SI Tsunami fundraiser Meeting

I went to the PIDP office today to meet with Tara and the PIDP staff. We were meeting on having a fundraiser for the tsunami victims in Honiara. We talked about most of the long-term benefits of things that we thought would assist the SI wantoks.

While I thought the brainstorming we did on the possible programs/projects that will have long-term benefits are good, a caveat which I pointed out was that I think it is important to have someone on the ground to do a reconaisance or ground work by talking with the affected communities, government institutions and NGOs and find out what are the most pressing issues that need to be addressed which aren't looked into yet. That is so that we (EWC) do not duplicate what other organizations are doing.

Latest updates of the tsunami in Solomon Islands (news and pictures) can be found by visiting www.tutuvatu.com - a Guadacanal website managed by Solomon Islanders at the East-West Center.

I came back to my room and tried to do some work but find myself into the usual distraction of listening to music and web surfing. Gosh! I wish I don't have an internet connection in my room...but the good thing is that I created a new blog which I thought I'll start keeping an online journal before I leave for DC.

Back in POM, Enid left on Monday (April 09, 2007) for a meeting or training of some sort at Motupore Island Resort. I'll be giving my baby Essie B. a call on Wednesday (PNG Time) to check on her.