SOLOMON ISLANDERS GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI

 Two Solomon Islanders were among the 4,800 students who graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi  in a number of commencement ceremonies held last Saturday and Sunday. 

Both Solomon Islanders graduated with Masters degrees.

They are Cathy Hite who graduated with a Masters in Law and Enly Saeni Labuinao who graduated with a Masters in Sociology.

CATHY HITE graduated from UH's Richardson School of Law. Her Masters degree specializes in Business Commercial Law and in International and Comparative Law.

Cathy comes from Weʻa Village in South Malaita. She did her primary school in Waneagu, Nafinua and Maka schools on Malaita. She then went on to King George VI school where she did forms 1 to 3 before going on to St. Josephs Tenaru for forms 4 to 6, and then back to KGVI for form 7. She then went to the University of the South Pacific’s Emalus Campus in Port Vila, Vanuatu, where she completed a Bachelor of Law degree in 2012. In 2013, Cathy completed the Professional Diploma in Legal Practice atUSP’s Laucala Campus in Suva, Fiji, and thena Professional Diploma in Legislative Draftingin 2015. In 2017 shewent to the University of New South Wales in Australia where she dida Professional Diploma in Juvenile Justice Law. 

She came to Hawaii in August 2018. Prior to coming to the University of Hawaiʻi, Cathy worked as a Barrister/Solicitor at the Solomon Islands Public Solicitors Office (legal aid), practicing mainly family, civil and criminal law.She had also previously worked as a legal researcher at the Solomon Islands Law Reform Commission.

ENLY SAENI LABUINAOʻs Masters in Sociology degree focuses on gender and development.

Enly comes from Lathalu (Malu’u) and Kwaiabu (Mbita’ama) villages in north Malaita. He did his primary education at Mbita’ama and Malu’u schools before going on to Su’u and then King George VI secondary schools. He then went to the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, where, in 2009, he completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and Work Place Relations.

Enlywent back to Solomon Islands where over the years he has worked for various organizations including the Coalition for Education Solomon Islands (COESI), the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the Solomon Islands Red Cross Society and WorldFish. 

He came to the University of Hawaiʻi in August 2016.After doing course works, Enly did fieldwork research and then wrote a thesis titled, “Gender and Economic Development: the Case of Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) in Toʻabaita, Solomon Islands.”