

“Conservation without development is sterile and likewise development without conservation is unsustainable. The Solomon Islands Government has secured SBD100,000 from Global Environment Fund (GEF) Small Grant Programme to support further developments at the Barana Nature Park in the next two years,” he said.

He adds the fund will also expand the work of Barana Nature and Heritage Park to other parts of Honiara.

Betel nut sale is a common practice in Honiara, including Lord Howe Settlement.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

urbanised countries with a large migration to Honiara.

“The large movement of people overwhelmed the urban development and planning capacity of Honiara regulators and other government entities. The deficits are result of unplanned urbanization associate with the growing number of informal settlement,” the report said.

Citing the 2009 Census for Honiara, the report said about 75 per cent of households in Honiara obtain drinking water from Solomon Islands Water Authority; the other 25 per cent use alternative sources of water for drinking such as household tanks, rivers/ streams, communal standpipes, unprotected wells, and communal tanks.

About 54 per cent use private flush toilets while the other 46 per cent use shared flush toilets, such as private/ shared water sealed toilets, and private/ shared pit latrines.

“Climate change impacts in the city would affect people’s access to water, especially those sourcing it from rainwater tanks, rivers/ streams, and wells — in the event of drought or extended dry periods, water levels would recede while in longer rain periods water would be more prone to contamination due to increase water run-off,” the report said.

Although there are no published reports of groundwater sources being affected by salt water intrusion (most sources in Honiara are located in higher elevations), coastal erosion and storm surges exacerbated by sea level rise are reportedly damaging water supply lines located near the coast, the report further stated.

Life for some residents of Lord Howe Settlement is a waiting game as they continue to live with the impacts of climate change. n Reporting for these stories was supported by a grant from EJN’s Asia-Pacific program. www.wansolwaranews.com> 2019> NOVEMBER

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Stumbling blocks at Kukum

By ROMEKA KUMARI

C

18

Troubling waterfront at Kukum Fishing Village. Sea level rise and storm surges often leaves homes by the coast inundated with seawater.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI INSET: Kukum Fishing Village head Chief Robert Satu.

Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

UN-Habitat Solomon Islands consultant Steven Likaveke. Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

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Youths relax along the path to the Kukum Fishing Village preschool. Picture: ROMEKA KUMARI

Land is available ... but the cost of moving is very high.

People do not have enough money to build new houses thus, they do not want to leave the coastal areas

move to other parts of Honiara such as Isabell and Rushal Island should be considered seriously, but there is a powerful attachment to Kukum.

Land tenure According to the UNDP-UN Habitat’s 2014 climate change vulnerability assessment report on Honiara, several activities with regards to climate change adaptation have been conducted in many rural and remote areas of Solomon Islands.

The UN-Habitat Solomon Islands consultant, Steven Likaveke, said the government had leased land titles for people living near the coastal areas, however, costs associated with moving or relocation was the main issue.

“Land is available and is leased for 75 years, but the cost of moving is very high.

People do not have enough money to build new houses thus, they do not want to leave the coastal areas,” Mr Likaveke told Wansolwara.

The Project/Programme Proposal to the Adaptation Fund shows that informal settlement zones comprise almost 15 per cent of Honiara’s total land area. An estimated 28 per cent of the city’s population live in these settlements, including Kukum Fishing Vil-

‘

LIMATE change has been a heavily debated global topic. For many people, climate change has become an ongoing battle for survival.

Kukum Fishing villagers in Honiara believe that climate change is real and that their surrounding environment is living proof.

A coastal plain situated along the Kukum Highway in Honiara, the village is one of four selected climate change hotspots in a 2014 climate change vulnerability assessment report on Honiara by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

The UNDP-UN Habitat’s 2014 report on Honiara states that the Fishing Village is exposed sea level rise as well as some flooding from the surface runoff from the hills while the coastline exhibits signs of coastal erosion from previous storm surges, wave action, and sea level rise.

In terms of food security, the report noted that one of the signi cant issues for residents of Kukum Fishing Village was the depletion of sh catch.

“Inadequate income from shing a ects their food security, since they are now more dependent on the market compared to be- fore.

Sourcing food in a market system is challenging due to increasing prices,” it said.

