Arising from the fatal injury to a local aviation engineer last Sunday following a bomb explosion on the outskirts of Honiara, the United States (US) Ambassador to Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Erin McKee says they are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic incident in Honiara this past weekend and mourn the loss of life.
The U.S Embassy also posted their condolence statement on their Facebook page.
H.E McKee in a statement told the Solomon Star newspaper paper that the United States (US) government, through their Department of Defense, will continue to support efforts to remove unexploded ordnance from Solomon Islands.
“Among these efforts is our ongoing partnership with Norwegian People's Aid, which has worked in Solomon Islands since 2019 to identify and dispose of unexploded ordnance,” the statement said.
However, a news item from Radio New Zealand today claimed the work by the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) was suspended last year following the deaths of the Australian and British team members in Honiara.
More knowledge and awareness about the potential for UXO's beneath existing structures and in established neighbourhoods may be needed, according to Peter Kenilorea Jr.
“New commercial developments are cleared of munitions but people are not likely to expect them in the yards of existing homes,” he added.
"I guess an increase of awareness needs to be done by authorities to alert people on the certain steps that they might need to take, even in an already established area, involving fires and then such," said Mr. Kenilorea.
"I think such awareness needs to come back much more prominent in our discourse here in Honiara and Solomon Islands in general."
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
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