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Awareness and understanding on death investigation process needed: Varley

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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PC Mathew Varley

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

POLICE Commissioner Mathew Varley strongly appeals to Solomon Islanders to understand that during death investigations, police have the important role of conducting medical and post-mortem examinations.

He expressed this during last week’s police press conference at Rove Police Headquarters.

Varley said that in recent times, they have encountered a number of cases where they found it difficult explaining to family members through customary issues why they need to conduct medical examinations and post-mortem examinations on their deceased relatives.

He stated that this is a real challenge because they also understand that in many customs, families want to bring their loved ones back to the village for burial.

However, Varley stressed that it is essential that people understand that the police have an important role to play in carrying out investigations which include post-mortem examinations of the deceased so that they can give the best evidence to the Coroner’s court at a later date.

“So we are always negotiating with families to ask them to understand those reasons,” he said.

Varley appeals to the people across the country for awareness and understanding that when police investigation into a death is necessary, it is an important part of the investigation that post-mortem inquiries are conducted and carried out.

“That’s something that I’ve seen as a challenge in recent months and is something that I am appealing to the community for their support on,” he said.

More time in Committee stage on Strata titles bill: Wale

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Honiara is developing very fast.

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

Honiara is developing very fast.

MEMBER of Parliament for Auki/Langalanga has called for more time to be allocated in the Committee stage for parliament to look into the Strata Titles Bill 2017.

Speaking last week in parliament, Matthew Wale says till now, they are still to grasp the Strata Titles Bill.

Wale says this bill is so technical that even those who will bear primary responsibility in this have expressed a lack of technical knowledge in it.

“And so I asked the Honorable Prime Minister to allocate more days than usual for the committee stage. Maybe all of next week. So that we can do justice to the parliamentary mandate for supervision, oversight and scrutiny of legislation.”

Wale says he is not sure whether this Bill had received any detailed review in caucus and/or in cabinet as he was absent during the inquiry of the Bill.

He said the bill went through the inquiry stage very quickly and so there is a risk because the bill has too many clauses and schedules but more so because it is technical and complex.

The MP for Auki Langalanga said this bill will not receive the proper due parliamentary scrutiny that the constitution expects of the MPs.

Strata Title is a form of land tenure that allows units in a building to be individually owned, while the “parent” land title is owned by all unit owners in common.

The concept originated in New South Wales, Australia in the 1960’s and has since spread around the world to places like Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Dubai, Fiji and Vanuatu.

Strata Title from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey is seen as an answer to the scarcity of land around Honiara and the high cost of rentals, as it would encourage more vertical development of land for medium and high-rise apartments.

It would also enable the development of more affordable units, in a city where land has become too expensive for average citizens.

The Strata Titles Bill 2017 is still in the Committee stage, currently.

TSL board must explain

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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KOSSA and Real Kakamora contest ends in a stalemate

“I think it was their strategy to disadvantage other teams” Wa’aria

By Taromane Martin

A frustrated Head Coach for the Real Kakamora Football Club Sam Wa’aria has called on the Telekom Soccer League board to explain Saturday’s incident at the Lawson Tama Stadium.

The incident happened during warm up for their 4pm match on Saturday against Henderson Eels FC where they suffered a humiliating 8-1 harrowing with Clement Baegeni, Bonny Pride and Bently Kelobi amongst the goal scorers for Eels.

Three of their players were asked by the TSL Competitions Manager to leave the field during the teams’ warm up for that match which Coach Wa’aria said was their downfall.

“No one is happy when they lose.

“I’m disappointed likewise for everyone in the team with the game. The score margin was very high but games are sometimes that way but that does not mean we conceded this many goals it is over for us,” he told SunSPORTS.

Eels lead 5-1 at the break and made it worse for Real Kakamora after theywere reduced to 10 men, Baegeni cooking up two yellow cards for defender Jeffery Wasi 78th minutes into the game.

“We cannot reverse the referee’s decision because he always has the upper hands and makes the decisions,” Coach Wa’aria said.

“What we are very disappointed with in preparation for this match was the last minute disqualification of some of our key players by the organisers of the competition during warm up.

“Our preparations were affected because of the actions of the organisers of this tournament which caught us by surprise us by disqualifying some of our players who were the key players for the team.

“The loss today comes as no surprise to us because already we were mentally defeated by the organisers for the tournament before the whistle blew.

“I think this was some sort of strategies by people to disadvantage other teams and it affected us all mentally for the match.

“However we are always prepared and will continue getting ready for our next match despite the sudden actions of the organisers today,” a frustrated Wa’aero said.