Kukum Fishing Village chief Robert Satu said poverty is getting worse due to diminishing returns from the sea and the land.

Population increase was an added pressure. According to the UNDP-UN Habitat report, Kukum Fishing Village has a population of 463 — 227 men and 236 women with a density of 115 persons per hectare and an average household size of eight.

According to Satu, some households had more than 10 people living under one roof, in houses that are in a very poor state and can collapse at any time.

In addition, the city of Honiara is heavily influenced by a number of signicant regional weather and climate systems such as the South Pacific Convergence Zone, the EI Nino Southern Oscillation Index and the West Pacific Monsoon, according to the UNDP-UN Habitat report.

In addition to highly variable inter-annual rainfall, the island group is exposed to events such as tropical cyclones, drought, extreme rainfall and related fash flooding and landslides, the report stated.

The villagers are even more worried now due to predications of more frequent and more violent storms and cyclones as a result of climate change.

Mr Satu says that during the cyclone, homes by the seaside would are inundated with seawater.

While land is available for relocation, the people of Kukum Fishing Village prefer to live by the sea since fishing is a major activity, not just economic, but cultural and traditional.

“We had talks with the government and we got to know that vacant lands are available but the people do not want to move from here,” said Mr Satu.

“I believe it is important and necessary to move so that their lives and the future of of the children in these coastal areas are not ruiined.

“If the older ones take that step, many lives will be saved.”

According to Mr Satu, the opportunity to

lage, Ontong Java Settlement, Matariu and Jericho. Together with the Solomon Islands Government, the UN Habitat team is working on relocating informal settlements that are at most risk of being displaced by climate change impacts.

This includes communities heavily affected by landslides and sea level rise after heavy rain.

“With our UN Habitat Assessment Project and the Solomons Government, we are engaged to move the most vulnerable people from informal settlements to a highland for a better life,” Mr Likaveke said.

Grassroots experience For Vaevinah Lawrence, so much has changed around Honiara over the past 20 years.

A teacher at the Kukum Fishing Village preschool, Ms Lawrence said children were exposed to environmental conservation such as planting and practising safety measures during a disaster.

The school has as many as 30 children from surrounding communities and five staff members.

She said that during her childhood, they did not encounter sea level rise or landslides. These

days, Ms Lawrence said, the demand for water was also high because of the hot weather.

“The walls are drying up. Most families here do not work, so they do not have enough money to buy and drink bottled water. The only thing left for them is to drink the sea water, which they also use it for other household purposes,” she said.

According to Ms Lawrence, natural disaster preparedness was part of their teaching program at the preschool.

She said they would engage children in activities such tsunami evacuation drills and precautionary measures during cyclones and earthquakes.

“Every time we experience bad weather, the waves would come over the seawall in front of the school. Children would be advised to stay home, not to go outside or come to school until the weather improved,” Ms Lawrence said.

She said communities were advised to listen to the radio for alerts from authorities. n Reporting for these stories was supported by a grant from EJN’s Asia-Pacific program.

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Aussies win Oceania 7s By

Australia defeated Fiji 22-7 in the men’s division for top honours during the Oceania Rugby Sevens Tournament last weekend at the ANZ Stadium in Suva. Picture: EPARAMA WARUA

EPARAMA WARUA

Australia dominated the men’s and women’s final of the Oceania Rugby Sevens Tournament in Suva last week after fending off stiff competition from Fiji.

The Australian men’s 7s team defeated Fiji 22-7 while the Aussie women beat the Fiji Fijiana 22-12.

The Australian team had earlier defeated Samoa 19-12 in the Oceania Sevens Olympic qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Totokia team created history after winning the first Oceania Rugby Deaf Sevens 2019.

The team played Samoa Deaf 7s in the final, winning 14-7.

The involvement of deaf rugby sevens at the Oceania Rugby Sevens Tournament bolstered efforts to create awareness around inclusivity in sports.

Nasoni Nawanawailagi, who scored two tries for the team, told Wansolwara through an interpreter that the tournament

was an exciting platform for deaf ruggers to showcase their skills.

“I’m thankful to the organisers for including deaf players in the competition. We are so happy to be given this opportunity,” he said.

Four teams participated in the deaf rugby sevens division — three teams from Fiji and one team from Samoa.

