Kossa FC player Dunstan Quanafia receives the ball and Malaita Kingz defender Joel Fakaia eying for the ball. PHOTO. CHARLES KADAMANA
KOSSA moves in 8th
BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II
KOSSA FC earned valuable points in a commanding fashion to hand Malaita Kings FC yet another nightmare in a 7-1 thrashing yesterday in the TSL mid-week fixture at Lawson Tama.
Both sides kicked off their campaign in the league for the first time this year – a test back competing after a long break.
With high pressing play at both ends from kickoff, it was KOSSA that capitalized on their opening chances with two early goals in the first 10’ minutes of play.
KOSSA’s speedster Harrison Mala scored a hat-trick before Robin Baewane pulling a goal back for Kings heading for the breather, 4-1 margin.
“It’s a good start for the year, the team is yet to back in full fitness but somehow managed to win,” says KOSSA FC head coach Fred Osifelo
“Today’s (yesterday) game is more like a training game because past weeks we did not have our regular training.
However, Osifelo banked on the experience of his attacking front which was obvious. Himson Teleda got on the score sheet before Dunstan Quanafia got his brace and a goal from left-back Alfie Chacha to step over Real Kakamora onto the 8th spot.
For Kings Head Coach Rence Talo there’s a lot to blame since his side had yet to register a point in the premier league since the start of the season.
“Our preparation for this game the bad weather is the main factor especially on our training venue and lack of attendance from the players throughout the past weeks,” Tala admitted.
Talo also blamed the inexperience of his players.
KOSSA FC this weekend takes on Real Kakamora to avoid the bottom standings, while Malaita Kings will have a week to settle before coming back against Kakamora on match week 19.
Clera Tegu is now a confident young girl after joining the Girls Rise Up! program.
CLERA Tegu is a 17 year-old girl from Makira Ulawa Province who says the Girls Rise Up! project “has changed my life.”
Clera is one of over 200 young girls involved in the Girls Rise Up! project.
Girls Rise Up! is led by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in partnership with CARE International and supported by Australia through the Pacific Girl program, managed by Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women).
It aims to develop the confidence, skills and knowledge of at-risk girls while helping them establish supportive peer networks and the opportunity to safely advocate for issues that affect them.
Clera, who lives with her elder brother in Honiara, is a person who is deaf and now has a voice through sign language to advocate for other girls with disabilities, as a result of Girls Rise Up!.
Her focus is on her abilities, especially since she attended a workshop for people with disabilities in 2018 where she met Stella Wai’oha,
Girls Rise Up! mentor and Project Officer for People With Disabilities Solomon Islands (PWDSI). PWDSI is a Girls Rise Up! Partnership Stakeholder.
“There are many programs with Girls Rise Up! but I chose life skills. I attended Girls Rise Up! program in 2019 to 2020,” said Clera, relaying her story through an interpreter on how she was introduced to the program that has made such a significant and positive impact on her life.
“I heard [about] the program from my mentor, Stella. Stella asked me to join Girls Rise Up! training and life skills workshops.”
Clera was also supported by Diana Ma’ahoro, her training interpreter, who is a Project Assistant Officer with YWCA.
She learned a lot through the life skills program such as how to make paper beads, dye lavalava plus make jewellery including the earrings, necklace and bangles she wears each day.
“Marketing my products, I earned money that helped me to buy food, church offering and clothes,” Clera said.
In sign language, Clera said she is very patient and humble. “My family communicates with me using verbal and I can read their lips,” she said through her interpreter.
“I don’t learn any skills until I joined the Girls Rise Up! program and, as a deaf person, life skills has helped me. Attending trainings, I know that my actions speak louder.”
“I know that standing here as a deaf person to show you that having many skills has changed my life and I can contribute to my family’s income.
“My deaf motto: my hands are my mouth, my eyes are my ears.”
Clera has been empowered with self-confidence and life skills by attending Girls Rise Up! and has also been recommended by her mentors to attend the Red Cross Special Disability Center in Honiara.
THE Premier of Rennell and Bellona province has welcomed the motion of no confident filed against him.
“Bring it on,” Willie Tuhagenga said in an interview with Island Sun yesterday ahead of the motion, which will be tabled during their Assembly meeting today.
“I have the number and I’m confident to get over this motion,” he said.
Premier Tuhagenga said six members are currently in his camp and that demonstrates the strength he has ahead of the motion.
