BY JOY OFASIA
A young representative from Temotu Province has called for greater access to essential social services in rural and remote communities, saying development must reach Solomon Islanders regardless of where they live.
Seralyn Mewa, representing the Temotu Nende constituency, made the call during the 2026 National Youth and Children’s Parliament (NYCP) mock parliamentary sitting in Honiara on Thursday.
Speaking on behalf of the elders, men, women and children of her constituency, Mewa said young people in Nende want better services and opportunities without having to leave their communities.
“The youth said we want schools, we want clinics, we want a future here at home. Today I bring those voices with me,” she said.
She said it represents a promise that no Solomon Islander should be forgotten because of distance, and that development must reach even the most remote communities in Temotu.
“If we are serious about our future then we must start with the basics, and for Nende our basics are education, health and water,” she said.
On health services, Mewa highlighted the difficulties faced by families in remote parts of Nende, particularly women requiring urgent medical care.
She said when a mother goes into labour at night, families can be forced to wait until morning before travelling to Lata Hospital.
She also pointed to shortages of medicines, saying communities can sometimes wait weeks or even months for the next supply boat.
“This is not right. Health cannot wait and sickness does not wait for a boat,” she said.
Mewa called on the government to prioritise the decentralisation of health services by increasing support for rural clinics and aid posts.
She urged the government to fund clinics in Nende, ensure nurses are posted and retained in rural communities, maintain adequate medicine supplies and deploy mobile health patrols to communities.
“A healthy people in Nende is a strong Solomon Islands,” she said.
Mewa’s intervention from Temotu Nende placed the challenges of remote communities at the centre of the parliamentary discussion, with her call for improved education, health and water services reflecting the wider theme of ensuring social services are accessible to all Solomon Islanders, regardless of geographical location.
The 2026 National Youth and Children’s Parliament concluded in Honiara on Thursday, 1 October, with young representatives from the country’s 50 constituencies using the floor of Parliament to debate issues affecting children, young people and their communities.
The programme was held under the theme, “Our Voices, Our Future: Decentralization of Inclusive and Accessible Social Services for All,” organised by the National Parliament of Solomon Islands with support from UNICEF and funding from the European Union.
Through the mock parliamentary sitting, young representatives debated motions and presented resolutions while following parliamentary procedures.
The programme provided young parliamentarians with an opportunity to raise concerns from their constituencies and develop recommendations aimed at bringing essential services, resources and decision-making closer to communities.
