SIKAIANA COMMUNITIES IN DESPERATE NEED OF FOOD & MED

A taro garden in Sikaiana. Photo credit: SIBC.

Communities in Sikaiana are in desperate need of food and medicine, and a Sikaiana community leader in Honiara has called on their national and provincial leaders to charter a boat to send supplies to the islands.

Robert Sisilo told SIBC News today, no boats have gone out to Sikaiana for five months, and the shipping franchise to the Malaita Outer Islands has expired.

Mr Sisilo says medical supplies and food in the islands have run out, and the shipping situation is causing even more hardship for communities.

He also called on the Malaita Outer Islands leaders and the Government to charter a boat to carry food and medicine to Sikaiana.

“We are marginalised communities, farther away, which is very difficult especially when you are talking about five months without a boat. I mean that is just unacceptable as well as unthinkable, so I am trying to call on the leaders on behalf of the Sikaiana people, to try and quickly address this situation by sending a boat with a medical team, education in terms of schools as well as food. We in Honiara can help send food down to Sikaiana, but the problem is the availability of a boat, which is our immediate requirement and not for later.”