BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

GUEST speaker Felix Nego, minister for tourism, salutes the Kwarea community high school 2018 cultural programme on Wednesday at Kwarea.

He said the participation during the occasion is most highlighted above any other school in Malaita province.

“I encourage you to continue with this approach and continue to grow our children according to our traditional living.

“As rightly stated in the 2018 theme, Culture Endangered our culture is slowly eroding due to foreign influences.

“In foreign influences they train us to speak English and involve in their foreign culture living behind our own culture.”

Nego added they also train people on how to learn about their own culture.

“Today we are happy to promote our own culture, our culture is own identity, our pride and our inheritance.

“Culture is way of life that brings peaceful co-existence within our nation.

“Our culture is our way of life where we live.

“We have laws and regulations that safe guard our homes and resources,” Nego said.

Ward member for ward 4 Steward Mani acknowledged the local organising committee for organising such unique programme.

“Through this kind of programmes our children will understand their values and norms within our societies.”

The programme included the traditional way of bride price, home umbrella making, traditional showing of traditional crafts, traditional beliefs and values and languages.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

HUNDREDS of people in and around Kwarea area witnessed a unique cultural event organised on Wednesday at Kwarea School in the west Fataleka area.

The school annual cultural event was themed “Culture Endangered”. It sparked the eyes of all people, invited guests including the representatives from the Malaita provincial government with its uniqueness and show of the Malaitan culture.

School Principal Godfry Angisia during the official opening programme said, “Ever since the existence of the school, no one has initiated the idea of practically exposing culture practices and identity in the school so that learners can learn to appreciate, cherish and value their traditional cultural values, tradition, customs and norms equally to the knowledge and skills normally taught in classrooms through the formal education system.

“For the past thirty to forty years of modern political governance and influence, many of our cultural aspects and values are gradually varnishing in the face of modern technological changes in our dynamic societies.”

He added that the primary reasons behind this initiative is to activate and incorporate this cultural programme in the school because educational institutions such as school of university is one of the introduced agents of change that can transform any person holistically to a new way of living in modern society.

“Our school board management sees it ideal for the implantation of this programme to sustain and maintain the expected cultural aspects and values in such multi facet communities like Kwarea community high school and the other communities within the area of proximity.”

Another significant reason, Angisia said, is to educate teachers and learners of Kwarea school about their cultures and negative changes that are now eroding the best traditional practices and disciplines strongly enforced in the past.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

THREE schools in Honiara, during the Solomon Islands Money Day celebrated at the SINPF Recreational compound on Thursday, built their knowledge and skills on financial literacy.

The event hosted by Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) also coincided with its 42 years of operation since 1976 as the Solomon Islands Monetary Authority.

The event also offered opportunity for students from the Vura Community High School, St John School and Mbokona School to visited leading banking institution in Solomon Islands.

CBSI Governor Mr Denton Rarawa in his remark said CBSI is excited about this year’s theme concept because it’s all about teaching children and youths about importance of being economically equipped and empowered.

He said educating children and youths in financial literacy will help close inequality gaps and build a brighter future for themselves which is one area CBSI stands for and promoting.

With today’s generation Mr Rarawa strongly emphasises that CBSI wants the country’s young generation to be economical citizens in the future.

“We need to teach our children and youths including adults on the value of looking after our money, saving and investing money,” Rarawa said.

“An event like this highlights the need to learn about financial education and services that are provided by our financial institution like banks or credit union to help us become good economic citizen.”

Yesterday’s event was celebrated under the theme: “Money Matters Matter”.

The overall objective of the theme is to educate young people – the future economic citizens of Solomon Islands, to learn and develop personal financial management skills and behaviour.

This includes good habits related to dealing with money.

The 2018 theme “Money Matters Matter” from the Global Money Week (GMW) is an annual money awareness campaign built to inspire children and young people to learn more about money matters and entrepreneurship.

The day was celebrated whole day with presentations, quiz, question and answers session and entertainments from three cultural groups.

Two from Isabel province and one from Malaita province.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

NEW Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade are close to reaching an agreement with the Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC).

The agreement is set on the structure of a new project to assist with the management of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros, in Solomon Islands.

This beetle is the most destructive insect pest of palms, particularly coconut and oil palm, worldwide.

In other countries more than 50 percent of palms were killed in the first 10 years after it arrived.

According to Government and Palm Industries CRB Taskforce, in Solomon Islands it is already causing significant damage, wherever it goes a very high proportion of palms are either severely damaged or killed.

CRB Taskforce also adds it is now present in Honiara and has spread along the north coast of Guadalcanal and to North Malaita, Ngella, Savo, parts of Russell Islands and Ulawa.

A different strain of the same beetle has been detected in Shortlands and more recently in Gizo, CRB Taskforce said.

It also said coconut is the most important plant in the country contributing significantly to export earnings and to village economies, food and livelihoods.

The Taskforce further said palm oil and palm kernel cake exports also contribute significantly to export earnings and employment.

The new MAL/NZ/SPC project will facilitate activities by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) to try to reduce the population of beetles and slow its spread.

The project will fund action over the next two years in most beetle infested communities to help destroy all breeding sites, namely dead and rotting palms and rotting vegetation.

Once the population of beetles has declined the level of attack will also decline.

It is hoped that by that time another New Zealand project will have identified a new beetle virus disease that kills or reduces the spread of coconut rhinoceros beetle and the virus disease may be ready to release to keep the beetle numbers low.

The destruction of dead and rotting palms is not currently part of normal plantation management but will be required from now on.

Another project supported by Strongim Bisnis will work with MAL and the NZ projects to help communities permanently change these habits of a life time.

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

MEMBERS of Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) yesterday took part in a presentation and panel discussion on the Graduation of Solomon Islands from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status and the Interim Economic Partnership Agreements (iEPA).

