CANADA has become the second country to legalise the drug cannabis and now the debate on whether it should be declassified has taken over the UK.

In Britain, it is illegal to possess it because it is classified as a Class B drug.

If found in possession with the drug you face a five-year prison sentence, while those dealing it can be punished with a 14-year prison sentence or an unlimited fine.

The government gave police powers in 2008 to issue a warning or an on-the-spot fine of £90 to someone found with cannabis.

However, conviction rates for cannabis possession are still low; in 2016, just 292 out of 16,101 convictions were imprisoned.

Following the case of Billy Caldwell, who was initially denied medical cannabis oil treatment for his epilepsy, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid said it is ‘time to review’ Britain’s laws on cannabis for medicinal purposes.

And he suggested that it could be reclassified from a Class B drug, but decriminalisation still does not mean it would be legally allowed to be consumed for pleasure.

So where is cannabis completely legal to use?

Canada is not the first country to legalise the drug.

In 2013, Uruguay legalised it in a bid to cut crime.

Spain and Portugal have a liberal attitude to its use, too.

In Spain, it has been legal since the 1990s to use cannabis in private places and cultivate plants for personal use. The country also has cannabis clubs, although it remains illegal to sell it for commercial purposes.

Portugal followed Spain in 2001 but went one step further and decriminalised possession of any drug, including heroin and cocaine, so long as the amount does not exceed a ten-day personal supply.

In 2012 Switzerland introduced a fine of 100 Swiss francs if you were found to have the drug on you, but the federal court last year ruled that the law was wrong, so as a consequence police have stopped prosecuting people for keeping a personal possession of the drug.

It’s also legal in the Solomon Islands, and last year Norway announced cannabis would be decriminalised for personal use.

Anywhere else?

It’s not legal everywhere in the Netherlands, but you are allowed to smoke it in coffee shops there.

The government decriminalised up to five grams for public use.

Where is it allowed but only for medicinal purposes?

France’s laws on cannabis are as strict as the UK’s. In 2013 they ruled in favour for limited prescriptions for medical cannabis derivatives but only when no other medications have been shown to work.

Australia, Argentina, Austria, Belgium,Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Macedonia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka,Turkey, Uruguay, Zambia and Zimbabwe say it is legal for medicinal purposes in some form.

What is the law in the USA?

There’s been over $1 trillion (£757,845,000,000) spent on curbing drugs since 1969, when the then-US president, Richard Nixon, formally announced a ‘war on drugs’.

With all the money spent some US states are relaxing their cannabis laws.

In 1996 California was the first state to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes.

And another 29 states have followed suit including Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

This year, eight US states relaxed drug laws to allow marijuana to be legal for recreational use as well as medicinal. These are Maine, Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Alaska.

–METRO NEWS

By Gary Hatigeva

MEMBERS of the Honiara general public have commended the Honiara City Council (HCC) Law Enforcement Unit’s latest demolition exercise currently being carried out to curb the ever growing illegal vendor activities around the city, but are calling for a fair application of ordinances.

This comes after SIBC reported the Unit’s demolishing exercise yesterday of stalls that according to HCC, were carrying out business activities illegally and have been breaching HCC Ordinances.

Further to that, the Head of the Unit said due to additional activities, with the illegal sale of alcohol, they were forced to take immediate actions.

SIBC’s Lowen Sei reported that according to Head of the Law Enforcement Unit, that because of big events also set to be hosted in the capital, the exercise comes as part of cleaning up the city and improving its image.

“We are also clearing up this area to allow road work operations to expand and improve the road here, because this market is also disturbing the flow of traffic,” the Head of the Law Enforcement Unit explained during an interview with SIBC.

Meanwhile, Island Sun took time to interview members of the public both on the street and on social media, where many expressed that while they commend the HCC Law Enforcement Unit for a job well done, the enforcement needs to be done to all who are found breaching relevant ordinances.

Some have questioned the unit’s credibility and integrity, with allegations that the unit seemed to be strongly enforcing the rule of law on vendors who are not close to them but continue to turn a blind eye on people they have strings attached to.

Also highlighting this, members of popular local online forum, Yumi Tok Tok, also expressed similar concerns of unfair application of enforcement to vendors.

Some commentators have shared that if the demolition exercise is being effective, the unit needs to ensure that it is consistently applied to everyone with the same illegal stalls pulled down.

“Leave no stones unturned, and work in line of profession to reflect no wantok business in your exercise,” one Yumi Tok Tok members stated.

Another suggested that while it’s challenging to accept such but if the people are to improve, they need to comply.

