Solomon Islands atoll desperate for supplies

Transcript

A former trade negotiator in Solomon Islands says the people of Sikaiana Atoll in Malaita Province are desperate for food and medical supplies after five months without a shipping service.

Robert Sisilo says the situation is increasingly urgent and the population of 250 is also struggling to cope without a nurse or teachers.

He told Jenny Meyer the only communication between the people of Sikaiana and Honiara is by wireless radio telephone.

ROBERT SISILO:  For five months now there has not been any boat and you know people have run out of food and medical supplies of course, and the clinic is there but there's no registered nurse there because the registered nurse came on the last boat that was in early April, and because no boat has been to the island since then so basically medical supplies have run out.

JENNY MEYER:  People must be feeling pretty abandoned, what's been happening then to try and re-establish contact with them in terms of supplies getting there?

RS: Well that's what we are trying to get the government now to quickly look into the issue and send a boat as quickly as possible because they've said they've basically run out of food. Yes we do have some local food on the island like taro and kakakay and bananas but five months is a long time and because of the limited land and local food has basically run out.

JM: And what's been the problem with the shipping service? Is it a shortage of money or is it the ship itself? What's the issue there?

RS: Well basically the shipping company that used to run the service, you know they are on contract under the franchise of EU funded, subsidised shipping route. But that contract has expired now and since then they've put the contract on tender but now, up to now, I don't think they've actually decided on which shipping company to service this route. So I think that's one of the main reasons why there's a delay in shipping. But I've already got in touch with the Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure who's responsible for these shipping services and he told me that they are quickly trying to resolve the situation by actually approving the shipping company that is going to service the route. But for now I think people are desperate and they are calling on the responsible government to at least charter a boat to go there with supplies, particularly medical. In fact our school too because I think a couple of teachers came from the island in the last boat in April so basically the school also really requires the teachers to be back on island.

JM: So essentially they're just having to look after themselves? I've heard one report that in fact a child has died following a diarrhea type illness?

RS: That's right that was early last week, we got reports from the island that one child basically died because of diarrhea. And I think also there are cases of rubella on the island.

JM: Are you hopeful that something will happen soon? What the time frame do you think?

RS: I'm not really sure about the time frame but since last week and the week before, we've been trying to make representations to responsible authorities but as of today we haven't heard yet of any ship that is scheduled to go to the island. But we will try and keep on the pressure.