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Tackle climate change via social media

Written by
Alfred Pagepitu
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Scientist Marie Schlenker

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

HAVE you witnessed changes in the environment in your community? Would you like to share your observations to create evidence-based science and tackle climate change in Solomon Islands?

Head to Facebook and join the “Solomon Islands: Environment” discussion group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ontongjava).

That’s according to scientist Marie Schlenker, who is a PhD student at the University of Southampton, UK, and works closely with the Anglican Church of Melanesia and the Melanesian Mission UK to study the impacts of environmental change on rural communities in Solomon Islands who are particularly at risk from rising sea-levels.

The facebook group has been set up by Ms Schlenker, as part of her research. She visited the communities of Fanalei and Walande in South Malaita and the Lord Howe and Red Beach settlements in Honiara last year and conducted in-depth studies of local impacts of sea-level rise.

While the current Coronavirus pandemic has prevented her from returning to Solomon Islands this year, her research is still ongoing.

According to Schlenker “the Internet has made it possible for us all to stay connected, regardless of how far away we are or how isolated we are due to the pandemic.

“I hope that it can now help me to finish my research. But what I really need is the help from the people in Solomon Islands.”

She believes that local knowledge is key for mapping changes across the country and informing climate change adaptation.

“Nobody notices changes in the environment more than the people who live there.”

While her in-depth study focuses on the communities of Ontong Java, Sikaiana, Fanalei and Walande, she is also interested in extending her research about environmental change to other parts of the country.

 “I believe there are many more communities out there that have been affected by rising sea-levels. We just haven’t heard of them yet.”

She believes local knowledge is key for mapping changes across the country and informing climate change adaptation.

Dr Abraham Hauriasi, ACoM General Secretary said the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACoM) is pleased to be helping in this research effort in collecting data that will be useful and important to national and regional stakeholders in the on-going fight against the destructive effects of climate change affecting Solomon Islands communities across the country.

Hauriasi says our communities will benefit a lot from actions/activities taken by government and donors, church and other stakeholders to mitigate climate change effects as a result of the availability of the findings/data/evidence generated from or by this research.

Schlenker said many coastal communities in Solomon Islands are already experiencing adverse impacts of environmental change, including sea-level rise, shoreline erosion, increased flooding frequency and degradation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

While the drivers of these changes are varied and include local human activities, such as logging, overharvesting and sand mining, climate change will likely exacerbate environmental change and associated problems in the future.

Schlenker explained that in recent years, it has become more and more apparent that we need to take better care of our planet.

“Institutions have been formed, policies have been released and new technologies have been piloted, but so far with little tangible outcomes for the people who are most at risk from climate change – like Solomon Islanders.

“One reason why tackling climate change has been difficult for authorities and communities is because we do not fully understand the phenomenon of climate change and its local manifestations yet.

“Climate change is a new challenge, which requires us to develop new solutions. Another issue has been the lack of funding for sustainable climate change projects at local level.

“Increased international assistance and effective distribution of the funds are key to tackle climate change in Solomon Islands.”

She said that in order to understand how climate change is affecting different parts of Solomon Islands, to create evidence-based funding claims and to inform strategies for helping affected communities, science is vital.

SI has highest data on pre-trial detainees-remand prisoners

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer. Photo by RNZ

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

CHIEF Justice Sir Albert Palmer says Solomon Islands is one of the countries with highest percentage of accused being remanded awaiting their cases to be heard in court in the region.

Sir Albert said according to the data obtained from the World Prison Brief (“WPB”) as at 2018, the percentage rate was 46.8 percent for Solomon Islands.

 At that time record shows that the country had 224 prisoners in remand from a total of 479 in the Correctional facility. 

“Our most recent figures, showed that as at 21st October 2020, there was a total of 618 incarcerated in our prisons, out of these 296 were in remand, giving an increased percentage rate of 47.8 percent. Of these, you may be interested to note that 136 of these are remandees awaiting trial or hearing in the High Court; that is very high indeed.

