Insight Feature

Regulating Foods and Sugary Drinks in Solomons

By Travis Ronnie  Government regulation on imported foods and sugary drinks is a must for the health of Solomon Islanders according to local doctors and nutritionists. While political instability has been a grave threat to the nation, NCDs and the lack of regulation around processed and sugary foods pose a serious risk to the future of the country. Dr Waxson Rizwold believes that regulating such goods is matter of health, environmental, financial and social welfare for the nation. Rizwold said, while government is investing on younger generation’s education, it must also seriously consider its wellbeing by limiting already flooded amount of…

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Food Choices and NCDs

By Sanju Prasad While there is a proven link between non-communicable diseases and poverty, this doesn’t necessarily mean those on the margins of society are destined to contract NCDs even though they might be at a greater risk. It’s a matter of what you choose to eat and drink, says a doctor. National adviser for non-communicable diseases Doctor Isimeli Tukana said NCDs was a choice issue, adding that regardless of the socioeconomic status, everybody needed to eat and drink. “Everybody will eat no matter poor or rich. …

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Vanuatu Struggles in War Against NCDs

By Matthew Walter Vanuatu along with other Pacific nations who are struggling to hold their grounds against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). The general population of the 83 islands in the archipelago of Vanuatu have continued to suffer from non-communicable diseases such as obesity, heart and lung failure, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Leimujia Poilapa (60), a mother of three children is one those victims. Hailing from Mele Village in the island of Efate, Mrs Poilapa was a normal person…

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Dialogue and partnerships key for a more resilient future

By RUCI VAKAMINO Dialogue and strong partnerships are the best way to deliver on the region's shared goals of greater disaster resilience, says Solomon Islands environment minister Samuel Manetoali. "We must continue to work with our partners and ensure that adequate resources are available to support the implementation of priority programmes and projects in our countries and territories,” he says. "We must continue to collaborate and share knowledge,…

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Destruction and construction – Tukuraki’s lonely story of survival

In January 2012, a small Fijian village on Viti Levu was almost wiped off the map by a deadly landslide. In the same year, the barely recovered village of Tukuraki was hit by Cyclone Evan. Four years later, Tukuraki was devastated once again by the wrath of Tropical Cyclone Winston, scattering the community far and wide across the northwest of the island. The inland village near Ba is now in the process of relocating to a new site. The Pacific Media Centre’s Kendall Hutt and Julie Cleaver travelled to the remote village to find out how the people are adapting. By Kendall Hutt and…

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Debate Around Arming Solomons Police

Lowen Sei The Solomons polics force is facing one of its biggest test of legitimacy since the withdrawal of the Australian led “Regional Assistance mission to Solomon islands” (RAMSI) peace keeping force. As part of RAMSI’s mission to reduce ethnic violence in the Solomons guns were confiscated and destroyed across the country. However with new reported incidents of gun violence the Solomons’ government has taken the decision to rearm the Police force. This has caused mixed reactions from the public, and has generated debate whether or not this was the right decision. On June this year, the Prime Minister, Hon.Manaseh…

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Foreign Vessel Over-fishing in Fijian Waters

Overfishing is a global problem faced by many countries today that is having a serious repercussion by endangering the marine organisms in our oceans and affecting the livelihoods of many. Fiji is the hub of the Pacific and here overfishing is a big problem attributed mostly to foreign fishing vessels who fish along the country’s fishing borders. Owner of the Fiji Fish Limited Graham Southwick are among those heavily affected as result of overfishing along our economic zone waters in the hands of foreign fishing vessels. “Overfishing by foreign fishing vessels are happening along our borders impacting our catch. There are already about 900…

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Solomons’ Artificial Islands Under Threat

Henry Oritaimae Inhabitants of artificial islands in the Solomon Islands are migrating to settle in the bigger islands due to sea-level rise and inundation. University of the South Pacific (USP) Director of the Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies, Dr. David Gegeo, said there are some immediate reasons that may contribute to the sea-level rise which impacted the lives of the inhabitants. “The artificial islands are built on corals and when people heavily built on it because of rise in population, the corals die over the centuries forcing the islands to sink under water. So this may be…

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Turkish Political Violence and Human Migration

By Monica Aguilar For a country that has survived four coups in two decades, Fiji is not a stranger to political violence, ethnic tensions and the mass exodus of coup opponents. Turkey, a country that is more than a twenty hour flight away from Fiji, is currently facing this same crisis. In July this year the Turkish government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was subject to a failed military coup. In response Erdoğan has detained and arrested tens of thousands and dismissed over eighty thousand government employees. Those purged by the government are suspected of being members of the Hizmet…

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