BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

AS host of this second PMP refreshing workshop, the MFMR family is delighted to invite and have you share your views, expertise and experiences on the theme “Effective implementation of Public Management : Our Strategic Goal”.

This statement was made by Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) Supervising Permanent Secretary and Under Secretary for Corporate Services, Mr Patteson Lusi who was speaking to guests and staff at the first day of their second Public Service Performance Management (PMP) workshop at OG Conference room yesterday.

Initially, he told participants that their prompt response to attend the workshop illustrates how important the outcome of the workshop is to the work of MFMR, Ministry of Public Service, the national government and the national parliament now and beyond.

On this note, Mr Lusi acknowledged the presence of National Parliament’s Deputy Clerk, Mr David Kusilifu adding that his attendance demonstrated the continuous commitment and support of his office on formal events organized to strengthen the professional services of MFMR and its fisheries officers.

He also welcome 55 plus MFMR officers representing 6 divisions within MFMR and two international funded fisheries projects, MISSIF and PROP who will attend the two day workshop.

“I am aware the two days program will be intensive but rewarding as it will allow participants to learn, discover and experience the real practice and procedure of delivering quality PMP in a government ministry”, said Lusi.

He added that participants will have the opportunity to hear from Ministry of Public Service’s facilitator about the corporate plan, divisional work plan and individual work plan and how these governing documents are reflected in the PMP form.

The Under Secretary told participants to engage and get as much as they can from the presentations, group discussions and mock sessions over the two day period.

Moreover, he went on to discuss the final day of the workshop which will take place today.

Mr Lusi explained that today’s outline will involve a presentation by National Parliament’s Deputy Clerk, Mr Davie Kusilifu.

“On the second and final day, we’ll have the chance to listen to Deputy Clerk of National Parliament on the experience of parliament as one of the few institutions used as a pilot project testing relevance of PMP in Solomon Islands public sector in 2012-2013”

“Furthermore, how parliament management and officers successfully delivered the PMP and outcomes of the PMP through evidence work promotions and annual individual increments”, he said.

Mr Lusi in final remarks stated that he is more excited to observe today’s session where participants and facilitators will take part in two interview mock sessions where selected officers representing MFMR’s six divisions will dramatize the best formal approach of when a supervisor meets a junior officer to discuss and translate the DAWP and IWP to a PMP document.

“As eluded earlier, I am happy to announce that this is the second occasion in 2018 for National Parliament, Ministry of Public Service and MFMR to collectively facilitate a workshop for the management and officers of MFMR”, he said.

THE Parliamentary Civic Education Unit (PCEU) will be taking Parliament down to the people of Isabel during the course of the province’s Kodili festival from June 25-29, 2018 in Buala.

The PCEU accepted the invitation to attend the Kodili festival since it is also part of its Education and Outreach programme to educate and inform rural citizens in the provinces on the functions of Parliament, roles of members of Parliament, separation of powers and professional supporting services of Parliament.

Men, women, boys and girls who will attend the festival are also urged to come and flock the Parliament stall in numbers to listen and learn more about our Parliamentary democracy.

To add a bit of excitement during the awareness programme will be the screening of the Parliament DVD which will sum up our Parliamentary democracy.

This include clips on functions of Parliament, responsibilities of MPs and professional supporting services of Parliament.

Taking Parliament to such a special occasion like Kodili festival is very important for ordinary Solomon Islanders, in this regard for Isabel people to hear from parliament what their MPs are doing in the big round house at Vavaya Ridge.

Furthermore, the outreach programme will enable PCEU team to promote the rich and valuable information on our Parliamentary democracy to Isabel constituents and vice-versa to allow the CIVIC team to mingle, interact and learn in depth about the unique cultures and customs of the people of Isabel province at the Kodili Festival.

Speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, Ajilon Jasper Nasiu once said in one of his speeches, that one of the many challenges of the Solomon Islands 21st century is that majority do not yet understand and appreciate the roles and functions of Parliament.

He said many still think that Parliament is the ruling government, which is not true.

Ajilon said, “As the national constitution outlines well, that there is separation of powers on the three arms of the state.

“Therefore, in order to understand this separation of powers, it is rewarding experience to engage with the general populace, through various civic activities and outreach program that will make them appreciate the mechanics of parliamentary procedures and processes and how these parliamentary mechanisms provide how the state governs its citizens.”

Last year the PCEU team had also took part in educating men, women, boys and girls about Parliament at the celebration of the 2nd appointed day of Guadalcanal province and weaving festival.

–PARLIAMENT MEDIA

THIS week, the Regional Eye Centre (REC) at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) received 3000 pairs of eye glasses, donated by the Lions Clubs of New Zealand.

The Head of the Ophthalmology Department, Dr Claude Posala, said the glasses had arrived at a crucial time for distribution to the provinces.

“The eye glasses will benefit the citizens in the rural areas who could not afford to buy them.

‘’I convey my gratitude to the Lions Clubs of New Zealand for their continuous support to the people of Solomon islands by donating a total of 3000 pairs of glasses, and I would like to extend my appreciation to the New Zealand ‘Take My hand charity’ for ensuring the boxes arrived safely,’’ said Posala.

‘Take My hand’ is a charitable organisation based in New Zealand that donates medical equipment to the National Referral Hospital and to other provincial hospitals and organisation.

At the handing over of the glasses, the Vice President of People with Disability in Solomon Islands, Mr Casper Fa’asala, expressed his thanks to the staff of REC for the work done to support the elders and the people with special need to access these glasses in the provinces and further to the rural and remote areas.

The REC Optical Supervisor, Mr Michael Siporu, noted that provinces are running out of common, low-powered eye glasses.

‘’As soon the first batch is ready and packed, the REC surgical team will take them for distribution when touring the provinces,” said Siporu.