“Sadly now, it seems from recent information that has come to my attention, that Solomon Islands has one of the highest percentages of pre-trial detainees/remand prisoners in the region,” Sir Albert said. 

Comparative figures around the region of pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners, showed the following percentage rates:

Australia: at June 2019: 33 percent;

New Zealand: at June 2020: 36.5percent;

Fiji: at September 2019: 24percent; and

Papua New Guinea: at 2019: 34.4percent.

He said the figures for Solomon Islands are startling and must be cause of great concern for those of us in the judiciary who care, and the Government. 

“There is no short cut to justice issues,” Sir Albert said. 

The courts must continue to sit, hold trials and go on circuits; the DPP’s Office and PSO’s must be strengthened and supported so that they too are able to provide the much-needed support for the courts to hear and dispose of cases as scheduled; vacating and postponing of trials and circuits should be avoided at all costs.

“In spite and despite of pressures to vacate and postpone hearings and circuits, I am reluctant to do that, and you know why.

“It is our constitutional mandate to have criminal matters tried within a reasonable time and to afford an accused person a fair hearing within a reasonable time”, Sir Albert said.

Sir Albert said the constitutional rights of an accused are at stake and it is the duty of the judiciary to hold hearings and circuits to be able to chip into those backlogs and reduce delays.

He said the High Court cannot do it alone but needs support from the legal sector. For each judge added to the Bench, there should be a ratio of two prosecutors and four legal officers from the Public Solicitor’s Office added.

He also said that it is clear that the support for the legal agencies has not kept pace with the growth and expanse in the work of the courts in administering justice in the country, compounding delays, a build-up in the backlog of cases and consequential build-up in the number of remandees, those waiting for their trials in our prisons.

“I have oft repeated that the effectiveness of the criminal justice system is central to peace and stability in the country and directly linked to growth, expansion and prosperity of the economy. 

“A thriving economy is dependent on a vibrant democracy and the rule of law,” Sir Albert added.

Simple surgical masks recommended by MHMS

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

SIMPLE surgical masks have been recommended by Ministry of Health and Medical Services, says Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Secretary to Prime Minister and Member of the Oversight Committee.

Rogers said the basic recommended mask is the surgical mask which is blue in colour, however at the moment the number of covid-19 recorded in country has been contained on quarantined centers and Isolation facilities.

He said the simple surgical mask is the most common mask which was recommended by Ministry of health and Medical Services to wear in event if we need more sophisticated mask.

“Also, if we have suspected spread in community this mask is still useful but that is where we go for the black mask and the N95. For N95 mask it means 95 percent of the bacteria cannot go into the mask or comes out of the mask,” said Rodgers.

He adds the most important thing about mask is it did not protect you from others in a sense but it protects others from you.  

“For instance, in places like the USA where they not wear mask, there is a lot of drop-lets go out and it affects them where as if you wear mask when you are infected you will not spread it that is the nature and rational to wear mask.

But simple surgical mask that is the one that is commonly recommended,” said Rodgers.

Airline board’s stand on audit findings

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Solomon Airlines airbus

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Board of Solomon Airlines Ltd decided not to dwell into the internal audit report released on 17th February 2020 over the poor management decision making on transition of old A320 to new A320-200 plane.

The audit found that the sale of an old A320; purchase a new A320-200 and the new Twin-Outter from Ikana was done by Chief Executive Officer and Corporate Manager alone, this led to financial constraints at the airline.

The report found that Gebbers recruited his own son to be IT administrator in Brisbane.

Further to that, Heston MRO PTY Ltd deposited SBD$20million for the sale of A320, shortfall of $3 million in Solomon Airlines bank account with $16 million in the balance.

The Board was forced to find $3m to pay the loan before the deadline on 31st January 2020.

The audit states the CEO stepped in with $1 million to meet the deadline of the loan and Solomon Airlines repaid him with $500,000 later.

Furthermore, the audit report claimed the hiring of airlines has cost Solomon Airlines while the tickets sales are low.

