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Finance Ministry embarks on tax reforms: Kuma

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Minister Hurry Kuma

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTER of Finance and Treasury is embarking to achieve tax reform within the 100 days policy framework of the government.

Speaking to Parliament recently, Minister Harry Kuma said the aim is to develop a better tax system and tax administration that is simple and easy to manage, fair and less costly to business and wage earners.

He said the sequence is to do a regular Tax Administration Bill first to strengthen compliance.

“It is important to strengthen compliance before any new system comes.

“Because when any new system comes, you have already lay the foundation to do your collection properly,” he said.

Kuma said the regular Tax Administration Bill will be coming to the chamber (Parliament) soon.

He said the Value Added Tax system is still in design.

Further to that, Kuma said the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) interim board will be created.

He said as soon after that, the ministry will recruit consultant to help them develop an operational plan.

“This is very important to address credit to the private sector especially Small Medium Enterprises and our people in rural areas,” he said.

Kuma said the ministry will also engaged Technical Advisors.

In addition, he said the ministry is working on Constituency Development Fund (CDF) regulation to help Members of Parliament to spend and implement funds and CDF properly.

For logging sustainability regulation, Kuma said they are projecting for decline in this sector on volumes of logs harvested, but at the same time trying to focus on maximising the returns of less volumes of logs exported.

“My ministry will be working very closely with Ministry of Forestry to come up with this regulation and to implement it,” he said.

Kuma was elected into Parliament this year.

Prior to that, he was the former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

17 new constituencies

Written by
Alfred Sasako
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Parliament

Government to review constituency boundaries

 

By Alfred Sasako

THE Government is likely to increase the number of constituencies in the country to 67 – an increase of 17 new seats recommended by the last Constituency Boundaries Commission 11 years ago.

The Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) announced in its First 100 Days in Office Policy Priority Document that it is reviewing the Constituency Boundaries Commission.

Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet would oversee the review, which encompasses the appointments of Constituency Boundaries Commissioners [CBC] who will take views from the people on whether to maintain the number of Constituencies at the current level of 50 or to increase the number.

The last review was undertaken more than 11 years ago. Its report, presented to then Minister of Home Affairs, James Tora, in February 2010, recommended an additional 17 new Constituencies be added to the current 50 constituencies.

Of this, Malaita was to get four, Guadalcanal and Western Provinces three each.

All the other provinces including Honiara will each get an additional constituency, according to the report, which has been gathering dust since February 2010.

Secretary of the Commission, the late John Babalu defended the Commission’s decision to recommend an additional constituency for Renbel province despite it not meeting the criteria on population.

Mr Babalu said then the Commission based its decision on other criteria which includes language and the Province’s relative isolation.

The nation’s population has since grown by almost a third or 200 thousand people, putting a lot more pressure on available of services. But whether increasing the number of constituencies would make a difference, remains to be seen.

In the meantime the Government has made it clear that it wants to see the review of the Constituency Boundaries Commission and the appointments of its commissioners completed within its First 100 Days in Office.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told a news conference last Friday the Government had 60 days left in which to complete a range of programs identified across sectors and published in its First 100 days in Office Policy Priority Document.

Critics say completing many of the programs identified in the Document remains in doubt.

Meet the 33 elected MPAs for Malaita Provincial Assembly

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

AFTER a successful provincial election for Malaita province, 33 new MPAs were elected to lead Malaita Provincial Government in the next four years.

Results of winning candidates unfolded since Thursday last week as counting for the provincial election proceeded and here are the 33 elect MPA for Malaita province.

Aoke Langa Langa constituency has two wards, and ward one (1) won by Hon Timius Waledala and Hon Randol Sifoni retained his seat for ward 30.

Two wards under Baegu/Asifoloa constituency, ward 11 won by Hon Elijah Asilaua and ward 13 won by Hon Danny Manasiau.

Another two wards for Central Kwara’ae constituency, ward two (2) won by Hon Benjiman Baetalua and ward 29 won by Hon Felix Bosokuru.

For East Are Are constituency, Hon Jimmy Rerehe retained his seat for ward 20 and a new comer Hon Meshack Maukera for ward 19.