He said the Speaker of the province has been consulted and formalities for the Assembly meeting have been approved.
Premier Tuhagenga said the Assembly will be held here in Honiara – a decision made based on convenience and financial reasons.
He explained that the decision to hold the meeting in Honiara is because all the non-executive reside here.
“It’s cheaper to hold an Assembly meeting in Honiara as most provincial members are currently here in town arranging their kids back to school,” Premier Tuhagenga said.
He stressed that there has been a motion but it was delayed due to lack of funds.
“There has been a lot of talking in the media, now we are ready to table the motion and I kindly call on MPAs to attend the meeting,” Premier Tuhagenga said.
He said the province’s revised budget will also be tabled after the motion.
Premier Tuhagenga said he is optimistic that the motion will be over so that his government can focus on the affairs of the province.
He said there are programs and activities pending so as funding from the government are on halt due to the motion.
“We should roll out our programs and development plans last year but this motion continues to be a barrier to our development aspirations,” Premier Tuhagenga said.
When ask what will happen after the motion, he said both sides of the house need to work together to develop the province through sharing ideas and possible development plans that would help the people.
“We have been stagnant for the past years due to lack of cooperation within the parties,” Premier Tuhagenga said.
Speaker Lester H Sa’omasi received the notice of the motion from the mover MPA for Ward 10, on Tuesday 1st December 2020.
In the letter, the non-executive members raised a few points against Premier Willie Tuhagenga.
This includes lack of political leadership and transparency over the provincial executive and over the development of direction for Rennell Bellona province, lack of control over the duties and performance of the provincial administration.
“All these issues raised will be discussed during the motion,” Premier Tuhagenga said.
SOLOMON Islands nationals in the United Kingdom, USA and Canada are being encouraged to be vaccinated before their repatriation home.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his recent address said the government is aware that there are some Solomon Islands citizens waiting to be repatriated from the UK, USA, and Canada.
“We encourage these citizens to be vaccinated before their repatriation home.
“In this regard the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be coordinating with our High Commissions, Embassies, and representatives in these countries to ensure our citizens can access vaccinations before their return home,” said Sogavare.
He said the government is meanwhile planning a ‘final’ repatriation flight to bring home about 40 remaining students in Manila.
Sogavare adds, in terms of vaccine for Solomon Islands, approval for AstraZeneca vaccine had been given despite missing out on the Pfizer vaccines for 0.25 percent of the country’s population.
Elections would be held to replace the Lord Mayor of Honiara City Council Wilson Mamae.
BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
HONIARA city mayor Wilson Mamae has labelled calls for him and City Clerk Rence Sore to resign as “nothing more than political stunt orchestrated by those who oppose his good works”.
Mamae was responding to Honiara resident Stephen Maki.
He claimed this is not a new call, but one that has been repeated in the media to advance their political agendas and interest to rubbish the good works of the Council under his leadership.
Mamae described Maki’s call as misleading and tarnishing his reputation with ‘unfounded allegations’ against the HCC administration and the City Clerk.
He said Maki needs to provide legal documents to prove the allegations among other reports stated in his article.
“What Maki continues to do here is mislead the public with the same old story.”
Mamae also lashed out at comments calling for the Clerk and him to resign for the sake of their integrity.
“I understand that the City Mayor can only be ousted by a Motion of No Confidence.
“City Clerk can only be removed by the Full Council.
“Maki has not fully understood the whole concept and functions of the HCC administration, and he is trying to bark in the media without a proper legal document to prove all his accusations against us.
“I know ‘Maki’, a pen name has been spreading misleading information about what my Administration is doing right now.
“I ask him to approach my office and let’s talk and do the right thing to discuss his problem rather than quickly going over to the media.
“I can confirm to you that their idea is to tarnish HCC and its officials, to distract us from what we are mandated to do.”
Mamae said he has explained his response to the HCC saga in the media already and looks forward to working with all councillors to move the executive’s plans for the city.
The Mayor however, was tight-lipped over the issues raised against the council yesterday.
These include the controversial fire extinguisher deal, the illegal $1.8 million borrowings, and other issues raised against his leadership.
Meanwhile, the Mayor has insisted that those who politicise the HCC saga and the desperate Stephen Maki to go to the Leadership Codes Commissioner with all their allegations.
He insisted that they have nothing to do with the issues raised.
