WORLD VISION DONATES FM RADIO.

An emergency FM radio service project that has helped people affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Temotu Province last year has successfully reached its end of project time frame.

World Vision has formally handed over the 100 watts FM transmission mobile radio unit to the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, SIBC, and the National Disaster Management Office, NDMO, after the Emergency Radio Service project closed on 24 December 2013.

A Memorandum of Understanding between World Vision, SIBC and NDMO, was signed by the three parties to formalise the arrangement to have the radio equipment prepositioned at SIBC and have a common understanding on the use and sustainability of the radio equipment and its accessories.

The equipment was handed over by Lawrence Hillary, Operations Coordinator for World Vision Solomon Islands, who thanked SIBC for the partnership to assist Santa Cruz Island communities recover from the disaster that devastated Temotu Province on 6 February 2013.

He says it is now the responsibility of SIBC to pre-position the equipment for immediate deployment in future disasters and to use the equipment when necessary to maximize its usage on information purposes that are in line with SIBC’s regulations.

The General Manager of SIBC, Ashley Wickham received the equipment on behalf of SIBC and NDMO and acknowledged the partnership and success of the project.

Mr Wickham says, SIBC will continue to offer advisory and technical support to World Vision, NDMO and other agencies in their future humanitarian efforts.

World Vision, with funding from the New Zealand Aid Programme, provided two deployable radio units and training for community-based volunteers, while SIBC provided the technical expertise and facility to house the project at Lata.