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Liquor ban imposed for by-election

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

DEPUTY Commissioner Gabriel Manelusi says all liquor outlets in the Gizo/Kolombangara constituency will banned on the Election Day to avoid unnecessary disturbance during the bye-election on May 23.

He said police are not expecting any threat but police will be out there to make sure the voters exercise their voting right without fear.

He said officers in Honiara especially the Police Response Team with the Police Patrol boat will be assisting the Police officers in the Western province.

Mr Manelusi said that officers will be out there in 12 polling stations providing security, though there are no threats expected but police will be always there as their normal duty in making sure people are moving freely in casting their votes.

Men charged in relation to firearm incident to appear in court

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

MEN alleged of being in possession of firearms in relation to an incident in Malaita in July last year will appear again in court for mention.

Simon Fiusale and Iki Olomea were charged together with three other accused who are currently under warrants of arrest.

They were charged with being in possession of fire-arm and threatening violence.

Three other accused currently under warrant are Leonard Ofaka, Bredley Abarai and Jimmy Eno Bana, and they are jointly charged with other two of one count of possession of firearm and threatening violence each.

Police said that the men were drunk and threatened the employees of Dalgro Construction Company that had won the bid for bridge construction at the Tabaa Bridge in North Malaita on July 21, 2016.

It was alleged that one of the men who hold the gun which is a 303 rifle black in colour put in a bullet and then cocked the gun pointing it at the workers.

Police also ceased the alleged weapon believed to be used by the accused.

Police in Choiseul province search for missing person

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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OFFICERS of the Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIPF) in Taro, Choiseul province are searching for a 55-year-old man who had gone missing recently.

The man is believed to have gone missing between Malopaga Reef and Borokuni village in North West Choiseul during a diving trip with four other people on May 9.

The incident was only reported to Taro Police Station on May 10, 2018.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Superintendent Vincent Eria Says, “Upon receiving the report of the missing person my officers attended to it and assisted in the search for the missing person.

“It was alleged that the missing person and other four people attempted to swim after their boat drifted away from the reef during strong winds and heavy rain.

“My officers are trying their best to find the missing person. I appeal to the surrounding communities in North West Choiseul especially those villages in the coastal areas and boat travellers to assist police by providing information.

“Currently my officers have opened an enquiry file and investigations are continuing into the incident.”

People can contact Taro Police Station on phone 63199 or Honiara Communication Centre on 23666 or call police free toll phone 999.

–POLICE MEDIA

Pacific Island leaders welcome PM Abe’s commitment

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe at the opening of the Leaders Summit.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO IN JAPAN

Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe at the opening of the Leaders Summit.

THE Pacific Island Leaders who have attended the Eighth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8) have welcomed Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity.

This is through resilient quality infrastructure development and provisions of means of transport in order to fully tap the economic potential of the region.

The leaders underscored the importance of developing quality infrastructure including sea ports and airport in an open, transport, non exclusive and sustainable manner, in accordance with international standards, which also respect sovereignty and peaceful use of such infrastructure.

Gulatata’e finally pays up restoration fee, but

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Alfred Sasako

 

GULATATA’E Shipping Enterprises Ltd – the company that runs the LC Gulatata’e – has finally paid up its restoration and registration fees, the shipping company spokesman John Kennedy Taufunu told Island Sun last Friday.

Mr Taufunu said the payment totalling $2, 300 was made on 11th May this year – days after the registration issue was raised in the media.

Company Haus told Island Sun then that Gulatata’e Shipping Enterprises Ltd, along with its sister company, Gulatata’e Land Transport Services Ltd were removed from Company Haus register because of failure to file annual returns.

Both companies’ filing of annual returns fall due in February each year. Due to this failure, both companies were removed from the register on 1st September last year – eight months overdue.

The payment a week ago may not totally exonerate the company from the Company Haus requirements that it files its annual returns every February.

Island Sun was unable to confirm with Company Haus whether or not it has received the payment, receipt number 0530059, issued by Treasury on Friday 11th May 2018.

It is possible that Gulatata’e Shipping Enterprises Ltd may now be required to open its books to auditors after shareholder, Titus Fika, announced for the first time that the LC Gulatata’e is owned by the East Kwaio Constituency and not the shareholders.

Mr Fika owns a 20 per cent stake in the shipping business, according to Company Haus documents. Mr Fika who is also the Speaker of the Malaita Provincial Assembly has denied holding a share in the shipping venture.

