He was speaking at the opening of a three day church conference on Rethinking the Household of God in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Vunagi said corruption had left a paralysing impact on the ability of people to trust.

"In our country, the Solomon Islands, it is unfortunate that corruption has taken precedent over general orders, the normal administrative procedures and to say the least there are elements of corruption even in our political system so we do know how to trust."

Coupled with corruption, Vunagi lamented the ecological damages that was plaguing the Solomon Islands and challenged church leaders to exercise their duty to speak to the destructive impacts of irresponsible development practices and policies promoted by government.

During a working group session, church representatives identified a host of problems that beset the Solomon Islands political leadership.

Some of the problems they named were: self-centred individual interests, lack of transparency, nepotism, non-inclusive decision making processes and little regard or attention to the rule of law.

Church leaders and participants agreed that there was a 'crisis of leadership', and in particular a 'crisis of honesty' in the Solomon Islands.

Vunagi said, "Moral and ethical values that should guide us as a nation is no more."

"Churches are well placed to contribute substantially to Solomon Islands' socio-economic conditions. However, we need to have greater say in the types of economic empowerment programmes created for this end and therefore stand ready to assist in helping to create durable-solutions that affects the lives of our people."

The conference which was co-organised by the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) and the Pacific Conference of Churches ended on Wednesday June 4.

Source

• The Anglican Church of Melanesia
• PINA
• Image: The Anglican Church of Melanesia

"As long as we continue to have people who are doing nothing in Honiara, this is where all this criminal activity is beginning to develop; stealing, shoplifting, even snatching people's bags as they walk past, all these things. And even worse, even wounding and killing," he said.

He says the church is doing as much as it can. "But there are members of the community, who escape the net of the church, and this is where I believe the government, the law of the country needs to be firm, needs to be articulate to address such issues."

A reconciliation that toook place on Monday ceremony is believed to have eased tensions caused by acts of violence in Honiara over the last 10 days

During the ceremony, compensation was paid to the families and victims of the violence.

Source

• Radio Australia Network News - Bishop's statement
• Radio Australia Network News - Reconcilation

Archbishop Vunagi said this following the fatal stabbing of a man near the Central Market in the early hours of last Saturday.

He says an unfortunate trend has emerged which has compromised the safety of those in Honiara. This included stealing, shop lifting, robbing, wounding and killing.

Archbishop Vunagi says if the motive behind the road block near the market that led to the death of the man was for purposes of extortion and robbing, then "Honiara is no longer a safe place for those who live in the city."

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