Solomon Islands

More than 150 buildings were damaged or destroyed after tropical cyclone Raquel swept through the Islands last week.

One person was killed after being hit by a falling tree and a further 16 people are missing.

The category one storm swept through the southern part of the country before being downgraded to a Tropical Depression on Thursday evening.

Initial reports from the National Emergency Operations Centre show thousands of food gardens have been damaged or destroyed across the islands with over 40-thousand damaged in the southern region of Malaita alone.

In a break from tradition where announcement of the MSG Leaders decision is supposed to be made by its chair, host of the summit, Prime Minister Mannaseh Sogavare of Solomon Islands, O’Neill’s office announced that Indonesia is an associate member of the MSG and that the United Liberation Movement of West Papua has been granted observer status.
 
“Today is very a important day for peace and goodwill for our brothers and sisters living in Indonesia’s Melanesian provinces,” said O’Neill’s press announcement.