BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

NGELLA’S famous Forum (NGF) challenges Ngella locals to take responsibility in their lands by looking after them and to say no to logging and prospect mining practises.

Ngella has recently been facing issues of logging and prospecting causing many debates amongst locals and tribes, some good and some bad. The aim according to NGF collaborating with Central Islands Province (CIP) Provincial Government on a number of matters continuing this fight against these unwanted activities is purposely to ensure that the island’s lands and environment remain in good shape for the next generation to come.

“We inherit the Ngella Islands from our ancestors who have long lived and toiled on these lands for thousands of years.

“Our children and their children will then inherit these lands from us for yet another thousand of years.

“If our ancestors have been careless, imagine what we would have inherited from them. They left it for us intact and in good shape. It has been able to look after us and those we love.

“Now we have a duty to look after these Islands before we pass it on to our children who will then live and toil these lands.

“It is our ultimate duty and responsibility to ensure this so please join the fight and say no to logging and mining prospecting,” reminds NGF.

It is understood that the tourism industry is the main focus for opening and availing land for rural development now in Ngella according to CIP’s Provincial Government.

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

GIZO for the last two days have been on alert after a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck around 11pm on Tuesday night.

Reports say people in surrounding islands and other parts of Western province have also been on the lookout for possible tsunami since the quake.

Speaking with some Gizo residents, they share that the tragic experience in 2006 whereby a devastating tsunami struck Gizo and parts of the province is still fresh in their minds, hence when the strong shakes took place on Tuesday night, they all remained watchful for any signs of a tsunami.

Since Tuesday night’s quake, no signs of a tsunami has been reported, and life is getting back to normal in Gizo, as well as other parts of Western province.

The Solomon Islands Meteorological Service at 11.19pm on Tuesday night confirmed that an undersea earthquake of magnitude 5.8 occurred at 10:57 pm on Tuesday near Latitude 8.35 Degrees South, Longitude 157.06 Degrees East. This is approximately 48 km East-southeast of Gizo, Western Province.

There is no tsunami threat to the Solomon Islands. However, People living near the coasts should look out for unusual sea level rises. No further updates will be issued unless the situation changes.

Speaking with an officer from the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service said that such magnitude can cause dangerous rips and current close to the epicentre.

They advised that people must beware that there may be aftershocks that can cause also damage. People living near the cost should look out for unusual sea level rises. Therefore public have been urged that whenever seeing such behaviour, people should move up to the higher grounds.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE accused who pleaded guilty for one count of simple larceny has told the court that life at the Rove prison is not good.

He said that prison life is not good at all as there is no freedom of movement and never again will he wanted to think of committing any offence once he released from prison.

He told the court that he is very sorry for his actions.

Fred Kasa of Temotu province was charged in relation to an incident occurred at the Rove Sea front on September 13.

Police said that on that date a fundraising was held at the Rove sea front area, the accused was a market vendor around that area.

It happened that he came to where the fundraising was and asked the complainant for a beer.

Police said the complainant did not give him beers and after few minutes the accused picked the complainant bag which contains valuable items and left the venue.

It was then the complainant reported the case to the police and the accused was arrested.

When he was arrested he admitted that he took the bag and then told the police where he left the bag, in which police recover the stolen bag.

Mr Kasa also confirmed in court that he told police about the bag and lead the police officers to where he left the bag.

Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga then adjourned the case to Friday for sentencing.

TRANSPARENCY Solomon Islands renews its call, joining other civil society organisations and individuals who have spoken out calling on Prime Minister Rick Hounipwela’s government to delay the ‘Half- cooked’ Traditional Governance Customs Facilitation Bill 2018 for further nationwide consultation throughout the country.

In a media statement, TSI said, “We call on civil society organisation, concerned individuals and senior citizens and young people of this country men and women to demand that this bill be delayed.

“TSI maintains its concerns as raised in its various articles published in the media.

