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RSIPF open its doors to the public in two-day Open Day programme

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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IN a fulfilment of being “Polis Blo Iu” or “Your Police”, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) is opening its doors at the Rove Police Headquarters in Honiara and throughout the provinces to the public in a two-day Open Day programme from September 27-28, 2018.

“We want to fulfil our commitment to be transparent and as a police force that belongs to our people by showcasing what our various departments and units do every day to ensure the lives of our citizens are safe guarded from crime and that we all live in a secure environment,” says Assistant Commissioner of Police, National Capital and Crime Prevention and Chairman of the Open Day Organising Committee, Superintendent Solomon Sisimia.

ACP Sisimia explains: “We believe that for the people to have confidence in the RSIPF, they must understand fully and are informed about what the various departments and units within the Force do every day.”

“At the same time the RSIPF would also like to get the public to understand that policing can only be successful if members of communities are willing to assist police officers in the prevention of crime,” Superintendent Sisimia adds.

He says, “My committee has finalised an exciting programme for the two days starting this Thursday morning (September 27, 2018) at the Rove Police Sport Grounds in West Honiara with the official opening at 8.30am when the Minister of Police, National Security and Correctional Services, Hon. Moses Garu is expected to officially open the program and then the show will begin.”

“There will be about 20 different stalls showcasing work of the various departments and units within the RSIPF as well as some of its stakeholders including members of SAFENET, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission, the Leadership Code Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Correctional Services of Solomon Islands,”

ACP Sisimia adds: “In the provinces, the provincial police commanders are organizing their own programmes and my committee has been informed that this will include visits to the police stations as well as sports activities.”

“We would therefore like to invite members of the public and schools both in and around Honiara as well as the provincial capitals to make use of this opportunity to learn more about the work of Polis blo iu (Your Police) and to take the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have had all this time about the work of RSIPF and its stakeholders.”

“This is the first time that the RSIPF has been able to organize such an Open Day program since the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) left in June last year. We hope to make this an annual event,” says ACP Sisimia.

–POLICE MEDIA

CSSI holds major conference

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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CSSI holds major conference

THE Correctional Services of Solomon Islands (CSSI) has organised a high level meeting for its top officials this week in Honiara.

The meeting that draws in all CSSI’s Provincial Centre Commandants and Directors of all functional Units was officially opened yesterday by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services (MPNS & CS) Mr Bernard Telei.

This is the 12th Senior Managers Conference and the theme for this year’s conference is “Transform and Implementing Plans into Actions in CSSI”.

CSSI Commissioner Mr Francis Haisoma in his opening remarks said, “The theme of this conference speaks well for itself, it’s not only transforming or reforming but transform in various aspects in our personal lives because it is important.

“If you are not transform in your personal life, you cannot transform the organisation.

“This is a challenge and call to be united and a time we provide our reform and transform our plans and implementation.”

Haisoma reiterated that the Senior Managers Conference is the highest forum in CSSI; and that it is during such meetings that leaders make reflections and think about issues, review them, set new goals, make plans, measure achievements in contrast to challenges that are being encountered in order to guide CSSI into achieving organisation goals that are aligned to the National Government’s Plans.

“So I appeal to all of us to fully participate in this conference, so that at the end of the week we will be able to achieve, what the intentions are.”

In his keynote address, Telei said, “the theme of this conference are relevant and important, not only a theme that you will focus on this week but one that you have to think about in your daily work as Senior Managers in the Correctional Service.

“This provides the platform for you to continue to review and advance with implementing plans that will transform CSSI as an organisation.

“CSSI has been transitioned from a Prison Service to a Correction Service and I commend you Commissioner and Senior Managers for undertaking this transitional change and for accepting the work challenges to implement the transition.

“It is now time to make changes to CSSI by transformation. The responsibility to transform the institution falls entirely on you Senior Managers who are here today.

“The Government through the Ministry will always stand to support CSSI in any plans for developing the institution. It is within the policy of the current Government to strengthen and support the operational functions of CSSI to ensure effective and efficient provision of Correctional Services.”

The conference will cover, the Commissioner report, Review of CSSI Acts & Regulation, CSSI Scheme of Service, Human Resource Establishment, Departmental Updates of Annual Work Plans, Gender Focus and Staff Association.