Meanwhile Solomon Warriors FC Head Coach Moses Toata also questioned the actions by the league organisers calling on them to explain their actions.

“The TSL is now a joke. Today, three Real Kakamora players were asked to leave the field by the competition manager during warm up and a Real Kakamora player was allowed to go in as the substitute goalkeeper without wearing a proper team uniform.

“This shows a very unprofessional conduct by the TSL League Organisers and this is taking our national league to a level lower than an amateur league.

“The question is, are we moving football forward? Yumi bara osem Village league more yia (We are now like a village league). Come on guys. We need explanation from the TSL Board,” Toata questioned.

Snake in the grass

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Logging in Marovo-lagoon Solomon Islands. Photo by Living Oceans Foundations.

Solomon Islands’ unprecedented illegal logging operations

By Alfred Sasako

A special investigation by Island Sun has revealed that Commissioner of Forests, Reeves Moveni, may have broken the law by granting licences to at least nine new logging companies in violation of Legal Notice (LN) 114.

Our investigation has also uncovered logging companies owned by foreigners are using Solomon Islanders as fronts, particularly women, to circumvent or bypass the law in getting their businesses registered in Solomon Islands.

According to our investigation the companies that Commissioner Moveni has granted Export Permits, Approved TA, ALP and so on to in breach of LN 114 are:

Fairtrade Company Ltd, SMC Trading Ltd, Trijam Enterprises Ltd, Focus Lumber Enterprises Ltd, MSL Export & Impact Ltd, Linear Perspective Ltd, FR Resources Ltd, S.L.H Timber Cooperation and Richfield Timber Ltd.

These companies have exported a combined volume of almost 136,000m3 of timber in the one and half-year period to date, Island Sun investigation has uncovered.

Logging industry’s self-regulatory organisation, the Solomon Forest Association (SFA) which was established to “strongly advocate and implement legal and sustainable logging practices”, has confirmed it is aware of the Commissioner’s action and is very concerned.

“We are concerned and are addressing the matter (as) the current situation and trends point to a very bleak future for the Solomon Islands logging industry,” an SFA spokesman told Island Sun.

Clause 9 of Legal Note LN 114 stipulates “…the consent or approval of the Commissioner is required in respect of any agreement relating to the conduct or management of the licensee’s tree felling and related operations, the Commissioner shall not give such consent or approval unless he is satisfied that the party to such agreement responsible for so conduct or management IS a Solomon Forest Association (SFA) member,” our investigation has shown.

It is understood that the membership requirement of SFA led to the on-going moratorium on new logging licences.

“One of the most basic requirements for a logging company to conduct their operations in Solomon Islands is for them to be a “member in good standing” of the SFA. The SFA has a strict checklist of criteria compliance for its members. This is mandatory in order to prevent illegal practices, oversaturation and unsustainable logging,” the spokesman said.

Nine logging companies which failed to meet the requirements of LN 114 are exporting logs. The table below shows the names and volume of logs being exported since last year, Island Sun has uncovered.

There could be others.

Item       Name of Company            2017 Export in M3             2018 Export in M3

1               Fairtrade Company Ltd                   11,450  19,670

2               SMC Trading Ltd                 5,640     1,720

3               Trijam Enterprises Ltd   26,660  28,900

4               Focus Lumber Enterprises Ltd   8,985     5,780

5               MSL Export & Import Ltd                 1,400     –

6               Linear Perspective Ltd  11,830  –

7               FR Resources Ltd               –                 4,075

8               S.L.H. Timber Co-operation          2,110     –

9               Richfield Timber Ltd        7,670     –

Island Sun was unable to speak to Commissioner Moveni or any of the companies that are allegedly operating illegally in Solomon Islands.

The Commissioner’s action is said to have raised many questions too about the involvement of government institutions such as the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI), the Customs Division of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Company Haus as well as others, including the Pan Oceania Bank (POB), the official bank of the logging industry in Solomon Islands.

It would seem that these institutions, by allowing timber and or log exports by these rogue operators, have not been well aware of the provisions of Legal Notice 114.

SFA is understood to have informed the POB management in writing, advising it of the names of its registered members, implying that non-members should never have been entertained.

“SFA is concerned that non-members continue to be involved in harvesting and exporting of logs with no regard to the provisions in LN 114.

“The companies belonging to indigenous Solomon Islanders that are used, operated or managed by foreigners cannot satisfy SFA criteria with regards to their source of funds, and source of logging equipment, etc.

