Government reacts to public criticism

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Sogavare-led government is being accused of “dictatorial leadership” after Cabinet agreed on Monday to ban Facebook.

Citizens, especially those who use FB to promote their businesses, engage in discussion, communicate and sharing were stunned to see the direction government is taking to ban FB.

Minister of Communication and Aviation, Peter Shanel Agovaka says Cabinet took the decision following the barrage of criticisms levelled against Government ministers and the Prime Minister which are ‘highly defamatory and character assassination’.

Agovaka said the temporary ban is necessary because there is no law to regulate Facebook in the country.

One citizen said this should not happen but if it happens then this is a show of dictatorship.

Telecommunication Commission Solomon Islands is highly likely to bow down to Government’s decision to temporary ban Facebook in the country.

An insider in TCSI told Island Sun eventhough it is a regulator, it has no teeth to bite because the Government still controls it.

“We are just like any other State-Owned Enterprise which the government controls.

“Even though we are governed by an Act of Parliament, but still the government controls us,” insider said.

Chairman of Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee and member of Opposition, Peter Kenilorea Junior told the Guardian the ban on Facebook was a “direct and brazen assault on the freedom of expression” guaranteed by the Solomons’ constitution.

“Reports of a ban or suspension of FB is a grave concern for Solomon Islands, a democratic country. Cabinet is now strangling the very right it should be upholding. This decision should be condemned by all freedom-loving Solomon Islanders.”

Kenilorea Jnr said the proposed ban is an attempt by the government to shield itself from criticism and accountability. “As leaders, we… need to be held accountable by the electorate that place us in positions of power. We need to face the music from time to time. This is democracy.”

Two service providers, Our Telekom and Bmobile have decided to remain silent over the issues based on their privacy laws.

It is still not sure when the ban will come into full force.

In the Pacific, Papua New Guinea was the first country that planned to ban Facebook for a month in 2018 in order to conduct research into issues like fake profiles, misinformation, and pornography.

The Tongan government moved to ban Facebook in 2019 following criticism levelled against the King.

Samoan government took steps to ban Facebook in July 2020 as a result of criticisms against the Prime Minister and his government.

In the globe, China, North Korea and Iran have banned Facebook.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CABINET has approved a recommendation by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Oversight Committee to allow two repatriation flights by Solomon Airlines this month November.

The first flight according to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his ‘Nationwide’ address yesterday will be on November 19 to Kiribati and Nadi to pick up stranded citizens from both countries.

Mr Sogavare said this flight comes at the back of the normal Airline’s cargo run on November 18 which will also bring a small number of passengers that have already been approved and have complied with the country’s pre-departure requirements.

“The second flight will be from Manila to Honiara on November 24 to repatriate 144 students from the Philippines. Cabinet has been assured by the Oversight Committee that our students waiting in Manila are in hotel quarantine which should reduce the COVID-19 risk status,” said Sogavare.

“In addition, three citizens, three dependents of a Solomon Islands citizen and 10 engineers for the 2023 Pacific Games will arrive tomorrow [today], Tuesday 17th November, from Indonesia on a Chartered Garuda Airlines aircraft that is flying to Honiara to repatriate Indonesian citizens from Honiara. All 16 passengers coming from Indonesia have undergone strict pre-departure clearance procedures to minimise the risk of covid-19 infection.

“Cabinet has also approved up to seven additional flights during the period late November 2020 through to mid-January 2021 for repatriation of our citizens including graduating students from Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

“The Oversight Committee will determine the scheduling of the flights, depending on the status of covid-19 in the country and quarantine beds available.

“Cabinet has instructed the Oversight Committee to ensure every effort is taken to prevent or minimise the entry of further cases of covid-19 into the country.”

Solomon Airlines also last week Friday confirmed that subject to regulatory approval, they will operate a series of further repatriation flights later this month to bring more stranded Solomon Islands citizens home. This is also to enable foreign nationals to depart Solomon Islands to Australia and other onward international destinations.

It is understood from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) Permanent Secretary (PS) McKinnie Dentana during this week Sunday’s Covid-19 ‘Talk-Back’ show when talking on government finance that repatriations continuing mean government will inquire extra cost of around $60M.

This includes the cost of keeping students that are not able to return from institutions in the region especially for accommodation and their allowances.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Public Accounts Committee is scheduled to hold public inquiry into the Honiara City Council audit report and 2019 budget outcomes after Parliament meeting on November 19.

Chairman of PAC, Douglas Ete confirmed this after the Committee’s meeting in Parliament yesterday.

Ete said the Committee agree to schedule the dates for the inquiry and passed it on Monday.

He said the Auditor General Office, Ministry of Home Affairs, Honiara City Council will be among stakeholders that will appear before PAC to testify on the audit report.

Furthermore, Ete said 2020 budget outcomes is still be completed and will need to through the process before reaching the PAC.

The Auditor-General received a request from the Minister of Home Affairs to do an urgent spot check on the Council finances and dealings on 18th June 2020.

This is due to media allegations on the Council administration mismanagement.

An audit pursuant to s.108 (3) of the Constitution, s.35 (1) of the Public Finance and Audit Act Cap 120 was conducted on the Council accounts and records on specific matters of concern.

In the meantime, the Government is likely to move a motion next Thursday to pass a resolution to spend month a quarter of 2019 budget from January to April 2021.

This is because the 2020 budget proper is not ready to table this sitting due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The government will also table a motion to extend the State of Public Emergency for the next four months when it ends on November 25.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

APPROVAL, informing recipients, signing of contracts and also raising of payments on the remaining part on the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) continues this week.

Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) Permanent Secretary (PS) and Chairman of the ESP Committee McKinnie Dentana said with the process, they expect it to continue until the end of this month November, and probably payment will still continue next month December.

Mr Dentana updating on the ESP during yesterday’s ‘Covid-19 Talk-Back’ show said as of last week, their team have been trying to complete the last process especially on the remaining sectors such as in agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

“Approval, informing recipients and signing of contracts and also raising of payments on the remaining part on the stimulus package continues this week. This process we expect to continue up until the end of this month [November] and probably payments will still continue next month. But most of the formal process on approval and informing recipients as they come and sign off contracts and such, we expect it to conclude this month, while payments will still continue,” said Dentana.

“As of last week and this week, our team both from the ministry of finance, Prime Minister’s Office and the committees tried to complete the last process especially on the remaining sectors, mainly on agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and payments of  informing recipients progresses as of last week and will continue this week.”

The Permanent Secretary of MoFT said in terms of release of ‘public information’ is a priority and commitment on the stimulus package.

“As I have informed the public earlier, it is a requirement from the donor fund that also support the stimulus package that all information must be released,” said Dentana.

“But the avenue to release is what we are still progressing on at this stage. Uploading of all the applications is complete. We are waiting for final approval on some of the sectors before we upload the list of approval into the system. And that process we expect to conclude within the next one or two weeks and hopefully by the end of this month we should formally launch the software and information can be accessed through this process, or the platform that we design or recommend.

“So certainly information will be released on public as well as certainly proper channel will be provided.”

Mr Dentana in elaborating assures the public that the approval process still falls within the ‘four structure’ of the stimulus package.

“I want to assure the public that the approval process still falls within the four structure of the stimulus package as other policy approved in May. There is no misallocation or miss-approval according to the relevant structure of the stimulus package. The process of approval too still maintains as on the guidelines of the stimulus package, screening have been done by the screening committee, coming to the committee of the Oversight Committee, implementing, awarding, and of course the verification part has also been done by the government as well. So those processes still maintain,” said Dentana.

In final update, Mr Dentana said they have completed the first round of monitoring and evaluation of those who have received the stimulus package from July up to August.

“So report has been done and we expect to present it to Caucas and the government on Tuesday [tomorrow] this week. The report covers how the fund is used, what is its impact, so there is the commitment to ensure that the money or recipient who receives the stimulus package also meets their obligation and it goes towards the right purpose,” said Dentana.

“The first round of report is complete, I thank the youths engaged, managing to meet people who received the support and also ask and get their information. This is a report that will also be uploaded to the website and at the same time this information as soon as the process of auditing takes place, will also be available at Parliament, so there is no intention for information will not be withheld. All the relevant information related to the stimulus package will be public information for everyone to be able to access.”

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

PRE-POLLING for certain citizens who will not be available for voting on Wednesday this week is on today.

One pre-poll station will be made available to each constituency.

Pre-polling for Central Honiara will be held at the St Barnabas Cathedral while pre-polling for Northeast Guadalcanal will be held at Balasuna Bible Centre.

All campaign trails will wrap up tomorrow as North East Guadalcanal and Central Honiara Constituencies go to the polls on Wednesday, November 18 to elect their members of parliament.

A total of 14 candidates are vying for a seat in this week’s by-election for Central Honiara and North East Guadalcanal constituencies.

A concerned Central Honiara voter told Island Sun yesterday that some voters are still in tight race among candidates as by-election looms in the City.

“Most people reside in Honiara are now battling to win the minds of voters.

“There Ten candidates have been nominated and registered to contest the Central Honiara Constituency while four (4) for the North East Guadalcanal constituency.Only 14 candidates have been nominated for the two Constituencies by-election.

“Voters must look for the right leader or person that will lead both constituencies to share the concern of people in the parliament,” he said.

Meanwhile, 37 polling stations are set for North East Guadalcanal and 20 polling stations for Central Honiara.

Based on the 2019 data, the electoral office is expecting a big turnout of voters on polling day.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Mrs Jane Waitara, Central Honiara constituency is one of the biggest constituencies in the country with a higher voter population of 15,989 registered voters and North East Guadalcanal Constituency has a voter population of 5,168.

Seven observer groups and 59 individual observers will participate in the election this week.

Two former prime ministers are also in the political race for the top spot since the ousting of the former Members of Parliament (MPs) for the two constituencies.

The 10 candidates for Central Honiara include three females and seven males. For N/East Guadalcanal one female and three males.

Female candidates for Central Honiara include Pauline Radoe Firisua, Rose Annie Anilabata, and Jennifer Fugui. All are contesting as Independent Candidates. 

The male candidates for Central Honiara include runners up of the last election- Alfred Efona, Gordon Darcy Lilo, Joseph Douglas, Michael Tofu Saru, Frank Aote’e, Frank Sade Bilaupaine and Barnabas Bosokuru Henson.

Efona was the runner up of the last election behind John Moffat Fugui and will be contesting under the Solomon Islands United Party (UP) whilst Lilo is contesting under Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement, Aote’e with People First party, and the other four are independent.

For North East Guadalcanal, a runner up of the last election Derek Sikua is contesting under the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP), whilst Mr Tavali under United Party.

Both Mr. Norua and the only female candidate Mrs. Ethel Lency are contesting as Independent.