A delegation from the Solomon Islands Mission (SIM) of the Seventh Day Adventist [SDA] Church left Honiara for Australia on Sunday to participate in a weeklong program and witness the officially launch of the firstever ‘South Pacific for Christ’ launch program. The program will involve leaders from all the Adventist Divisions around the Pacific. The South Pacific for Christ Launch is a division-wide time of prayer, training, and mobilisation throughout the quienqunnium.  It involves all countries in the division, including the Solomon Islands Mission. Mission delegates from the Solomon Islands Mission, included representatives from Atoifi.  The program will convene at Watson Park Convention Centre in Brisbane from Tuesday April 28 to Saturday May 2. This is the first gathering of its kind this year. It will help leaders pray together, plan, and prepare for the mission work ahead.  The program is important because it unites the church in one purpose—to share...

The Solomon Islands Weightlifting Team has joined the opening ceremony of the 2026 Oceania Weightlifting Championships/IWF World Cup/ Commonwealth Junior and Youth Championships over the weekend. The opening ceremony was held on Saturday night. More than 500 athletes from 12 countries are participating in the upcoming event.  These championships will run concurrently from Monday 27th April to Saturday 2nd May.  The Championships is the part of the qualifying process for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Solomon Islands Weightlifting Team, led by Coach Wendy Hale, includes athletes Jenly Wini Tegu, Shimara Tegu, Guy Saeg and Freeman Hale Aumalefo.  Participating lifters at the opening ceremony. ALL PHOTOS SUPPLIED The team departed Honiara on Wednesday 22nd April. Their participation in these championships is made possible by the National Sports Council (NSC), which provided 50 percent of funding support, and the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) and Solomon Islands Weightlifting Federation (SIWF), which chipped in the other 50 percent of funding support....

Kim Durke, the Managing Director of KOSOL Group of Companies, has expressed his deepest concern regarding the extensive devastation caused by TC Maila across the Western Province and Choiseul.  The cyclone has left a trail of destruction, particularly impacting communities in areas such as Simbo, Mono, and Vella La Vella.  Recent reports from the affected regions describe a heartbreaking situation involving destroyed homes, displaced families, and significant damage to local infrastructure.  Additionally, the storm has caused severe damage to essential food gardens, which are vital for the livelihoods and sustenance of the local population.  In response to the widespread destruction, KOSOL Group has officially donated and delivered 2 tonnes of rice (100 bags) to assist with immediate relief efforts.  This contribution is intended to provide urgent food security to those whose lives have been upended by the natural disaster.  “We trust that this assistance will be distributed to those most...

The Kalona Clinic in the interior part of Small Malaita Constituency, Malaita Province, is in urgent need of improvement, with calls for a modern building design to meet standard healthcare facility requirements. A recent social media post highlighting the current state of the clinic has revealed that its buildings remain basic, constructed in the style of a traditional village hut using sago palm leaves and other bush materials. Images of the facility have attracted widespread public attention, prompting concerns over the lack of development.  Some members of the public have questioned why government leaders and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services have not taken action to upgrade such an essential service. Others have pointed out that Kalona Clinic may be the only clinic in Malaita Province still operating from structures made primarily of sago palm and bush materials. According to available information, the clinic has served its surrounding communities for years...

Mr. Ian Vaevaso is officially appointed as the new commissioner of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) on Friday morning (24 April 2026) before the Governor General (GG) of the Solomon Islands at Government House. Mr. Vaevaso accepts this responsibility with humility, with seriousness and with firm commitment to serve our nation faithfully.  He said, this appointment is not about one individual. It is about responsibility, it is about duty to Constitution, to our communities and to every citizen who looks to Police for protection and fairness. Mr. Vaevaso emphasises his commitment to enhancing community safety and building trust between the police and the public. He outlined several key initiatives aimed at dealing with emerging crimes and improving training and resources for officers to better serve the citizens of the Solomon Islands. PC Ian Vaevaso sworn-in Vaevaso also highlighted the importance of collaboration with local communities and international partners to address...

