By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Police, National Security and Correctional Services has started work on improving the remunerations of police and correctional officers.

Minister Lanelle Tanangada confirmed this in Parliament on Wednesday when speaking on the debate on the Speech from the throne delivered by the Governor General on Monday.

She said it will continue to embark to review schemes that will seek better terms and conditions of their officers.

“Also with the support from the Australian government, the New Zealand government and other donor partners the Ministry is developing the Royal Solomon Islands Police and the Correctional services of Solomon Islands on their capabilities and professionalism by continuous training in policing and correctional standards.

“We have to make sure that the desired remuneration of the uniformed officers matches the standard, professionalism and quality of service they rendered for the safety and security of this nation,” she said.

Parliament has adjourned to Monday 26^th August.

SIEC releases list of 2019 NGE candidates with accepted Statements of Account

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE much awaited list of 2019 NGE candidates who had submitted their Statements of Account to the Electoral Commission (SIEC) is now available for public to see.

A total of 270 candidates are listed along with the dates they submitted their statements.

250 candidates submitted on time, therefore are safe from the $20,000-penalty for late submission.

67 candidates submitted late after the July-20 deadline, and are liable to pay the $20,000 penalty plus $100 for each day they delayed after July 20 (Some of them are not on the list).

Three candidates’ statements were rejected by the SIEC as incomplete, hence are required to re-submit theirs.

It is understood that this means 14 candidates have not yet submitted their statements.

One candidate in the list is deceased, the Late Charles Jordan Maefai, who was the MP for East Makira.

The List was uploaded on Tuesday night onto the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) website.

SIEC’s Commissioner and Chief Electoral officer (CEO) Mr Mose Saitala is calling for the remaining candidates who have not submitted their campaign statements to file them as soon as possible in order for the daily $100-fine to cease.

If not then the fine will continue to accumulate till the candidates are prosecuted and penalised.

On their website, SIEC commends the candidates mentioned in the List taking the opportunity to thank all those who have complied with section 69 of the Electoral Act 2018.

“Although some candidates have filed their statements of account later than the deadline of 20th July 2019, SIEC is still appreciative of the fact that they have complied with section 69 of the Act.

“SIEC encourages all candidates, whose names are not on the List, to take immediate steps to complete and file their statements of account (on the approved Form) relating to expenses they used for their campaign and the sources of those funds.

“Remember that the obligation of a candidate, who contested the 2019 NGE, to comply with section 69 of the Act, will not go away until he/she has filed his/her statement of account,” says SIEC’s Commissioner.

2019 NGE Election results were published on April 19 seeing July 20 was when the 90 days period given for submission of statements of account lapsed.

It is a requirement under the electoral law (Section 69 of the Electoral Act 2018) that all candidates, successful and unsuccessful, must file their campaign Statement of Account 90 days after the publication of NGE election results.

Under Section 69 on campaign expenses in the Electoral Act 2018, it states;

1. Within 90 days after the publication of an election result under section 107, a candidate in the election must submit to the CEO a statement of account specifying:

(a) All expenses incurred by the candidate in relation to the candidate’s campaign for election; and (b) the source of all funds (including the amount received from each source) used to meet those expenses.

2. The regulations may make provision for the preparation and content of the statement of account.

Under Section 125; Campaign expenses and donations:

(1) A candidate whose election campaign expenses exceed $500,000 commits and offence.

Maximum Penalty: 50,000 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment, or both.

(2) A candidate who fails to comply with the requirements of section 69 commits an offence.

Maximum Penalty:

(a) 20,000 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment, or both; and

(b) 100 penalty units for each day the offence continues.

(3) A candidate commits an offence if the candidate accepts a campaign donation from:

(a) A person who is not a citizen of Solomon Islands; or

(b) A company with at least one shareholder who is not a citizen of Solomon Islands.

Maximum Penalty: 50,000 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment, or both.

(4) In this section, “campaign donation” means any transfer of property made, otherwise than by will, without consideration or with inadequate consideration that is intended to be used, or is used, solely or substantially for a purpose related to an election.

With anticipation to see this List since last week, the general public and citizens of Solomon Islands will now have the chance know which candidates complied with the Electoral Act, and which candidates have not and are still yet to do so.

See below for the list.

Very ambitious, lacks focus – achieving them in 4 years will be a challenge

 By EDDIE OSIFELO

OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Wale says the Democratic Coalition for Government Advancement (DCGA) policies and strategies are very ambitious, and achieving them within a period of four years will be a challenge.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday in a motion moved by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare for Parliament to beg leave to offer thanks for the Speech which was addressed by his Excellency to Parliament on Monday, Wale welcomed the government’s 100 days policy.

However, he said the complexity, ambiguity and lack of focus of some of these policies would make it impossible to achieve and deliver results, affecting the desire to progress this country.

Wale said the DCGA 100 Days policies do not reflect core elements of a broad public policy, and does not have focus on core areas the country needs in relation to growing and development the economy.

“The government needs realistic polices, plans and most importantly money to supports its implementation.

“To me, the policies are extracts from individual ministerial work plans that previous government have failed to achieve,” he said.

Wale believes that most of those in the previous government are sitting down in the DCGA camp again trying to implement what that they failed to achieve under the previous regime.

“Let’s hope they realise their mistakes and work to complete the outstanding work to fulfil the promise made to the people of this country.

“I also understand that the government is fully committed to deliver other ambitious policy priorities in the interests of national unity and stability, lasting peace and economic advancement, but this can only be achieved if their fundamental and sectoral policy and other reforms and strategies are better accommodated or pursed through a realistic long term development strategy that focus on the country’s long term development plan,” he said.

Furthermore, Wale understands that the government also have a medium term plan to compliment the National Development Strategy 2016 – 2035 that maps out a strategic direction for the future development of Solomon Islands and enabling the country to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

He said the Strategic Framework focus on Social and economic livelihoods, and comprehensive objectives that aim at addressing the country’s main challenges in the next 20 years and a mid-term development strategies that will guide the Government’s development expenditure programme.

“However, as revealed in the Performance Audit Report on the Preparedness by the National System of Solomon Islands Government to Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals released by the Auditor General’s Office (OAG) on 6th December 2018, Parliament Paper No. 53 of 2018, SIG has an existing financing framework but the framework does not reflect SDG Programmes.

“The report stated that the SIG does not have a national financing framework purposely for the implementation of the sustainable development goals, the 2030 Agenda,” he said.

Wale said the framework is a vital tool to guide the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC) in identifying the needs and the required resources and capacities for implementing the SDG.