31 Mar 2005

Solomons province makes formal request for food aid for Reef Islanders

4:05 pm on 31 March 2005

The Temotu provincial government in Solomon Islands has called on the National Disaster Management Office to dispatch urgent food supplies to the famine stricken Reef Islands.

Temotu's provincial disaster co-ordinator, Frank Menoia, says an assessment team he had sent to the Reef Islands last week has submitted a report calling for immediate food aid for the islanders.

In the meantime, Mr Menoia says his office is appealing for the people of the bigger islands to provide food parcels which can be sent to the Reef group.

The Reef Islands are home to around ten thousand people.