“We do so based on the many clients dilemma, hopelessness, helplessness when they have been deprived of their human rights as a result of decisions made by Chiefs Hearing and the Local Courts which nearly always makes decision in favours of loggers backed parties.

“They no longer consider people but money, they no longer interpret custom but money. Today it is logging and tomorrow it might be something else.

“The very group that this have brought misery, hopelessness and helplessness and poverty to our people are the very people this Bill will empower.”

TSI says the Traditional Governance and Customs facilitation Bill will weaken and eventually wear   away the leadership systems in rural Solomon Islands, a leadership system that is inclusive and appropriate for the communities, tribes where these are accepted by them according to their tradition and practices.

“When it comes to land, the proposed bill is gender biased and does not accord women the importance that custom accords them in land matters and also in decision making.

“The result of this bill would thoroughly subject our resources to Central Government control and regulations and call on right thinking Solomon Islanders to raise your concern on this proposed bill.

“Whilst the government is unable to provide resources for the local Courts to deal with these very issues resulting in loggers doing it, how much more for such an ill-conceived structure which again will be in the pocket of unscrupulous investors as is the case now.

“Wake up government and do not lie to the people of Solomon Islands. You will be creating another system/structure that will again be in the pocket of loggers, miners, corrupt greedy people.”

Transparency Solomon Islands understands government frustration when more than 80 percent of land in this country is customary land and does not directly accessible to the government for its development plans.

“Again, TSI urges Solomon Islands Democratic Coalition for Change Government (SIDCCG) to conduct wider consultation throughout the country, a consultation that must include, women, youth and all and just the chiefs like in a number of provinces so far.

“People must be allowed to also hear opposing views during this consultation and not just what the drafters want them to hear.”

–TSI PRESS

By Mike Puia

THE Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) has recovered things it lost in Fataleka, Malaita province.

While registration was carried out in Fataleka Constituency, electoral kits and a flash drive was removed.

The flash drive contains important raw registration data.

This was a blow to Malaita electoral officials. An appeal was issued to people in the constituency to return the flash drive.

Reports from these officials on Wednesday confirmed they have recovered the flash drive.

Malaita Province Registration Manager, Pearson Simi, confirmed the flash drive has been retrieved.

There was no mention of the electoral kits that were also reported to have been removed.

Simi has confirmed their registration teams are continuing with their work.

Following the incident, SIEC has made a strong appeal to community leaders and electors to respect the registration process.

The Commission has appealed to constituents who have concerns to raise their concerns with their respective Registration Officer (RO) and to refrain from taking laws into their own hands.

The call was made in light of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) SIEC signed with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) a couple of weeks ago.

The MOU is to get both the SIEC and RSIPF to work closely in ensuring the elections are secured, free and fair.

SIEC urged eligible voters to register in the constituencies they are living in.

“If you register in a constituency you are not residing in, your name might be objected during the Omission and Objection phase and will be removed completely from the list,” the Commission stated.

It encourages those who are yet to register to do so before September 27th, when registration closes.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

BORDER entry from the Western end of Solomon Islands is reported to have increased compared to past years raising serious threat for locals.

Indigenous Elders of Shortland Islands in Western Province who feel that their lives are no longer safe from such daily practises question the National Government on how long before their suffering will be noticed and implement the ongoing issue called for to address well.

“Cross border continues, raiding continues as stealing at business houses continues. If Bougainvilleans hear that there is a logging camp at site on Shortland Islands, they will come and just raid freely taking chainsaws and other things away being only less than four nautical miles from Bougainville to Shortland,” raise Elders of Shortlands.

“Why we never regulate the people of Bougainville is our general concern.

“There is no mechanism in place for any protocol or so to regulate and adhere to the movement of Bougainvilleans being observed at the western border of this country.

“Is there no Immigration and Border Control Department in the country? Such as others that can be seen in other countries, where does this department lie under Solomon Islands?

