BY MYRNE LIVETT
WOMEN OF Pamphylia village in the Malango area of central Guadalcanal voice out harsh daily challenges they’re facing in order to get their cocoa beans and garden produce to town.
People of the inland community have to shoulder their cocoa, root crops and vegetables for about two kilometres with several river crossings to access road and transport, but during the rainy season and flooding rivers, they have to do the manual job for about four kilometres.
Speaking to Sunday Isles, smallholder cocoa farmer, Ms Javelyn Sammy a widower said, from their cocoa plots further inland she, her children and relatives have to cross six river crossings every time they return with bags of wet cocoa beans.
“We do sun-drying to sell dry beans at $12 per kilogram in town, and also other times we only sell wet beans to a buyer in the village.” She said. “But when it rains and flooding occurs, we will not be able to harvest our cocoa and do maintenance.
“We are women cocoa farmers, and we hire people to assist us when we have enough money.” She said.
“We voted for a candidate who lost in the past election, so we are ashamed to ask for help from our current member of parliament,” she said. Because we know that his voters will talk about us. What are we going to do to change, the system of MP’s helping only voters? MPs belong to all the people of the constituencies.”
“I call for our government leaders to assist us people living back way, our real need is a bridge to move access road closer to us.” She said.
