17 Nov 2006

Solomon Islands' governor general calls on US to clean up WWII vessels in Sols' sea

12:06 pm on 17 November 2006

Solomon Islands Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena is calling on the United States to extend cleaning up exercises on World War II vessels sunk in the Solomon seas.

Sir Nathaniel expressed this during the presentation of credentials by the new United States Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Leslie Rowe at Government House today.

While appreciating the efforts done by the US Department of Defence in cleaning up chemical ammunition stockpiles around the country, Sir Nathaniel expressed his wish to have similar exercises extended in monitoring oil leakage from the World War II vessels, especially those that lie between Guadalcanal and Savo, in the Iron Bottom Sound.

He says cleaning up of World War II ammunitions scattered throughout the country is a grave concern.

Sir Nathaniel says he sincerely hope that this is something the two countries can comfortably jointly work together on.

He said Solomon Islands is a developing island state that has fragile ecosystem which and he hoped such undertaking would be included in the future activities between the two countries.

Oil seeping out from wrecked battleship and carriers of both the American and Japanese has been an ongoing concern for local and regional environmental groups since it was first reported that oil sleeks had been responsible for killing a number of species of marine lives.