THE Japanese Embassy in Honiara on Wednesday organised a tour for local journalists in Honiara to see the various development projects the Japanese Government has supported Solomon Islands with through its Grassroots and Human Security Project.
The project has supported and benefited different sectors like health, education, police and many important areas in the social development of the country.
The first visit was taken to the National Referral Hospital to see project donations from the Japanese Government to Solomon Islands Government through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
The project is called the ‘Economic and Social Development Programme for the Health Sector.’
The cooperation period of the project was 2020 and it costed $SBD6, 328,000 (300 million Japanese Yen).
“This project aims to improve Public Health Services in Solomon Islands.
“The assistance to strengthen basic infrastructure in public health sectors such as ICU beds, mobile X-ray machines which comprises one of the priorities of the Official Development Assistance by the Government of Japan,” said the statement from the Japanese Embassy.
Hospital Secretary, John Muaki on behalf of the Health Sector thanked the Japanese Government and its people for donating such lifesaving machines to NRH.
Thereafter, the touring local journos and staff from the Japanese Embassy went on to Ilia Community High School to see a classroom building there also funded by the Japanese Government.
The Classroom Building costed around $SBD648, 035 and its cooperation period was 2022 to 2023.
The building comprises 6 classrooms for secondary students.
The Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Miwa Yoshiaki said this project aims to improve education services in Solomon Islands.
“The assistance to strengthen basic infrastructure in education sectors such as classrooms and dormitories is one of the priorities of the grassroots and human security projects by the Embassy of Japan,” he said.
Principal of Ilia Community High School, Ray Menia said the classroom building project is a milestone achievement for Ilia CHS.
“Thank you to Japan Ambassador, H.E Yoshiaki Miwa and Grassroots Project Coordinator, Ms Maiko Mori and your staff for approving our application of the 6 classrooms building’s application.
“Now you have come to see the building,” he said.
School Board Chairman, Alfred Lenard said the parents and guardians are delighted to see the building near completion.
The building will be handed over to Ilia Community High School and Honiara City Council soon after the entire finishing job is completed by Stanley Ringafale- the contractor of the building.
Ilia CHS is owned by HCC.
Later in the afternoon, the touring journalists and the staff from the Japanese Embassy went to Hells Point to see the Japanese Government funded ‘Project for Unexploded Ordnance Disposal.’
The project costs around $SBD6, 328, 000.
Ambassador Yoshiaki said, “The legacy of fighting that took place between Japan and US during World War 2 still remains as a great risk for inhabitants and the land of this country is heavily contaminated with UXO even today.
“UXO continues to be a major obstacle to socio-economic development in Solomon Islands and a number of people are killed or injured by UXO every year.
“The Government set up a specialised team, The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) to take charge of UXO disposal activities in 1980s and EOD aims to reduce lives lost, the number of people affected and economic damage and increase the area of safe land available for food production and other socio-economic activities.
“However, its activities are very limited due to personnel and budget constraints, and it is said that it will take several hundred years to dispose of all remaining UXO at the current pace. The government of Japan is fully aware of the importance of UXO issues and funded up to US$787,815 in March, 2022.”
He added, “This assistance will enable the EOD team to develop the capacity to deal with residual UXO threats through the provision of necessary equipment.
“It is expected that this project will contribute to the development of Solomon Islands, not only by ensuring the safety of rural communities, but also by aiding the economic development of rural areas of this country.”
Officer in charge of EOD, Clifford Tunuki, meanwhile, said removing UXO is not a work limited to Japan or the allied forces only but the government and stakeholders, including other diplomatic partners.
“I thank Japan for the provision of our equipment such as the vehicles, the ray boats, ambulance and the trailer for fire extinguishers and the most recent one is the ATV (All Terrain Vehicles) which were handed over this afternoon,” he said.
The ATV vehicles are capable of transporting UXO at Hells Point and the provinces when police carry out UXO operations.
He said the vehicles donated by Japan are to enhance EOD responses in Honiara and Guadalcanal as well as the boats it also donated to support the EOD teams on their coastal and underwater UXO operations.
He added that the fire extinguisher also donated by Japan will help them respond effectively to fire hazards at Hell’s Point.
By LACHLAN EDDIE HOE Solomon Star, Honiara