“When contacting for security purposes concerning at the border, there will only be usual responds and explanations pointing to divisions said to be responsible but in fact, from our observation, there is no real picture over which Ministry or so does this department lie under, which department?

“Not a time most years do intruders from Bougainville get arrest arrested, this is maybe because Solomon Islands is not even a restored country too. It is just a country in the process of restoration of peace, meaning it is even yet at the process of the disposal of arms.

“There is the Ministry of Police and Correctional Service, but is there any Unit that looks after the border security? When talking about border security we are talking about a naval base and a mechanism in place pointing to our concern that the National Government should be looking into.”

Referring to an alleged armed robbery at a logging camp in one of the Islands in Shortlands over the weekend that Police in Western Province are currently investigating into, Elders of Shortland Islands also expressed that the economic development of the country such as focusing on logging can be disturbed rather than for the people of this nation to earn good income from.

“This issue is not only for us Shortland Islands, this is for Western Province and the whole nation,” reminds Shortlands’ Elders.

“Finding out about serious health issues such as HIV reported cases in 2012 and so at Bougainville also raises concern for us having not regulating them entering the country. We do not know what might occur and become a more major threat to our society.

“So this is our call, with our Members of Parliament (MP) continuing to appeal to Ministries responsible to address this issue every now and then, us indigenous Shortlanders now also call for the National Government to implement the western border issue.

“The National Government’s term is now lapsing but when will they address this serious issue?”

By Gary Hatigeva

THE Bills and Legislations Committee (BLC) has on Wednesday started its hearings into the much talked about but anticipated Traditional Governance and Customs Facilitation Bill 2018.

Appearing first before the Committee to present the Bill was the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation, accompanied by his Under Secretaries and other senior ministry officials.

In his presentation, the Permanent Secretary gave an overall background on the Bill, where he outlined its policy related aspects, which he revealed to be one of the current government’s key policy intent.

The Permanent Secretary shared that the intention was to empower and recognise the chiefs and traditional leaders of the country, who on a day to day basis, faced with the challenges of the economic and social pressure, thus, giving them the opportunity to be part of such decision making.

At the same time intended to establish an institution that will properly govern the Traditional Governance System.

The bill in itself looks to provide a framework for the institutionalisation, management and regulation of traditional governance system.

It also looks to provide a framework for the promotion and preservation of traditional norms, protocols, values and practices, and aims to empower and allow for tribal chiefs and traditional leaders to participate in decision making on social and economic matters affecting customary rights.

This bill, according to the Permanent Secretary, is also seen as a historical development for a system that has always been there, but not been properly given the right regulatory and legal mandates.

If enacted by the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, the bill will make changes to the provincial government Act 1997, and other related matters that capture the traditional governance system.

Unlike other bills that went before parliament, this Bill however, proposes to establish a Ministry of its own that will develop and implement policies relevant to improving the system provided for under this Act.

The new ministry will also facilitate institutional reforms across the government for the purpose of achieving its objectives if it becomes an Act.

It will also collaborate with the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, to assist provincial governments to make ordinances based on their respective jurisdictions.

With the Traditional Governance and Custom Facilitation Bill 2018, the Solomon Islands Democratic Coalition for Change Government (SIDCCG), first had it introduced on the floor of Parliament for its first and second readings, and later brought before the Bills and Legislation Committee for scrutiny.

A lot of concerns were raised by the Bills and Legislation Committee regarding the Bill, but there is high anticipation for it to be brought back on the floor of parliament for its deliberation by both the Upper House and the Committee of the Whole House.

Also accompanying the delegation was the Government’s Traditional Governance Advisor from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Peter Boyers, who gave most of the insights aspects to the Bill during the hearing.

Hearings continue today with those from theCivil lSocietyOrganisations and other institutional representatives, which includes the National Council of Womenl, Transparency SolomonIslands, House of Chiefs Representatives, Courts represtatives, and the Gaena’alu Movement.