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Police yet to confirm status of Renbel suspect

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

SUPERVISING Police Commissioner Juanita Matanga says that police is yet to confirm on whether or not the suspect arrested in the recent gruesome machete attack is mentally or not.

Responding to questions asked during a press conference on, Ms Matanga said there were speculations that the suspect is mentally ill, however she says those speculations will have to be proven by a psychiatrist.

Matanga said that the accused was arrested by police and was transported to Honiara with the assistance of the Australian Defence Force and is currently remanded in custody.

Matanga said investigation is continuing.

She also said that the suspect also is injured himself during the incident.

She also acknowledges the support made by the HMAS Australia for their resources used during the operation to transport the suspect and also the victims of the incidents.

Teacher absenteeism on the rise in Western province

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

TEACHER absenteeism is becoming a problem in the Western province, it is reported.

Speaking to Island Sun on Thursday, a group of parents affected by the problem say their children attend some of the schools in the province, and each of them face the same problem.

Spokesperson for the group, Mr Benson from Kolombangara, says it is worrying that teacher absenteeism is experienced in all the schools that their children are in.

This he says is a reflection of how serious the problem is in the province.

They are calling on education authorities, both national and provincial, to seriously look into the matter and address it.

“It doesn’t make sense in keeping teachers that cannot perform in higher academic level but hold on to teaching posts as secured source of income earning while the students leaning continue to be victimized at their home soil.

“I would like to call on teachers around Kolombangara Island who cannot be able to uphold the integrity of the teaching profession with poor working attitude to resign and giving replacement spaces for other potential teachers who can do better to teach our children.

“I would like to urges Western Education Authorities and Church include school administration to monitor and visit schools within Kolombangara Island to see some weakness that continue to abuse leaning of our children in communities.”

Why waste $20M?

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Parliament

Gov’t called on to justify $20M Terminal Grant against low Development Budget

 

THE Solomon Islands Social Accountability Coalition (SISAC) is calling on the Government to rationalize its commitment of the Terminal Grant to MPs at the end of parliament term that will be charged against tax income.

SISAC members feel that such a huge payout is an excessive benefit for Members of Parliament who are already enjoying luxurious benefits and tax free salaries despite continued financial struggles in the public sector and a National Budget that is heavily dependent on donor money.

In the 2018 Development Budget only $9 million was allocated for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, $18 million for the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development while the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family affairs suffered the biggest cut with a budget of just $500,000.

The $20 million terminal grants is an unreasonable allocation and undermines all the development priorities and the commitment of the government towards its citizens.

Joe Oge, SISAC member and Chief Commissioner of the Solomon Islands Scout Association, says youth developments have been totally ignored.

“While 400,000 young people in Solomon Islands are allocated only $500,000 as a development budget, our MPs are getting $400,000 each,” says Mr Oge.

“SISAC understands that the Terminal Grant is a constitutional obligation, however our leaders and our government must put the interest of the citizens first.”

General Secretary of the Development Services Exchange (DSE), Jennifer Wate says the entitlements act needs to be revisited and the credibility of the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission (PEC) must be put into question.

“We want to question the government on their stand on this issue. What are their priorities and how significant does the entitlements stand over national issues?”

Ms Wate says SISAC supports the call made by Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) who last week called for the government to tax MPs.

TSI, who is also a member of the SISAC alliance, is concerned that the Terminal Grant will forego government revenue worth millions and is simply unfair for Solomon Islanders who are struggling to make ends meet with huge PAYE tax cuts.

SISAC insists that $20 million can be better spent on pressing development needs such as improving education, health facilities, addressing unemployment of young people and essential service provision to citizens of Solomon Islands.

SISAC raised three major issues;

  • Government spending tax payer’s money in an irresponsible manner and prioritising self-serving grants to MPs over development need must be rationalised by the government to its citizens.
  • Having members of parliament in the PEC is a clear conflict of interest. The entitlement’s commission for MPs needs to be an independent body to make transparent and accountable decision on the entitlements of MPs. PEC is not independent from MPs and the government.
  • Twenty million dollars of terminal grants to MPs in addition to all other benefits is contrary to the prevailing economic situation of the country. SISAC urges constitutional revision around the entitlement of MPs.

SISAC will put forward a written submission to the Constitutional Review Committee calling for amendments to the entitlements of MPs.

