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Title: When Peace Becomes the Greater Victory

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
The whole of last week was both satisfying and relieving for me. The long-standing issue with the contractor has finally come to an end. The final resolution from PPIC was signed, the variations were verified, and the payout to the contractor was raised. For my part, I declined to be a witness to the resolution. This was not because of disagreement or resentment, but simply a personal decision—an exercise of my right to step back after everything that had unfolded. Through this experience, I learned something deeper about working within church institutions like ACOM. In many organizational environments, the focus is often on being technically right—ensuring that every clause, every condition, and every loophole in a contract is addressed. But within a church organization, there is often a higher priority that guides decision-making. Peace. Peace between people. Peace between the parties involved. Peace within the institution itself. Sometimes, from a purely contractual or professional ...
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Marked by Ashes, Grounded by Purpose

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
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This week has carried both weight and grace. Today, I finally handed the contractor a formal resolution regarding the issues surrounding the JCPU project. It was not an easy process. Leadership rarely is. Decisions come with scrutiny, emotions, and responsibility. Yet, sometimes standing firm is part of the calling. Yesterday marked Ash Wednesday in the calendar of the Anglican Church of Melanesia. We officially closed work at 3PM to prepare for evening prayer. As the sun lowered, so did our hearts. One by one, the congregation lined up. The priest dipped his thumb into charcoal ashes and traced a cross upon each forehead. “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.” In that moment, titles disappeared. Positions disappeared. Conflicts disappeared. All that remained was the quiet truth of our humanity. The beginning of Lent is not just a ritual — it is an invitation. An invitation to fast. To humble ourselves. To detach from pride. To remember that everything we build, fight for, defen...
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Standing Firm When Leadership is Tested.

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
The past few weeks have been some of the most challenging moments in my role as Project Manager for the JCPU projA decision was made last Friday to terminate the contractor, based on formal grievance reports and thorough investigation findings. It was not an emotional decision. It was not rushed. It was documented, examined, and weighed carefully. Yet, as is often the case in institutional environments, decisions do not rest on evidence alone. They move through structures — through TDC and PPIC — and sometimes through personalities. The decision was later challenged by the TDC Vice Chair. In a previous meeting, I found myself in a confrontation over the matter. It was not comfortable. It was not easy. Leadership rarely is. Institutions are complex ecosystems. Some board members hold significant influence, both within the board structures and within ACOM itself. What may seem like a “small hiccup” in a process can quickly become a major institutional matter. I came to realize that in su...
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Leading Through Pressure: Building Bit by Bit in Solomon Islands

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
The past few weeks have not been easy. Professionally ,  I finally called a meeting with the Technical Development Committee regarding the JCPU project . After thorough investigation reports and careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to terminate the contractor. It was not a light decision. In a small society like ours, decisions are never just technical — they are relational, cultural, and sometimes political. But leadership requires courage. Sometimes protecting the integrity of a project means starting again. This coming week, we move into settlement of subcontractors and preparing to put the work back out for tender. It feels heavy — but it also feels like a reset. A new beginning. Yet beyond project management and official meetings, there is another reality we live with daily in Solomon Islands — the economy. The Weight of Living Between Culture and Modern Life Living in Solomon Islands today is not simple. We are a society blended with: Deep cultural expectati...
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Learning Patience in the Midst of Complexity

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
The past few days have been dull and exhausting for me. My mind has been consumed by the issues surrounding the JCPU project and work matters. I would describe the feeling as uninspiring. I am currently in an investigative period, where further inquiry is required with the group identifying themselves as the JCPU sub-contractors. However, ACOM has no agreement with these sub-contractors; our agreement exists only with the main contractor. Referring to the existing contract, the failure clearly falls under the contractor’s obligations as outlined in the relevant clauses. At present, all works by the contractor have been halted, except for the electrician who continues to complete installations. This itself presents another issue that ACOM will need to address separately, as there is also no agreement in place. Having observed that the main contractor has not paid the sub-contractors, ACOM intends to resolve the matter directly with the contractor before addressing any claims from the su...
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Reflection on My First Day Back at Work – Lessons in Project Risk and Management

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
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Today marked my return to work after the festive season and the beginning of 2026. I did not expect the day to bring such an eye-opening experience — one that made me smile, reflect, and learn. I was confronted by five frustrated workers from the appointed contractor for the JCPU Administration Building project . One of the workers had just been released from temporary detention at the police station after the contractor reported them. You can imagine the emotional state of someone who had just come out of detention — stressed, confused, and upset. I took time to talk with them and quickly noticed several failures in the current project management that contributed to this situation. I believe these setbacks are rooted in the early stages of the project, particularly in the following areas: 1. Procurement system of the project 2. Planning phase, including costing and scheduling 3. Lack of written agreements between the main contractor and subcontractors 4. Incompetence and poor leadersh...
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Dying hours before the New Year.

By Ivory waki / Solvoice
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Every time we go home, it is our time to be with our parents. I have three sisters, with one adopted, making us five daughters. It has always been our tradition that our father leads us in prayer before midnight. This New Year was the same. We gathered and talked as a family. My firstborn sister could not join us as she is very ill with cancer, and as a family we are going through one of the toughest seasons of our lives. We grew up with simple farmer parents. Today, we are fortunate to live right in the heart of Auki Town in Malaita, on a piece of land acquired through their hard work. Yet the setting still feels like village life—something very special. I am deeply grateful to my parents for keeping us grounded. It gives us the feeling that we are still in the village where we grew up—carefree, close to gardens and rivers. Though we miss many things about village life, my parents have managed to carry that way of living with us to where we are now. As usual, we gathered to discuss ou...
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