Dear Editor – To begin, after receiving my change from a fifty dollars ($50) note, I made a count to ensure receiving the rightful amount.
It was right; however, something strange and unusual caught my attention during the course of my counting: a Telekom mobile number was clearly written on the surface of one of the ten dollars ($10) note.
Startled and pondering over my unexpected discovery, I came to a conclusion that my detection doesn’t amaze me at all.
That is because Solomon Islands is categorized as the number one country in the region with very low money handling skills.
It has been established that such uninvited action clearly demonstrates lack of ownership over our national currency.
Equally important, such irresponsible undertaking displays and depicts that silent majority of our people living in the rural areas are still unaware of the importance of handling of our modern day currency or bank notes.
Evidently, the idea of keeping money was only introduced into people’s lives over a century ago, and the idea of good currency and money handling skills is still a foreign concept to many particularly in the rural areas.
As such, when handling currency or money, people should at all times be reminded and mindful of the following tips:
* The printing of notes and minting of coins is a very costly and expensive exercise to undertake and it is done outside our country;
* The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) usually orders new stock when necessary. However, if we do not look after our money wisely then the effect of new orders every time will reduce our country’s Foreign Reserves;
* Our very own notes and coins are our national icons. They represent our status as an independent and sovereign nation. As such, defacing or dirtying our notes (and coins) portrays negative publicity on us from foreigners; and
* Our notes and coins are very important to tourists whom visit our country. If our currency notes are defaced or dirtied, it can affect tourism especially public negativity.
Because our notes and coins are our national icons, all of us should try and assist our people especially the rural populace purposely to instill the notion of ownership over our currency.
That is because when taking ownership over something, we often take extra more care and proper use of it.
The mobile handsets we used nowadays best illustrate the notion of ownership.
For instance, if someone misuses or uses our mobile without our authorization, we will be very hard at that particular person.
Further still for others, they will not at all allow theirs for others to use except themselves.
As concrete evidence, my house neighbour almost took the very life of his dear son because the son silently removes his handset from the charger and reduced the battery life to zero (0) with playing of mobile games.
His father retaliated angrily by smacking him till he bleed severely. Thus, the above descriptions clearly exemplify the notion of ownership over mobile phones.
Since it is ours, we always from time to time take extra care and make sure they are properly used.
In summary, through our combine effort together with CBSI, it will one way or another improves our people’s attitude towards our national currency.
Important still, it will also help our people to handle and look after our money well and wisely.
By Danny Asa
Vavaya Ridge
Central Honiara
