Japan looks at sending back volunteers to Solomon’s

Honiara (Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation/PINA Nius Online) – The Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Tatsuo Tanaka, has held discussions with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and the Foreign Minister Danny Philip during his visit to the country.

He confirmed that the head of the Japanese overseas volunteer organization was arriving during the weekend to assess the situation in the country to see if its safe to have volunteers returned.

Mr. Tanaka said Japan’s technical assistance had been affected with many of its volunteers returning home.

Mr. Tanaka said that as soon as the situation in the country returned to normalcy under the Townsville Peace Agreement, the volunteers will return.

In his discussions with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Tanaka assured Solomon Islands of the continuing friendly relationship Japan has established with Solomon Islands.

Mr. Tanaka pointed out the diplomatic relationship between the two countries remains cordial despite the ethnic conflict on Guadalcanal.

Meanwhile, the National Government will have to action any recommendations from this week’s Premiers’ Conference on the issue of state government because it forms part of the Townsville Peace Agreement.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Provincial Government and Rural Development, John Tuhaika, told SIBC the issue of state government will be the focus of the one-week conference in Buala, Isabel Province.

Mr. Tuhaika said his ministry has put together submissions from all the provinces on the issue of state government and this document will be discussed at the conference.

Resource persons from all the government ministries have also been invited to explain to the conference possible repercussions of adopting the state system of Government.

Prime Minister Sogavare will open the premiers’ conference and it will be chaired by the Minister for Provincial Government and Assistant Prime Minister, Nathaniel Waena.

The Honiara City Health and Medical Services Division will be carrying out a week-long mass immunization.

Because of the ethnic tension, many children may have missed out on their immunization.

The action is aimed at immunizing children from five years and under against curable diseases such T-B, Hepatitis B, tetanus, measles, polio and whooping cough.

The Peace Monitoring Council is shifting its posts nearer to civilians on Guadalcanal.

The aim of the reallocations is to bring peace monitors closer to ordinary citizens.

Plans are underway to establish Peace Monitoring posts on Malaita as soon as planning and budgetary issues are finalized.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the International Peace Monitoring team will set up its headquarters at the Guadalcanal Resort east of Honiara.

And it is planning to set up monitoring posts east and west of Guadalcanal and in Auki, Malaita Province.