Gov’t urged to terminate minister for lying in public
GOVERNMENT has been urged to sack Environment minister Titus Fika for lying in public.
Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) made the call yesterday after the Island Sun exposed Fika’s dishonest in a front-page article yesterday.
“TSI s appalled to see one of the ministers of the crown telling lies in the media by denying his decision to give Sunrise Investment Ltd the right to sell logs, which the company illegally harvest,” the watchdog organization said in a statement.
Fika came out public in the Island Sun on Tuesday to say it is a false news that he gave directives for the Malaysian company to pursue selling the tubi logs.
But according to documents the Island Sun obtained, Fika wrote a letter to the Comptroller of Customs informing them that a permit was issued by director of environment to allow Sunrise Investment Ltd to sell the tubi logs.
The letter was copied to the Attorney General as well.
The letter was signed by Fika with his name on it and not the former minister (Dickson Mua).
“TSI may have no issue with the ongoing conflict over those tubi logs but the fact that the Minister of Environment is telling lies to the public is not only demeaning to him but a big corruption-risk to this country to put such people in power.
“Fika and his likes must be condemned for being dishonest and removed from their position as minister the sooner the better.
“This does not reflect well of someone who serve his first term in parliament.
“The minister claimed he is fighting corruption but he is doing a different thing.
“His denial of the black and white letter he signed and copied to various government ministries only shows the type of leader he is.
“TSI called on the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) to remove Fika as the minister for environment.
“Citizens no longer have trust in such leaders who speak one thing but did the opposite.
“When a leader elected by the people come out public to tell lies to the people is an indication that such person will continue to tell lies to the people even to the extent that he became a public ridicule.
“TSI strongly condemned elected leaders who tell lies and in this case the Minister of Environment must go or else he remains and do more damage to this nation.
“The minister is caught red handed and he should not make any more attempt to cover up his lies that will only makes him a public mockery.
“TSI also wants to cautioned other MPs to be careful of what they speak in the media or they will be held responsible for the false information coming out of their mouth.”
Transparency Solomon Islands said it is concerned that the seized tubi logs was not put on tender or let the resource owners to sell but instead given to the same convicted company found guilty by the court and paid the find of $50,000.
“The decision by the minister is an evidence that corruption is alive in his ministry and the logging industry.
“The company was found guilty and ordered by court to pay a fine of $50,000 is now being rewarded with the tubi logs it illegally harvest to sell on behalf of the government.
“This is not right and goes to show how those in powers and their likes in public offices are denying this country, resource owners and the government the maximum benefits deserved from the tubi logs.
“At whose interest the Minister made the decision?
“The decision to give back the tubi logs to Sunrise Investment Ltd raise more questions on the integrity of the minister and the executive government.
“The decision is a clear self-serving act by someone in power to serve his personal interest and that of his cronies.
“Government must recognize the landowners and put their interest first than that of foreign logging companies and their cronies.
“The tubi trees belongs to the landowners and were harvested on their land without their consent, so those logs should be a matter for the government and landowners to negotiate with any buyer.
“But not the convicted Malaysian company to sell the logs.
“According to information revealed it shows that Sunrise Investment Ltd will take 60% of the tubi logs if they proceed with the selling while landowners 15% and government 25%.
“Thus, it means the company that was convicted and pay the fine of $50,000 will get more than what they have penalized for by reaping more benefits in the selling of the tubi logs.
“Transparency Solomon Islands see all this mess on the illegal harvest of tubi and re-awarding of the logs to the offender as a serious case of corruption that involves the minister of environment, public servant (director of environment) and a logging company.
“TSI reiterated that the minister must be removed and director of environment who gave the permit to the company be suspended and investigated.”
Environment minister Fika denies issuing directive, documents show otherwise
By EDDIE OSIFELO
ENVIRONMENT minister Titus Fika has denied giving Sunrise Investment Ltd the right to sell tubi trees the Malaysian logger illegally harvested on San Jorge, Isabel.
He has also denied issuing any directives to Customs and other state authorities to facilitate and assist Sunrise export the logs.
Fika dismissed our front page report on the tubi issue on Monday this week, describing the news article as “untrue”.
Well we have news for the minister.
Published here is copy of the letter Fika signed and delivered to Customs on December 21, 2020.
That was after Sunrise owner Richard Ngea pleaded guilty to the illegal harvesting of tubi and fined $50,000 in the Magistrates Court.
The letter was copied to various government ministries and departments, including the Attorney General’s Chamber.