In terms of women’s rugby, Solomon Islands women’s sevens coach Jim Seuika said more development was needed for women in the rugby code.

“Our grade is not very competitive like clubs in other countries,” he said.

“More development is needed. We have the potential but the interest is still not there.

We’ll go back and work on our weaknesses.

“Training was challenge because most of the women are soccer players and new to the game. But we will mould them to be good players in the future.”

Japan defeats NZ in pool play JOSEFA BABITU, EPARAMA WARUA and JAMIL SULEMAN

By

The Japan SDS 7s team created the first major upset at the Oceania Rugby 7s Tournament in Suva recently, beating New Zealand 17-14 in their second pool game.

The All Blacks and Japan SDS drew 7-7 in the first half with a score from Akuila Rokolisoa for the Kiwis and Toshiki Yamauchi for the Japanese side.

The Japanese ruggers came out strong in the second half with a score by Chitio Matsui in the eighth minute followed by a successful conversion by Yoshikazu Fujita, taking the lead to 14.

New Zealand answered back with a score from Ngarohi Mcgarvey-black, locking both teams at 14 in the ninth minute.

Fujita sealed the deal for the Japanese side

with a successful penalty kick, taking the final score to 17-14.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Naiula team won third place at the Oceania Deaf Sevens 2019 tournament after defeating Fiji Kia Kavo 17-0.

This was the first time Oceania Rugby featured deaf players in the regional competition.

In women’s rugby, the Samoan women’s rugby sevens team lost to Papua New Guinea 17-10 in their final pool match at the ANZ Stadium.

Samoan head coach Sefani Puamari said he was happy with the side’s performance despite the loss.

“We also made a lot of mistakes in the pool game,” he said.

The Fijiana women’s 7s team defeated PNG 36-0 to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

The Japan SDS 7s team defeated New Zealand 17-14 at the Oceania Rugby 7s Tournament in Suva.

Picture: JOSEFA BABITU

Player Profiles: USP rugby league team Name: Jefica Tuisawau Date of birth: 06/05/1996 Position: Wing Caps: • USP Islanders Raiders 2016 • FUSA Games 2016, 2017 and 2019 • Played in Vodafone Cup 2017-2019 • 2018 FNRL 9’s Tournament Name: Waisea Rogoyawa Date of birth: 26/04/1994 Position: Centre Caps: • 2011 U19 Suva Grammar School, Ruggy Union and Rugby League • 2014 Wardens Rugby 7’s Team • 2019 USP Raiders 20

NOVEMBER >2019>www.wansolwaranews.com

Ruggers gear up for 2021 Student World Cup

By

GERALDINE PANAPASA

THE University of the South Pacific’s rugby league team has been in top form in recent months, preparing for friendly matches against teams from the Fiji National University, Australia and New Zealand universities in the

build-up to the 2021 Student World Cup in England.

The New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students Rugby League (NZUTS) team recently played local sides at Churchill Park in Lautoka as well as the Australian Universities team.

Name: Josefa Moceyawa Date of birth: 12/06/1996 Position: Wing Caps: • 2016 - 2017 Namosi skipper • 2018 – 2019 USP Raiders • 2019 played for FUSA Games

According to USP sports co-ordinator Emori Bakewa, the build-up match was a platform for aspiring rugby league players from USP and FNU to showcase their skills for possible selection into the squad to represent Fiji. n More player profiles on Page 21 Name: Vilikesa Rakuvau Date of birth: 21/01/1997 Position: Second Row Caps: • Joined USP Rugby Union 2018 • Joined Rugby League in 2019 • Played in FUSA Games 2019

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Player Profiles: USP rugby league team Name: Ratu Vuniani Uluiviti Date of birth: 21/04/1999 Position: Centre Caps: • 2011 played for HTAS U11 • 2012 Veiuto (U12) Union • 2013 Veiuto ((U14) Union • 2019 USP Raiders FUSA Games

Name: Ieli Lagaaia Date of birth: 19/04/1997 Position: Centre/Second Row Caps: • 2012-2015Pesega College R/League • 2015 Toa Samoa U16 • 2015 Manu Samoa U18 • 2017-2019 USP Raiders and FUSA Games

