SPC Geoscience Division

On 26 April 2014, Mr. Andris Piebalgs European Commissioner for Development, Mr. Tererei Aruee, Officer in Charge, Ministry of Line and Phoenix Islands Development, Government of Kiribati, and Mr. George Beck, representing the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), inaugurated the office for the EUR 4.8 million ‘Improving Drinking Water Supply in Kiritimati Island’ project.

“The European Union and Kiribati have forged a fruitful friendship over almost four decades. This initiative is a concrete example of our strong partnership and continued commitment to support the government of Kiribati and its people in their efforts towards attainment of the Millennium Development Goals”.

The representative from the Government of Kiiribati, Mr. Tererei Aruee stated that “water is an important priority of the Government and the rehabilitation of the reticulated water supply through this project will benefit the majority of residents on Kiritimati Island.

The Government appreciates the assistance of the European Union through this project and is committed to working closely with SPC in improving the reticulated water supply system.”

Mr. George Beck further added that “the focus will be to have a good understanding of the status of the ground water, building new infrastructure to improve supply to the Ronton community particularly the hospital and build capacity within the Ministry to monitor and maintain the water supply system.”

Tuesday 22 April 2014, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Honiara – Staff of SPC's Solomon Islands Country Office were saddened to witness the human tragedy of the recent floods. The loss of life when the Mataniko and other rivers burst their banks and the old Mataniko bridge collapsed highlighted the plight of poor squatters with little choice but to occupy land that regularly floods.

Country Office Manager, Mia Rimon, contacted SPC Director-General Dr Colin Tukuitonga and the Director of SPC's Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (AGTD) Mike Petterson with a request for assistance. A request came also from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS) to provide a geohazards assessment.

SPC responded to these appeals for help; the AGTD Director arrived in Honiara with his team and met with the permanent secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, MLHS and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Rural Electrification (MEMRE). They presented unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, or drone) technology to the government to obtain precise imagery of the flooded areas.