BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

TALK with the current Premier of Choiseul Province Watson Qoloni regarding appointment of a Selective Committee to oversee infrastructure developments is welcomed.

The Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Choiseul Province Ward 12 at Varisi Lavata Nerio Ulemiki welcomes and support with much enthusiasm the bold move by the MPA for Tavula Ward and the Former Premier of Choiseul Province Clement P Kengava for taking an initiative by talking with the current Premier of Choiseul Province regarding appointment of a Selective Committee under the Provincial Standing Orders to oversee infrastructure developments in the province.

He said infrastructure developments remain lagging behind for the last 26 years so in order to pave a way forward for infrastructures development around the province such as on roads, bridges and wharfs then calling together the Provincial and National governments,   Aid Donors, landowners and other stakeholders for that matter is a must.

“Choiseul Province already had a plan in place for infrastructure developments such as on its roads, international seaport, international airport and the township but lacked a body to continue making a strong push in order to make infrastructure developments happen.

“Therefore I support the call for a Selective Committee in order to make a strong push on Choiseul Bay’s Township and other infrastructure developments of the province,” said Ulemiki.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE fight against mining prospecting to take place on Ngella seems to have failed.

Ngella’s famous Forum (NGF) Team were on a mission to object a surface agreement on prospecting that certain Ngella landowners and Chiefs signed with SOLFISH Company on July 23 along, Sandfly Passage.

The only hope to stop the operation to take place fell under the mining regulations that other members of the same land area signed may object within 30 days being a requirement under ‘The Mines and Minerals Regulation 1996’. If this succeeded then the possibility for the Ministry to issue a licence would not be possible.

However, it is understood that the 30 days for Objection had already lapsed last week on August 22.

On Central Islands Province (CIP) Provincial Government side over business license, once indigenous landowners have signed the agreement and the Ministry of Mines issue’s SOLFISH Company’s license then they will have no option but to issue as well the company a provincial business license to operate being under law.

Despite of such according to Mr Alan Christian Siale the Provincial Secretary (PS) of CIP to Island Sun, it is the Provincial Stand all alone that the Province does not support nor entertain logging and prospecting and eventual mining on Ngella Islands.

The tourism industry is the main focus to open and avail land for rural development.

He said the Provincial Executive will meet in two weeks time hence a moratorium on logging, prospecting and mining Executive Paper will be table based on sustainability and current base line logging impacts and likely impacts of prospecting and mining on the Islands in which there are no reports to form the baseline state of the forest and impacts of prospecting and mining on Ngella Islands.

“The lapse of the 30 days period is for the objection to be implemented by NGF. Whether they do it or not in time is a matter for Ngella Forum to answer. The option to be undertaken by the Province is above as stated,” clarifies CIP’s PS.

PS Siale expressed on behalf of CIP that they feel the current Forestry and Mining Acts and their regulations inclusive of the code of practice are not adequate.

“There is no inbuilt check and balance provisions based on the environment and sustainability of maintaining the livelihoods of the people of Ngella hence for the Province and the relevant Ministry to form the basis of granting Licenses and Letters of Intent, Prospecting & Mining Licenses,” said PS Siale.

CIP views the current legal frameworks and in the absence of those internal check and balance provisions on the current legal frameworks, the approval of licenses for logging and mining without an informed environmental impact assessment based on current activities is a blow to the environment and leads to depreciation of the natural resources of Ngella people.

Environmental Statements are not good enough given previous environmental destructions being already done by the logging industry on Ngella Islands.

Given the depleting natural resources and the ignorant innocent land and resource owners giving away concession areas and surface access for tenements, land degradation is going to be an issue including the sea, rivers and stream systems on the Islands.

PS Siale said it is the position of the Province now to do an interim moratorium be effected immediately, also an Environmental Assessment to be done immediately (against the variables of water, sea sedimentation and land degradation and increasing population) and based on that Environmental Report, a total ban be imposed for Logging and Mining on Ngella Islands.

Out of the agreement signings that took place last month, 48 out of 53 participants signed the agreement having five ignoring it. Signings taking place has now caused huge stir of conflict amongst the indigenous people of the island not wanting such activity to take place there.

Mr Kenneth Sagupari on behalf of NGF Team’s plan to Island Sun earlier was to focus on North Ngella’s side along Mboli and Belagha Districts because it is most Chiefs from there who had signed the surface access prospecting agreement with SOLFISH Company.

“If we do not make the appeal then the Ministry of Mines will issue the license. As soon as the Ministry issue’s the license then CIP’s Provincial Government will have to issue the licence because the company has completed the process and there is no reason the Provincial Government will not have to issue the license,” said NGF Team worried.