Name: Katieli Mahe Date of birth: 11/06/1995 Position: Prop Caps: • 2016-2019 USP Raiders Vodafone Comp • 2016-2019 USP Raiders FUSA Games

Name: Ratu Suliasi Tuisawau Date of birth: 03/01/1998 Position: Wing Caps: • 2018 FUSA Games – Rugby League • 2019 FNRL 2019 • 2019 Bulldogs late January • 2019 Rugby League FUSA Games

Name: Vilimaina Waqa Date of birth: 11/03/1998 Position: Wing/Full-back Caps: • 2019 FNRL Rugby League Comps 2019 • 2019 Bulldogs late January • 2019 Rugby League FUSA Games

Name: Jason Tigarea Date of birth: 16/10/1996 Position: First Five Eight Caps: • 2010-2014 Suva Grammar School Rugby Union • 2015 West Coast Drifters – Union • 2016 Nasinu U20 – Rugby League • 2017 Suva U20 Rugby League • 2015-2019 USP Raiders

Name: Isimeli Uca Date of birth: 26/03/2000 Position: Wing/Centre Caps: • 2016-2017 Kinoya Sea Eagles • 2018 Wainibuku AFL Team • 2019 USP Raiders

Name: Mosese Naqamu Date of birth: 18/07/2000 Position: Five Eight Caps: • 2018 U19 Rugby Union • 2019 USP Raiders Vodafone Cup

Name: Jone Tuikoro Date of birth: 19/07/1997 Position: Second Row Caps: • 2018 USP Raiders • 2019 USP Raider Vodafone Cup

Name: Pita Navula Date of birth: 08/01/1993 Position: Prop/ Locks Forward Caps: • 2011-2012 Yasawa Saint.

• 2013-2014 Momi Tigers • 2015-2016 Gundugai Tigers • 2019 USP Raiders Vodafone Cup

Name: Israel Golman Date of birth: 18/01/1999 Position: Wing/ Centre/ Second Row Caps: • 2017 National Play Offs • 2018 Premier Grade • 2018 Played in FNRL 9’s • 2019 National Trials

Name: Jonathan Qiokata Date of birth: 23/01/1996 Position: Half-back Caps: • 2019 started playing league for USP Raiders and FUSA Games

Name: Darrel Kumaran Date of birth: 17/03/1998 Position: Wing Caps: • 2017-2018 high school rugby • 2019 USP Debut in FUSA Games

Name: Rusiate Vakaloloma Date of birth: 10/05/2000 Position: Utility Back Caps: • 2014 Record holder shot put in high school • 2018 – Vice Captain Fiji Dolphins U18 • 2019 Gaunavou U19 7’s Team • 2019 USP Raiders

Name: Ratu Rusiate Bukayaro Date of birth: 17/03/1998 Position: Half-Back Caps: • 2015 Rugby League - Navuso Methodist High School • 2017 Nasinu Secondary School U19 Rugby team • 2019 Club Games and FUSA Games with USP Raiders

Name: Maika Tuqiri Date of birth: 17/06/1996 Position: Centre Caps: • 2010-2014 Rugby Union and League U14-U18 • 2017 USP Touch Rugby • 2019 USP Raiders FUSA Games

Name: Ratu Silio Vuki Date of birth: 26/07/1995 Position: Prop Caps: • 2012-2013 MBHS U17-U18 • 2014-2015 Suva Rugby Union • 2014-2017 Marist Rugby Club • 2018 Davuilevu and New Town Rugby Club • 2019 USP Raiders

Name: Mitieli Tamani Date of birth: 11/08/1994 Position: Wing/Centre Caps: • 2019 started rugby league in FUSA Games

Name: Owen Turagavuli Date of birth: 12/06/1999 Caps: • 2008 Kanavi Blues Touch Rugby • 2009 Gospel Primary Rugby Union • 2010 Suva Kaji Rugby U10 • 2015 City Storm • 2016 Gospel Rugby League • 2018 Nasinu U20 Rugby League • 2019 USP Raiders FUSA Games

Name: Tagive Tokalaulevu Date of birth: 27/11/1994 Position: Lock/Second Row Caps: • 2019 USP Raiders Vodafone Cup • 2019 USP Raiders FUSA Games

Name: Wilisoni Tabuya Date of birth: 08/03/2000 Position: Wing/Full-back Caps: • 2017-2018 Nadera Panthers • 2019 USP Raiders FUSA Games

www.wansolwaranews.com> 2019> NOVEMBER

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Wantoks impress By

JUNIOR OIOFA

The Fiji national futsal team beat the Wantoks team at the Fiji Football Academy arena in Suva, Fiji recently.