They added that true, it is a source of income for many, but pointed out that it also comes with a lot of disadvantages including hygiene issue, practice of bad habit such as unnecessary spending, health related any many others.

The forum also heard that a lot who are betle nut chewers don’t like such scenarios but and are hoping that the authority do something to properly house these activities somewhere safe and are controllable.

Some have suggested for the ban of betle nut bags entering through the gates of the wharfs at point cruiz.

Others are concerned that the unit is seemingly overlooking what’s in their very eyes, at the Central Market, where fish sellers are complaining that betle vendors are dominating spaces and in most cases, created all kinds of health related problems, which includes the issue of hygiene.

But officials within the Honiara City Council Head office said this are things they hear every now and then, but no one has ever stepped up to make official complaints on the highlighted concerns.

They however explained that the Council will closely monitor this exercise and ensure that all those in breach of HCC Ordinance do not get away with things.

This is something the Head of the Unit also strongly emphasized, stressing that the they are now back on the street and the demolition exercise will continue into the coming weeks in other illegal markets around the city.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

NEW Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is said to have announced they will be helping Solomon Islands again in the airport management reforms programme.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela, during his press conference after returning from visits to Australia and New Zealand to reaffirm the countries longstanding relationships and discuss areas of interest, is very happy they covered this sector of issue in their discussions.

“For a number of years we have been trying to work this out as this is again tourism related to make our airports managed properly, efficiently, cleaner and so,” said PM Hou.

He said the previous and current government are continuing work on these reforms and the idea is to commercialise the management of all the country’s airports.

“That is already ongoing which in fact, a company has already been incorporated.

“Only work on it is a bit slow because in terms of human resources as well as on the financial side.

“But I am very happy the New Zealand Prime Minister has announced that they will be helping us again in that sector with NZ$2 Million for the reform programme.”

According to Hou, operations should start before the end of the year.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

ON Wednesday 20 women from Maliata province had dialogue based on the recently launched policy of Malaita Province Women’s Empowerment and Development Policy 2018 to 2022 and issues facing women with their members of Parliament at the Paul Tovua Complex in Honiara.

The seven policies outcome discussed 1.Improved economic status of women and support economic empowerment initiatives, 2.Support women’s access to land, water and Sanitation, 3.Respond to reduce gender based violence and violence against women, 4.Building peaceful communities and acknowledging women’s role in peacebuilding and preservation of cultural identity, 5.Equal participation of men and women in leadership roles and decision making, 6.Provide an enabling environment for women’s access to service for women’s health and education, including young children’s education and 7.Resource and strengthen institutional capacity of women machinery.

Speaking at the official opening yesterday Minister for Women Youth Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) Freda Tuki Soriacomua said she is pleased with the collaboration between the ministry and the women in Malaita province which has been very positive and is strengthened by their working together to advance women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in Malaita.

She said the development of policy which the dialogue is based on is in response to calls from the Malaita women who attended the national women summit on peace building and peace and security National Action Plan consultation 2016.

“This policy is to ensure that priorities of women and girls in Malaita, including those who are marginalised and disadvantaged are met in a coordinated and systematic process.

“Hence my ministry will continue to work with respective members of parliament and the provincial government to support advocacy programmes and services for women’s development and empowerment,” she said.

Minister for Women, Youth, Children and Sport for Malaita Provincial Assembly Rose Liata said the policy recognises that investing in women’s empowerment is vital to improve 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.

Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela, MP for Small Malaita said the dialogue shows that there is more work needed to be done and carried out by Malaita’s 14 members of parliament together with the people of the province.

He said all the issues discussed and raised on Wednesday’s dialogue are vital and need everybody’s contribution right from the community level right up to the national level.

Hou said they (Malaita MPs) are looking to further dialogue and participate in the next step of this initiative.

The dialogue has given space for the 20 women to raise concerns on issues facing women and the people of Malaita based on the policy; the leaders took turn to respond on their (women) interventions

PREPARATIONS for Isabel’s popular ‘Kodili’ Festival in Buala township of Isabel province is 90 percent complete according to the Chairman of the Organising Committee Eddie Kanijama.

The Festival which starts on June 25 is expected to feature the unique arts and culture of Isabel province.

Mr Kanijama said the festival opening programme’s guest of honour will be the Minister of Provincial Government & Institutional Strengthening, Nestor Ghiro.

He said all three Parliament members of Isabel province plus all the Isabel provincial members are expected to attend including the Premier of Malaita province Peter Ramohia who has already confirmed his attendance.

