2 May 2014
From the High Commissioner’s Desk – Friday 2 May
Nearly a month after devastating heavy rains and flash flooding, Australia continues to work closely with the Solomon Islands Government and NGOs to provide relief and recovery assistance.
Yesterday I toured East Guadalcanal to witness the impact of the flood and to see how Australian-funded supplies are reaching those in need.
I visited Vasakiki village where the Red Cross delivered 4,000 litres of drinking water, which had been produced through an Australian-funded water purification system.
Having travelled around Guadalcanal over the past few weeks and met with many communities, I have been continually impressed by the extraordinary resilience of Solomon Islanders in the face of devastation and tragedy.
While the paths of destruction along rivers around Guadalcanal are visible, and the events still fresh in memories, many Solomon Islanders are working hard to get life back to normal.
There is obviously still a long way to go for complete recovery and reconstruction and Australia continues to provide support.
On top of our initial emergency response, we have sent medical teams to help the National Referral Hospital treat the spike in diarrhea cases, child under-nutrition and respiratory illnesses.
Working with our health partners, we have also helped to provide water tanks, latrines and clean water to affected areas and helped to curb malaria and dengue outbreaks by distributing bed nets and spraying mosquito larvae.
We have provided 1,000 shelter kits made up of tools like shovels, rope, saws, hammers and nails to help families repair and rebuild homes.
We have purchased 800 new pipes for Solomon Water to repair damaged water distribution mains.
Through our partnership with the Solomon Islands Government through the National Transport Fund, we are helping to fix 15 bridges and water crossings in West Guadalcanal.
We are also helping to alleviate food shortages by raising 214, 000 vegetable seedlings and cuttings to supply to farmers across Guadalcanal.
The floods have been a severe test for Solomon Islands – everyone tells me it has been the worst disaster in living memory. But it’s a test that the country and its people have faced with courage, resilience and a strong community spirit.
Andrew Byrne, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands