Honiara In the 1960s, Pijin became its principal language, and the mother tongue of a generation of young urban adults and children. Through Honiara the language spread and has since become the main language spoken in the islands. Rhys Richards, a New Zealand historian and former New Zealand High Commissioner of Solomon Islands, spent many years in Honiara. In 1979 Honiara was still a relatively small town in terms of population, especially for a capital city, with 18,346 people, of which 10,870 were men, and 7,476 were women. In July 1978, Honiara became the new capital of the independent Solomon Islands.
Honiara Central Market the sex trade involving market women and young girls from the "Central Market". In 2014, fishermen, who were paid to transport girls to foreign fishing vessels outside the harbour of Honiara, described the "Central Market" as one of "the most evident or well-known pickup spots" for prostitution. The market management is headed by a market manager, supervised by Honiara City Council's Finance Director. In 2009, there were eight security guards (who, combined, cover the area day and night) and six full-time cleaners employed at the market; three further workers were in charge of the "ice house" (which features an ice