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Solomon Islands Red Cross Society has come out publicly to clarify rumors circulating about a recruitment drive for volunteers to travel to Australia to help in response to effects of the recent bushfires.
The statement comes amidst a situation where early this week, many individuals around Honiara called the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society to enquire on news they heard concerning an alleged recruitment drive for Australian bushfire response. Moreover, many also ended up at the headquarter office to ask if the National Society is doing a national recruitment drive for local volunteers to go to Australia to help.
Responding to the rumors, the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society’s Secretary General Mr. Clement Manuri made a statement to clarify the matter and also calls for the public to be aware of these kinds of lies.
“On behalf of the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society, I would like to take this opportunity to make a clarification on the news that has been going around saying that the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society is recruiting volunteers to travel to Australia”, he said.
“The Solomon Islands Red Cross Society board and management have never at any time appointed any individual or called for a public recruitment of volunteers to travel to Australia. Likewise, Australian Red Cross, being the responsible National Society for the response effort that is happening on behalf of the Red Cross Movement has never asked or requested its sister Pacific National Societies including the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society for help in sending their volunteers or choose any individual or group to recruit volunteers on its behalf”, he added.
He went further to denounce the false news and calls on the person or group responsible to stop it. “In saying this, the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society strongly denounces the rumor and asks the person or those responsible for the news to stop spreading it. Be warned that doing this is a violation of our national law”, he stressed.
Meanwhile, it is feared that some people may have already fallen to this false rumor and that the National Society’s Secretary General also warns the public not to fall for this lie as this is usually done by a person or group who wanted to get money out of those who are less discerning and are vulnerable. Solomon Islands Red Cross though, has been supporting the national efforts by the government through the “Iumi Tugeda fo Australia” fundraising initiative that will end in March 2020. It has conducted its first wheelbarrow drive on the 18th of January 2020 and is planning to have one in the coming days. The National Society calls on the public to come out and support efforts towards raising funds to assist our friends in Australia who are affected by the recent bushfires.
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