The Senior Managers Conference will be officially closed this Friday.

–CSSI PRESS

Marine and coastal – attractive environment for investment

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

MARINE and coastal areas are known as one of the attractive environmental zones which foreign aid and research invested in that benefit Solomon Islands.

The National Marine Ecosystem Service Valuation report of Solomon Islands highlighted that marine and coastal area have play crucial role in attracting international aid and researchers.

In return, according to the report compiled by Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Management in the Pacific Countries (MACBIO), stated such funding avails potentials benefits to Solomon Islands.

It said investment in marine and coastal biodiversity includes many projects run through the fisheries and environment departments.

Data were not available to estimate the total economic value for Solomon Islands, however, in 2013, donor supported fisheries project alone totaled to SBD$1.3 million, report shows.

It also highlights such figure is a minimum estimate of the value of marine research and management in the Solomon Islands including minimum estimate of the value of marine research and management.

These funds benefit government mostly, although aid expenditure indirectly benefits local institutions, local communities and private sectors, it said.

Moreover, Marine research and protection projects also bring technical assistance and capacity development, and potentially increase value of ecosystem services through improved resource management and sustainability.

Other marine and coastal ecosystem services include cultural identity, handicrafts, bioremediation and aesthetic beauty.

These services have not been quantified by this study because of a lack of data and human and financial resources, but marine and coastal indeed provide benefits to Solomon Islands and rest of the world.

Meanwhile, organization behind the report’s compilation includes, Solomon Islands Government, MACBIO, SPREP, IUCN and GIZ.

Outdoor defecation can lead to infection for other people says Parasitology professor

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A professor from Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital’s (KMUH) Department of Parasitology says outdoor defecation and the use of it as fertilizer in agriculture must not be practised as it can become the source of parasitic infection for other people.

Professor Jiun-Jye Wang stressed this to the paper in a recent interview.

He expressed that there are a number of “don’ts” in other words, prevention measures to take when it comes to practicing good personal hygiene while at the same avoiding parasitic infections.

Wang to avoid catching infections, you must avoid the consumption of raw or undercooked food, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry hands properly before and after meal as well as after using the toilet, have on footwear when walking on soil or ground and do not defecate outdoors or use defecation for fertilizers in agriculture.

He emphasized that outdoor defecation is not a good practice or the use of it as fertilizer given its high probability of becoming the source of infection for other people.

Wang furthered that these measures are most important for children.

“If children establish the habit of good personal hygiene they will bear the concept as they grow older while at the same time help reduce the rate of infections”, he said.

Women and children more prone to effects of water supply and sanitation insufficiency in NE Guale

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

ONE way women from communities in Northeast Guadalcanal’s Tasimboko area can address the dire need of sufficient water supply and proper sanitation is by seeking assistance from the national government through our Member of Parliament.

This was voiced by Legalau village elder, Luke Pegoa Ngelea who says their community and surrounding communities under St Paul’s Pro Cathedral of Tasimboko are all facing the impact of these issues.

He said one way he thinks is possible to address these difficulties is to call for assistance from the government through their MP.

Additionally, Ngelea said that women in Tasimboko who are members of a number of savings clubs, as part of a recognized group should also seek help from aid donors.

He mentioned that women and children are the most affected in the communities in terms of not having sufficient safe clean drinking water and proper sanitation facilities.

On the contrary, Ngelea expressed that men in Tasimboko are proud husbands and very supportive when it comes to assisting their wives and are happy to support them.

He explained that they help the women from toiling the soil to planting crops, carrying the produce along long distances to lending a hand when it comes to preparing stalls to set up their goods at the market to sell.

“Even the young children help their mothers prepare their produce for sale at the market”, he said.

40 years on and still in the wild

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Ontong Java island of Luaniua from above. Photo: Beni Knight.

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

Ontong Java island of Luaniua from above. Photo: Beni Knight.

LOW lying atolls like Ontong Java are faced with a grim future because of the impacts of climate change. Despite asking for help and assistance, the people there are still left to fend for themselves.

In 2011 a report titled ‘Vulnerability and assessment report for low lying atolls – Ontong Java’ was released with key findings and recommendations a key area for government and stakeholders to consider.