Organised by SICCI, the discussion was the first of its kind for business houses on this topic. Presenting the LDC graduation, Chief Planning Officer of the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Matsuko Pelomo enlightens the participants on the LDC and Solomon Islands graduation from LDC to a Developing Country and also gave a brief roadmap of LDC and Solomon Islands graduation from it.

Ms Pelomo in her presentation said for the Solomon Islands to move forward, the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016 to 2035, has identified linkages and alignment of individual objectives, Medium Term Strategies and sector goals to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will help prepare Solomon Islands for a smooth transition post LDC.

“Government and the private sector needs to work in collaboration in implementing the NDS.”

Meanwhile speaking during the panel discussion, Trade Commissioner in MFAET says Solomon Islands will normally have a three year grace period during which it retains its LDC status and is expected to negotiate with its development partners a smooth transition to post LDC status.

“At the end of the grace period, Solomon Islands will officially graduate from LDC status.”

Also presenting the iEPA, Director Trade in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, George Tuti gave a brief overview of the iEPA and made specific mention of Companies lack of access to information. He said because of this, they will also be carrying out awareness through the different mediums available to help people and businesses understand the trading sector.

Tuti says transparency and access to trade data and information is crucial to ensure greater participation of micro, small and medium sized enterprises in international value chains.

He also said the LDC links to the iEPA thus Solomon Islands needs to sign onto the iEPA.

The Economic Partnership Agreements are a scheme to create a free trade area between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.

In the panel discussion yesterday, a number of questions and comments were raised with members appreciating the event organised by SICCI to bring to light the crucial stage the country is in, and the need for the private sector to be informed and be aware of the country’s transformation.

The event yesterday was sponsored by a number of SICCI’s Platinum and Gold members and presentation done officers of the Government’s ministries.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THE ministry of fisheries and marine resources (MFMR) have begun a management workshop aimed at building confidence of public servants, capacity development and leadership potential

“This signifies the positive commitment of MFMR in ensuring its 65 fisheries officers are given another opportunity to discuss the essence and values of effective public service performance management in Solomon Islands Public Service,” said Public Service Under Secretary for Workforce Management and supervising Permanent Secretary, Mr David Suirara who officially opened MFMR’s second Performance Management Process (PMP) workshop yesterday.

He said with the programme’s theme “Effective Implementation of Public Management: Our strategic goal”, he wishes to acknowledge the efforts of MFMR’s Corporate Services Division (CSD) for organising the workshop with focuses on the development of MFMR Corporate Plan, Strategic Plan, Divisional and Annual Individual Plan.

On another note, Suirara stressed on how this PMP workshop is aligned with the Solomon Islands Democratic Coalition for Change Government’s (SIDCCG) priority on public services.

“At this juncture, organising this refreshing workshop is one that assists MPS and key line ministries to achieve the SIDCCG priorities targeting the public sector,” he said.

Suirara furthered that from his ministry’s perspective, the workshop is a milestone given that it involves the NPSI, MPS and MFMR working together to deliver a workshop focusing on building confidence of public servants, capacity development and leadership potential.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THE ministry of public service (MPS) has applauded its sister ministry, the ministry of fisheries and marine resources for staging a management workshop for its officers.

“I wish to thank MFMR in leading other government ministries and institutions in organising such management workshop bridging its senior fisheries officers to acquire basic yet fundamental knowledge and skills of implementing public performance management at the ministerial level,” Ministry of Public Service’s (MPS) Under Secretary for Workforce Management and Supervising Permanent Secretary, Mr David Suirara said when addressing heads of Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, staff and guests at MFMR’s official opening of its Public Service Performance Management (PMP) workshop at the OG conference room yesterday.

He said that this platform should be utilised by MFMR officials to identify common challenges and shortfalls that hinder the delivery of PMP as the same time search for better simple practical ways of combating problems encountered in the implementation of PMP.

In relation, Suirara stressed that while aware restructuring with focus on organisational restructuring and increased capacity development remains a top priority for MFMR, for a ministry that settles as one of the productive sector ministries with the responsibility to generate income and offer fisheries, there are occasions where the welfare and conditions of public servants are perceived as second priority.

He added that it is his hope that as the workshop concludes, participants are well aware that one of the many official responsibilities of their deputy directors is to ensure that all fisheries officers who perform exceptionally well in leadership or in delivery of assigned projects and tasks in line to their respected JDs need to be recognised and rewarded both by MFMR and MPS.

“Hence, these public officers are expecting promotion and increments at the beginning of a new year. In order for this scenario to happen both senior and junior officers must understand the whole process of developing and collectively implementing PMP requirements,” said Suirara.

He noted that the workshop is a historic occasion given that it is the second refreshing workshop for representatives from MFMR’s 6 divisions with the inclusion of two bilateral and multilateral fisheries institutional strengthening projects, MSSIF and PROP.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

AN outspoken female representative of the Auki Market vendors association Ms Janet Ramo has called on the 14 members of Parliament for Malaita to support and facilitate saving schemes for rural women in Malaita province.

She said not all villages have the benefit of having a women’s savings club and what is needed most is for women to have financial opportunities to involve in small micro business.

“Provide our saving schemes with necessary equipment and materials and conduct financial literacy and management skills.

“We have made this call because there have some successful stories on how the saving schemes had improved the livelihood of women with the benefits of schools fees have been paid and unfortunate children have now gone of school, homes are being extended and repaired. Food is on the table and social needs are meet and sanitation have been improved,” said Ramo.

The call is based on the Malaita Women’s Empowerment and Development Policy 2018 to 2022 policy outcome one which is to improve economic status of women and increased economic empowerment initiatives.