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Paynes visit successful and includes women in leadership roles

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Milton Ragaruma
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Defence Minister Marise Payne and MP Elect Gizo/Kolombangara Lanelle Tanangada

BY GEORGING KEKEA

Defence Minister Marise Payne and MP Elect Gizo/Kolombangara Lanelle Tanangada

“DIVERSITY and balance add strength to decision making at the exercise of the power.”

These words were said by the Australia’s Defence Minister, Senator Hon Marise Payne during a luncheon for ‘Women in Leadership’ held yesterday in Honiara.

Minister Payne says there had been significant change of women now getting into leadership positions.

She says 10 years ago, things might have been different, adding that there is evidence that women are now making significant changes in leadership roles.

She says Australia has been supporting Solomon Islands but Solomon Islands also needs to work hard because things just do not happen.

Minister Payne says already women are making a difference especially even in the small circle they represent.

She made specific mention of women working in industries dominated by men and said it is no secret that women play a vital role in the society.

Minister Payne says Australia had been supporting women in leadership roles, as well as supporting women in economic empowerment and also assists Solomon Islands in issues of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

“In demonstration of that Australia has a 10-year $35 million commitment to gender equality in Solomon Islands. It is a programme designed to improve political, economic and social opportunities for women in the Pacific. Recognising that it is vital, women have leadership roles and bring their perspective to the key issues on what needs to change and how that change can happen.”

Payne says GBV restricts women’s ability to participate fully in leadership positions.

She says apart from the serious impact on physical and mental health, GBV has an ultimate impact on women’s community confidence, on leadership confidence and on self-confidence.

Payne’s visit to Solomon Islands coincides with a period of high engagement with Australia’s Pacific Partners through Indo-Pacific Endeavor 2018 (IPE 18). IPE 18 is an annual maritime activity that delivers on the promise of the 2016 Defence White Paper to deepen Australia’s engagement and partnership with regional security forces.

In Honiara, apart from the luncheon with ‘Women in Leadership’, Minister Payne had also visited the Forum Fisheries Agency and the RSIPF Maritime Headquarters including a visit to Skyline Memorial to commemorate the Battle of Guadalcanal as well as the laying of wreath at RAMSI’s memorial.

Payne had said that her visit to Solomon Islands is an opportunity to demonstrate the enduring commitment of Australia to Pacific countries.

New YEC Coordinator committed to engage young entrepreneurs

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Milton Ragaruma
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New Coordinator for the Youth Entrepreneur Council (YEC), Mr John Wopereis will lead the Council’s mandate to encourage and empower young Solomon Islanders to become successful entrepreneurs.
New Coordinator for the Youth Entrepreneur Council (YEC), Mr John Wopereis will lead the Council’s mandate to encourage and empower young Solomon Islanders to become successful entrepreneurs.

AS part of its vision for a vibrant private sector, leading to better lives for the people of Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) foresees the importance of encouraging young people to take up entrepreneurship and be part of this vision going forward into the future.

To engage with young people, SICCI in partnership with the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) through the Ministry of Women Youth and Children Affairs (MWYCA) has invested in the soon to be launched Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC), set up under the auspices of SICCI and established to represent current and aspiring young entrepreneurs in the Solomon Islands.

SICCI recently appointed a new YEC Coordinator, Mr John Wopereis, who will lead the Council’s mandate to encourage and empower young Solomon Islanders to become successful entrepreneurs.

As YEC Coordinator, Wopereis’ role is to help drive a reform agenda aimed at unlocking legislative and policy constraints that are holding back opportunities for young Solomon Islanders. YEC will also facilitate support services to entrepreneurs undertaking mentoring and coaching, business planning and targeted business training.

“The purpose of YEC is to develop into a national advocacy and technical council under SICCI, that provide a platform (and a voice) for young entrepreneurs to creatively engage with policy makers to effect positive change aimed at prompting business and employment aspirations of current and future young entrepreneurs,” Wopereis said.

The motivation and drive behind Wopereis’ determination to lead YEC to achieve its purpose comes from the reality of youth unemployment in the Solomon Islands.

“There is no denying that unemployment among youths and young people is an issue of concern for the country and the fact that the youth population is also high. Young people struggle to find jobs and according to official figures 17,000 to 18,000 people seek job each year with only around 4000 jobs available,” Mr Wopereis explains.

