Bellona Island is not for crooks

Many times in my professional career, I’ve been personally accused and attacked without basis, especially when the issue is very clear. But I took exception to the following "rant" by one of my close relatives. Obviously, MONEY can be a deadly poison in human relationship.

This article is a brief response to Grace Tuimaka Teho and her husband, Father Henry Teho, following accusations in an article published by the Avaiki Creative Arts (Facebook) - a social forum for the people of Rennell and Bellona Islands.

“It amazes me to see some people who are so comfortable out in white countries are so pessimistic about the idea of prospecting which was initiated by young Irwin. I kind of wonder why? because they may not be on the island or SI to share the benefit? or because they are so selfish in not wanting others to be prospered like them or comfortable in life even only a quarter of what they are enjoying in life......?


“kia Duran and others who are so negative, is there any WAY OUT besides prospecting which you know better to give some prosperity or comfort to the rural people of Bellona and poor wantoks in town???? (end of quote)

Because you've been so blatant about your unfounded allegations, I will reply by saying this - I do not normally give credit to nonsense, but I will break this professional ethic to address some of your misconceptions and wild claims.

I guess you will now realize why I am vocal about the move by a number of individuals to prospect or mine Bellona. Tell your husband to read my other contributions to this issue in the Avaiki Creative Arts Forum, before we could further discuss the proposed prospect mining of our island.

My decision to join the debate about the idea of prospect mining is very clear.

Firstly, I am very concerned that Bellona Island is going to be sold by individuals in the pro-mining camp, who are so desperate and appeared to be preparing to sell the island at any cost.

Secondly, I am also very concerned that a number of people in the pro-mining group, who are well known in our community for their dubious and questionable dealings, leadership characters and exploitation of our community in the past, are heavily involved in this group.

Grace - for your information, I’ve never been jealous about what other people in our community have achieved or owned in life, including the pro-miners desperate push to sell Bellona Island to crooks and corrupt individuals (government and industry investors). If there is any truth about your assertion that I am jealous, negative, pessimistic person, it is the opposite.

I consider myself as an optimistic and motivated person, with a strong positive outlook in life. My decision to live overseas and struggle to attain a decent education is an attestation to this very fact. I do not envy people who owned material goods and million dollars.

I admire people who’d attained decent education and used it for the good of humanity.That has been my inspiration as a young journalist from day one until today.

I could have been a different person today if I were to accept one of the numerous offers by the Solomon Islands government ten years ago. I was personally approached by government officials and ministers to take up the job of Director of Government Information Services or join the Diplomatic Corp in one of the country's foreign embassies or Press Secretary to the Prime Minister.

I refused all the above offers on the basis that I did not envy people with position, power and money. I respect people, who sacrifice their life fighting for social justice, human rights and equality in society.

My philosophy in life is this: "It is convenient to have money, but it is the last thing in my list of priority". If anything that I wish to promote to our young generation - it has to be this: "Strive hard and gain a decent education because it empowers and liberates people".

Additionally, I have high regards and admiration for people in our community of Rennell and Bellona Islands, who have proven themselves in their career choices and are now working overseas. People like Tesua Mu’akitangata (NZ Defense Lawyer), Francis Tuimaka (Insurance Executive Manager with an Insurance Company in Hong Kong), Dr Kaitu’u (Medical Doctor with Xstrata, Australia), Travor Kaitu’u (An Environmental Scientist with the American Samoan Government), and his sister, Janet Kaitu’u (A nurse now living in the USA).

Others include Haikiu Baiabe (Working with the NZ Govt), Roy Soaika (Avondale Adventist College Internal Auditor, Australia), Ashley Makaua (Nurse, working in NSW), Sione Tuhaika (IT Specialist, USA) and my cousin sis, Joyce Konofilia (current MA student at University of Queensland). There are many others both overseas and Honiara, who are making us proud. But sadly, there are others who are looking for an opportunity to exploit us or the people of Rennell and Bellona.

The above list is made up of people, who are ordinary people of our community, but they’ve proven their worth and worked their way up the ladder of opportunities to where they are today. In fact, I use their success stories to inspire me in my own struggle to achieve my own career goals and to survive here in Australia.

I don’t consider them as threats to my own career goals and aspirations in life. Remember this – my struggle to survive and the expenses of my living here in Australia are far greater than those little ones that you (Grace Teho and Henry Teho) are talking about. For many of us, who are living in Western or White countries around the globe, we are working our butt out to earn a living.

On the other hand, many of our Wantoks in Honiara and Bellona, including yourself and your husband, are very ignorant about the challenges of living overseas. Your article, which implies that we are living in luxury overseas, is simply a non-sense. Everything in Australia and the Whiteman’s world – as you have stated – is money. We do not have the luxury of asking help from relatives.

Yes some of our relatives in Bellona, who have settled in Honiara, are financially struggling or doing it tough, but no one asks them to come and parasite on other working relatives in Honiara? No one, including yourself! So whose problem is it? Any suggestion for me to provide alternative developmental solutions to our economic woes and challenges is simply a lack of understanding about our dividual roles and responsibilities as citizens of Rennell and Bellona Islands.

If you and your husband are well aware of this issue, just ask our Member of Parliament, Seth Gukuna, and Provincial Premier, George Tuhaika. They are the right people for you to ask them about your question.

Additionally, ask yourself as to why there have been many university graduates from Rennell and Bellona since1990s until today and only Joyce Konofilia (part Malaita and Bellona) has started a business in Honiara. Interestingly, the rest of our Wantoks are relying on mainstream companies, donor agencies and government institutions for employment opportunities.

Could you please tell me why? Many of our people expect much but do very little to meet their high expectations. It creates a vacuum that is now filled by opportunists, who are preparing to sell Bellona at every cost, despite the risks to survival of our island and people environmentally, culturally, socially, politically and economically.

Grace Teho and husband, Father Henry Teho, for your information – this is the fourth time that someone had asked me to go back to the Solomon Islands as the basis of legitimizing my views. The others are Jimmy Ma’anumoana (Avaiki Creative Arts, 2012), MP Seth Gukuna (Solomon Star, 2009) and Morris Kakea (Hetaukaaki-USP Avaiki Student, 2006).

I consider such way of thinking as very narrow and based on ignorance. We are living in a global village where people are relying on each other or living interdependently. Any issue i.e politically, economically, culturally, socially, religiously, environmentally, human rights, etc that is affecting any part of our global community, people are bound to express their concerns and views.

RAMSI is a classic example. Ozies and Kiwis are trying to fix a problem (ethnic conflict and the aftermath of a coup in Solomon Islands) that they have nothing to do with it.

Many of us (Bellona and Rennell people), who are living overseas, are expressing our views about this issue (mining) because we have seen firsthand the negative impacts of mining to some of the small communities around the globe, and Bellona is no exception.