“As such, these companies are operating illegally, and may be considered to be engaged in money laundering, due to the unexplained and questionable nature of the source of initial funding – often millions of dollars – transferred into their accounts to pay for import duties and other expenses.

“Commissioner of Forests simply should not be granting these non-member companies any approval to operate. By doing so raises the question, “Is it due to incompetence or illicit collusion that the Commissioner of Forests has allowed non-members of SFA to carry out illegal logging?”

The SFA spokesman said more questions arise as to exactly how an illegal company can bypass so many supposed safeguards that are currently in place, such as;

  • Under the Moratorium on registering new companies, no company with logging cited as a business activity can be registered. Under such a Moratorium, the established member companies of the SFA should account for all the operational logging companies in Solomon Islands. This is not the case. Thus, is Company Haus really adhering to this Moratorium?
  • For any company to operate, a fundamental requirement is a bank account. Currently, Pan Oceanic Bank is the only bank handling any logging business, and as such, one must wonder whether POB is properly monitoring its customers’ source of funds, the legality of these funds, and whether or not the customers are a certified member of the SFA.
  • Did Customs properly vet the company’s background before issuing the TIN? Did Customs also check on the ownership of the logging equipment being imported?
  • Is the Commissioner of Forests failing in his duties and responsibilities as stated under LN 114, where he holds the authority to issue required approvals without which NO logging activities can commence and continue to operate?

Under the law, the Commissioner of Forests is vested with powers to approve and grant the following:-

4.1           Approval and Issuance of Felling Licence.

4.2           Approval of Technology, Marketing & Logging Agreement between Licensee and Contractor.

4.3           Issuance of Letter to POB to provide Forestry Performance Bond.

4.4           Approval of Annual Harvesting Plan.

4.5           Approval of Export Permit.

4.6           Issuing of the Certificate of Origin for logs exported.

“Without the aforementioned approvals from the Commissioner of Forests, NO logging activities can be carried out, as it will be illegal. The presence of illegal logging in Solomon Islands indicates that the Commissioner has failed in his duties,” the spokesman said.

Perhaps, JANUS should investigate Forestry for evidence of collusion and corruption.

Junior Kurukuru squad ready end of month

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Under-17 futsal top goal scorer Raphael Le’ai celebrates one of his goals with team mate Frankster Rukumana during last year’s qualifiers in New Zealand.

Lea’i and Rukumana have spots, but…

By Taromane Martin

HEAD Coach for the national under 17 futsal team Stanley Puirana says their management is expected to name their final squad for October’s Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina end of this month.

Coach Puirana told SunSPORTS that the squad is now into its third week of training since returning from their one week training camp in Sydney last month.

Puirana said he has been working hard on getting the boys ready mentally since they have been training without two of their key players Raphael Lea’i and Franster Rukumana, both of whom are also in training with the Stanley Waita coached national U-16 men’s football team.

He said while he feels both Lea’i and Rukumana have their spots in the team they will have to prove their fitness levels to the teams’ management in order to be included in the final 10 man squad.

“We have met with SIFF regarding the matter and we have come to an agreement for both players to attend training once a week due to their commitment with the national U-16 football squad,” Coach Puirana said.

“Personally I feel they have their spots in the team and yeah I would very much like them to be a part of the team because they are two of our important players in the team.

“They are doing their part with the U-16s and the Junior Kurukuru boys are also doing their part here in preparation.

“It will come down to their fitness levels because football is a played on a different pace while futsal is played on a much faster pace.

“We still have about seven or eight weeks left for training before we travel. This is our third week into training after returning from our one week camp in Sydney mid last month.

Some of the game plans we’ve been working are keeping possession, our transition while counter attacking and also defending.

“So far boys have shown a lot of improvements tactically, technical and we working hard on their mentally as well.

“Our management will hopefully name the final 10 man travelling squad for the Youth Olympic Games end of this month,” he said.

Meanwhile the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina is scheduled to kick off on October 1st-12th.

People in Lau lagoon in need of fishery service

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

THE Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has been urged to consider the call of the people in Lau lagoon to establish a fishery centre in the area.

Since the first fisheries centre in Takwa had closed down five years ago, people in the Lau lagoon region have made numerous calls to authority to have it replaced.

MPA for ward 12, which covers most of Lau lagoon, Fred Wai said yesterday that the people of Lau lagoon have lost their main source of income when the centre closed down five years ago.

He said at the moment fishermen in his ward are engaging in the business, but are finding difficulty in catching fish for market in Honiara.