He said the country needs to create more jobs for its young population and be innovative highlighting YEC as a platform for our young, talented and aspiring entrepreneurs to access services to transform innovative ideas into successful business opportunities while in turn creating needed jobs going into the future.

“The aim is to encourage young people start their own businesses by providing and facilitating the required support services and training and it is up to those young people who will become members of YEC to make use of these support services and trainings,” said Wopereis.

As a youth himself, Wopereis understand the challenges and the big task that lies ahead.

“In reality, we the youths, we are the majority; we are capable of doing good things that can have a big positive effect on this country. We are the risk takers, the innovators, we have the energy to affect change and we have more time. All we need is the right platform and support and SICCI through YEC provides that platform and support,” he added.

While encouraging young people to utilize the opportunities the YEC program provides, Wopereis assures that YEC will play its role in advocating on the challenges faced by young people in starting and operating a business.

SICCI CEO, Dennis Meone is optimistic about YEC and acknowledged the strong support of the Solomon Islands Government through MWYCFA in collaborating with SICCI and investing in YEC.

“It’s a collective responsibility that requires support and partnership from stakeholders and the establishment of YEC is a testament of the vison of the government and private sector to assist young people in business,” says Meone.

“Already we have seen many platforms for youths and young people which is really positive but YEC is aimed at ensuring long term sustainability of potential businesses by not only engaged in policy dialogue but also undertaking support mechanisms to support entrepreneurs.”

SICCI as the peak body representing the private sector has a role to play in encouraging entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for young people, hence, the set-up of the YEC.

A Grant Agreement was signed between SICCI and MWYCFA last year with MWYCFA providing funds amounting to $200,000 to meet the set-up cost of the Council.

With a Coordinator now in office, YEC is expected to be officially launched soon.

The YEC initiative supports Objective 5 of the National Development Strategy which prioritises private sector development and entrepreneurship and is exactly the type of cooperation envisaged when the Solomon Islands Government and SICCI signed the Memorandum of Understanding last year contributing to a Public-Private Partnership and in strengthening government relationships with the private sector.

–SICCI PRESS

2-minute surgery helps woman

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Milton Ragaruma
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Dr Wang Tse Lun showing the woman’s fingers which he operated on.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

Dr Wang Tse Lun showing the woman’s fingers which he operated on.

NEUROSURGERY specialist from Taiwan Dr Wang Tse Lun has restored hope for a woman from Small Malaita who had been suffering from ‘trigger finger’.

Dr Wang from Taiwan, a team leader for the Taiwan Medical Mobile Team to Small Malaita, performed the surgery in just two minutes.

Dr Wang said he met the woman at River Side village of the Small Malaita which she complained her fingers could not be extended.

The woman said she has been suffering with this for many years and it affected her gardening, experienced severe pain and could not do normal work.

“I remember meeting her at River Side village in Small Malaita, and there was no clinic there, so I tell her to come to Afio because River Side was close to Afio clinic.

“On Wednesday morning, she came back to Afio to find me and I did a small operation, I just use one needle.

“The trigger finger is cause by the tendency so I use the needle to loosen the tendency and one minute later she could move her fingers freely again.

“She thinks it’s a magic because the operation done in one minute that her finger can extend again.

“She is happy because she can now do normal work more easily,” Wang said.

He said trigger finger is a common disease in Taiwan and believes it’s also common in Solomon Islands.

Trigger finger is a common finger aliment, thought to be caused by inflammation and subsequent narrowing of the A1 pulley, which causes pain, clicking, catching, and loss of motion of the affected finger.

Although it can occur in anyone, it is seen more frequently in the diabetic population and in women, typically in the fifth to sixth decade of life.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Mobile Team said their next trip would be next year to support remote communities in Solomon Islands would be next year.

The team said their mission was successful which they have served and touches many remote lives with their health expertise to ensure they achieved the Health for All Mission.

With the next trip, they will discuss with Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Taiwan Embassy and other relevant stakeholders.

Premier Maepioh congratulates election winners

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

WESTERN province caretaker Wayne Maepioh has congratulated the winning MPAs of the province’s Wednesday election, including his successor.

Pitiri Sute is now ward 23 Gatokae’s member of provincial assembly (MPA), having edged out Maepioh by a margin of 32 votes.