John Kennedy Taufunu, who also holds a 40 per cent stake in the shipping business has also confirmed the ownership of the LCC Gulatata’e, saying it is owned by the East Kwaio Constituency.

Mr Taufunu said last week that arrangements are being made to transfer the ownership of the ship to the people of East Kwaio as the initial arrangement for the shareholding was done in a hurry.

He also denied the shareholders had received dividends from the LC Gulatata’e’s commercial operations in more than two years.

Female candidate vows to support ACB

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Lanelle Orlandrea Tanangada

By Mike Puia

Gizo

 

THE only female who is contesting the Gizo/Kolombangara seat vows to support the Anti-Corruption Bill (ACB) once she wins the seat.

Lanelle Orlandrea Tanangada uttered this during her final campaign in Gizo.

Among other things, Lanelle said she will support the passage of the ACB. A round of applause followed when she made this declaration.

Corruption in the country is common and has affected many essential services to rural people who continue to suffer the consequences of corruption.

At the beginning of 2017, this country rolled out its three-year National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS).

The NACS aims to reform existing anti-corruption legislation and policy and add new components to the country’s anti-corruption framework.

The strategy is geared toward addressing weaknesses in public administration, the judiciary, law enforcement, the private sector and civil society.

At the start of this year, many doubted the government’s commitment in pursuing this anti-corruption agenda.

This was after Manasseh Sogavare was removed as Prime Minister in a vote of no confidence.

Sogavare accused his detractors of attempting to derail the ACB, a key part of NACS.

The ACB aims to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The proposed ICAC would have the power to prevent, investigate and prosecute corruption offences.

According to Sogavare, some of the nine ministers who defected from his camp were those who had been hindering the progress of the ACB.

Lanelle said she is prepared to support the ACB to its passage.

Men to know fate today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case of three men alleged to have involved in an incident which occurred at Sun Valley area in 2014 is listed for sentencing today.

The three men were accused of damaging a permanent building and valuable properties worth more than $550,000 due to an ongoing issue between them and the complainants.
The alleged incident occurred on April 8, 2014 and has allegedly forced the complainant and his family out from their home and is now living with relatives.

It was alleged that following the incident, attempts were made to reconcile so that the complainant’s family could return to Tamone, but that was not successful until last year when the complainant decided to report the matter to police.

Lawyers from the Public Solicitor’s Office appear for the entire defendant while the Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

Odd coincidence

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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This is what is left of the ABA corporation store in Chinatown after Thursday morning’s fire.

Police may be asked to investigate why SIWA hydrant “turned off” during Chinatown fires

By Alfred Sasako

 

POLICE are expected to be asked to look into why a fire hydrant closest to two fires in Chinatown last week was allegedly turned off while firemen were battling the blazes.

The first fire destroyed three buildings which once housed the Aba Corporation, known to thousands of locals throughout the nation as Aba Store.

Police are still investigating the cause of the early Thursday morning fire, which destroyed a family heritage of three generations, spanning some 70 years.

It was while firemen were battling the blaze that the fire hydrant in Chinatown appeared to have run out of, forcing a fire tank to race back to Rove – about 4km away – to get fresh water supplies for the fire engines fighting the fire.

Millions of dollars’ worth of goods were destroyed in the blaze.

The second fire gutted a nearby building in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The episode of the fire hydrant running out of water also happened while firemen were fighting the blaze, which gutted the Cheng building.

It is understood the Solomon Islands – China Association (SICA) – is taking up the matter with the Solomon Islands Water Authority (SIWA) as it is concerned about the fire hydrant drying up during fire fighting emergencies as was the case last week.

Insiders said SIWA needs to check that all its fire hydrant in Honiara are working.

It is understood this was the third time the Cheng Building went up in smoke. The building which caught fire last Saturday was built after the 2006 civil unrest. It is the third time the building was gutted by fire.

The Cheng Building was owned by the same individual who owns the large Cheng Hardware at Kukum along the Kukum Highway in east Honiara.

In response to this article, police last night gave the following: “The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Fire and Rescue Service confirms that during the two incidents of fire at China Town in Central Honiara, namely the Abba Shop and Cheng Building recently, Fire and Rescue officers had to get re-supply of water from Rove as there was no water available in the piping system that is usually available to the Fire and Rescue Service in the vicinity of both the buildings.

