VILLAGERS in the highlands of Central Guadalcanal are in desperate need for food and water since they are experiencing hunger in its worst case, over the past weeks.
Speaking to the Solomon Star over the weekend, Alfred Maneanea one of the victims from Kolosulu village said, they are finding it hard to fetch food from their garden and there is a desperate need for divine intervention from the responsible authorities.
He stressed that, the affected areas are Sumboko, Papae, Kolosulu, Lame, Tenakosa, Nasuga, Gaiparia, and Solamarau where close to thousands of people are affected.
“This disastrous situation that we are facing today is a result of the hot and dry weather (El Nino) last year and the continuous wet weather that we went through for the past months, since last December.
“Our only staple food in the highlands which is taro is unable to bear fruits and now, we only rely on wild yam from the forest.
“We have replanted our taro gardens last year but the dry weather is very unkind to us. According to our timing, the crops should be ready for harvest already.
“And also, if it wasn’t for the bags of rice and flour from our relatives in town, some of us would have died of hunger already. Especially the little children in the villages,” poor Maneanea said with a pity tone of voice.
Mr Maneanea added that, he together with his family had to leave their village to come to town on a desperate need for help and demanded that the responsible authority must do something now.
“Plenty of families have been affected by this disaster. Most of them are already in town residing with their relatives.
“We don’t want this to happen, but we can’t say much. This is reality now,” he told the Solomon Star.
“Before the situation gets worse and lives lost, I call on the responsible authorities to come in for a rescue now.
“This call goes out to our Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Derek Sikua, the government through the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO, and other Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s),” Mr Maneanea added.
Mr Maneanea added, this is the first time for them to face such catastrophe. They only heard of such dilemma during the times of their great grandfathers in the past.
Comments are being sought from the responsible authorities.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
