Insight Feature

Student journalists speak up

Iliesa Moceituba, left, speaks to Carolyn Kitione after the panel discussion at the AusAid Performance Space at Laucala Bay. Picture: WANSOLWARA STAFF   By LAISEANA NASIGA Final-year journalism students at USP took centre stage at this year’s World Press Freedom Day celebrations by participating in a panel discussion about media freedom and the challenges to ensure press freedom online. USP’s Journalism Programme gave student journalists the platform to speak on these pressing issues rather than be spoken to. Carolyn Kitione, a journalism and psychology major, highlighted the risks and conflicts that journalists faced in their profession. “When we are out…

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The simple, peaceful life on Rabi

Hele Ikimotu’s “peace in Rabi” video reflections. Video: Pacific Media Centre/Wansolwara   By HELE IKIMOTU on Rabi Island Our trip to Rabi was a long journey, first starting with a bus ride from Suva, driving straight onto a ferry in Natovi and arriving in Nabouwalu. That trip alone was about seven to eight hours. From there, my uncle picked us up and let us borrow the car to head into Savusavu. After exploring the area for a bit, we then caught another bus which drove onto Princess Moana in Natuvu – the final stop before Rabi. Arriving in Rabi for the first…

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The Struggle For Land Rights

By Linda Filiai  More than one hundred thousand Fijians live every day with the insecurity that comes with being an informal settler. Many are trapped into unsatisfactory conditions by the high cost of living. The Fiji government and civil society organisations have new programs to address informal settlements. Some are creating hope that a transition to legal tenancy may be possible. The struggles for informal settlers are many. The Director of Peoples Community Network (PCN) Semiti Qalowasa says most informal settlers are living in the settlements under the sympathy of the landowners. Director of Peoples Community…

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Land Tenure Struggles in Honiara

By Charles Kadamana The urban State land in Solomon Islands is under a great deal of pressure not because of increasing informal settlers but because of its Land Tenure System. In Solomon Islands about 83 percent of the lands are customary owned. Customary owned lands owned by tribal groups, clans and families. Only 17 percent of the lands are state owned lands. Joseph Foukona a Law Lecturer at USP in Emalus Campus who carried out a case study on Urban Land Tenure in Solomon Islands said access to urban…

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The Fight for Transgender Rights

By Linda Filiai Horrific experiences of violence and bullying are preventing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of the Pacific from achieving their potential and making more of a contribution to society. A group of courageous young LGBT people shared their stories with women attending the 13th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women in Suva this week. Gillio Baxter, 29, from Vanuatu was born male but feels deeply that she was supposed to be female. She told how she was bullied at school because she allowed her feminine side to show. “In my…

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Malnutrition Threatens Solomon Islands

By John Follet Solomon Islands is classified as a country threatened with high rates of malnutrition that may cause a range of NCDs. According to the World Health Organisation, the term malnutrition covers two broad groups of conditions. One is under nutrition- which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and micronutrient deficiencies or insufficiencies (a lack of important vitamins and minerals). The other part of it refers to overweight; obesity and diet- related non communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. The effects of it really touch…

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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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