RAMSI farewell

Solomons' govt to declare public holiday for RAMSI farewell

Government workers have been told it's compulsory for them to attend three of the main ceremonies being held next week, and the whole country will have 29 June off.

The Australian-led state building mission was deployed to Solomon Islands in 2003 to end five years of ethnic fighting which had killed hundreds of people and displaced tens of thousands.

The Solomons' government's special secretary to RAMSI, John Wasi, said the week of events is the country's way of saying thank you to the region for helping a friend in need.