Member of Parliament (MP) for South Bougainville, Timothy Masiu, has donated forty thousand kina (SBD$91,000) towards Solomon Islands PNG Association (SIPA) appeal for the purchase of medical equipment for the National Referral Hospital in Honiara.
President of the Solomon Islands PNG Association, Denyse Ealedona, expressed gratitude towards the kind gesture by Masiu to donate towards their appeal.
The SIPNGA used the occasion of its country’s 40th Independence anniversary celebrations to raise funds for towards the purchase of an ECG Machine and a Suction Machine.
Mr Masiu who was the guest speaker at the 40th Independence anniversary celebrations by the Solomon Islands community in Port Moresby pledged financial support towards the appeal and handed over the cheque to the association during a cheque presentation ceremony today.
Association president Ms Ealedona said, the group is very grateful for the financial support by Mr Masiu who used the occasion to apologise to Solomon Islands for the spill over effects of the Bougainville crisis.
“On behalf of the association I would like to acknowledge this huge and significant contribution, which will go a long way to assist NRH and the people of Solomon Islands.
“Bougainvilleans have always had a long relationship with Solomon Islands given its close proximity and its links to the Shortland Islanders sharing the border.
“We hope that the gesture by Hon. Masiu will further strengthen our ties and the long relationship that Solomon Islands has with Bouginville and its people,” Ms Ealedona said
Mr Masiu used the occasion on Wednesday at the Solomon Islands High Commission office in Port Moresby to urge the Solomon Islands people especially at the Border with Bougainville to continue to foster harmonious relations .
He said he has been in contact with the Solomon Islands Reconciliation Task Force team and his officers will be joining the team for mediation talks and set dates for reconciliation with the Bougainville people.
“I want this to happen quickly because this should have been the first thing to happen for people to reconcile and bring back for us to reconcile.”
He thanked the Solomon Islands people for their relationships and support during the crisis period to today.
