Makira Ulawa Provincial Government has spearheaded two days of clean-up of Kirakira, the provincial capital last week.
The clean up days, April 28 and 29 was the result of an earlier call by a school teacher from FM Campbell School for the provincial government to set aside a day or two to clean up the provincial capital because it was dirty and full of rubbish.
It is the provincial government’s effort to clean Kirakira in the fight against the deadly coronavirus from arriving in the province because it is widely believed the virus cannot live in clean and hot environment.
The first day, Premier Julian Maka’a and his Provincial Secretary James Taeburi led provincial ministers and officials, Police officers and medical Officers, church leaders, Solomon Power workers, owners of business houses and their workers and residents picked up empty beer and soft drink bottles and cans, plastic bags, betel nut husks and general rubbish along the streets.
They armed themselves with knives, spades and brooms to clean the streets and side-streets as they were overgrown with grass and creepers.
On day two (April 29), residents cleaned around their houses while officers brushed around their offices.
Meanwhile, pickup trucks were used to pick up heaps and heaps of rubbish along the streets and dropped them at the rubbish dump.
A concrete wall built in the 60s near the Kirakira football field for people to sit on while watching games of soccer and athletics which over the years has been overgrown with weeds and grass is now visible again.
And no doubt, Kirakira residents and their visitors will again use the concrete wall for the same purpose.
But the big question being posed now is who will maintain the upkeep of Kirakira?
By GEORGE ATKIN
In Kirakira