The game was a test of strength for the Fijian national team before the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) national futsal tournament in Noumea, New Caledonia last month.

The Wantoks team comprises skillful futsal students from the Solomon Islands studying at The University of the South Pacific’s Laucala campus.

Fiji national Futsal coach Mira Sahib said they were able to gauge the team’s fitness, strength and formation before the Oceania World

Cup qualifier in New Caledonia.

“The Wantoks played really well and kept a lock on our defense the whole time.

“They showed the real spirit of good sportsmanship. Our national team had a good performance but we still need to brush up on some areas,” Sahib said.

He said they expected tough competition at the international level.

Wantoks team captain Tolen Sifoinao said they would work on their fitness when playing friendly matches with national teams.

He commended the Wantoks for giving the Fijian national team a good run.

The national side won 1-0 against the Wantoks.

TOP: Wantoks team captain Tolen Sifoinao, right, traps the ball while Fiji national counter towards him.

Picture: SUPPLIED

INSET: The Fiji national futsal team and Wantoks huddle after the friendly match.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Tough luck for Fiji

SHREYA KUMAR and DHRUVKARAN NAND By

THE national Flying Fijians rugby team bowed out of the 2019 Rugby World Cup after losing their third match to Wales 29-17 at the Oita Stadium in Japan last month.

The team went down to Australia 39-21 on September 21 in Pool D and Uruguay 20-27 on September 25.

There was a glimmer of hope when the team thumped Georgia 45-10 to record a win before the loss to Wales.

During the World Rugby post-match press conference on October 9, Flying Fijians coach John McKee said there were lost opportunities with forward passes during Fiji’s games and these cost the team big when the game was close.

“It’s a game of inches and a game of moments. We had to really attack Wales. We knew we couldn’t win a race solo or a penalty shootout. We had to back ourselves to score tries,” McKee said.

“We chanced our arm a little bit and backed our attack and play to see if we could 22

NOVEMBER >2019>www.wansolwaranews.com

Flying Fijians coach John McKee. Picture: SHREYA KUMAR

put them under pressure and how they reacted. For large parts of the game that went really well for us.”

Reflecting on the 2019 Rugby World Cup journey, McKee said they came into the competition with really high aspirations and a goal to get to the playoffs.

“We haven’t achieved that so it’s disappointing. Having said that, the World Cup is a massively competitive environment and it is very difficult to get out of the pool phases for any team,” he said.

“For me, we can go away from this tournament with our heads held high after our performance.”

Fiji was ranked 11th on the overall World Rugby men’s ranking for 2019.

USP Journalism Students Awards

The future journalist

Andrew Jackson, left, receives the prize on behalf of Fredrick Kusu from Communications Fiji Ltd senior journalist Naveel Krishant. Kusu (based in the Solomon Islands) won the CFL award for best radio student. Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS Below: Semesi and Emily Varea receive a gift from USP Journalism Students Association president Kirisitiana Uluwai, right, in memory of their late son Rodger Varea, a journalism who succumbed to cancer last year. Picture: USP JSA

Solomon Islands student Rosalie Nongebatu, left, and head of the School of Language, Arts & Media Professor Sudesh Mishra during the 2019 USP Journalism Students Awards in October. Nongebatu scooped the Fiji Sun most outstanding journalism student award.

Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS

PROFESSOR SUDESH MISHRA

W

HEN George Monbiot, a journalist for The Guardian, joined the Extinction Rebellion protests in London on 16 October, 2019, he violated the tacit law of critical detachment that informs most disinterested forms of journalism.

The decision to critically attach himself to the movement testifies to the planetary and all-consuming character of climate change where the scientific consensus is so overwhelming that everyone, including interrogative journalists, have to take sides and to assume ethical responsibility for our present as well as our future.

George Monbiot’s transgression raises the following questions.