Wai points out that a main part of the fisheries centre’s operation was having ice cubes available to preserve the fish during storage and transportation to Honiara.

This is one main area which fishermen are finding difficulty in currently.

“Like now fishermen depend on supply of ice-cubes from Honiara, but if the centre to revive ice-cube production and fish preservation faculty will be at home,” Wai said.

He said fish production for local market in ward 12 is very high and a regular business engagement within the area of Founafou and Tara’ana.

Wai said the activeness of the business has showed between five to 10 eskies transported to Honiara via Auki every week.

He said under his capacity as a provincial member he had a heart for his people’s concern, however, support from responsible authorities was paramount to make it happen.

Sex exploitation of girls and women rife in Malaita’s logging operations: Report

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

SEXUAL exploitation of local girls and women by logging personnel is a major issue faced in logging operations in Malaita province.

According to a report recently released by World Fish office in Auki, some girls lured for sex by foreigners have been reported to be as young as 12 years old.

The nature of the sexual encounters is considered exploitative, even if the girl has consented to the sex.

The report says the girls are said to be having sexual relationships in exchange for relatively small favours to her or her family.

Such favours may constitute money, a few iron sheets for roof, a bag of rice, a carton of noodles or operating a logging machine to bring the family’s logs down to the log pond for milling.

While some parents are allegedly stimulating these arrangements, the general sentiment is that the short-term character of it all and the fact that no proper bride is paid affects the girl’s dignity.

As a result the report stated that there is an alarming growing number of children born from sexual encounters between local (underage) girls and foreign (predominantly Malaysian) logging staff.

Informants of the report consider this highly problematic for several reasons. First, in almost all cases the logging staff leave the girl with the child after the logging operation is finished and do not take responsibility for either the girl or the child(ren).

Thus, she and her family are left with the burden of looking after the child afterward.

This also means that these children grow up without a father, and therefore they do not inherit primary land rights.

This is especially problematic for boys, while girls can gain access to land (albeit with secondary rights only) through their future husband.

One teacher interview during the course of developing the report said to have lost three female students to “log pond marriages” in a short period of time.

Other teachers have reported seeing some of their female students dropping out from school as a result of these pregnancies.

The report stated these relationships run very strongly against cultural norms. No proper bride price is paid, and thus compensation payments are requested for violating rules surrounding marriage and courtship.

World Fish conducted report with a purpose to inform the Provincial Government of Malaita of the local impacts of logging on food security and general well-being and to support it in decision-making regarding logging.

Auki police prepare for Malaita’s 2nd Appointed Day

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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POLICE at Auki in Malaita Province today (9 August) conducted high visibility police presence in Auki town as a lead up to the Malaita Province Second Appointed Day 35th anniversary next week.

Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Malaita Province, Inspector Fredrick Pado says, “This high visibility operation is to reduce illegal alcohol consumption and other criminal activities in Auki.

“Several kwaso (home brew) products been confiscated from some of the Auki betel nuts stalls and currently investigation underway in to those matters.”

The high visibility police operation is coincided in preparation for 35th Malaita second appointed day celebrations with the theme – ‘The Challenges of achieving better services in Malaita’.

–POLICE MEDIA

RSIPF mount operation during Yam Festival on Small Malaita

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

MORE than 30 officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) in Malaita province will be deployed to provide security during the second Yam Festival which be held near the Afio Sub-station on Small Malaita from August 11-17, 2018.

“We are expecting several thousand people from Small Malaita, the rest of Malaita as well as from Honiara to attend the week-long Yam Festival as well as the official reopening of the Parasi Airport and the celebrations to mark the Malaita Province Second Appointed Day Anniversary. All these activities will be happening as from this weekend,” says Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Malaita Province, Inspector Frederick Pado.

“My officers will maintain a presence at the venue of the Yam Festival at Pulaha Village where the celebrations of the Malaita Province Second Appointed Day Anniversary will also happen early next week.

“I want to call on the law-abiding people of Small Malaita and the visitors to the Festival to observe our laws and behave in a manner that will show respect for others.

“A community policing team from Auki Police Station will also use the occasion of the Festival to conduct awareness talks on the RSIPF Crime Prevention Strategy, the Family Protection Act, the illegal brewing of home brew and kwaso and other policing issues.

“Let us show the rest of Solomon Islands and of cause the rest of the world that we on Malaita can organise such big events in a peaceful and orderly manner.”

The RSIPF Brass Band is also expected to join the Malaita Province Second Appointed Day Anniversary celebrations.

