Family problem in Solomon Islands is quite complicated to deal with, a former director to Social Welfare from the Ministry of Health & Medical Services Aaron Olofia says.
Speaking to the Solomon Star yesterday, Mr Olofia said that different composition of family units in the country must be seriously assessed, so as to identify right approaches to deal with family conflicts that disintegrate families.
He told the Solomon Star that family disintegration begins when these problems become regular and chronic, and a family is overwhelmed or does not know how to deal with them or does not receive any help in time to address them, then the family falls apart.
He also said that it is important however to raise our concerns when we see and witness that many of our families, those whom we know or hold dear are breaking up.
“It shows that we care for our families, our communities, our tribes, our nation and our people,” he said. “We do not want our families to break up unnecessarily, but we only want to have strong and enduring families because in ourselves we know that is the foundation of a better and strong Solomon Islands,” he added.
Olofia stated that we know we could do better if we are fully informed about the challenges to the family and know what to do about these.
He further stated that one of the sad facts of family disintegration is the untold suffering this caused to the children of these broken marriages.
“Some blamed themselves for their parent’s breakup and many I saw were disillusioned, affecting their education and denting their future prospects,” Olofia stated.
He added,“we need children to grow up in a strong stable family environment, whether it is in a two parent family or single parent family.”
“These children are the ones who will create tomorrow’s families for Solomon Islands, only if we start up good we will also end up good, he stressed.”
He concluded by saying; “we must realize that our family exists in a world that is changing all the time, so the problems that the family faces are also complex and uncertain.”
By AATAI JOHN