However, Deputy Chairman of Solomon Airlines Board, Rob Bochman said “please be aware that while we appreciate your interest in Solomon Airlines, we will not be engaging further, other than to comment that the Airline’s financial strategy and aircraft financing are extremely complex matters which require expert understanding of all of the issues involved.

“As a matter of due diligence, the Board of Solomon Airlines Ltd monitors and remains fully appraised of strategic decisions and the financial activity of the national carrier.

“The Minister for Finance as well as shareholders ICSI are also fully briefed on developments of material significance.,” he said. 

“We are fully satisfied that the CEO and management team at Solomon Airlines Ltd are continuing to lead the airline with integrity, and with the best intentions, through an extremely difficult period for airlines worldwide,” Bochman said.

Gov’t sets to settle student allowances

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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MoFT Permanent Secretary McKinnie Dentana. Photo by SBM

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Finance and Treasury will make one batch of payment to Solomon Islands National University (SINU) government sponsored students this week.

This will be paid equally to Kukum and Panatina Campus students.

Permanent Secretary, McKinnie Dentana confirmed this to Island Sun yesterday and said further batch payment is next week.

“I cannot confirm whether it will two batches, might be three, I don’t know,” Dentana said.

“It will be subject to the completion on verification of all student’s registration and availability of funds,” he added.

“But I can confirm that this commitment will be cleared before the end of this month.”

Island Sun understands one batch includes 200 students.

About 1055 government sponsored students at SINU are waiting for their second semester allowances since classes started early this month.

The students are under pressure from their landlords and demands to meet their basic needs after semester two has resumed early this month.

Each student is supposed to receive a total of $29,720 after tax deduction for the whole semester, which runs until January 2021.

As such, Ministry of Finance and Treasury is expected to make a total payout of $31 million to meet the students’ allowances.

However, reports claimed the number maybe be reduced because some SIG sponsored students like nurses and marine have already received their second semester allowances.

PS Dentana told SIBC Talk Back show on Sunday that the delay of payment was because the ministry wants to verify the list of SIG sponsored students at SINU.

He said some students’ names do not appear on the enrollment list but instead on the allowances payroll list.

As such PS Dentana said the ministry does not want to avoid costs but to ensure people don’t get extra money from the government.

Covid-19 in the city

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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King Solomon Hotel quarantine site. Photo by Alfred Pagepitu

One of the latest cases detected in a quarantine site in the heart of Honiara

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA AND PETER ZOLEVEKE II

ONE of the five covid-19 positive cases announced on Monday this week was quarantined and detected in one of the hotels in the centre of Honiara.

Quarantine management at the site has assured that no mingling has occurred among the quarantined persons since they were brought in and all safety pre-caution measures have been observed so there is low possibility of any transmission.

The medical team which evacuated the patient to NRH isolation had also sanitised the patient’s room when they came to take him on Monday. In addition to this, government’s mandatory tests are continuing, quarantine management said.

On Monday prime minister Manasseh Sogavare said four local soccer players, who had returned from England, and a passenger who had travelled from Korea are the country’s latest covid-19 cases.

Mr Sogavare did not say where they were quarantined. However, in earlier statements, he said high-risk passengers would be quarantined together. Focus has been on the returning soccer players and passengers sitting close to them in the plane.

With public realising that a case has been identified in the centre of Honiara, it has raised fear and worry especially from residents living beside the King Solomon Hotel quarantine site, pointing out that the virus might get out of control starting from within the capital.

According to concern, all quarantine sites should be set up outside or on the edges of Honiara and not within. This is to add prevention from any mistake over the virus that might start spreading in the centre of Honiara where most of its population dwell.

Despite fear and concern raised, Quarantine Management has assured public that they are stepping up their regulation measures to avoid occupants from mingling under the State of Emergency guidelines since a case has been confirmed.

“We are doing all the best we can to maintain that nothing slips out of hand, and I thank the hotel management and those in quarantine for their complicity to these.”

Quarantine management says the situation where ‘a case confirmed from the site’ is unfortunate, but the strict measures and routines will continue to be followed to make sure there is no further spread.