To note, CIP’s Provincial Government is even yet to complete the assessment over logging impacts on Ngella too.

CIP’s Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni stressed that when they are yet finding ways to totally ban logging on Ngella and come up with plans in how to replant forest trees and such after damages to the environment have taken place, mining activities will only disturb their plans.

“How come will we accept mining or prospecting activities to take place on Ngella when logging has already caused negative impacts on the island causing us yet to re-solve the destruction it has left behind,” stressed the Premier.

Attempt for comment from SOLFISH Company over the issue was not possible.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

EMPOWER Pacific in Solomon Islands has called on the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) to release the promised funds in 2017 to support the organisation run its services.

It is understood the organisation has no funds to deliver it services in terms of psychological and social services to the nine clinics in Honiara and the National Referral Hospital.

A person from Empower Pacific said the MHMS promised funding in 2017 for the organisation to continue its services in the country soon after their funded contract under AusAid through DFAT ended at the end of 2016, but it never happened.

Since then conversations have been made between the ministry and the organisation, but apart from paying for the electricity bill and providing an office space, MHMS has not delivered the promised funds.

“This simply means that physical and social issues aren’t priority issues of the Ministry at the moment.

“However attention should be given on the importance of psychological and social issues but at the moment it is not been acknowledged by the Ministry of Health. It’s been neglected,” said the insider.

He said the ministry should see the importance of this matter because it’s fairly typical every hospital has social issues, hence extra support is needed as if good support is rendered in terms of counselling and stress management they (patients) will feel better quicker.

Empower Pacific is a Fiji-based organisation and has its branch was introduced in Solomon Islands early this year.

It delivers services based on psychosocial support services in various health facilities around the country.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

SOLOMON Islands Electoral Commission has been asked to announce if it will conduct “out of constituency registration” in provincial centres in the country.

The call follows concerns that many voters employed in urban centres may not be allowed to travel to their constituencies to vote on election day.

Concerned man from Malaita province, Mr Henry Tuhu said people need clarification on the matter as voter’s registration is looming.

He said during the previous voter registration, a centre was established in Honiara for “Out of constituency registration”. He questions if this will be available again this year.

Tuhu said, “if out of constituency registration can happen in Honiara for this upcoming voter’s registration, why provincial centres?”

BY MAVIS NISIMURA PODOKOLO

THE deputy provincial secretary of Makira Ulawa province Wilson Billy Rafiau has called on the people of the province to utilise various opportunities which will soon be at the door step of the provincial government.

The opportunities have shown greenlights to the provincial capital following the signing of the Memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI), the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC) with the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government (MUPG) and a private business entity Pinihimae and Associated Groups (PAG) from the province.

Rafiau said these opportunities are vital and it’s time people from Makira Ulawa province utilise them to carry the province to new heights in terms of development.

He adds that this new chapters will also pave the way forward to boost the production of cocoa in the province as well.

“Once this turns into realisation then the setting up of Cocoa Lavado factory in the province should offer more opportunities for the province’s local farmers,” he said.

In relation to cocoa factory Rafiua said that it is a down-stream processing factory that can process raw cocoa beans into various high quality finished products for the local and international markets .

“If this is operational, the act of selling and buying of wet and dry cocoa beans will soar especially through the increase of price for the current cocoa industry,” he said.

Deputy Secretary Diafu said therefore if the MOU through national project turns into reality, local people must start to be serious in collaborating with the national government as this is the way forward for the Solomon Islands.

He said the MOU as validated by parties recently   in Kira Kira and now awaits on all parties to act upon.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

Malaita ex-combatants have praised the SIDCCG government for the rehabilitation awareness programme held at Buma in West Kwara’ae last week, in Malaita province.

Spokesperson Moses Akote’e said, “I salute the present SIDCCG led government for raising this issue concerning the rehabilitation programme in Choiseul, Guadalcanal and Malaita.

“If the present government addresses this issue concerning the rehabilitation programmes for our ex- militants we will be happy because this is what we been long for.

“For many years this issue has been raised concerning the rehab programme has been taken more time for implementation to reach implementation stages.

“We call on the national government to take this on board especially for the address the long waited programme for the ex-militants.

“By implementing this rehabilitation programme I believe it will solve some issues that we are facing especially in such beneficial programmes like this.

“We call on the national government for any clarification whether this rehabilitation programme will be carried out or not.

“Since we have been waiting for this programme to be implemented we want to hear any response from the government as we are almost heading towards the end of this year where we heard promises from the past governments but nothing has been done.”