“The Festival village features two large thatch houses to accommodate all sixteen wards in Isabel which are expected to showcase their Arts and craft.

“Another section which also features small thatch houses for individual people and companies who will also be there to showcase their products,” Kanijama said.

“SolPower personnel are now on the ground to connect electricity to the festival village before the festival opens whilst water supply to the venue has already been installed and running,” he said.

Kanijama added the festival is expecting a good number of youths from each ward to perform and display their arts and culture during the weeklong festival.

The ‘Kodili’ festival organised for this year is the second after the first one was launched in September 2016.

Playing of Kodili; custom dancing, singing, traditional sports and entertainment, showcasing the unique Isabel arts and crafts and scores of other local and modern activities will be on show day and night according to Kanijama.

It is expected that the festival will attract a lot of people from outside and within Isabel to attend the weeklong programme.

Premier of Isabel province, James Habu said during the inaugural lunching of Kodili in 2016, the festival was a provincial platform for tourism, encouraging business development and partnership with government and the private sector.

–GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION UNIT

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

KODILI Festival 2018 participants from Honiara begin their journey to Buala today.

The festival, which showcases Isabel province’s rich culture, is set to start on Monday, June 25.

Kodili festival was established in 2016, and takes place in Buala town from June 25-29.

Isabel’s Kodili Festival promotes cultural legacy, heritage, traditional knowledge and modern conservation.

The five-day festival being organised by the Isabel provincial government has a full programme of activities.

There will be traditional dances, songs, dramas, games, arts, speeches, pageant shows, and outdoor adventure activities.

According to Buala Provincial Headquarters Cultural Officer, Eddie Kanijama Kopala, it is expected that there will be more than 800 participants including specialised cultural groups and practitioners, as well as youths from the 16 Wards around the province.

“Kodili Festival 2018 will showcase cultural heritage and legacy, and conservation of natural resources in bold and innovative ways.

“The festival provides the opportunity to raise awareness and educate communities and resource owners about the significance of conservation of the natural environment and cultural heritage of the province. The aim of the festival also is to promote tourism in the province,” informed the Cultural Officer.

Isabel’s culture and tradition is captured through the participation of bamboo pan pipers, Kodili players and other selected unique performance by groups and artists.

There will be 46 participants each from Wards respectively; Kia, Havulei, Kokota, Hovikoilo, Buala, Tirotongna, Koviloko, Kmaga, Kaloka, Tatamba, Sigana, Japuana, Kolotubi, Kolomola, Susubona and Katova that will partake in the festival.

The festival supports the transmission of knowledge and culture to younger generation.

World Environment Day (WED) will also be celebrated with series of events and organised activities, showcasing the intermarriage of traditional knowledge with modern conservation.

The public audience and participants will be actively engaged in the two events that were integrated into the festival, fostering peace, unity and friendship.

From the shipping schedule received by Island Sun for the Kodili Festival 2018, Buala, IDC shipping’s MV Ortega will depart Honiara today (Thursday) 6pm mainly picking up Ward Youth participants from Kaevanga to drop off at Buala tomorrow morning.

MV Ortega from Buala will then be travelling straight to Baolo for pick up and is expected to drop off at Buala on Saturday morning.

Anolpha Shipping’s MV Maetalau is understood to depart Honiara on Saturday 6pm for Buala.

The trip will be mainly also for whoever amongst the ministries, companies, stakeholders and others wishing to travel to Buala for the grand festival.

DEAR EDITOR, I would appreciate you giving some coverage to this story since the provision of a mobile health clinic is much needed locally in view of the state of many of the nation’s run-down and decaying rural health clinics.

Quoting Radio New Zealand – June 20, 2018; “The Rotary Club of Rarotonga has handed over the keys of a new mobile health clinic to the Cook Islands Ministry of Health today.

“The clinic is housed on board a refurbished bus which will replace 27 village medical centres dotted around Rarotonga when it begins service next week.

“It is the culmination of nearly two years work by Rotary clubs in New Zealand, Rarotonga and around the world.

“Members of Masterton South Rotary in New Zealand are responsible for the purchase and fit-out of the bus which includes a machine for heart monitoring and a centrifuge for blood testing.

“It will provide medical care, blood donor services, health education and awareness for many of the island’s 13,000 people.” Copyright@2018. Radio New Zealand.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

AUSTRALIA has been recorded as the country that has the most nationals visiting Solomon Islands in the first quarter of this year.

Government Statistician Douglas Kimi revealed this while releasing the visitors statistics produced by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) recently.