Fika stated in the letter that he had used his power under the Wild Life Protection and Management Act to seize the logs.
Therefore, he said, the tubi logs, are now Solomon Islands Government properties.
Furthermore, he said the Director of Environment had issued a permit to allow Sunrise to sell the logs on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government.
Fika’s decision came despite advanced efforts landowners on San Jorge have taken to sell the logs, which are rightfully theirs.
Landowner spokesman Wilson Tohidi said the minister should work with and assists landowners than serving the interest of a foreign logger.
“Whose interest is the minister and this Government serving?” Tohidi asked.
“Here is a foreign logger that comes in and illegally cut down our trees.
“The company owner himself admitted guilt.
“The minister did the right thing by seizing the logs from the company.
“But why is the minister giving back those logs to the very logging company that tries to steal them at the first place?
“Where is justice and common sense in this?
“Something is not right Mr Minister.
“We wish to let you know that we the landowners have the financial capacity to sell the logs.
“In fact we have already secured a buyer.
“Just give us back our logs and we will sell them for the benefit of the resource owners and the country as a whole,” Tohidi appeals.
He added landowners would benefit more from their logs if they were given the rights to sell.
According to Government calculations Island Sun has cited, if Sunrise sells the logs, they will receive 60 percent of proceeds of sale.
A $500,000 goodwill will be paid to the Government to support enforcement of the Wildlife Protection and Management Act.
25 percent of the proceeds will be paid to the Government.
One of the design concepts of a major PG2023 facility project.
PM Sogavare on PG2023 progress
BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II
PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his nationwide reiterates his government’s assurance that preparations for the hosting of the Pacific Games 2023 are progressing well ahead.
Sogavare made an update saying that country is on target to complete all the facilities and preparations to successfully host the major regional sporting event.
“Fellow Solomon Islanders, before I close, allow me to also give you an update on the progress of the Pacific Games 2023.
“My good people, we are on target to complete all the facilities and all our preparations to successfully host the 2023 Pacific Games,” the PM addressed.
He also made a highlight on the launching of the Government Services Integration Committee last week.
“Last Friday my government achieved another milestone – the launching of a ‘Whole of Government Services Integration Committee’ that will unite the resources of all 24 government ministries to assist the National Hosting Authority to successfully deliver Pacific Games 2023.
“The ‘whole of Government Services Integration Committee’ is the largest of the 12 committees under the ‘Games Organising Committee’ which is the primary committee responsible for the actual delivery of the games.
There are four committees under the Games Organising Committee (GOC) headed by Government and 8 headed by the Pacific Games Association [PGA] also known as National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands [NOCSI].
The other three Committees headed by the government are (i) Health and Social Services Committee, (ii) Security Committee and (iii) Host City Committee. These 3 committees are also part of the ‘whole of Government Services Integration Committee’.
He further stressed the importance of collaborative efforts towards the successful delivery of the games.
“The ‘whole of Government Services Integration Committee’ reflects governments ‘many partners, one team, spirit’ which is essential for the successful delivery of the games. It also embodies the theme for the 2023 Pacific Games of – Challenge, Unite and Celebrate.
“I call on all public servants assigned to this committee to fully commit to this transformational development.
He concludes by saying that hosting of the games will be the most transformational project because it is not only about sports.
“It is about putting in place a new platform for our nation’s development agenda that will leave a legacy that unites our country and our region long into the future. We can do it and we can achieve it if we all work together,” PM Sogavare concludes.
Meanwhile, Sol2023 National Hosting Authority Chairman Dr Jimmie Rodgers made the announcement last week that the Solomon Island National Sport Institution (SINIS) will be the first facility to complete and open in April this year.
MOMENTS turned into memories are significant because they last in our minds.
According to Willa Cather, an American novelist known for her novels concerning frontier life on the Great Plains, “some memories are realities”.
This piece recounts memories from my recent trip to Baegu-Asifola during the festive season.
This constituency offers interesting dynamics because it includes Tolo (“bush” – Baegu) Asi (“sea” – Asifola) peoples.
It is, however, not the only constituency with such a tolo-asi composition.
Here, the Asifola people have been living in ferai’asi (man-made islands) for centuries.
These ferai’asi are often mislabelled as “artificial islands”.
But there is nothing artificial about these people’s connections to and sense of home to ferai’asi; a place where mosquitoes are virtually non-existent and fresh wind from the calm and clear sea is never ending.