What is the role of journalism in a world facing the damaging prospect of climate change, including the possibility of mass extinction of species?

How do we reconcile the relative objectivity prized by the profession with the necessity for critical engagement given the threat facing all life on earth?

Having just returned from a climate change conference in Berlin, I feel we need to address this issue directly and honestly.

Climate change is both a local and a universal category. It is informed by everything we do—the car we drive, the food we eat, the tree we fell, the fridge we buy and the flight we catch.

These choices have an impact on the levels of greenhouse gases released into our atmosphere. If you eat red meat, for instance, you contribute to the felling of trees elsewhere.

Climate change is at once personal and political, individual and collective in the statist sense.

It is a truly globalising phenomenon experienced locally.

‘

‘

By

...the journalist of the future, if responsible, has no option but to invest in stories framed by the alarming consequences of climate change

If we know one thing today from all the scientific data available on the subject, it is that we cannot circumvent it, that the choices made by a solitary human subject or by humanity as whole shall determine the future our children’s children inherit, not to mention all the other species with whom they’ll share this planet.

If there’s no avoiding climate change in our daily lives, there’s no avoiding climate change as a newsworthy subject.

I would go much further and declare that, since it represents an existential crisis facing all life on the planet, climate change must constitute a universal reference point, variously latent or active, informing current and future journalistic activity.

For increasingly events that are deemed newsworthy will be framed against the backdrop of the climate crisis, both at the micro and macro levels.

At the macro level, we already read reports of dramatic anthropogenic events such as unprecedented droughts, heatwaves, blizzards, avalanches, floods, twisters and typhoons.

In terms of the last, the world has witnessed around seven or more Category 5 cyclones since 2016, the latest only the other week in Japan.

Needless to say, this is not normal: in fact, we are no longer capable of speaking of normality which belongs to a past state of affairs. We have entered uncharted territory characterised by terrifying anomalies.

Such as, for instance, the imminent disappearance of atoll nations and coastal cities.

What we do at the micro level (by, say, catching a flight) affects the macro domain of the earth’s climate system which, in turn, impacts on the micro arena (say, crop yields). It’s a loop and a very vicious one at that.

Can the journalist of the future report on traffic congestion, for instance, without factoring in some data on carbon emissions? How does one write on submerged coastal villages without reference to melting ice sheets, glaciers or permafrost on the other side of the planet? Or, for instance, to water leakage at the municipal level without reference to the looming global water crisis?

The point is that the journalist of the future, if responsible, has no option but to invest in stories framed by the alarming consequences of climate change.

For increasingly, whether we like it or not, most newsworthy events will occur against the backdrop of the climate crisis, from accounts of domestic affrays and bold technological innovations to global conflicts over migration, water resources and carbon or methane emissions.

Not all stories, I think, will be cheerless. The happy stories will feature individuals and communities salvaging mangrove estuaries, going off the grid, cycling to work, devising carbon sinks, and so on.

To the journalist of the future, I make this declaration.

Your ethical framework is likely to be soldered to the planetary predicament of a future shaped, in one way or another, by the actions of, and our reactions to, climate change. m Professor Sudesh Mishra is the head of the School of Language, Arts & Media under the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education at USP. He delivered the keynote address at the 2019 USP Journalism Students Awards. www.wansolwaranews.com> 2019> NOVEMBER

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USP Journalism Students Awards www.wansolwaranews.com

Reileen follows By

her dream

GERALDINE PANAPASA

F

First-year journalism student Reileen Joel, left, receives her award from Media Watch Group executive director Diane Qalobogidua. Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS

IRST-YEAR journalism student Reileen Joel has set her sights on establishing a local newspaper in the Federated States of Micronesia upon completion of her three-year study at The University of the South Pacific.

Joel, who recently scooped an award at the 2019 USP Journalism Students Awards for the most promising first-year student, is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in journalism and politics.

Dedicating the award to her family for their support over the years, Joel said being away from home was a challenge.

“One of the greatest challenges I faced as a first-year student was homesickness. I grew up in a home where I’ve never been alone and where I always depend on my parents for support and advice,” said the 23-year-old.

“Homesickness is a very common sickness especially for a first year student like me who has never been away from home and who has to go to a school that is more than eight-hour flight from home.