Seven years on, the people from Ontong Java are singing the same song, and still asking government for assistance in their everyday living to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The report pointed out that the impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture, Food Security, Land Degradation, Forestry, and Biodiversity are far ranging.

The impacts includes salt water intrusion in the garden land coupled with coastal inundation and erosion has highlighted big concerns for the people’s livelihood particularly on the food security and fuel wood.

Land degradation needs to be corrected while food security improvement depends very much on how agriculture, land degradation, forestry and biodiversity are improved.

“New sustainable and permanent farming systems need to be designed and developed to enhance the production of food and other livelihood needs in order to meet the demands of food security” the report stated.

The report stated that human Settlements will be affected by impacts of climate change especially due to sea level rise and coastal erosion. Pelau community for almost a decade has already moved further inland because of king tides and storm surges.

“A temporary village on an island was almost eroded away. The people had expressed concern and in the household survey 100percent of the respondents showed that they favour relocation if the Government offered alternative sites for people to move to.

“They have also expressed that all options for relocation, including external marriage with people on bigger islands, offering employment and study opportunities to encourage the young generation of islanders should be considered as self-attained adaptation options by the people themselves.”

The survey also gathered that the people from the low lying atolls, more so Ontong Java, wants the present or future governments, Non-government Organisations and all other stakeholders to demonstrate their concern about the climate change phenomenon and its possible impacts on man and the ecosystem by taking affirmative action to address it.

“Alternatives should be created which would serve as adaptation strategies for the citizens of Ontong Java and all others that are immediately affected by the impacts of climate change.

“It is imperative that the government institutes policies that will address all aspects of climate change, and effectively plan for and understand the short, medium and long-term response measures required to address all aspects cited in this report.

“What is urgently needed at present is the will to pursue a proactive approach to climate change and its impact on Ontong Java or those who are vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” the report stated.

It was found that some priority needs that has to be addressed include financial literacy programmes, climate awareness, education and training, capacity building for agriculture, sustainable environmental stewardship, resource management training and planning, and a phased out implementation of relocation options, plans and strategies.

Recently Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the media had been to Ontong Java and revealed that the people there are still living on their own without much assistance from the government or stakeholders. Nor had the priority needs stated in the report had been addressed.

PM arrives for UNGA, high-level meetings start

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela has arrived in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

On Monday (NY Time), the Prime Minister will hold discussions with other world leaders at the Concordia Annual Summit held in New York.

The leaders discussions will be based on the theme “Transforming Vulnerable Small Islands toward greater economic Resilience through Innovative financing and strategic Partnership”.

Prime Minister Houenipwela is expected to share with other leaders the current reforms the Government is undertaking to explore innovative investment opportunities.

Later on Monday evening, Prime Minister Houenipwela and Madame Rachel Houenipwela will also attend a reception hosted by United States President Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister will also briefly meet with President Trump.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Houenipwela is invited to deliver a statement on strategies to eliminate Malaria in Solomon Islands and the Melanesian region.

US President Trump is also expected to address world leaders at the UNGA on Tuesday morning.

On Thursday this week, the Prime Minister will also deliver another statement at the High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in the pacific region.

The Prime Minister will then deliver the country’s national statement at the UNGA on Friday evening next week.

Prime Minister Houenipwela will also be having several bilateral meetings during the margins of the UNGA.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Milner Tozaka will also be delivering a statement at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, Climate Change and Security Dialogues on Monday (NY Time).

Minister Tozaka will also be involved in other bilateral meetings this week.

–OPMC PRESS

NDM-Plan 2018 roll-out continues for provinces: NDMO

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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THE National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) continues its efforts in ensuring all relevant partners and stakeholders both at the national and provincial level, know and understand the new NDMP-2018.

An NDMO team last week successfully conducted a roll out and disaster plan development workshop for Malaita province. Now the Malaita Province will lead the development of its Provincial Disaster Management Plan.

This week, the NDMO furthers its efforts in rolling out the 2018 Plan and supporting the development of the Provincial Disaster Management Plan for Guadalcanal Province. Participants are drawn from all government departments and private sector, which are establishing or established within the province.

Malaita and Guadalcanal Provinces will lead the development of their respective disaster management plans, with guidance provided by the National Disaster Management Office

This government led workshop to continue the advocacy of the Plan, is on the run again after few months of delays due to financial constraints.

