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MARA gov’t lauds MOU with MAL

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

MALAITA Provincial Government has lauded the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) for a MOU signed between them.

The MOU looks into ways of partnership with MAL through national government and MPG will collaborate in the agriculture sector to achieve better results for people in the province.

Speaking during the signing this week, Premier Daniel Suidani said his government and people are happy to sign the MOU with the national government.

He said this is the third MOU MARA government has signed with government ministries.

“Not long ago my government has signed historical MOUs with the MFMR on Bina Tuna Processing Plant project and with MCT.

“And this is the way we believe we should do things collaboratively,” Suidani said.

One that note, he said the MOU with MAL has marked a new journey in the development of agriculture and livestock in the province and the country.

“This is a new journey based on mutual cooperation and share responsibilities. Especially in addressing multiple challenges that often confront us in our large scale agriculture endeavors.

“We must take stock of our past disappointments and thereupon forge a new outlook for our agriculture sector.

Agriculture as we know is the pillar through which our society survives. Therefore, it is an industry that we all related better to it than any other sector.

“However, as our society expanded and grows in population we need to expand and grow the way we see agriculture as well,” Suidani said.

He said this is though what the MOU is intended to host. Finding new ways to work collaboratively in the agriculture sector to achieve better results.

“And as said in the MOU, our mutual interests and obligations are the pillars of the document.

“MPG will strive to ensure its parts in the MOU be executed correctly and we believed this will be the same for MAL,” Suidani said.

PM confident country will retain covid-free status again

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare is confident Solomon Islands will retain its Covid-19 free status again.

However, the Prime Minister said the government cannot do this alone as ‘all hands on deck’ is needed from the nation.

Speaking during his ‘Nationwide Address’ early this week, the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Choiseul said in such unprecedented times, ‘unity and solidarity is very important’.

“I would like to thank citizens that have continued to support the government in our fight against the deadly virus. We have lost our status as a COVID-19 free country but I am confident that we have managed it very well,” said Sogavare.

“We have avoided community transmission and we are containing the virus within the quarantine and isolation stations. Our aim is to eliminate it from there. I am confident that we will overcome this pandemic and we will retain our COVID-19 free status again.

“However, this government cannot do this alone. As I have already said, we need all hands on deck.

“Fellow citizens, in such unprecedented times, unity and solidarity is very important. Now is not the time for division. Now is not the time for petty politics.

“This is a time that calls for ordinary people to do extra ordinary things for this country and our people. This is a time that requires people to act selflessly and to put the interest of this country and people above all other interests. Now is the time to rise to the occasion and be counted.”

Ontong Java chief calls on Fisheries to return confiscated beche-de-mer

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A Lord Howe chief has called on the Ministry of Fisheries to return the beche-de-mer that were confiscated on Tuesday night this week back to the owners.

Chief Bartholomew Kokolopu said with the covid-19 situation the country is facing, the Ministry of Fisheries should sympathise with the beche-de-mer owners and return those beche-de-mer that were confiscated on Tuesday night at the Point Cruz wharf, inside MV Onogou on her return from Lord Howe.

“The owners of those beche-de-mer in fact had breached Fisheries regulation because they harvest the beche-de-mer illegally, but I want the Fisheries to sympathize and understand our situation.

“We the Lordhowe people did not have other means to earn money from but only through Beche-de-mer,” Kokolopu said.

He said what happened on Tuesday night was a really sad scenario; Officers from Ministry of Fisheries along with Police officers went inside the ship and checked all the luggage and also inside the crew-rooms.

And after a thorough check they took off with the cartons of beche-de-mer, Kokolopu said.

Kokolopu blamed the Fisheries office for ignoring Lordhowe chiefs request since 2018, they have been discussing with them to assist the chiefs in raising awareness and explain the regulation to the people but nothing forth coming.

“I was also one of the member delegation that came some two years back and last year discussing with the Director of Fisheries for a possible way forward for Lordhowe people, and for their officers to come to Lordhowe and educate our people relating to beche-de-mer issues.

“In our discussion we told them that it will be effective once anybody from the office to down to our people and tell them why they ban the beche-de-mer, instead our request fall on deaf ears,” Kokolopu said.

He said Fisheries officers should at least work with the Chiefs of Lord Howe so that any decision made is fair to them and the resources owners.

He also said in 2018 the ban lifted in October because of the National General Election, and at that time it was not in the interest of Lordhowe people to lift the ban, and after the ban imposed again.

“Earlier this year we made a call to the Fisheries again if they could allow us some time do the harvesting just for our survival, they refused our request, and because of no other means we can earn money our people continue to harvest illegally”, Kokolopu said.

Kokolopu said Fisheries had refused to visit their communities and also refused to consider their call, therefore they should have been blamed for the people’s action.

“Since the Fisheries office did not respond to our call, we the resource owners decided that since the beche-de-mer are ours, we continue to harvest because it is our God given resources,” Kokolopu said.

Therefore, he calls on the Ministry of Fisheries to return the confiscated beche-de-mer.

Meanwhile this paper made contacts with the Ministry of Fisheries to confirm the raid but was unsuccessful, since the Director of Fisheries was busy in a bilateral meeting yesterday.

Oversight’s oversight?

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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Members of the Oversight Committee recently. Photo PETER ZOLEVEKE II

Government had allowed a high-risk passenger to be quarantined with low-risk ones in the heart of Honiara

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

A positive covid-19 case detected in a quarantine site in the heart of Honiara may be the result of government oversight, it is reported.

Island Sun has learnt from witnesses in the October-25 flight that the covid-19 patient who had travelled from Korea had sat close to the player accused of breaching safety protocols [refusing to wear face mask] in the plane. Yet, authorities deemed it fit that he be quarantined along with low-risk passengers at the King Sol Hotel quarantine site.

All the high-risk passengers are reportedly quarantined at the SA Accommodations at Henderson, east of Honiara.

Sources tell the paper meanwhile that this passenger had boarded the flight covid-free, and had contracted the virus via flight.

Government has said as part of its anti-covid measures, high-risk passengers in repatriation flights are identified upon arrival and quarantined at the same location to safeguard other passengers regarded as low-risk.

However, this latest revelation speaks otherwise and indicates serious risky loopholes.

Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Secretary to the prime minister and member of government’s covid-19 oversight committee, could not comment when contacted yesterday for an explanation.

Pauline McNeil, permanent secretary to the Health Ministry and member of the covid-19 oversight committee, when contacted yesterday for comments referred the paper instead to the “incident controller”.

She interrupted questions, saying, “The distance on that, those on the operation will have detail on the sitting arrangement on the flight, our ‘incident controller. We will have to refer it to the incident controller.”

Speaking during an earlier ‘special address’ Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said all the returning 16 players were seated together in the flight, which minimises the risk of potential spread to other passengers.

Despite the Prime Minister saying the remaining travellers on that flight have all been quarantined in single rooms to minimise any potential spread should any of them become positive, it does not go down well with members of the general public learning that one the recent positive Covid-19 cases was identified from within the centre of Honiara. The location for quarantine is what members of the general public disagree on.

“With the exposure that was understood from the flight being reported, why were all these passengers not quarantined in one isolation centre that is far out from the main centre of the capital,” raise concern.

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.

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