THIRTY ONE (31) women from Taro in Choiseul Province and Kariki Islands in Shortland, Western Province are being told to utilise their skills in income generating activities.
Managing Director of Green Tourism Solomon Islands Limited (GTSIL) Michael Tokuru highlighted this during the closing of a week-long high impact tourism training conducted in Taro last Friday.
The high impact tourism training was made possible by the South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) based in Suva, Fiji, and the EU funded PRTCBP (Pacific Region Tourism Capacity Building Programme) for human resources development in member countries including Solomon Islands.
Green Tourism Solomon Islands also applied to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for funding assistance under the EU funded SI-TIDE programme to support other components of its high impact tourism training programme this year.
Under the terms of the service contract signed with SPTO this month, Green Tourism Solomon Islands will conduct ten high impact tourism training workshops at six locations in four provinces from March to October this year.
These workshops are practical-oriented with 80% of the training hours per day spent on group work and projects.
Green Tourism will also submit workshop, course evaluation, and acquittal reports to SPTO as required under the service contract.
These basic services include food preparation and presentation, housekeeping duties, outdoor beautification, interior decoration, souvenir t-shirts and dyed lavalava, and customer services.
Speaking in an interview with the Solomon Star yesterday Mr Tokuru said the women’s training focused on basic sewing, pattern design, drafting and cutting.
“After this training these women are able to learn the basic skills. This shows eagerness and seriousness by these women during the high impact training.”
Most of the participants came from different background having worked at guest houses, rest houses, houses wives and interested operators in these two provinces,” Mr Tokuru said.
He challenged the women to make sure they put all the skills into practical to earn an income.
“What I told them after the training on Friday was to utilise the skills and knowledge gained during the training and put it into the practical use to help them generate income for their families.
“These trainings are very important for tourism operators as well as preparing our houses and for marketing,” Mr Tokuru said.
Mr Tokuru thanked the Premier of Choiseul Province Jackson Kiloe, his provincial sectary and provincial executive in allowing Green Tourism SI Limited to carry the training.
Green Tourism will conduct similar training in Tulagi, Central Island Province soon.
By DENVER NEWTER
