(Choiseul Warriors preparing to escort the Premier to the Provincial Celebrations)


(Kiribati dancers - there are a large number of Kiribas communities in SI)


(The Fuel depot!!)


(Refuelling our plane)

(Getting caught in tropical rainstorms is a common occurance)





(The Crocodile River!!!)




(Solair arriving in town is a big event)

Choiseul Community Outreach

I have just spent a great 5 days in Choiseul Province. Choiseul is the Northern most Province of the Solomons. It borders on Bougainville and many of the villages share blood ties.

The occasion was a RAMSI community outreach team where we go around villages talking to them about the work of RAMSI. This time we had a team of 7 - 2 Australian soldiers, 2 Vanuatuan police officers, a locaal SI Community police officer, our team leader and myself.

We were based at Taro Island the provincial capital which is really no more than a basic stations where 150 people live, and then headed up and down the main island of Choiseul visiting local village communities and schools holding meetings.

Was great fun and a real privilege to learn of the challenges and issues facing these remote communities.

Managed to fit in a crocodile spotting trip up the most awesome river - only one small one seen but was a fabulous trip.

Today was the Provincial Anniversary Holiday so we were able to enjoy the celebrations and customs dancers before heading home.


(Our outreach Stall in Taro)



(Sharing the Message of Economice Reform in Pidgin - what was I thinking when I offered to do this!!!)




This Local Pastor who invited us for breakfast is from Bougaainville and previously was an active member of the BRA (Bougainville Revolutionary Army) before changing careers!!!

Whale Watching

Just got back from a great weekend at Maravagi with a bunch of friends - something for everyone - snorkling, diving, boating, surfing and lot of swimming.
I was unfortunate (or not!!!) not to see my first shark swim by 5 metres away from where I was snorkling. Only a reef shark they tell me but a shark is a shark in my book.

What we all saw though was a fabulous pod of pilot whales - probably 30 - 50 in total cruising by our boat on the way home. We turned off the motor and just sat there as they swum 360 degrees around us - many right up close. Was absolutely magical. A once in a liftime experience

Community Outreach 2

A couple of stories from today's outreach.

This is my friend Dulcie from Sepik PNG. She is working for RAMSI police. We seem to always end up on the same outreach teams which is fun...and the locals think its funny that we both speak PNG pidgin....but don't look much alike

The babies are very very cute....and some of them have craziest names. Today I met baby Tarzan. Apparently so named because he loves nature..but when I asked when he was named his mum said at birth. Try and work that one out!!

The issue that galvanised everyone today at the meeting was what they should do when someones pigs escape and ruin your gardens. Not sure how RAMSI was meant to help but we get all sorts. Anyone the village rule is you can apparently kill it....but make sure you get your facts right and the right pig or look out. This all took an ironic turn when 5 pigs invaded the airfield/school field just as the chopper was trying to land. We didn't kill them but it did take an army guy with firearm over his shoulder to shoo them away in a hurry!!!

Community Outreach

One of the very cool parts of my job is being able to join the RAMSI community outreach teams and travel to different communities to talk about the work of RAMSI.Usually the team consists of some army,some police and civilian advisors like myself. We generally just explain the work of RAMSI and what we do in our area and then listen and respond to the issues and concerns of the community.

Today I joined an outreach team who travelled to West Guadacanal -the far end of the province we live on. Much to Carl's envy we travelled 20 minutes by helicopter over fabulous forests and gorgeous coastlines to get to a community called Lambi. The team is usually made up of people from a mixture of countries -today we had Aussie army guys and police from PNG and Samoa and of course a kiwi advisor. My inenviable position is to explain the work of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury in pidgin. I'm slowly getting better at it and really enjoy the interaction with the crowd. Even those who live in remote locations are very well informed from listening to the national radio and are not afraid of asking curly questions

Often there is a level of tension between RAMSI and the Honiara political arena due to ongoing challenges of sovereignty and partnership, so its great to get out into communities where people have very real memories of what life was like - the dangers and tensions that existed between provinces - before RAMSI arrived. There is huge popular support for the work.

It was a great day - I love meeting and talking to the women and kids and I couldn't help thinking to myself that despite the frustrations and challenges at work there are parts of my job that are very cool!!!!!

Millie had a little pig...it followed her to school one day

Two weeks of the new school year under out belt and all is going well. Both girls are very happy in their classes and Millie is now doing full days.
Millie and Tobias start swimming lessons next week too so is back to the term routines.
Maisie the pig has even had a visit to preschool this last week!!!