When contacted yesterday Maepioh congratulated all the newly elected MPA and those who retained their seat.

“I would like to congratulate all our 16 newly winning candidates upon taking up the leadership roles and 10 MPA who reseat this year election.

“I know it took much our time and effort to achieve our goal to represent the people at the provincial level.

“With all due respect, I hope to oversee the provincial duties and be able to achieve all your long term goals for the next 4 years.”

SI reassured of security by Australia

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Senator Payne presenting a gift to the acting Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

ACTING Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was paid a courtesy visit by the Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne at the Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet in Honiara, on Thursday.

Mr Sogavare welcomed Senator Payne and her delegation who are currently on a Pacific tour to increase its engagement with its Pacific partners.

Acting & Deputy Prime Minister Sogavare took the opportunity to highlight the importance of regional security and the important role played by Australia in the region.

Sogavare also conveyed on behalf of the Government and people his acknowledgement to Australia’s leading role in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) over the past 14 years.

Acting PM Sogavare and the Australian Defence Minister during the meeting.

“We have had our share of experiences in law and order during the civil crisis. We fell but we got up again and we are grateful for Australia through RAMSI for helping us recover from the crisis,” he said.

Sogavare said Solomon Islands dared not to go down that path again.

He said in terms of security in the region, it should and it must be a joint responsibility to keep the Pacific region safe.

The acting Prime Minister also spoke highly of the South Pacific Intelligence Dialogue (SPID) held in Honiara last week which discussions had centred on promoting and encouraging peace and security in the region.

Sogavare has also raised issues on the SI/PNG border and maritime security.

Senator Payne presenting a gift to the acting Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

The Australian Defence Minister Senator Payne in response reiterated Australia’s commitment to regional security.

She said Australia will be reinforcing its security in the region.

“Australia is appreciative of the progress Solomon Islands has made in the last 14 years and the positive transformation of the RSIPF,” she highlighted.

Senator Payne also assured the acting Prime Minister that Australia will continue to work closely with the Solomon Islands in the areas of maritime security and border security.

“The partnership with Solomon Islands is very vital to Australia,” the Defence Minister said.

Meanwhile, Sogavare has also welcomed the Australia’s coast watchers initiative that is currently providing visible and physical presence at the western border.

–OPMC PRESS

Undersea cable project ‘forced down our throat’: senior official

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Milton Ragaruma
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Undersea cable

By Alfred Sasako

THE multi-million dollar optic fibre undersea cable project linking Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands with Australia was “forced down our throat”, a senior government official has told Island Sun.

The official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela never consulted senior technical officers who were handling the project.

“He [Prime Minister] simply buckled under pressure from Canberra,” the official said.

“The Prime Minister never consulted us. It was after a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that he agreed with Canberra to block Huawei from the project. It was then that he told us to work on the new arrangement.

“You could say the project was forced down our throat. And when the boss succumbed to Canberra, we have lost our sovereignty, independence and our rights to make decision,” the official said.

Australia and Solomon Islands yesterday signed a contract to block Huawei from the project, effectively giving Canberra the upper hand in determining the pace and level of economic development for Solomon Islands.

The 4,000 km cable will connect Solomon Islands to Papua New Guinea and then to Australia. Huawei won a contract to build the cable in 2016, which so irritated Australia that its Department of Foreign Affairs offered to run a new tender and to pay for two-thirds of the link.

Reports say the decision will cost Australia’s foreign aid budget upwards of AU$100 million, with the spending designed to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has characterised the cable contract, signed during Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela’s visit to Australia, as “a simple matter of competition”.

“We offered them an alternative to an undersea cable project, we believe it is cheaper, faster, more reliable than the competitor,” Bishop told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s AM programme two days ago.

“It’s a competitive world … we want them to have alternatives,” she added.

Australia’s handling of the project has drawn criticisms within and outside Australia with one questioning Ms Bishop’s claim that the network would be “cheaper, faster and more reliable than its competitor”.

“Sounds like some BS that would come from Malcolm Turnbull [Australia’s Prime Minister],” the anonymous observer said.

“I’ve never seen Australia build ANYTHING cheaper or faster than China, and if Turnbull gets his hands on it, it’ll be a 3rd world solution like his version of the NBN that Australia got stitched up with,” the person said.