SISAC is made up of members; Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI), Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT), Development Services Exchange (DSE), Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII), Young Women’s Parliamentary Group (YWPG), Solomon Islands National Scouts Association (SINSA), Honiara Youth Council (HYC), National Youth Congress (NYC) and Oxfam in Solomon Islands (OiSI).

The aim of the coalition to promote inclusive development and enhance democratic governance and accountability among government and civil society institution in Solomon Islands.

–SISAC PRESS

Implementation of MWYCFA polices and Act hindered

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
MWYCFA group photo

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

MWYCFA group photo

THE implementation process of the Women’s division policies and Act under the Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) have been hindered by some ‘bumps’.

This was reported by Freda Tuki Soriocomua, Minister of the MWYCFA at the recent opening occasion of the Solomon Islands National Women’s Leadership programme in Honiara.

Tuki voiced the encountered challenges in implementing these policies and act rises from different aspects.

“These including having few staffs working at the women’s division, geography of our islands – scattered, transportations difficulties, not enough funds to implement women’s activities, traditional and cultural perception on women as a leader, not enough support to family care centre, not enough support to Christian care centre,” she said.

However if these challenges are being addressed there wouldn’t be any delay in fulfilling them (policies and ACT).

The delayed implemented policies and Act are the National gender equality and women’s development policy 2016- 2030 (GWED 2016- 2020). It is an overarching policy frame work achieving gender equality and women’s right in Solomon Islands IT have seen (7) policy outcomes.

Also the Solomon Islands Women, Peace and security National action plan 2017- 2021, National Policy to eliminate Violence against women and girls 2016 to 2020 and the Family protection act 2014.

Exclusion of women from the political domain a challenge to political engagement  

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Dr Alice Pollard

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

Dr Alice Pollard

EXCLUSION of women from political and decision making positions has been a challenge to active political engagement in Solomon Islands, says Dr Alice Pollard.

Mrs Pollard said the exclusion of women from political leadership and decision making positions is a serious and critical matter for all.

“Our absence at the key Political leadership speaks volumes, it is our core business and that is why we are sitting here today,” she said.

Pollard said the story of the Solomon Islands Political history shows that women’s political journey is one struggle, yet of persistence and remaining hopeful.

She said figures have shown that women’s political participation is low, it stated that we have only had four successful female candidates in our story and currently four successful female provincial members of three different assemblies.

“Our absence at these key political leadership positing means that our voices cannot be heard and therefore we are not involved in any debate on issue that affect our lives, issues that are dear to us women will not be placed are priority issues on any governments agenda and also indicates that the budget of attending to women’s issues receives low priority and low resourcing,” said Pollard.

She said it also means that women are ill-informed about government service’s and its program in which sometimes women become recipients of second hand information and poor power sharing and unequal decision-making which is thus pro males.

Pollard adds, the way forward to address these challenges is women must first deal with their ‘selves’.

“Change must first begin with us, we need to change our lenses. Change your lenses and put on a new pair of lenses. The way we see only men to be fit for the public domain or public space and we see women to be for the private domain needs to be changed today.

“Because our discriminatory perspective of women and men affects our choice of candidates and voting patterns,” she said.

Pollard said women are also fearful to participate due to the way they see their selves as unfit, uneducated, don not have funds or bring negative of their selves.

“Therefore I encourage us to work together and support each other in a new way with a new vision and rally together, actively participating together on issues that deeply concerned about women and get involved,” said Pollard.

Land dispute in Malaita

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

DEAR EDITOR, I disagree with the statement made by the Prime minister in public media on land issue in Malaita province.

The land dispute issue should be treated as part and partial of the policy and strategy of development for Malaita province because development cannot happen without land.

And so for any Malaitian leaders to isolate land dispute away from the development in that province only reflect poorly on the mindset that are ignorance and reluctant to address economic development in that province.

It is not right to compare Malaita with other sister provinces in the nation because of the huge population and patrilineal customary land ownership that has been practice and experience in that province that create favourable environment for more land dispute issues.

It is childish for our national leaders to blame the people in the provinces for land dispute issue because as elected leaders people are entrusted us to play our roles in addressing issues of concern that affect livelihood.

It is sad to say that for the last 35 years none of the effort and commitment from the provincial and national MPs from Malaita has been shown towards the land dispute related issues mounted to development in the province through establishment of right policies and financial assistance in addressing the issue.