For two wards under East Kwaio, Hon Alick Butala retained his ward 18 seat and a new comer, Hon Nelson Lenty for ward 17.

Two new comers for two wards under East Malaita constituency, Hon Eddie Misite’e won ward 15 seat and Hon Preston Billy won ward 16 seat.

Fataleka constituency also had two new winning candidates, Hon Daniel Suidani for ward five (5) and Hon David Solo Baerara won ward 14 seat.

Three new comers for three wards under Lau/Mbaelelea constituency, Hon David Osuria for ward six (6), Hon Jimmy Daoni for ward 10 and Hon George Lomo for ward 12.

For three wards under Malaita Outer Islands constituency, two new comers Hon John Kehosi for 31 and Hon William Inoga for ward 32 while Hon Ezekiel Teusa retained his seat for ward 33.

For North Malaita constituency, new comer Hon Michael Selega won ward seven seat, Hon Glen Waneta retained his seat for ward eight and another new comer Hon Eric Daoni Dauafa for ward nine (9) seat.

Small Malaita constituency has three wards, new comer Hon Dickson Pola for ward 21, another new comer Hon Martin Mae for ward 22 and Hon Francis Wateliu retained his seat for ward 23.

For West Are Are constituency, new comer Hon Peter Clay Taraumae won ward 24 seat and Hon Joe Hero’au reclaimed his seat for ward 25.

For three wards under West Kwaio constituency, three new comers Hon Alick Junior OfoOfo won ward 26 seat, Hon Simon Ke’ebo for ward 27 and Hon Claudio Te’efii for ward 28 seat.

And for West Kwara’ae constituency, Hon Martin Fini Gaote’e retained his seat for ward three (3) and the new comer who was the youngest MPA, Hon Iven Tonafalea for ward four (4).

These are the new elected 33 MPAs who will serve Malaita Provincial Assembly for the next four years.

‘No corruption’

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Tovosia hits back at Axiom and Wale

MINISTER of Mines, Energy & Rural Electrification, Bradley Tovosia has hit back at Axiom Chief Executive Officer Ryan Mount and Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale for accusing him of illegal mining dealings.

Prior to the April 3 National General Elections, Mount accused Tovosia of issuing a Letter of Intent over San Jorge in Isabel to Bintan Mining when he already knew Axiom already has a pending application.

However, Tovosia has defended himself in media saying the decision was made by the Minerals Board.

Tovosia’s war of words with Mount has attracted the attention of Wale, who is the Parliamentary wing leader of Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP).

Wale called on the then Prime Minister to remove Tovosia as Acting Mines Minister for alleged corruption.

He had demanded Tovosia be sacked immediately and a full investigation launched into the allegations.

Speaking in Parliament during the Sine Die motion recently, Tovosia said his name was tarnished before the election by Axiom.

He said he will bring the Mines and Minerals Act to cabinet before tabling in Parliament for amendment to reflect the people’s wish.

Further to that, Tovosia said it’s not good for Wale to call on the Prime Minister to sack him.

He said there was no respect and culture in Wale’s approach to ask the PM to sack him.

Tovosia first entered Parliament in 2010.

Prior to that, he was the Member of Provincial Assembly in Guadalcanal.

Bilikikis leave for nation’s cup

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Members of the national Bilikiki beach soccer team that left the country on Thursday. PICTURE SIMON ABANA.

“We need to concentrate on what we can do”: Omokirio

By Taromane Martin

Members of the national Bilikiki beach soccer team that left the country on Thursday. PICTURE SIMON ABANA.

SOLOMON Islands Beach Soccer national Head Coach Gideon Omokirio says they will do their best at the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup next week.

The national beach soccer team, dubbed Bilikikis left the country with a 12 man squad yesterday for the competition which will kick three days’ time in Tahiti.

The players are: Fred Hale (GK), Izomo Bird (GK), Anthony Talo, Kevin Koipala, James Naka (C), Nelson Sipolo, Nicholas Muri, Thompson Pete, McPhilip Aisah, Allen Fa’arobo, Roy Mafane and Max Fa’ari.

The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) said the Bilikikis will travel through Brisbane before heading to Tahiti where the competition will be held.