–POLICE MEDIA

Constitution amendment electoral reform bill in limbo

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Gary Hatigeva

BOTH Leaders of the Opposition and Independent groups, on Thursday clashed with the government in Parliament, over the Constitution (Amendment) (Electoral Reform) Bill 2018, with its future to be tabled, in limbo.

On Tuesday, debates into the Bill was suspended as members of the other side of the house were outrage about proposals to change the current electoral context within the constitution, together with the Political Parties Integrity Act.

The minority groups have raised serious concerns about certain aspects of the bill relating to its implementation and asked the Prime Minister to let Parliament take a careful look at those critical issues suggested before it could be passed.

In accepting the suggestions and call for adjournment, Prime Minister Rick Hou agreed to consider the group’s recommendations on a close consultation basis with leaders of the other side of the house.

However, despite all that were agreed to, the government, according to the Leader of Independent, Dr. Derrick Sikua, decided to do the changes without consulting their sides.

And these changes, he added, have not all featured what they described as, some of the key areas that were in question.

Sikua said despite calls for thorough consultations on the highlighted aspects of the proposed amendments, the government pushed to go ahead, and their group was left with no choice but not to support the bill.

The Northeast Guadalacanal MP along with the East Malaita MP, noted that the hasty manner in which government dealt with the agreement, contravenes the chance for a short but thorough discussion that they thought can lead to a vital agreement for the sake of having the bill through.

Both the Independent Opposition Leaders then called on the Prime Minister to put the bill into vote, and indicated they will boycott the passage of the Constitution (Amendment) (Electoral Reform) Bill if the necessary consultations were not allowed to take place by the government.

He said based on his earlier point of order on Tuesday, understanding of their side of the house was after debates were adjourned, they were hoping that when the amendments are made, there would be discussions between the government and their groups to thoroughly look into the amendments that were highlighted.

“Before we can table it in parliament at whatever time we would agree to.

Sikua added that the amendments were only given to them in the chamber, and to his knowledge, no consultations were made with his colleague, the leader of the opposition group or anyone from the Independent group, to agree to the amendments before the bill is table it in parliament.

“And the government has decided not to consult us and push to proceed with debates into it. One of the major points we are concerned about is in the amalgamation or the merger of the SIEC and the PPC, and so we have no choice but to vote against it. And in accordance with standing order 41 (6), I am calling for a division and let us vote on the bill.”

“What really vexes me as to why we are not happy is that it is a simple courtesy. Why was it when the government made the amendments at least consult us first before you table them in the house, it would only take a minute or two to discuss them.

“Debates can continue, but none of us from this side of the house will contribute in debates to the bill,” the Independent Leader stressed.

However, in his response, the Prime Minister explained that after Tuesday’s adjournment of debates, the governmnt took the statements by the two speakers that presented, namely, the Leader of Opposition and the MP for Aoke/Langalanga who is also Chair of BLC, “but also take into account the three recommendations that were made by the Committee”.

“I believe that we have taken full account of all those recommendations and this issue about amalgamation. We have taken fully inside the proposed amendments.

“What I wanted to proposed was for the debates to go ahead and when we come to the committee stage the amendments can be taken up as motions like we have been doing to make changes.

“But I want to assure the house that all four recommendations have been taken up in full account especially, this one on amalgamation.

“As I’ve said yesterday, the proposals that were made yesterday are not unreasonable proposals or requests and the government taken them onboard,” the Prime Minister said.

In an attempt to help convince the groups, the Attorney General clarified that the amendments were to affect the Solomon Islands Electoral Act and not the Political Parties Integrity Act, but the groups on the other side disagreed

Despite all the explanations, the groups on the other side of the house have already made up their minds and called for the bill to be voted under section 41 of the standing orders.

Speaking in support of the leader of the independent group, the Opposition Leader, Manasseh Maelanga also accused the prime minister, saying the PM had agreed to the suggestions for the amalgamation issue to be included, “but why isn’t it in here?”

However, the PM said intentions to call for a direct vote of the bill was premature because the concerns that were raised yesterday were quite specific to some of the provisions within the bill and so we have addressed those concerns. In fact, we have had to bend backwards to accommodate that.

“We have seen there’s reasonableness in the arguments that were made and the amendments that were circulated have taken full accounts of those concerns, and especially, with the amalgamation, it will be taken out but we won’t vote on these clauses until we come to them,” Hou added.

The consideration of the bill was, therefore, deferred later in the afternoon to allow for an opportunity for a thorough deliberation by the leaders as to which direction the House will take with the Bill.

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