BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE Leadership Code Commission (LCC) is now carrying out enforcement against public servants who have not submitted their completed statements of declaration to the Commission before its due date.

Early this year, LCC had issued out a declaration form for the public service within the government ministries to declare their wealth and properties.

The timeframe to fill in the form according to sources has already lapsed but many within the ministries had either ‘not completed and submitted theirs’, or ‘had not signed’.

Island Sun sought comments from LCC’s Chairman, Solomon Kalu, who said that they are now carrying out enforcement against officers within the ministries who had not submitted their statements of declaration.

“The enforcement starts with charging of officers who failed to comply with their duties & responsibilities under part II of the Leadership Code (Further Provisions) Act 1999.

“That is failing to submit statements for the preceding period.

“Officers must provide written explanations for their non-compliance. The Commission will then decide whether an explanation is reasonable to excuse the officer’s non-compliance.

“Of course the charge does not preclude an office from tendering his or her late submissions. They must still submit their declarations but with an explanation,” said LCC’s Chairman.

Information on which government ministries had been completed and which ones are still outstanding for enforcement were not revealed as the Chairman said he will not provide them.

A 23-year-old male has been arrested for the alleged rape of a 20-year-old girl in the Lungga area in East Honiara on July 9, 2018.

Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Guadalcanal province Superintendent Nixon Manetoga says, “My officers attended to the report of the alleged rape after it was reported to police on July 10 and apprehended the alleged suspect around the Plywood area at Lungga.

“The alleged rape happened when the victim was on her way home after work on the evening of July 9.

“The suspect allegedly used a long bush knife to threaten the victim and allegedly raped her.

“The suspect was formally arrested at the Henderson police station and interviewed. A remand application is being processed for the suspect to be placed in custody as the investigation into the alleged incident continues.

“The Criminal Investigation Team at the Henderson police station are investigating the alleged rape incident and I appeal to both parties to refrain from taking the law into their own hands but allow the police to investigate the matter.”

–POLICE MEDIA

THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) commends the public, participating countries and the organisers for a peaceful 6th Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival (MACFest) which ended in Honiara on Tuesday night.

More than 200 police officers from Honiara City and Guadalcanal province as well as the Police Response Team (PRT), the Close Personal Protection Unit (CPP), the National Criminal Investigation Department, the Traffic Department, the Maritime Department, the Fire and Rescue Service as well as the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit took part in the operation.

Officers were posted at the main venues of the MACFest and conducted visibility patrols throughout the city on a 24-hour basis.

Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Gabriel Manelusi, who was overall commander of the police operations during MACFest, said, “Despite the large number of people in Honiara moving from the various venues of the MACFest from July 1-10, there were no major disturbances to law and order in the capital city.

“The police congratulate our people living in Honiara and coming in from the provinces as well as the more than 1,000 participants from other MSG countries for respecting our laws and one another.

“This is a clear sign that Solomon Islands can now host such large events because our citizens respect law and order and want to live in a peaceful environment with one another.

“Also the success of the Festival proves that our various Government ministries and other organisations in the country are able to coordinate such big events as the MACFest.

“Police congratulates everyone for a job well done. I trust that our visitors are returning to their various countries with fond memories of the Hapi Isles.”

“At the same time, I want to publicly thank all the police officers who took part in the operation in the last two weeks for their tireless efforts in ensuring everyone was safe and were able to move around freely in Honiara and enjoy the MACFest. I salute you for an excellent job.

“Now with the MACFest over, our focus will be on the 2018 FIFA World Cup final over the next couple of days. I want to urge the sport loving people of this country to continue to enjoy the rest of the matches including the final early next week in a peaceful manner with respect for each other and our laws.”

–POLICE MEDIA

By Mike Puia

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) will not issue out application forms for new agriculture projects.

This measure is necessary to allow the Ministry to deal with a huge number of outstanding projects it had received dated back to 2015.

This year there has been a huge cut to the Ministry’s budget. That is the main issue that prompted this measure.

The Agriculture Planning & Management Department confirmed having a huge pile of projects in its possession.

The Department’s Chief Planning Officer, Franklyn Wasi, said they have a pile of outstanding projects dating back to 2015 therefore they will cease issuing forms for new ones.

No date was given as to when forms for new projects will be re-opened to farmers.

Wasi confirmed for this year their department received $1.5million for their cocoa programme and no funding for the coconut programme.

He said this funding is small as $1m will be used up by administration related work leaving only $0.5m for its activities.

Other departments face the same issue. Their budgets have also seen huge shrink.

The Agriculture Extension Services department, for instance, gets only $1m for its food security programme, $2m for its livelihood programme and $1m for its extension infrastructure programme.

Wasi confirmed at present they are dealing with past projects that have been approved by the ministry.

Most farmers whom their projects were approved are now collecting materials from suppliers in Honiara.

By Mike Puia

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) has rejected claims it has diverted funds.

The Ministry was responding to claims made by local farmers.

Some cocoa farmers told Island Sun that their cocoa projects were approved by the Ministry in 2016 but they later found out funds for their projects were diverted to other farmers and for other use.

MALD’s Agriculture Planning & Management Department Chief Planning Officer, Franklyn Wasi, refuted this claim.

Wasi said they have not divert any funds as claimed as there is a process in place when receiving, screening and paying out projects.

He said recently cocoa farmers flooded their office when they began paying out approved projects.

Wasi said he talked to many farmers telling them that there are no funds available.

He said they went back to their records and started to sort out farmers whose projects were approved starting in 2015 but have yet to collect their materials.

Some of the projects have seen a cut to the original amount requested in their project proposals.

The huge cut to the Ministry’s budget would help explain these cuts.

Wasi said information about farmers the Ministry is paying out their project have been communicated to their offices in the provinces so farmers should go to these offices and find out.

He was responding to complaints from farmers saying they spend money to come to Honiara only to be told funds for their projects have been diverted.