Coach Omokirio says they have been working hard for this competition but knows the tournament will be tough with the likes of two time FIFA Beach Soccer finalists Tahiti and Vanuatu also seeking qualification for the World Cup.

“We have been working hard in training for the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup and I believe my boy has what it takes to compete in Tahiti,” he said.

“There are a couple of experienced players in the team like James Naka, Nicholas Muri and Fred Hale who will be leading by example for the new boys.

“It will be tough especially against the hosts Tahiti who were our main rivals in past tournaments; we need to concentrate on what we can do rather than what other teams could do to us.

“A team to watch in the competition is Vanuatu and New Caledonia. We will do our best to represent our country out there no matter what happens in the next few weeks in Papeete,” Gideon Omokirio said.

Meanwhile the tournament in French Polynesia will see New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu joining defending champions and two-time World Cup runners-up Tahiti to compete for regional supremacy and for a spot in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019.

With double-headers scheduled over six consecutive match days, each of the five participating teams will face each other once in a round robin format before the final and the third-place play-off to conclude the competition.

OFC Competition Director Chris Kemp says the tournament will be a fantastic opportunity for the beach soccer mad nation to showcase the game across Oceania.

“With the best talent from the Pacific on display we are expecting a very high level of competition and plenty of entertainment for the fans.

“We are confident that Tahiti, which distinguished itself on the global stage both by reaching two World Cup finals and by hosting the successful 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, has the necessary infrastructure and experience to deliver a top class event which we are all very much looking forward to,” said Kemp.

Schedule for the 2019 OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup which will kick off Monday next week in Tahiti are as follows:

Match Day 1 – Mon 17 June

New Caledonia vs Solomon Islands

Tahiti vs Vanuatu

Tonga – Bye

Match Day 2 – Tue 18 June

Vanuatu vs Solomon Islands

Tahiti vs Tonga

New Caledonia – Bye

Match Day 3 – Wed 19 June

Solomon Islands vs Tonga

Vanuatu vs New Caledonia

Tahiti – Bye

Match Day 4 – Thu 20 June

Tonga vs New Caledonia

Solomon Islands vs Tahiti

Vanuatu – Bye

Match Day 5 – Fri 21 June

Tonga vs Vanuatu

New Caledonia vs Tahiti

Solomon Islands – Bye

Match Day 6 – Sat 22 June

3rd Place Play-Off

Final

Israel steps in

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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PRIME Minister Sogavare shakes hands with David Kalush as other officials looks on. (From left) Israel’s Consular to Solomon Islands Leliana Firisua, SDA Mission President Dr Tovosia, MHL Chairman William Lamur. (From right) Rolland Piko and Policy Secretary Celsus Talifilu. PHOTO FROM PM PRESS SECRETARY.

Prime Minister Sogavare welcomes Israeli direct foreign investment

 

PRIME Minister Sogavare shakes hands with David Kalush as other officials looks on. (From left) Israel’s Consular to Solomon Islands Leliana Firisua, SDA Mission President Dr Tovosia, MHL Chairman William Lamur. (From right) Rolland Piko and Policy Secretary Celsus Talifilu. PHOTO FROM PM PRESS SECRETARY.

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has welcomed initiatives for an Israeli direct foreign investment into the country.

Sogavare expressed welcome during a courtesy visit made by Israeli investor in the area of Sustainable Energy and Water Processing Plant, David Kalush, President of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Mission Dr Silent Tovosia and Chairman of Mainland Holdings Limited, William Lamur yesterday morning.

Following months of meetings between Mr Kalush and the President of the SDA Mission, the parties have reached arrangements to roll out projects on a 30.2 hectare land owned by the SDA mission at Betikama.

Kalush will invest in an eight megaWatt solar farm and a state of the art Water Processing Plant.

According to the Government’s Policy Secretary of the Production Sector Celsus Talifilu, to allow the projects to maximise the production of Power and Water, a Poultry Processing Factory will also be developed on the land in partnership with Mainland Holdings Limited, Papua new Guinea’s leading company in agribusiness.

Apart from the benefits of the water processing factory and its use of sustainable energy through its proposed solar farm, this Foreign Direct Investment will also be a boost for the economy through employment at the Chicken Processing factory and distribution of the manufactured products.

