I am not given to writing about politics in my ongoing charity and encouragement support to the Solomon Islands but feel I should just say a word about what I have witnessed as aid from Australia to many of its regional neighbors in recent times.
At the last summit of Pacific Forum Leaders, to my recollection, Australia came under fire for its use of fossil fuels at home when the Forum delegates called on Australia to limit its use and burning of coal in an effort to limit global warming and especially since the smaller Pacific countries were impacted severely by climate change-induced it was believed by global warming and the release of carbon in the atmosphere.
Since those early and reportedly heated exchanges of views on Australia’s stance on its use of fossil fuels, I have witnessed Australia’s re-charged commitment towards its neighbors and a policy of practicing what it preaches in terms of practical aid and assistance.
Solomon Islands has benefited greatly from such aid and continues to get Australian help in fighting off the threat of coronavirus, including fast patrol craft given to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) to allow for police surveillance and patrolling on its Western border close to the island territory of Bougainville where Covid-19 case has spiked sharply in recent weeks.
Today, it was announced by Scott Morrison the Australian Prime Minister that his government was immediately sending Covid-19 vaccines to Papua New Guinea and would help in the distribution of those vaccines.
I cannot say exactly the amount or degree of assistance Australia has provided to the Pacific states such as Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, and previously to PNG, but sufficient to say, I believe, the help has been huge.
Amnesty International has said today that Australia should be doing more to see the Pacific neighbors get PPE and more vaccines and perhaps Australia will try to help with supplying extra PPE needs, but let us collectively thank Australia for what it has already done.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