Sogavare in his ‘nationwide address’ on Monday said all ‘five’ new cases announced this week have been transferred to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) isolation units.

The five new Covid-19 cases bring the country’s total number of positive cases from the Auckland flight last week Sunday to nine.

With that, the total number of Covid-19 cases registered in Solomon Islands now is ‘13’, of which Prime Minister Sogavare said the first four that were linked to the Philippines have now become negative.

Breach at quarantine site

Written by
Alfred Pagepitu
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King Solomon quarantine site .

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

A breach at the high-risk quarantine station at one of the hotels in Honiara’s CBD, where one covid-19 case was detected, took place yesterday.

A member of public handed over a package to a person in quarantine through the fence around 4.30pm.

Witnesses say the young man entered the Island Sun office gate and walked over to a corner of the fence shared with the hotel and threw a package over, and a quarantined person collected it from inside. [The Island Sun premises is adjacent to the hotel, and share a common fence]

Camp Management looking after the King Solomon Hotel quarantine, when notified, said their security personnel had spotted the exchange taking place and they have dealt with the incident.

“Our security personnel had spotted the exchange and were in the process of dealing with it before you [Island Sun] reported the incident and made your inquiries. So, yes we are aware of the matter and have dealt with it. We have identified the quarantined person involved and will deal with him.”

The young man who brought over the package fled the scene when Island Sun reporter began asking him questions of his activities.

Police Media, when contacted yesterday, said according to protocol Police will be expecting a full report from the Institutional Quarantine Facilities (IQF) committee following the incident. Police will only act after they receive the report from IQF.

It is understood quarantine site protocol state that family members or friends of persons in quarantine wishing to bring food should go through quarantine security at the front entrance.

The young man in yesterday’s incident clearly chose not to follow this.

When sought for comment, the Hotel Management explains that the accommodation wings, where quarantine is being done, have been condoned off to public and hotel workers, and the understanding is that quarantine camp management has their own security who are responsible for the rooms and surrounding areas, including the fence around the accommodation.

“And, the member of public who is reported to have breached protocols had accessed the fence through a private area adjacent to the hotel, which we have no control over.

“The hotel securities only look after the front public area,” the hotel’s spokesperson said.

Wale calls on PM to revive dialogue on nurse stand off

Written by
Press Release
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Opposition Leader Matthew C Wale.

LEADER of Opposition Matthew Wale calls on the Prime Minister to immediately revoke the suspension of the Nurses Association and to enter into dialogue with the nurses to resolve any outstanding issue surrounding their recent sit-in protest.

Mr Wale said, “The acute shortage of nurses and doctors at the central hospital is already putting our health system under serious constraints and to let the threat of losing nurses drag further will only add fuel to the current worsening state of affairs.

“While there has been attempts on the part of government to address the claims, this may have been unsatisfactory thus, forcing the nurses to take the action they took.

“It is therefore important that the government take a level headed approach.  We are talking about nurses and front liners here. These are people that this country needs to be on top of their job at this point in time and so, how their concerns are handled is critical.

“It seems the Prime Minister jumped straight into invoking powers under the Covid-19 Regulations without fully exhausting the dialogue option. While there may have been attempts on the government side, it seems these may have been unsatisfactory thus, leading to the sit-in protest.

“This is truly regrettable and raises serious questions on the Prime Minister’s sense of reasoning and motives. Where is the public interest he is trying to protect?” the Opposition Leader questioned.

The suspension of the nurses Association on claims for allowances and any threats to discipline the nurses borders on being unreasonably justifiable and being disproportionate to the likely consequences resulting from the continuous absence of nurses from attending to their covid-19 duties and sick patients at the hospital.

“I therefore urge the Prime Minister to revoke the suspension and take responsibility in establishing meaningful dialogue with the nurses. All our nurses must return to work at the earliest and what should make this happen sooner is what the Prime Minister should be looking at.

