BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
23 Explosive Ordinances that were recently discovered by a team of local bomb experts from the Solomon Islands Battle Ground Area Clearance (a local contractor) have been safely removed.
The recovery was made this month at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), Kukum Campus in Honiara.
Solomon Islands Battle Ground Clearance Managing Director Reinhard Alalo exclusively told Sunday Isles that the findings come in different types such as 50 calibers, ammunitions, and 75mm projectiles.
He told Environment Media that the site at the SINU’s Kukum Campus was mostly dominated by the 75 projectile casing packs.
“We are given the job to do Unexploded Ordinances (UXOs) clearance to prepare the site to be free from UXOs before the commencement of the development. Currently, we are in our 23 days and we found that the contamination of the area was very high with WWII wreckages.
“So far we recovered 23 UXOs. We came across various sizes which include 50 calibers, small ammunitions, 75-meter projectiles, mostly the casing/packs of the 75 projectiles. It has accounted for a total of 23 projectile,’’ said Mr. Reinhard Alalo.
The Solomon Islands Battle Ground Area Clearance was initially contracted by the Solomon Islands government to conduct UXOs survey and clearance at SINU’s Kukum Campus, the proposed site set for the dormitory of the 2023 Pacific Games XVII village.
The Solomon Island Battle Ground Area Clearance has recently completed the UXOs survey and clearance project at SINU’s Kukum Campus on 23 March.
The feasibility studies aimed at the Games Village and Dormitory Project were signed last year (2021).
Meanwhile, the SINU dormitory will have 216 rooms to accommodate 924 athletes during the Games and will serve as one of the 2023 Pacific Games Athletes’ village.
The National Hosting Authority says the building will serve as the dormitory for the University after the Games.