While the billions of dollars of development funds as CDF has been poured into the province through the discretions of the 14 MPs, nothing tangible had seen happening, not single tiny percentage of those funding has been gears towards the land related issues within the province.

The customary chiefs and land owners are left alone struggling without funding and directive policies from the government dealing with the land dispute issue with lengthy and costly land court system practice currently in the nation.

There has been a poor working relationship with the national MPs and the provincial leaders when sharing ideas and priorities for the future welfare and development aspiration of the Malaita province is concern.

The people of Malaita have the legal right to ask and take into court their 14 MPs as where are the development funds such as CDF that provide purposely to develop Malaita province for the last 10 to 20 years has been used?

Our national leaders must be mindful when making public statement on the development related issues or else we are barking on the issue that we failed to address.

If the elected leaders failed to uphold their roles and obligations what are leaders for?

God bless the struggling people of Malaita province.

 

Jacob Ofasia

Talise market

Reply to Kahui

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, please allow me space in your paper to respond to Mr Henry Kahui’s comment labelled against me, the Ward Counsellor for Ward 7 (Mataniko) through SIBC from my duties and how I distributed my ward development grant, Christmas fund, and Social fund and Independence fund.

Mr Kahui, got the right to say but we have ways to deal with matters and problems. He comes out from nowhere and talks about issues within ward 7.

He is not registered in ward 7 but registered in West Are’are. Mr Kahui might be blind as he could not see what I’m doing and also he fails to turn up in my office as requested to see my records.

Mr Kahui if you are intended to contest in ward 7 in this coming HCC election that is your democratic right but make sure don’t use dirty politics to discriminate someone to gain support.

The yearly fun distributions are as follows;

  • Ward development grant $70,000 x 4= $28,000 ($50,000 from 2010-2017, now changed to $70,000 in 2018)
  • Christmas fund $30,000
  • Solomon Islands Independence fund $10,000

Expenditure for 2018 Ward Development Grant (WDG)

  • Primary School $70,000
  • Secondary School $83,000
  • SINU $53,000
  • Small project $44,000 to $250,000
  • Yet to pay $90,000 including Christmas and WDG

Mr Eric Tema

Ward 7 Counsellor

Third female PS

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

DEAR EDITOR, as a person who has great concern for development aspiration to heart, I wish to share my concern on the recent media releases both from Island Sun newspaper No 2985 on Friday 17th and media release from Government Communication Unit, of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet dated 16.08.2018.

This is regarding the recent appointment of the third female Permanent Secretary to lead the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

The concern is in the light of the process involved in the processes undertaken in the appointment.

Whilst the general public appreciates the appointment, both media releases failed to highlight the fundamental issues required for a suitable candidate to fill such an important post.

The important issues are the relevant qualifications required for this technical post.

This is a technical ministry (MAL) an incumbent of this post requires the followings as the bench mark.

  • A pre-requisite qualification requires for the candidate must be a BSC degree and Master Degree in Agriculture and rural development from a metro-polythene University.
  • A required minimum of 10 years or more working in the field of Agriculture, which special emphasis in either, extension, research, livestock or quarantine with colossal experiences with local, regional and international connections.
  • Other management qualifications example, human resources management and other extra areas of interventions.

These qualification requirements are essential for the candidate to provide a sound and appropriate advice to the Hon. Minister Agriculture and Livestock.

This is important when the Hon. Minister is due to make contributions to important issues raised during Parliament debate from time to time and more importantly, during budget sessions.

I am of the view that the process involved in the recruitment is doubtful and the process is being influenced by politics.

This will result in under performance and will somewhat create low productivity in the agriculture sector for the next five years down the road.

And when it happens, responsible authorities must be answerable for such a stake of affairs in the agriculture sector.

John Harunari

RSIPF Commissioner assists Vanuatu Police with leadership issues

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

COMMISSIONER of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Matthew Varley is in Vanuatu this week as a guest speaker at the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) Senior Leadership Seminar.

During Commissioner Varley’s visit to Port Vila, he is also conducting a number of consultations with VPF Commissioner Albert Nalpini on how to expand police cooperation on joint operations and training between the two forces.

The pair will also sign a new Memorandum of Understanding on Police Cooperation to cement the partnership between RSIPF and VPF.

