A STENCIL designer is pleading with the National Government to provide a proper venue in Honiara for stencil designers to sell their products.
Amongst food vendors at the Honiara Central Market below the KG VI bus bay are a group of stencil designers displaying and selling their products.
These group of entrepreneurs are often overlooked by the national government in terms of funding assistance.
Despite limited resources, stencil designers are able to cut traditional designs from all over the country to sell for an income.
They also have their designs printed on t-shirts for sale.
At that small dirty corner of the Central Market facility, the Solomon Star managed to speak with one of the stencil designers Jack Evedubalaga, who hails from Lau Lagoon, Malaita Province.
Evedubalaga lamented that prior to the April 17 Joint Election, many election candidates promised stencil designers a proper building to sell their designs and t-shirts once elected.
“Sadly, after the election, all the sweet election promises evaporated into thin air as we remain in our little corner at the market.
“Some of the candidates came and saw us and promised to support us with the establishment of a proper market venue to sell our traditional stencil designs.
“August is slowly passing by but we are yet to see the fulfillment of those sweet election promises,” Evedubalaga lamented.
He said the government needs to support stencil designers because they too are contributing to the national economy through their payment of $15 per head daily for market fees to the Honiara City Council and the tourism industry as tourists buy a lot of their products.
Evedubalaga said tourist boat visit times are a peak sales period for stencil designers and they make good money from selling their products to tourists.
“When tourists come to the country, they never miss us because they want the traditional stencil designs of our country.
“We have different prices for our designs for tourists,” he added.
Evedubalaga said, tourists want traditional designs of Solomon Islands because these designs tell stories about the country.
“When tourists buy a design, they also ask the vendor what it means and which part of the country it comes from. So, our stencils tell stories about our country.”
Evedubalaga added as tourist arrivals bring in money into the country and stencil designers provide service for tourists during their visits, the government should not turn a blind eye to their plight.
He said further to the unavailability of a proper market venue, stencil designers also face other challenges like the purchase of stencil production tools.
Any person who wants to support Jack Evedubalaga with his entrepreneurial stencil design business can contact him on mobile 7377154.
By LACHLAN SHYVES EDDIE
Solomon Star, Honiara