The NDMO acknowledges the cooperation of Oxfam Solomon Islands, SIDT, the UNDP, Guadalcanal Province and the Solomon Islands Government for supporting the workshop for Guadalcanal Province.

–NDMO PRESS

Forau appointed as New Deputy Governor to CBSI

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Dr. Luke Forau (c) flanked by Governor Denton Rarawa and outgoing Deputy Governor Gane Simbe with few management staff at CBSI Board Room.
Dr. Luke Forau (c) flanked by Governor Denton Rarawa and outgoing Deputy Governor Gane Simbe with few management staff at CBSI Board Room.

THE Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) has formally announced the appointment of its new Deputy Governor, Dr Luke Forau (PhD).

Forau, who succeeds former Deputy Governor, Mr Gane Alva Simbe, assumed responsibilities as of Tuesday, September 18. Simbe retired from official duties last week after serving the institution for more than 32 years.

Forau has been part of CBSI for almost 19 years, starting work at the Bank on January 4, 1999. Over the years, he served in several positions within the Economics Department, all the way up to the Chief Manager position in 2010. His most recent appointment at CBSI was for the senior executive role as Advisor to the Governor’s Office in 2016.

Hailed from the island of Tikopia, he attended Safoa Primary School on the island before doing his secondary school education at Luesalemba Provincial Secondary School (Forms 1-3), Santa Cruz Island, and completing it at Waimapuru National Secondary School (Forms 4-6). In 1992, he was offered a SIG scholarship to do Foundation studies at USP, Fiji and thereafter continued to pursue his undergraduate studies. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics, Management and Public Administration at the University of South Pacific. He returned and was employed as a teacher at Su’u National Secondary School.

In 1999 he joined CBSI to work in the Economics Department where he was eventually appointed as the Assistant Manager in 2006. In 2007, he went for further studies, under the Bank’s scholarship, at the Australian National University in Canberra for two years where he graduated in 2008 with a degree award in Master of International and Development Economics. He was later promoted to the Chief Manager position in the economics department in 2010.

In 2012, Forau was awarded a four year Australian Government Scholarship to pursue Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the fields of Economics at the University of New South Wales (Canberra).

He graduated with his PhD after the completion of this programme and upon his return in January 2016, the CBSI Board then appointed him to the position of Advisor to the Governor’s Office.

From these achievements, work experiences, wealth of knowledge and his high qualifications, Forau was then selected as the best candidate for the post, and received his appointment as the new Deputy Governor for CBSI earlier this month.

CBSI is the premier financial institution of the country and is at the centre of the banking and financial system, performing a number of essential functions including the formulation and implementation of the country’s monetary policy. CBSI’s primary objective is to maintain price stability, foster, maintain a stable financial system, and support general economic policies of the Government.

–CBSI PRESS

Firearms in the news

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

DEAR EDITOR, I find it quite disturbing in the news this week two reported incidents of illegal firearms being moved around the country.

The first news involved the use of firearms to rob a logging camp in the Shortland Island groups on September 15 and the latest being the arrest of a man allegedly in possession of a firearm and live rounds on Guadalcanal three days after the incident in the Shortland Islands.

While there is no reason to believe that both incidents are related, the worrying factor is the alleged intention of the Bougainvillean to sell the weapon to a client on Guadalcanal which resulted in his arrest and the free flow of weapons across the border as we have seen so many times.

With the lack of mechanisms in place to monitor cross border trade in the Western Solomons, how do we know that this incident is only a one off?

The issue of cross border crime in Western Solomon Islands is not a new issue and it is only a matter of time before communities within the area face a similar scenario. I know there are ongoing work by the Government to addressing this, however, it should be a matter of national urgency and resource allocation.

More government budget should be allocated for security and in this sense, the protection of our border with PNG

The country will soon go to the polls early next year and such news does not help in the already tense period we had with the voters’ registration period over the few weeks.

The Government should be proactive in ensuring that its people are provided with security as we go into the first elections for years without the presence of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

We have seen the negative impacts of cross border movements in Western and Choiseul Province in recent years, therefore it is time the Government puts a stop to criminal elements from Bougainville from entering the Solomon Islands.

Brian Lezutuni

USP

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