Malaita Provincial Premier Daniel Suidani has spent Easter with the family of those who lost their lives at sea on the MV Taimareho ill-fated trip on April 3 from Honiara to Malaita.
Premier Suidani with an 18-member delegation visited three locations namely; Afio, Parasi, and Haunasi where he met the immediate family members of the 18 of the 27 victims.
Speaking to Solomon Star Auki in an exclusive interview yesterday the Malaita Premier said he was happy and satisfied to finally meet and share with families who lost their loved ones at sea in what he described as the most wondering and painful time in their lives.
The premier and team left on Good Friday where they spent the whole of Saturday and Sunday reaching out to affected families.
He said at Afio they meet with families of seven victims and survivors from surrounding villages who turned up in numbers to listen to the premier and his delegation.
At Parasi, the premier and team met with the deputy principal of Tenaru school who lost his wife, three children and his brother at sea.
He said five of the victims are from a single-family in Parasi.
At Haunasi, the delegation met with the families of six victims.
“Easter is the time when all fathers wish to spend time with their families; however, I know for sure the families of the victims need me more in this time grief and pain as the leader of Malaita Province.
“Not all the victims’ families were visited on the first trip, a second trip will be made soon to visit families of the victims in other areas in West Are’Are and also to revisit the first families visited,” he said
After the successful visit, he has witnessed for himself that they need help through trauma counseling and assurance from the provincial government on support to get to the bottom of the sea tragedy.
“These families need to know the truth and only the truth will set their minds free from such unexpected lost,” he added.
The premier and his team returned to Auki on Easter Monday.
Premier Suidani was accompanied by trauma and counseling team from the Anglican Church of Melanesia, Malaita for Democracy (M4D), PARU office and RSIPF Auki.
By WILSON SAENI
In Auki