“I also urge the nurses to consider exhausting all options for dialogue and to leave industrial action out for now. The law is there to deal with these matters.  Use these options if you must, as our people and country depend on your service,” Wale adds.

–OPPOSITION PRESS

Call to reinstate SINA

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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General Secretary for SINA Steve Maitani

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

GOVERNMENT is being called on to reinstate the nurses’ association SINA since there is no other body to address and promote nurses’ welfare in the country.

General Secretary for the suspended Solomon Islands Nuses Association (SINA) Mr Steven Maitani makes this call following prime minister Manasseh Sogavare’s decision to invoke absolute powers given to him under the state of emergency to suspend SINA.

Maitani said during this covid-19 pandemic health workers no longer have a body or platform that will protect and watch for their welfare, since prime minister Sogavare has taken that away from them.

“I call on the National government to quickly looking in the matter of recalling SINA because it is the only body that looks after and fights for all nurses before and during this pandemic.

“Now SINA is on suspension and nurses now live in confusion as their no other organisation focusing on nurses they will ran too to seek support from,” he said.

Maitani said the suspension of this association shows no respect to the initial service Act the nurses have.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his national address yesterday said SINA was suspended because as a trade union, SINA did not prioritise national interest and security of this country at a time when we needed all hands on deck.

“It instead went ahead and broke our laws and asked their members to desert their patients. The suspension of SINA was a decision the government did not take lightly. It was taken after all the options open to government were explored and exhausted. SINA has put its own interest as a Trade Union ahead of this nation’s interest. The rationale for the suspension is very well covered in today’s newspapers,” said Sogavare.

5 new cases

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare

Country’s tally reaches 13 as more passengers from high-risk Oct-25 flight test positive to covid-19

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

SOLOMON Islands has registered five new covid-19 cases.

Four of the new cases are returning soccer players while the fifth is a passenger from Korea.

It is not clear whether the new cases are asymptomatic or symptomatic.

This brings the national tally to 13 cases; four having fully recovered, no longer active; and nine current active status.

All active nine cases are from the high-risk repatriation flight of October 25 from Auckland, New Zealand. Swift government anti-covid measures had led to the detection and red-flagging of four initial cases from that flight and the separate quarantining of other high-risk persons from the rest of the passengers.

Government had earlier warned following the detections that reports of misbehaviour by one of the positive cases during flight had potentially exposed an unknown number of other passengers to the virus, hence more cases would likely be detected.

Thus, yesterday’s announcement by prime minister Manasseh Sogavare does not come as a shock for members of public.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his nationwide address yesterday said, “My good people, it is with great regret that I once again inform you all that after the second round of testing yesterday [Sunday], we have registered five more new covid-19 cases.

“Four of these cases are our returning soccer players. Thus out of the 16 players who returned from UK a total of [eight] are positive cases. The fifth case is from a passenger from Korea. All [five] new cases have been transferred to the NRH isolation units.

“These [five] new cases bring our total number of cases from the flight from Auckland on 25th [October] to nine.

“The total number of cases registered in Solomon Islands now is 13, of which the first four that were linked to the Philippines have now become negative.”

Prime Minister Sogavare said the four cases from Philippines that are now negative will be closely monitored and undergo further tests.

“They will be released once they satisfy all the testing protocols,” said the Prime Minister.

The returning soccer players are members of the local soccer academy, Royals Academy, who had been in England since last year training with an English soccer academy, Star, and playing short stints with low-level tier-nine clubs there.

Four of these players tested positive upon arrival here on October 25. One of them was reported to have refused to wear protective face mask while in the plane, and had also reportedly moved around while in flight, giving cause for government to be concerned that he may have exposed an unknown number of other passengers to the virus.

Prime Minister Sogavare, during his national address announcing the four new cases last week, condemned such irresponsible behaviour, connecting it to risking national security.

It is understood that the person will be dealt with by authorities after he is released from quarantine.

Solomon Islands so far has had a remarkable record of 100 percent asymptomatic covid-19 cases. Yesterday’s announcement by government did not disclose whether or not the new five are asymptomatic.

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