In a recent Editorial piece in the Solomon Star newspaper, the Lomlon airport terminal is said to be an eyesore and without toilet facilities.
Quoting the Editorial write-up, it said.
Quote.
Lomlom Airport is the gateway to the Reef Islands which is serviced by the Solomon airlines weekly schedule every Wednesday.
Given the unreliable shipping service to the Reef Islands, the airport serves as a major hub for air transport and economic activities for villages that sell their market produce every Wednesday.
However, there is a grave concern regarding the state of the airport terminal which is an eyesore to local resident Mr. Alfred Boplo.
Mr. Alfred told the paper that the current structure and condition need to be replaced. He mentioned that during the rainy season, passengers and luggage are wet because it is too small to accommodate many people.
Toilet facilities are not functioning therefore passengers have to use the nearby bushes to relieve themselves.
He, therefore, calls on relevant authorities to seriously look into this issue because the terminal is the first impression of the Reef Islands for visitors.
End of quote.
Source. Solomon Star News.
Comment.
As the Star’s article pointed out the Lomlom plays an important part in the lives of people from the isolated Reef Islands, being both a vital air and transport hub but a place where villagers go to sell their produce,
The people of the Reef Islands are already feeling the brunt of climate change impacting on their land, homes, food gardens and their very future. They do not need further handicaps in their lives and the reported state of the Lomlom airport terminal surely needs urgent attention by the appropriate authorities, whether that is the Malaita provincial government or the national one.
From a photograph that featured in the Solomon Star the airport terminal appears to have been constructed from local bush materials and, surely, it could be replaced relatively inexpensively with the same kind of bush products, perhaps, also, local villagers skilled in construction would be willing to undertake the task, given help with the basic materials and toilet parts to replace the now unused toilets.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
