Presenter: Danny Shadrech (Solomon Islands Meteorological Services)

Description:
Reaching the ‘Last Mile’ with simplified marine weather messages The Solomon Island is a small island nation where boating has been established as a means of transportation. Most Solomon Islanders are coastal dwellers and are using the ocean almost every day. The cheapest and most reliable mode of transportations for all is by dugout canoes and modern high-powered marine engines usually termed ‘OBM’ for outboard motor. Every day people move from islands to islands in search for food, to trade for business and for other activities. As incidents happen, people regularly get lost at sea and the Government is spending large amounts of money for Search And Rescue (SAR) operations. When unsuccessful, the SAR, the loss of life create grievance toward the nation. To address the issue, the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service (SIMS), under the umbrella of the Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), is devising a way to reduce the problem by improving how forecasts of dangerous conditions are communicated to the public. SIMS is looking into raising flags on pole within communities, which colors will be associated with the different levels of warnings. This is intended to help local villagers make sound judgement ahead of time on when to travel. Inclusion to the proposed plan of ‘flag raising’ is the translation and transcribing of English marine weather warning messages delivered by SIMS into Pidgin – the most commonly spoken language. In 2021, SIMS will pilot the long-awaited program in Tulagi, the Provincial Capital of Central Province and will expand the program reaching out to other provincial capitals. The hope is to reach as far as the local communities across the country so that we can help those who travels by sea every day make informed decision and reduce marine casualties. It will also save costs by reducing SAR operations by the government.