There are lessons that can be learned from the Asifola people’s perseverance in withstanding the effects of climate change such as severe cyclones, rising sea level, and uncharacteristically high tides.
It would be interesting to find out more and document how these ferai’asi were built, their resilience in the past, and the factors contributing to their demise.
Nowadays an issue that is particularly important to the Asifola communities is the extreme high tides which are intruding into and destroying the ferai’asi islands that are not just homes to the Asifola people but the lagoon’s mute witnesses of histories.
According to a resident of Liunasi, the challenges to adaptation are much more difficult these days than they were decades ago.
High-tide at Ferasubua – one of the ferai’asi in Asifola.
There is therefore a real need to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The challenges associated with climate change are compounded by the Asifola people’s limited access to adequate and quality fresh water supply.
According to a village wane baita (big-man) from Asifola, women and children paddle dugout canoes to and from the mainland to fetch drinking water.
This is a laborious daily chore.
Like other parts of the Solomon Islands, the fact that adequate and quality water is not piped in has affected the villagers’ health, welfare and living conditions.
On the political front, an encouraging development is the establishment of a constituency office at Kaliana village, which has internet connection.
Apart from the conveniences of communication between constituency officers, it connects the village to the outside world.
But it still needs to be appropriately harnessed to take advantage of global connections and improve rural livelihood.
Another issue is natural resources.
Northeast Malaita hosts virgin forests, pristine rivers and cultural sites on customary lands.
An example is the Wuo customary land, where there is currently no commercial logging.
This gives Wuo landowners the opportunity to plan and allocate land for sustainable development activities.
But they will need proper advice and assistance from the government and non-state organizations.
Also, the Ata’a river, which divides the Baegu-Asifola and Fataleka constituencies, hosts beautiful natural sceneries such as the Tatabau waterfall.
These offer potential tourism attractions if they are appropriately packaged, marketed and made accessible.
There are other parts of Baegu-Asifola with natural water sources that, if properly harnessed, could supply many villages in Baegu-Asifola with piped water supply.
They could also be used to build mini-hydroelectricity that would generate energy that could be used for small-scale industries that are appropriate for rural areas.
The current member of parliament (MP) is trying his best to deal with some of the challenges.
These are articulated in the constituency’s development plan.
The MP has been working closely with ‘chiefs’ to address a range of customary land issues that need to be resolved in order to facilitate infrastructure development.
Going forward, the Baegu-Asifola people will need to re-examine their development aspirations and chart appropriate pathways that will help improve their livelihoods.
This will need a sector-wide approach that will demand an ongoing rethinking and commitments that will require time, sacrifice, energy and compassion.
It may be slow and long, but as the saying goes “Rome was not built in a day”.
These stories about high tides, piped-water, internet, and waterfall in Baegu-Asifola, are fond memories and the musings of a visitor who was privileged and honoured to visit the constituency and be immersed in its challenges and opportunities, albeit for a short period.
As I depart Baegu-Asifola and exit Lau’ala and through Lau’toli, I was captivated by the natural beauty of this region.
A rainbow hovered over Malaita province against the backdrop of a cloudy sky.
This was perhaps an omen of hope for better futures for the people of Beagu-Asifola.
Heaps of different varieties of reef fish sold at $2s , 3, and $15s in Gizo fish market. Photo Jamaica Tanito.
BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
WHILE Honiara is scraping hard with fish prices in its central market, Gizo is reportedly enjoying ridiculously low prices for fish.
Heavy rains and bad weather is reportedly making fishermen spiking their prices high in Honiara, citing increasing operations costs and risks.
However, in Gizo prices continue normal despite the bad weather.
Sizes which attracts tens of dollars in Honiara are sold for $3 or $5 in Gizo. Big fish which are sold for hundreds of dollars in Honiara are priced at just $30 or so in Gizo.
A Mr Simon explains, “We normally do our selling for only cheap price and at the end we earn little profit out of our daily catch at the market.
“This is when we have good customers in the market, we maintain the same price.
“But normally since we experience a poor weather conditions in the past week, the prices for fish is still cheap and those who sell their fish continue on with the same price so we still maintain the same price for our customers.”
He said they don’t earn much profit, but little they earn is enough to help their family needs and wants including school fees for their children.
Simon adds that in Gizo the supply of fish surpasses the demand, or the number of customers.
