HONIARA, Solomon Islands – As part of an agreement with the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Our Telekom announced major backing for the Solomon Islands National Tourism Forum (NTF) scheduled in Honiara on August 29. Our Telekom will have exclusive naming rights for the event, the first of its kind ever to take place in the Solomon Islands.

Presenting a check for SLD100,000 to the NTF Organizing Committee in Honiara yesterday, Our Telekom CEO, Loyley Ngira said he was delighted to be supporting such an important event.

“As the Solomon Islands largest mobile communications network Our Telekom is very excited to announce its commitment as a principal sponsor of the NTF,” Mr. Ngira said.

“We are aware of how communications have become an integral part of local tourism in this day and age.

“We also recognize the role tourism plays in the overall development of the nation’s economy.

Members of Dunedin's Solomon Islands community are gathering relief supplies, including food and blankets, to help their people after their islands were recently hard hit by flooding.

The flooding killed at least 23 people, displaced thousands more, and destroyed many gardens, causing a severe food shortage.

The Rev Ivica Gregurec, a priest assistant in the Dunedin North Anglican Parish, said the Dunedin Solomon Islands community was organising the collection of summer clothing, bedding, blankets and dry and non-perishable food, including rice, salt and sugar, to be directly distributed to the affected communities.

he Solomon Island Visitors Bureau (SIVB) CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto has echoed his South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) counterpart’s comments underlining the role data and statistics can play in determining a country’s economic direction.

Returning to Honiara this week after chairing the SPTO-convened ‘Pacific Conference on Measuring Tourism’ in Fiji, Mr Tuamoto said the organisation’s CEO, Ilisoni Vuidreketi was “spot on” with his comments.

To Solomon Islands, where the managing director of the World Bank is visiting a number of major projects in the country, after attending the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Australia.