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Australian Governor-General and Delegation Wrap Up Diplomatic Visit to Solomon Islands Engages with Local Community and Donates to Holy Cross Cathedral
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), and Her Excellency Mrs. Linda Hurley have completed their three-day visit to Solomon Islands.
On the morning of November 20, Her Excellency Mrs. Hurley visited Holy Cross Cathedral to gain insights into the community work of churches in Solomon Islands. She witnessed a performance by members of the Cathedral choir and generously donated food to support the church’s missions leading up to Christmas.
Later that evening (November 20), Their Excellencies attended a reception at the Australian High Commissioner’s Residence, engaging with individuals actively involved in strengthening the partnership between Solomon Islands and Australia.
Governor-General Hurley expressed, “Last night, I had the pleasure of meeting community leaders, Australia Awards alumni, and others contributing their knowledge, skills, and experiences to foster prosperity for Solomon Islands and its people. People-to-people relationships form the foundation of the Solomon Islands – Australia Partnership.”
Following this, Governor-General Hurley and Mrs. Hurley attended a reception hosted by the Honourable Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, recognizing the significance of Solomon Islands hosting the 2023 Pacific Games.
On November 21, Their Excellencies, accompanied by Mrs. Pauline McNeil, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, and Dr. Rooney Jagilly, Supervising Chief Executive Officer, visited the National Referral Hospital. This visit showcased the collaborative efforts of Solomon Islands and Australian clinicians, focusing on improving health service delivery in critical areas such as diabetes management, cancer treatment, pre-hospital care, and critical care at the newly Australian-funded High Dependency Unit.
Their Excellencies had the opportunity to meet Australia Awards alumni from the National Referral Hospital who had completed studies in Australia. They learned about how this experience, along with ongoing partnerships with Australian clinicians, contributes to enhancing service delivery and health outcomes. Governor-General Hurley commended the Australian volunteers at the National Referral Hospital and St John Ambulance for their valuable contributions, furthering the improvement of health service delivery in Solomon Islands and sustaining enduring people-to-people links between the two countries.
As the Patron-in-Chief of the Australian Olympic Committee, the Governor-General of Australia and Mrs. Hurley had the pleasure of witnessing Australian weightlifter Kiana Elliot’s success, winning three silver medals in the Women’s 59kg finals at the Pacific Games. Governor-General Hurley conducted the medal ceremony, presenting medals to some of the Pacific’s best weightlifters. Their Excellencies also met Solomon Islands’ athlete Jenly Wini, known as the ‘Iron Lady,’ who achieved her country’s first gold medal in the Games on November 20.
The Governor-General and Mrs. Hurley have concluded their visit to Solomon Islands and returned to Australia. They extend their best wishes to the people of Solomon Islands for a safe, secure, and enjoyable 2023 Pacific Games.
Source: AHC