Australia’s efforts in blocking anything with links to the Chinese government are not new. It is part of an elaborate scheme to keep a close eye on China’s activities in the Pacific.

Maepioh ousted in election

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Milton Ragaruma
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Former Western Province Premier Hon. Wayne Maepio

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

Former Western Province Premier Hon. Wayne Maepio

WESTERN province’s premier Wayne Maepioh has lost his provincial ward seat in Wednesday’s election.

Maepioh is currently the province’s caretaker premier.

He lost his seat by a margin of 32 votes to newcomer Mr Pitiri Sute, who won with 583 votes.

Sute succeeds Maepioh as MPA for ward 23 Gatokae.

Maepioh had taken the province’s helm from former premier Robert Kuve on August 9, 2016, after Kuve stepped down to medical reasons.

Meanwhile, deputy premier Maloney Lopoto has also lost the ward 15 Munda seat to newcomer Mr David Gina.

MACFest Committee praises New Caledonia

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Milton Ragaruma
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PS Andrew Nihopara

By Gary Hatigeva

PERMANENT Secretary for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Chair of the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival (MACFEST) committee, Andrew Nihopara has acknowledged New Caledonia’s contribution to support the hosting of the 6th Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival.

The MacFest Chair expressed this following the fulfilment of New Caledonia’s part from a signed agreement between the two nations, under the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Cultural Cooperation Agreement, for the providence of fireworks and sound system for the event.

In an exclusive interview regarding this, Nihopara explained that this agreement has made a significant relief to the MacFest committee’s budget, as it could not afford to include the fire works within its hosting budget due to its high cost.

“But thanks to the MSG Cultural Cooperation Agreement, which was further endorsed in the Ministers of Culture Meeting in December 2017, the FLNKS through the New Caledonia Government stepped in to provide the 1.3 tonnes of fire works for opening and closing ceremonies and also for the 40th independence anniversary celebrations on the 6th of July,” the relieved Chairman further expressed.

He said the container of the donated fireworks have arrived in the country in late May, along with their technical crew, and as part of the deal, MACFEST is meeting the accommodation and food cost of the technical team of three people.

He added that also as part of the agreement, MACFEST is also meeting the logistics support for the movement of the team and the fireworks to the various locations, which vary between Lawson Tama, the Panatina Grounds and the Ports area.

He however assured that the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has taken custody of the fireworks materials since their arrival in the country for safe keeping.

“This support by New Caledonia will ensure that the MACFEST is colourful, Honiara residence will enjoy the fireworks during these important occasions and most importantly, the Festival will have the flavour of what a real festival should be,” Nihopara further explained.

Meanwhile, he added that further to the supply of the fire works, New Caledonia is also making a significant contribution under the Cultural Cooperation Agreement with a further 2 tonnes of state-of-the-art sounds and lighting equipment.

“This contribution is very significant due to the fact that given the limitation in the available budget for hiring of such equipment, the MACFEST Committee planned a huge scaling down of the need for equipment to be hired.

“The support from New Caledonia with the sound and lighting equipment again has enabled the plans to stage have equipments available at all the performance venues and stages during the 10 days festival.

“Like for the fireworks, New Caledonia is also sending in the technical crew for the set up of the sounds and lighting equipments.

“All the sound equipment will be temporarily imported into the Solomon Islands for the purpose of the Festival and after the conclusion of the Festival, the equipment will be packed into the containers again and freighted back to New caledonia.

“For the containers of fire works and sound ” lighting equipment, the New Caledonian government also meet the freight costs into the Solomon Islands and they are also meeting the backward freight of the equipment.

“MACFEST only meet all the on-the-ground costs in Honiara,” the MacFest Committee Chair further explained.

He then reiterated that with New Caledonia’s contributions, there is a huge relief of the MACFEST budget for the Committee to concentrate on the priority costs of hosting the events and the necessary infrastructure for the event to successfully take place next month.

“There will be a formal convey of appreciation to the New Caledonia Government during the 6th Ministers of Culture Meeting in Honiara on the 28th of June 2018,” he further added.

On the other hand, the MACFEST Committee is also looking forward to the assistance by the other MSG Countries in this regard under the MSG Cultural Cooperation Agreement in the coming week.