The Poultry Processing factory will involve egg and meat products and an out growing’s scheme helping farmers to grow birds and eggs that will be supplied to the processing factory

The Prime Minister further reiterated that the Government will continue to support the discussions and provide assistance to ensure the investment takes off the ground.

This Israel, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea initiative will be a first major commercial joint venture to roll out in the country.

–OPMC press

USA pulls us closer

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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US Ambassador Catherine Ebert-Gray and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during discussions at the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Relations with the Superpower to be revived with return of the US Peace Corps

 

By EDDIE OSIFELO

US Ambassador Catherine Ebert-Gray and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during discussions at the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

ABOUT 40-45 Peace Corps volunteers are expected to arrive in Honiara from the United States in July.

This is part of the US move to revive the Peace Corps programme here after 50 of them left the country during the ethnic conflict from 1998-2003.

In the past, the Peace Corps focussed on health and education in the communities as volunteers.

United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Catherine Ebert-Gray told media in Honiara yesterday they expect the government to identify which places these volunteers will serve in.

She said they may focus on environment, education and health.

Ambassador Ebert-Gray and Jennifer Spande, Deputy Director of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands based in Washington, have met with the Japanese Ambassador in Honiara and discussed how Japan supports its volunteers here.

She said Solomon Islands is a safe place for volunteers to work.

“Volunteers who served in Solomon Islands have shared their enduring stories of Solomon Islands,” she added.

Currently, nearly 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers are working in 76 countries to bring clean water to communities, teach children, protect the environment, help start new businesses, and prevent the spread of AIDS. Since 1961, more than 155,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps, serving in 134 nations.

Team Triathlon ready

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Borris Teddy (L) and Rocky Donaldson on their bikes. Donaldson has been named for next month’s Pacific Games while Teddy will not be available due to work committment.

By Taromane Martin

Borris Teddy (L) and Rocky Donaldson on their bikes. Donaldson has been named for next month’s Pacific Games
while Teddy will not be available due to work committment.

TRIATHLON Solomon Islands Federation says they will be sending a seven man team for next month’s Pacific Games in Samoa.

Head Coach Nathan Thompson told SunSPORTS yesterday the team consists of four athletes and three officials.

Coach Thompson said two new faces will also be part of the team which consist of former triathletes Rocky Donaldson and Adriana Tukuvia, who represented Solomon Islands at the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea.

The Coach said some of their best athletes could not make it into the squad due to school, work commitment and family issues, however is confident of improving on their results in 2015.

“We supposed to have more females on the team but due to personal and family reasons they could not make it in the final team,” Coach Thompson said.

“Some of our experience male athletes like Boris Teddy did not make it to the team also due to school and work commitment.

“But we have four athletes, three male and one female plus three officials who make up our final team for the Samoa Pacific Games.

“Two of the squad members will be their first time to compete outside and it will be good for them to see the level they’ve reached while the two old ones, I’m hoping they can improve from the previous results at the 2015 Pacific Games.

“We plan to have our final Triathlon race competition towards end of the month. After that then we’ll concentrate and continue with our preparation for competition next month,” he adds.

Meanwhile the final TriSI Federation athletes and officials for the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa are as follows:

Athletes: Timson Judd Irowane, Junior Patrick Newman, Rocky Donaldson and Adriana Tukuvia

Officials: Nathan Thompson (Coach), Wilfred Bosa (Team Manager/Bike Mechanic), Joe Ramosaea (Assistant Coach).

What really happened in Fiji?

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Boxing-gloves

THE Honiara Amateur Boxing Association (HABA) has strong evidence that the President of the Solomon Islands Amateur Boxing Association (SIABA), Mr Patrick Morris, is actively misrepresenting the success of Solomon boxers at the recent Tri-Nations Tournament held in Suva, Fiji, last weekend.

The Solomon Star ran an article on Tuesday 11 June 2019 in which Mr Morris was quoted as saying, “From our seven fighters we’ve managed to come home with three victories and four defeats.”

But the President and Vice-President of HABA, Mr Waisea Bainivalu and Mr Thomas Selena, have been informed by International Boxing Association (AIBA) officials in Fiji that only one Solomon boxer, Mr Jeffery Nyieda, actually won a bout.