The travels were being recorded from visitors by country of residence, visitors by month, tourists, visitors by purpose of visit, visitors by age group, visitors by occupation and visitor by carrier.

“Australia continue to dominate the ranks of international arrivals to the Solomon Islands with 34.9 percent,” Mr Kimi said.

“The second largest group of visitors were from Other Asia with 15.1 percent, followed by Fiji 7.2 percent, Other Pacific 6.5 percent, Papua New Guinea 6.2 percent, New Zealand 5.7 percent and the United States of America with 5.1 percent.”

On visitor arrivals by month, Kimi said the month of March recorded the highest number of arrivals in the first quarter of 2018 with 2,360 visitors. “This was followed by month of January with a total of 2,081 visitors and February the least with 1,855 visitors.

On tourist, Kimi said 1,941 tourists arrived in the first quarter of 2018 and they spent an average of 15.5 days in the country.

“Australian residents still made up the highest proportion of tourists with 38.7 per cent for the quarter and stayed in the country for an average of 11 days. Residents from Other Asians made up the next largest group of tourists 11.5 percent, followed by United States of America 8.6 percent, Other Pacific 6.3 percent, China 5.3 percent, while Papua New Guinea, Japan and Other Europe with 4.2 percent.”

Kimi added that the most common reason for visitors visiting the country during the quarter was for other reason with 28.3 percent followed by visiting for holiday or vacation 27.0 percent, Business and Conference 26.1 percent, visiting friends and relatives 14.7 percent and transit & stop over with 3.8 percent.

“The distribution of visitor arrivals by broad age groups for first quarter 2018 showed that 77.1 percent of visitors were in the 25 years to 64 years age range.

“The youngest age group, 0 -14 years, represented 4.5 percent of the arrivals while the oldest age group, 65 years and over made up 7.1 per cent of total visitor arrivals. The remaining 4.6 percent were visitors who did not state their age. Male visitors represented more than half of the total visitor’s arrivals with 70.9 percent and female visitors made up 29.1 percent of arrivals in the quarter,” Kimi stated.

He added that visitor by Occupation showed that the “Professional and technical” category made up the largest percentage of occupations with 30.8 percent during the quarter. This was followed by visitors who stated their occupation was from the other occupation group 29.9 percent, administration & managerial positions 14.1 percent, no work 9.2 and production and related workers with 5.3 percent.

“The most popular carriers during the quarter were Solomon Airlines who carried 43.6 percent of total visitors, followed by Air Niugini with 29.5 percent and Virgin Australia 18 percent,” Kimi said.

–SINSO PRESS

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

THE Governor of Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI), Denton Rarawa last month during the launch of CBSI’s 2017 annual report called for a reform to transform.

Rarawa in his speech said 2018 is a special year for the country as we will be celebrating 40 years of Independence in July.

He said this reflection enables us to look back on our journey, our successes and failures.

“What do we want to achieve in the next 40 years? What kind of country do we want Solomon Islands to be in 40 – 50 years from now? What type of living standards do we want our people to enjoy in the future?” he questioned.

He said as this year is the final year for the current parliament and the Government before the national general elections, Solomon Islands is at an important crossroad in the country’s history.

He said people will soon have the opportunity to choose new leaders that will take the country forward into the future. He said Solomon Islanders have the opportunity to change how things are done in the country.

Meanwhile Rarawa said it is widely known that growth and development in the country have been far from inclusive.

“Let me give you some examples.  After harvesting and exporting 37 million cubic metres of our logs, 1.2 million tons of our tuna, 1 million tons of copra and 1.1 million tons of palm oil that earned us $32 billion in the last 40 years; many of our villages and communities are yet to enjoy the “social and economic livelihood for all” articulated in our national strategic vision statement.”

Rarawa said many of our people still do not have access to safe drinking water, access to affordable energy supplies, proper sanitation, proper schools and well-stocked clinics, all weather roads, airports and regular shipping services.

He said in order for the country to develop and progress, we must build buffers and be resilient to disasters.

He said the economy needs to grow, on average between 5-7 percent annually.

“This is the challenge facing our country going forward.  To prepare our country for the next 40 years, we must reform the structure of our economy.”

Rarawa also called for effective leadership as development partners are ready to assist the country but Solomon Islanders must take the lead in the transformation process.

Rarawa in his talk last month was based on the theme ‘Reform to transform’.

CBSI for this year’s 40th Independence celebrations will be issuing a new $40 note and a coloured $2 coin.

These currencies are expected to be released soon.