Fooling our donors

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Milton Ragaruma
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Parliament

New scheme created to return government MPs next election

BY ALFRED SASAKO

FOREIGN governments and lending institutions long known for their opposition to fraud and abuse of public funds may be unknowingly funding a scheme reportedly designed to return Government MPs at next year’s poll.

The scheme involves the creation of another monster known as the Constituency Machinery Grants (CMG) being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD).

At least some $268 million of donor funding has been transferred into the new scheme, designed to return Government MPs at the next election.

The funds were from the National Transport Fund, which this year has a zero budget.

Australia, New Zealand and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) co-funded the National Transport Fund under the Development Budget.

ADB administers the NTF in conjunction with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development. It is not clear whether these donors are aware of the scheme. Donor funding to this year’s Development Budget fell by 52 percent, causing a lot of difficulties for project funding.

The Solomon Islands Government’s contribution to the NTF this year is roughly about $40 million, but this has not been paid because there is no longer a National Transport Fund, Island Sun was told yesterday.

Instead, the government is using the newly created CMG to legitimise the use of the donor funds, a businessman told Island Sun.

“The CMG would be the vehicle to fund all infrastructure projects in each MP’s constituency, using the funds which are no longer tied down to conditions set by donors for the use of the National Transport Fund.

“These constituency infrastructure projects are then put out on tender merely as a formality. Each government MP is involved so that kickbacks from these contracts are pooled for electioneering purposes,” sources with inside knowledge of the scheme told Island Sun.

“Winners of these tenders are largely pre-determined. So if you are not connected with any Government MPs, tough luck,” one source said.

The sources said one senior politician has already begun his share of the scheme by undertaking infrastructure projects in his own Constituency without the knowledge of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

“This individual is using his own machinery to do the variety of projects he has chosen to undertake in his Constituency without tender. The funds being used in these so-called constituency infrastructure development projects are supposed to be closely monitored by donors.

“But it seems they are looking the other way,” the sources said.

The creation of the Constituency Machinery Grants is certain to kick a fuss amongst the public given the amount of money politicians received over the 12 years or so.

The figures below show what Transparency Solomon Islands has uncovered in its recent report. It found that:

Year     Total SIG Budget     Per Constituency (SBD)

2000     5 Million                   $100,000

2001     5 Million                   $100,000

2002     10 Million                 $200,000

2003    10 Million                 $200,000

2004     10 Million                 $200,000

2005     10 Million                 $200,000

2006     10 Million                 $200,000

2007     50 Million                 $1,000,000

2008     105 Million              $2,100,000

2009     105 Million               $2,100,000

2010     105 Million               $2,100,000

2011     105 Million               $2,100,000

2012     260 Million               $5,200,000

2013     300 Million               $6 million

2014     300 Million               $6 million

2015     330 Million               $6.6 million

2016     350 Million               $7 million

2017     325 Million               $6.5 million

Solomons at risk from plastic in the ocean

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, an article in the Island Sun newspaper this week gave some stark statistics on the estimated amount of plastic in the ocean which, according to the UN Environment Agency, it was claimed 13 million tones end up in the seas.

The Sun’s article went on to describe the threat plastic poses to coral, marine wildlife, to the planet and to humans.

Real evidence of the threat plastic poses to marine wildlife became evident in Southern Thailand in the past week

A small male pilot whale was found barely alive in waters close to the border with Malaysia. It was found to have swallowed more than 80 plastic bags and despite efforts by the Thai Department of Marine and Coastal Resources the whale died.

An autopsy revealed the 80 plastic bags weighed up to eight kilograms (18 pounds) in the creature’s stomach.

A marine biologist said the bags had made it impossible for the whale to eat any nutritional food.

Solomon Islands is hugely dependent of its fishing industry and fishing as a source of food but currently uses too much plastic and one must question how many marine animals are perishing already in local waters after ingesting plastic?

It is very much hoped the current review of legislation, including the Environment Act, will soon lead to practical and cost effective ways to curtail the use of plastics and begin recycling plastics currently disposed of as domestic and industrial rubbish.

I have noted moves in the right direction have begun in the Western Province and in Vanuatu

The New Zealand government recently proposed helping its Pacific island neighbours with rubbish disposal to prevent plastic pollution in the ocean and I would encourage the Solomon Islands government to get such assistance.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

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