The Solomon Islands - A Last Paradise

10th April 2025- Solomon Islands – A Lawyer in Paradise? – Andrew Shipley

President Gerry mentioned that having sent flowers, we had received a ‘Thank you’ email from Katy (Jane’s daughter) who had helped so much in our first Swimathon event, also competing. Chris N. had brought along our two Art competition winners framed pictures to show club, mentioning that we had been running this event for 10 years now and had our best response with 250 entries this year on our Theme of favourite Book or Film.

Andrew had brought with him his wife, Business Partner Rob and his wife as the pair of them had met when they went on their VSO project in 1984 to the Solomon Islands, a very different place to practice law, but where they felt they ‘could make a difference’ and the world would be a better place! He suggested that we quite liked foreigners then. We felt sorry for them, of course, because they were not British, but were happy to help if we could. We thought then that it was in everyone’s interests, including our own, to stop the wars, poverty and hunger that made people want to leave their homes.

Confessing that he was not sure where the Solomon Islands were when he applied to VSO and was invited for interview.  So from his home in Brighton, he was off to the other side of the world, between Australia and Fiji, and there are thousands of islands, six major ones, in Melanesia, part of Oceana. Most of the islands are 90% mountains and tropical rain forests. Was it ‘paradise’?  It’s a real place, with real people, different, with different culture and beliefs. There is a High Commission there and it was  a British protectorate until 1978, but we didn’t set them up for independence, they needed Drs and lawyers and as volunteers they needed to train up local people. What had most impact when he arrived was the wall of moisture and heat. The 250 000 population speak ‘Pidgeon English’, an example is: “Nambawan pikkinnini blong Missis Quin” means Prince Charles! There were many Aussies, British and Americans when he arrived and they travelled around the islands by big and small boats, his regime was 2 weeks at home and 2 weeks travelling. His ‘home’ as a magistrate was quite big, with ‘his beach’ and ‘his reef’. He had to sleep under a mosquito net, as malaria was a big issue.  He invited the ‘locals’ in to watch videos, which were sent from the capital Honiara, but they all knew when a new one had arrived! It had a single tap; no potatoes and he had a 2-minute walk to his office: AUKI court house, dealing mainly with criminal cases and land disputes.  He could sentence up to 7 years, but no Rape, murder or treason cases!

The Public Solicitor’s Office (with the logo pinched from ‘legal aid’).  Ken Brown was his boss and they actioned anything that came through the door, for FREE.  The locals had a communal way of life, so the kids (fair hair and dark skin) ran around the villages and everyone ‘looked after’ them, and they were always there to wave you off on your boat trip.  Women had a poor deal. Andrew posed the question again: Was it ‘paradise’?  It’s a real place, with real people, different, with different culture and beliefs, make your own mind up.

Steve Carson proposed the vote of thanks commenting on the fascinating information Andrew had presented of a place none of us are likely to visit, thanking him for his preparations and slide presentation, receiving a good round of applause from members    .               AR