NRH management acknowledges the Lions Clubs of New Zealand for the continuous kind donation of eye glasses to the Solomon Islands.

–NRH PRESS

WOMEN leaders representing all 14 constituencies in Malaita province and women’s organisations in Auki on Thursday shared their recommendations on key provincial women’s priorities that affect development and peace with members of Parliament.

The dialogue between the 20 Malaita women and eight MPs representing Malaita province aimed to highlight the issues and concerns of women in Malaita to ensure influence, information and resources are targeted at women’s empowerment and development initiatives.

“I see this national dialogue as a step forward for a prosperous Malaita,” participant and President of the Auki Market Vendors Association Janet Ramo said.

“It has brought us face-to-face with our MPs to urge them to hear the concerns of women from the grassroots. It is a positive and direct approach for them to seriously consider the needs of women in the rural areas.”

UN Women facilitated the dialogue in partnership with the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) and the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace (MNURP) through the UN Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF) project as part of the implementation of the Malaita Women’s Empowerment and Development (MWED) Policy, which was launched in March.

In opening the dialogue, the Minister of Women, Youth and Sports of the Malaita provincial government, Rose Liata, presented the seven policy outcomes.

“The policy recognises that investing in women’s empowerment is vital to improving the wellbeing of families and communities as well as achieving gender equality. This means that strategies must recognise the need for women and men to work together to address attitudinal and institutional barriers to women’s empowerment and development,” Liata said.

“The MWED Policy provides a framework for all Malaitan women and men to embrace their development and contribute to the growing economy of Malaita.”

The women representatives drew on experiences in their communities to suggest policy interventions. They addressed the outcome areas, which include improved women’s access to land, water and sanitation; improved economic status of women; and building peaceful communities and acknowledging women’s role in peacebuilding and the preservation of cultural identity.

The MPs responded to each intervention, often citing examples from their own constituencies, and proposed ways to make them more achievable.

In his closing remarks, Prime Minister and MP for Small Malaita Rick Houenipwela said the participating MPs share the women representatives’ desire to progress the interventions.

“This is not just your agenda. This is the agenda of our communities, not only of Malaita but of the whole country. We want to make something that is good for all of us, and of course, you Malaita women representatives have taken the initiative to come and see us at the national Parliament to speak with us about this,” he said.

UN Women’s Solomon Islands Country Programme Coordinator, Alvina Erekali, highlighted that the issues Malaita women face are complex and can only be addressed through collaborative efforts that include support from members of the provincial and national governments.

“It is time we connect and raise the profile of the untapped resources — and I’m referring to the women right in front of us — of marginalized women, especially from the rural places, and empower them as game-changers with regards to the development aspirations of Solomon Islands,” Ms Erekali said.

The Malaita women’s dialogue with MPs was made possible through the UNPBF project, which is aiming to support peaceful and inclusive transition in Solomon Islands, jointly implemented by UNDP and UN Women in close collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace and the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs.

–UN JOINT PRESENCE PRESS

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

THE 8th Solomon Islands National University (SINU) talk will be on State formation, state building and the unfinished task of nation building in Solomon Islands.

This topic seeks to address aspects of state building and the unfinished task of nation building in the Solomons.

The talk will be guided by five key questions; what is a state/state building? What is a nation? In the past 40 years, how have we engaged in state building and nation building? Why is nation building seen as the unfinished business in the Solomons? and, what are some of the steps involved in nation building?

Moreover, it is said that Solomon Islands has been involved more in state building than nation building.

Therefore, as the nation will be celebrating its 40th anniversary it is better to focus on nation building within the next 40 years.

It will be held today 5pm at the Kukum campus lecture theatre and Mr Sam Alasia will be addressing the topic with Dr David Gegeo as moderator.

Alasia graduated with a BA in politics from USP, 1982. He is currently pursuing PhD studies but on study leave. He worked in various ministries from 1983 to 1988 and became the MP for West Kwaraae – 1989 -1997. He is a writer and published a novel in 2003 and currently co-editing (with Professor Kabini Sanga) a book by Solomon Islanders.

BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

BE Happy Ministry in aid of Atoifi Hospital have received donated equipment and money from companies and members of Parliament recently.

BE Happy Ministry representative Mr Mambo Fangaria received the equipment on behalf of the hospital.

The money and the equipment were part of the direct response from appeals made by the Be Happy Ministry.

Speaking to the paper Fangaria said that whilst having the opportunity to thank all donators for the good heart they have in responding and for the donations, appeal still stands for those who have yet to give in their donations.

He said that the group have been appealing to 25 companies however, only few responded to the appeals.

To date he said that only one company donated a sum of $1000 with others; Telekom 1 umbrella/2mobiles, Sol Rice- 2 bags of rice, Origin gas- 1 cooking burner and Cheng Store $200.

In emphasising the importance of health, he said that health is everyone’s business.

“Often the services available depend on the needs of individuals, families and the community living in the area.

Most community health programme funding supports flexibility in the delivery of services, and enables develop models of care that meet the needs of their local communities.”

He said that Atoifi Hospital plays an important role to this nation.

“Atoifi has been gone through hard times, however, she still continues to be available in helping the sick.”

He added Be Happy Ministry has been supporting Atoifi Hospital in all aspects of healthcare for the past years in close collaboration providing support upon requests from them.

“The importance of this equipment and money is to fill a need where they can be utilised immediately in the hospital and as such would enable the Government to spend money on other items in need for the hospital,” he said.

He said that the equipment are currently with the Be Happy Ministry and will be handed over to Atoifi Hospital on a later date.

“All of the equipment is of the highest standard. The donations is required to meet Atoifi standards. Additionally, the usage rate of the equipment was minimal and as such is near new.”