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A sinking paradise
Carteret Islanders in the Solomon Sea are fighting a losing battle against rising sea levels. AUGUSTINE KINNA reports.

The Carterets Island in the Solomon Sea is fighting a losing battle against rising sea levels.
The atoll is located 86 kilometres north-east of Bougainville in the South Pacific region at a latitude of 4°45'S and a longtitude of 155°24'E.
The atoll has a total land area of 0.6 square kilometers and a maximum elevation of 1.5 meters above sea level.
Life for the islanders is not like it used to be. Each day they are having to build sea walls out of giant clams shells and plant mangroves to protect their island from the sea which is slowing eating away at their island.
Global warming and climate change results in strong winds, heavy storms and high tides which washes away homes, destroys food gardens and contaminate fresh water.
Many of the islanders are ignorant of the global factors that are affecting their simple way of life.
They are not aware about pollution caused by industrialised countries pumping out tonnes of poisinous gas into our atmosphere is causing climate change and global warming.
Recently I accompanied a TV crew from the Bristish Independent Television News who went to film a documentary on the island.
We were warmly welcomed by the islanders and I saw that they were well prepared for our coming.
The chiefs and the Atolls Executive Manager Pual Tobasi met and spoke with the ITN crew about life on the island.
The ITN cameraman Duncan Jones filmed various aspects of the island life and the effects on rising sea levels.
They interviewed a number of people about how life has changed because of climate change.
The crew was amazed by the colourful culture and tradition of the people and how they have learnt to survive through difficult times.
A common sight on most islands are sea walls being built with gaint clam shells.
The effects are evident, coconuts tree trunks in the sea which only a few years ago was dry land.
The islanders a very worried and are looking for vacant land on the mainland of Boauginville to resettle.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government is also trying to negotiate for some land to resettle displaced people.
But as the sea levels rise there are many that find it hard to move away.
Many say they can not bear to leave their island home, which they love and treasure down deep in their hearts and soul.
"This is our heart, this is our home and it will be difficult for us to leave it behind. This is where we are born, our island home in the sun and we won't just let selfish people take it away from us is like this," they said.
Despite everything the people on the island maintain their traditions. Dancing and singing is part of their everyday life.
The television crew were warmly welcomed to every island we visited with a traditional sinsing kaur, solomon dances and string band music.
After all filming was done the ITN crew sent the footage from the island by a satelite phone system to their headquaters in Britain.
On the last day the islanders had a big feast to farewell us.
It was sad saying good bye to such beautiful people on a beautiful island which in a few years time may not exist.