To support communities affected by Maila By FLOYD TERRY JNR Solomon Star, Honiara The Solomon Forest Association (SFA) has stepped in to support communities affected by the recent cyclone Maila, donating tons of essential food supplies to the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO). The handover, which took place on Friday day at the Cocoa and Copra Export Warehouse at Henderson, included 1,000 bags of 10kg rice, 1,000 cartons of noodles, and 100 cartons of canned tuna [taiyo]. SFA Secretary Austin Holmes said the association was pleased to contribute to relief efforts, describing the donation as a gesture of solidarity with those impacted by the cyclone. “We are happy to step in and support our people during this difficult time. Although this assistance may not be enough to meet all needs, it comes from the heart,” Mr. Holmes said during the handover ceremony. The contribution is expected to assist the NDMO...

The Solomon Islands Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, received a USD 500,000 payout from the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC) following the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Maila. The payout was officially presented by PCRIC CEO Aholotu Palu to the Honourable Minister of Finance and Treasury, Rexon Annex Ramofafia, with the presence of Permanent Secretary Mckinnie Dentana and Deputy Secretary Technical, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Agnetha Vave Karamui on Thursday 23 April. Tropical Cyclone Maila caused significant impacts across Western, Choiseul, and Isabel Provinces, prompting the declaration of a State of Emergency.  The payout received highlights the importance of pre-arranged finance in providing immediate financial protection against natural disasters and supporting government relief efforts.  This marks an important milestone for the Government in securing national parametric insurance cover, given the frequency and severity of cyclones in the region. PCRIC’s risk transfer mechanism directly supports the implementation...

Honiara, Solomon Islands Friday 24th April- Prime Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele has welcomed a major nationwide initiative by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) aimed at promoting peace, unity and community well-being across Solomon Islands, while complementing Government’s efforts in national development. The initiative, “Solomon Islands Mission for Christ 2026,” will bring together churches, communities and stakeholders across the country, with a strong focus on peace-building, spiritual renewal and addressing key social challenges, including the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Details of the initiative were formally presented to the Prime Minister during a courtesy call by an SDA delegation led by Pastor Linray Tutuo, General Secretary of the SDA Solomon Islands Mission. As part of the lead-up to the national program, the SDA Church will host a Health Expo from 11–16 May 2026 at Lawson Tama in Honiara, with simultaneous rollouts in provincial centres.  The Expo is expected to bring together more than...

Participants in the recently completed Exercise Coastwatchers have spoken about the new skills they acquired that will help keep Solomon Islands secure. Exercise Coastwatchers, a joint activity betwen the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) concluded earlier this month. It takes its name from the Coastwatchers of World War II, a secret communication network comprised of Australians and Solomon Islanders which reported information to the Allies on military assets moving across the Pacific. True to this legacy, this instance of Exercise Coastwatchers included advanced courses focused on maritime and border surveillance, bringing together students from earlier small boats operator and drone operator courses to further upgrade their skills. The course required students to work together and draw on a wide range of skills in a simulation targeting criminal activity. After receiving information on potential criminals, they planned their mission, and worked with the small...

Our Telekom engineers are working around the clock to restore services By ULUTAH GINA Solomon Star, Gizo Telecommunications services across Western and Choiseul provinces have been severely disrupted following the onslaught of Cyclone Maila, leaving several rural communities cut off from vital communication links. Telecommunications provider Our Telekom confirmed in a statement this week that key network infrastructure suffered extensive  damage during the height of the cyclone, particularly from lightning strikes and strong winds. The outage has raised serious concerns over emergency communication and the flow of local trade, as affected communities struggle  without reliable mobile and data services. Initial technical assessments indicate that high-altitude relay equipment sustained the most damage. In Western Province, parts of Vella La Vella including Karaka, Boro and Tuzu are experiencing partial to total service loss. Similarly, in Choiseul Province, affected areas include Kandova, Lengatura, Kumanibae, Varunga and Sambe. “Our key network hardware was heavily ...