“But once the school year started, I began to get busy with assignments that I no longer feel homesick. I always kept myself busy to avoid deadlines, to reduce stress, and to get rid of homesickness.”

Born and raised in a small community in Palikir, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia, Joel is the third youngest daughter in the family and the first child to attend university.

She attended Lewetik Elementary School, a small primary school in Palikir from 2003 to 2011 and later Pohnpei Island Central High School until 2015.

“I started taking college courses at the College of Micronesia-FSM in June of that year, pursuing an Associate of Arts degree in Micronesian Studies for two years. I graduated in December 2017. I went back in January 2018 to pursue another Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and graduated in May,” Joel said.

For Joel, journalism had been a longtime passion since fifth grade. Securing an Australia-Awards-Pacific Scholarship in July last year provided the stepping stone to realising her dream of studying journalism at USP. “I chose USP because it is a place close to home and a place where I always wanted to study. It is also a place where our Pacific cultures and values are so appealing in many ways. USP brings together different people with different cultures, where we interact and learn from each other,” she said.

“My father has always been my inspiration who has been supporting me my entire life. We may have different dreams but I always look up to him. My father is the first among his siblings to attend and graduate from university and it is his example that I wish to follow.

“He taught me to write and read a lot with grammar and writing lessons at home.

He taught me many lessons that I never learned from anyone and I am forever grateful for that.

“Growing up, I had seen that many of my own people dislike reading newspapers because they are written in English, a language that many cannot understand.

“That’s because our local newspaper isn’t exactly local as it is run and managed by Americans who cannot speak and write in the local language. So I hope to work with them after completing my studies here.”

She said her aim was to help raise awareness of the global issues in their state, country, and even throughout the world today in the Pohnpeian language.

“I want to create a local newspaper dedicated to the non-English speaking population in Pohnpei. Studying Journalism at USP is not just a dream, but a hope to contribute to the development of my country in the information world,” Joel said.

Despite having to deal with assignments and racing against time to meet deadlines, Joel said receiving an award at the end of the semester was an exciting and rewarding experience.

USP Journalism final-year students at the awards night last month. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP JSA

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Rewarding excellence in journalism

Recipients of the 2019 USP Journalism Students Awards.

Picture: SUPPLIED/USP JOURNALISM STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

Final-year journalism student Harrison Selmen (Vanuatu) receives the Pacific Islands News Association Storyboard Award for Best Regional Reporting from PINA’s Pita Ligaiula.

Picture: SUPPLIED/USP JOURNALISM STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

USP Journalism Students Awards - Recipients Media Watch Group Most Promising First Year Student Award – Josefa Babitu (Fiji) & Reileen Joel (Federated States of Micronesia)

Dipesh Kumar, left, receives the Fiji TV best editor award from Fiji TV news and sports editor Dreu Vukailagi.

Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS

Rosalie Nongebatu, left, receives her prize from Fiji Sun managing editor digital and USP Journalism alumni Rosi Doviverata. Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS

Communications Fiji Limited Best Radio Student Award – Fredrick Kusu (Solomon Islands) & Bulou Naugavule (Fiji) Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Best Television Student Award – Andrea Ma’ahanua (Solomon Islands) The Fiji Times Best News Reporting Award – Jennis Naidu (Fiji) & Harrison Selmen (Vanuatu)

Dhruvkaran Nand receives his prize from Fiji Times Ltd deputy editor Sakiasi Waqanivavalagi. Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS

Jared Koli, left, receives the FBC best television student award on behalf of Andrea Ma’ahanua from FBC news and sports director Indra Singh. Picture: RATU PRODUCTIONS

The Fiji Times Best Sports Reporting Award – Sereana Salalo The Fiji Times Award for Best Documentary (Group) – Group 2 members Dhruvkaran Nand, Shweta Vandana,

Harshana Singh, Rohit Kumar & Shreya Kumar Islands Business Award for Best Feature Reporting – Rosalie Nongebatu (Solomon Islands) Mai TV Award for Best Environmental Reporting – Jared Koli (Solomon Islands) Fiji Television Limited Best Editor Award – Dipesh Kumar & Romeka Kumari Wansolwara Special Award for In-depth Reporting – Monica Aguilar Pacific Islands News Association Storyboard Award for Best Regional Reporting – Harrison Selmen (Vanuatu) Fiji Sun Tanoa Award for the Most Outstanding Journalism Student – Rosalie Nongebatu

Top student journo dedicates award to family By

GERALDINE PANAPASA

SOLOMON Islands student Rosalie Nongebatu scooped the Fiji Sun premier award for the most outstanding journalism student during the 2019 USP Journalism Awards at Laucala campus in Suva on October 18, dedicating the recognition to her husband and three children.

Nongebatu also won the Islands Business award for best feature reporting, adding on to her awards from last year’s event for best radio student and co-sharing the best

regional reporting.

“I dedicate both the awards to my children and husband, who have been my pillar of strength since day one,” she told Wansolwara.

“The past three years with the Journalism Programme has been a wonderful learning journey for me.

“I have made a lot of friends from around the Pacific, friendships I know that will become networks and will go along way in our future careers.

“The awards received last night

gave me a sense of accomplishment. I made a lot of sacrifices to come back to complete my studies.

I guess I learnt the hard way but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We are never too old to learn.”

Twelve journalism awards were up for grabs at the awards night.

Organised by USP’s Journalism Programme, the event in its 19th year, is the longest running journalism awards in the region and was held at the Aus-Pacific Performance Space on Laucala campus.

It is the only awards for journalism in Fiji at the moment.

The event was co-funded by the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education, and the Journalism Programme under the School of Language, Arts & Media.

Co-ordinator of the USP Journalism programme, Dr Shailendra Singh, said the prestigious event recognised and rewarded students who excelled in their coursework, and this included producing news for print, online and broadcast media.

Other major sponsors of the event include Fiji Times Limited, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Fiji

Television Limited, Mai TV, Communications Fiji Limited, Islands Business, Pacific Islands News Association and the Media Watch Group.

This year’s event was livestreamed on the Wansolwara Facebook Page by Ratu Films & Production and included a tribute to the late Rodger Varea by the USP Journalism Students Association.

Varea was a journalism student who succumbed to cancer in October last year and would have been a final-year journalism student this year.

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2019 - Semester 2

in Pictures

Secondary school students at the USP Emalus Campus Open Day in Vanuatu. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

Chief guest Seremaia Bai (seated centre) flanked by fellow speakers and guests outside the UNDP-USP Innovation Hub after the stakeholder forum on “Tackling Innovation & SDG’s through Sports” in September.

Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

Students cast their vote during the USP Students Association election this semester.

Picture: EPELI LALAGAVESI

USP Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia (third from left), British Minister of State for Asia and Pacific Heather Wheeler (garland) and British High Commissioner to Fiji Melanie Hopkins during a briefing on Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme in August. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC USP Journalism students during the September graduation in Suva. Picture: SUPPLIED/LAISEANA NASIGA

USP Pre-COP training facilitated by a range of experts from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s climate change division, USP academics, non-governmental organisations and media representatives at the MSP Lecture Theatre in October. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

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AUSPS Women’s Wing president Rosalia Fatiaki, left, presents a cheque to Fiji Cancer Society representative Salote Qalo and Colonial War Memorial Hospital general surgeon Dr Ilaitia Delasau during the AUSPS Women’s Wing Pinktober event last month. Picture: AUSPS WOMEN’S WING

Major events

& developments

From left: Professor K Luke, USP’s Dr Matthew Hayward and Professor Lawrence Zhang during the Conference on Chinese Education in August. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

The USP team scooped first place at the inaugural Domestic ROBOCON competition in June this year. The team represented Fiji at the International Asian-Oceania ROBOCON competition.

Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

Westpac’s Emily King, left, presents an award to Niraj Singh during the USP Campus Life First Year Experience Buddy Programme awards night in September. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP

USP Journalism student Beranadeta Nagatalevu, left, shares her experience as a university student. Picture: WANSOLWARA

USP Kiribati campus students perform a dance during the Open Day on September 27.

Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

Russell Bishop, Emeritus Professor of Māori Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Waikato and 2019 Winner of VC’s Prize for Teaching Excellence Zena Sherani (left). Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, right, was installed as the 26th Chancellor of The University of the South Pacific (USP) by USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson at the second graduation ceremony in September. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP SPAC

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