“So who is lying?” asked Mr Bainivalu. “Is it AIBA? Or is it SIABA under the presidency of Mr Morris? Our national sporting authorities and the people of the Solomon Islands deserve to know the truth. And if Mr Morris has simply invented the results reported in yesterday’s newspaper, he should be held accountable for deceiving the nation.”

In addition to confusion about the number of Solomon victories, there is also confusion about Mr Morris’s claim that the seven Solomon boxers attended the Tri-Nations Tournament “as part of their preparation for the upcoming Samoa Pacific Games.”

“Our understanding is that only four of the seven boxers who went to Fiji are actually members of the national boxing squad,” said Mr Bainivalu.

“Why didn’t other members of the national boxing squad attend? And on what basis did SIABA select the boxers who did attend?”

“All of the Solomon boxers who attended the Tri-Nations Tournament fought hard and well against strong opponents,” added Mr Bainivalu.

“They’re to be applauded for their performances. But we in HABA believe they are being let down by SIABA’s ongoing incompetence.”

The confusion surrounding the Tri-Nations Tournament is just the latest problem for SIABA under the long leadership of Mr Morris. According to Mr Selena, HABA has identified a litany of failures of the national federation over recent months and years.

“SIABA under Mr Morris has no vision whatsoever for growing and improving the sport of boxing in the Solomon Islands,” Mr Selena said.

“SIABA hasn’t held an Annual General Meeting in years. The current executive committee never meets and its membership is unclear.

“We in HABA know almost nothing about SIABA’s formal governance structure. Decision-making is opaque, including decisions about finances. Mr Morris appears to run SIABA like an arbitrary dictator.”

“SIABA doesn’t provide any development opportunities for Solomon coaches and officials. There are currently no AIBA accredited coaches, referees, or judges anywhere in our country.

“This is an embarrassment because it means that Solomon boxers cannot be cornered by their own countrymen at international competitions, as happened to Henry Kia at the last Commonwealth Games.”

“SIABA is only a non-financial member of AIBA and its ongoing dysfunction is really testing the goodwill and patience of the international governing body.

“We in HABA have been advised by senior officials within AIBA that the Solomon Islands is one of several countries currently under consideration for expulsion.”

“We have also received alarming reports about the training regime for the national squad being sent to this year’s Pacific Games. Apparently it almost entirely consists of shadowboxing and running, with many training sessions being led by one of the boxers, not a coach. This is obviously inadequate preparation for boxers heading into a competition like the Pacific Games.”

“HABA has been trying for months to help the national squad by holding tournaments at the Multipurpose Hall. But we’ve been unable to do so because of SIABA’s failure to pay for hiring the Multipurpose Hall for last year’s national selection trials. This issue has only recently been resolved, no thanks to SIABA, which still owes ten thousand dollars to the Honiara City Council (HCC).”

Both Mr Bainivalu and Mr Selena called for all national sporting authorities in the Solomon Islands to take emergency action to reform SIABA for the sake of future Solomon boxers.

–HABA

Malaita elections

Written by
Alfred Sasako
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Election

-Will Malaita go to the provincial election today?

-Reports of no ballot papers for some wards

 

By Alfred Sasako

THE Malaita Provincial Election would go ahead today despite conflicting reports last night that ballot papers for the Province were not ready.

This seems to be confirmed by one report that ballot papers for Malaita Outer Island Polling Stations left Honiara by boat yesterday afternoon. The ballot papers are due to arrive there this morning.

Attempts to contact authorities to verify the conflicting reports were unsuccessful.

Island Sun last night sent emails to the Chairman of the Malaita Provincial Elections, Max Lua, and Coordinator, Robert Dolaelasi to confirm whether or not the provincial elections would go ahead.

None responded by the time Island Sun went to bed last night.

Earlier reports which swept through Honiara late afternoon yesterday said there was a delay in getting the ballot papers to Auki before they were distributed to the polling stations.

Those familiar with the work said the sheer logistics involved suggests that if the ballot papers were not ready, the election may have to be postponed. This however could not be independently verified.

It was not clear whether the printing company which was awarded the contract received the documents in good time. Island Sun last night searched the 2018 Telephone Directory and Google for the company but it was not listed.

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