Dear Editor,

Grateful if you could allow a column for me to elaborate on the above concern.

Every day if we listen to SIBC and the FM stations all we can hear about Telekom is, KABANI BLO IUMI because the company is owned by NPF and through our NPF share we own the company. And almost 100% of Solomon Islanders know about who owns the company and what products the company sells, prices of its products, how many towers it has in the country and also where to get Top up. Also every weekend Telekom always send free SMS to advertise its big promotion programs. This is very good to know about these details about the company and also know that the company is making a lot of profit which in return will also increase the interest of our NPF Shares.

However, when it comes to emergency situations, i always ask myself where is Kabini Blo Iumi’s emergency strategy to at least disseminate information to the public or its customers? Is it really hard to send out free life saving information through SMS to the public? A good example is, almost every time we experience earth quakes in Solomon Islands, we have to wait for sometimes to receive updated information from SIBC. Just look at how many % of people in Solomon Islands have mobile phones and also look at the coverage, we always receive advice to listen to the radio (SIBC) for update information from NDMO about any warning however, as we all experience, not everyone have radios’ and also SIBC coverage only reached certain places compared to Telekom which covers almost 100% of the country. Please Telekom, can you send out emergency information through free SMS rather than making profit from emergency situations where people have to pay more credit to make calls especially to relatives in the provinces just to provide information? Market wise, this suggestion will might be a strategy to get more customers as well and also if this happens, BAE MI DIS SEH TELEKOM KABANI BLO IUMI TRUE NA.

With this concern, i believe the company will take more initiatives to ensure it has a simple life saving strategy in place to help disseminate information in a more faster and efficient way. If other countries can do this, WHY NOT KABANI BLO IUMI?
Thank you

John K
Honiara