In recognition of the close partnership between the RSIPF and VPF, Commissioner Varley was invited by VPF Commissioner Nalpini to share experiences and lessons about leadership in policing in Solomon Islands.

The VPF is also holding two days of Assessment Development Centre exercises for aspiring VPF officers who are under consideration for promotion to senior ranks.

According to Commissioner Varley, the RSIPF and VPF are facing many similar challenges.

“The RSIPF and VPF are already close partners and as neighbours, it’s essential that we strengthen the links between our two police forces.

“I’ve seen that the VPF is quite similar to the RSIPF in terms of issues such as crime trends, operational capacity and resource and logistic challenges.

“It’s a privilege to share some of the lessons we’ve learned along the way in the RSIPF’s development.

“It’s also another example that RSIPF is seen as a major player on the regional policing stage.

“We’ve come a long way in the past year after the end of RAMSI and I’m really proud that other Pacific police forces are continuing to seek out our expertise to assist them in looking at their own challenges.

“The RSIPF is always ready to help out our partners in law enforcement around the region,” added Commissioner Varley.

–POLICE MEDIA

Work on road project near completion: Sofu

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Hon. Stanley Sofu, MP for East Kwaio

By Gary Hatigeva

MINISTER of Infrastructure Development and Member of Parliament for East Kwaio Standley Sofu has revealed that most of the works on the upgrading of the Honiara Highway are now at an 85 percent completion stage.

This is based on feasibility reports and feedbacks from the contractor and taskforce that oversees the works, who recorded in its July report that all Road Upgrade work, walkway pavements and drainages, and the bridges, put together, make up the completion rate.

In Parliament following its resumption after it was adjourned for a week, the Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga and Chair of Bills and Legislation Committee, Matthew Wale, questioned the Infrastructure Minister on the progress of the Honiara main road project.

Wale also questioned the Minister on whether all SIWA, SIEA and Telekom underground infrastructures are being laid along with progress, and will not require damage to the road again after completion of the project.

“Based on report from end of July, work completion rate is at 85 percent. A few things have contributed to cause small slow down in the work. Obviously we know, the weather, and a few mechanical issues with their machines,” the MID Minister explained.

He said the contractor on the other hand is working on a new approach to meet the deadline timeframe, which is in November this year, and that has included working day and night to make up for lost time.

Sofu further updated that the part in which works are heavily focused on at this period is the road running through the Kukum highway from Bahai up to the Kukum roundabout.

He told parliament that as an added bonus, the sealing or road upgrading, based on the materials used, has international standards in term of its Strength that can cater for bigger vehicles and should last the country up to 20 years before we will start looking into repairs

“As for the works done by SIWA, SIEA and Telekom, their programmes are ensured to go along with the current status of the road project

“Should there be need for relocations or changes to lines and pipes, there will be talks to make arrangements and agreements done, before changes are carried out,” Sofu added.

He also acknowledged that the matter of making updates through parliament is very important so that work progression updates are highlighted and people are kept informed and updated on facts.

The project covers three areas of phases according to the Minister, and one of which is, the Roundabout from Honiara City Council to Fisheries opposite the SINU Kukum Campus.

Second is the bridge at downstream Mataniko River and the third phase includes the bridge that goes into china town, which work on it is still underway.

Wale however explained that this question comes precisely because of the practice where roads are completed and other organisations would come to dig them up for the purpose of accessing their underground infrastructures

“And presumably, in the design phase of it, all of those various stakeholders would have involved in the discussions so there would be some protocols or process that they agreed to for those organisations to access their underground infrastructures at various points.

“How they will do it and who will foot the bill, being responsible to repair the roads into the status they are in after the Japanese contractor had put in place is questionable.

In addition through supportive comments on Wale’s question, the Member of Parliament for East Honiara and also Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete stressed that if the system will continue to look into contracting local firms to do repairs as when need post upgrades, he suggested for the government to strengthen the process in repairs and legalise the types of materials and products to be used for maintenance.

He said the purpose of his suggestion is to help avoid the usage of non-usable or bad materials.

As for the road upgrade in its own breakdown, it will continue with its second phase, which runs from the HCC Roundabout going up to White River in West Honiara.

Phase three on the other hand, based on Minister Sofu’s revelation, is expected to start sometimes later next year, which will also be in discussion status first, and it should cover the road from the Fisheries spot, going all the way to the Henderson International Airport main road.

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