“The Fire and Rescue Service continues to investigate the possible cause of both fires. Anyone with any information should contact the Police.

“RSIPF Fire and Rescue Service can be contacted on phone 24476 or the Police Communication Centre on phone 23666 or the toll free 999.”

A very productive trip indeed but at whose expense?

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Congratulations Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela.

YOUR trip to Japan for the PALM8 Leaders’ summit or at least the benefits from sideline meetings has given Solomon Islands what to hope for in terms of infrastructure development, largely in Honiara and climate change overall in the region.

Solomon Islands will be a beneficiary of the Y1.3 trillion regional funding initiative which Japan announced this week. Roll out of the program is expected in 2020 – just two years away.

There is more for the Solomon Islands, an initiative between Solomon Power and Hitachi Ltd to work together in developing a solar power plant in Solomon Islands. These are commendable initiatives and congratulations to the Prime Minister and his delegation.

But hang on.

All these juicy announcements were made against the background of a nation sinking deeper and deeper into what can only be described as an economic quagmire which seems to get thicker by the day.

Avid readers of our social and mainstream media would notice a lot of things do not align well with all the good announcements overseas.

Take for example the announcement by the National Referral Hospital this week. Its Chief Executive Officer Dr Steve Aumanu has told the media that the NRH would no longer be responsible for meeting the return sea fares of patients referred to the NRH.

The decision comes into force on Monday 21 May 2018. It does not mean you are barred from coming to the National Referral Hospital. No. But it does mean that you don’t expect the NRH to reimburse your sea fares or pay the cost of your return.

It simply means you will be responsible for meeting your own costs.

A look beyond Honiara on the power front paints quite a picture in terms of power supplies. The media reported this week that the Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Power, Pradip Verma signed an agreement with Hitachi Ltd to jointly develop a solar plant in Solomon Islands.

It is great news. But it is not so great news for life-saving institutions such as Atoifi Hospital in East Malaita for example. The hospital also hosts an extension of the Pacific Adventist University (PAU).

For some weeks now the Atoifi Adventist Hospital is going through a severe power crisis, denying students and hospital staff power. PAU students, and there’s more than 40 odd students there, are due to sit their exams next week. But they could not do their studies at night.

Hospital staff too are denied power supplies due largely to the fact that the Hospital is only using an 80KVA generator to run the hospital. That was about two weeks ago when I visited there then. I am not sure that things have changed since.

It is quite possible that other hospitals in the rural area, run by churches, face the same or similar challenges. Why can’t SIEA take the initiative in visiting such institutions with a view to setting up power supplies to these life-saving institutions?

State-Owned Enterprises with potential rural constituents such as the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority, Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) and so on should begin looking beyond their offices with tinted glass windows to see the greater needs of the people.

We cannot expect the so-called development to take place unless government instrumentalities look beyond Honiara and or other urban centres. Eighty-five per cent of the nation’s resources are currently locked up in the rural areas.

Unless and until the camaflouge of neon lights are removed from our vision so that we could see the common good, nothing will move.

That is why I hold the view that until government leadership looks beyond the RCDF grants and its conscience-numbing effects on the way ahead we could be in for a long haul.

So Mr Prime Minister you are bringing a lot of good news for the country, but who benefits ultimately?

Honiara Temotu nurses

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

Dear Editor, I would like to write in response to an article sighted on Solomon Star issue no 6909 on May 18, which carries the heading “Honiara Temotu Nurses”.

As the writer Leonard Meneseng rightly stated in his heading “Honiara Temotu Nurses”, he is no mistaken as they are Temotuan who lived in Honiara and never wanted to go back to the province and serve the people of Temotu province.

Mr Leonard, I am saddened by your article as it shows you don’t understand the issue of prospecting in Temotu province and who are the pro-miners and anti-miners.

Your article will never benefit the People of Temotu particularly Nende.

And even now you serve other provinces other than your province and think you guys can do better for Temotu province.

I can assure you Leonard, that the people of Nende even the very ones who drop out from school and the ones who never attended school at all, the very people who are just home dwellers and farmers in Nende are very wise and smart.

For your information, the people of Temotu do really appreciate the support of your highly praised company “Eight South Investment Ltd” with the support they gave to Lata Hospital and of course your t’ shirts on International Nurses Day.

But the people of Temotu are not blind to see a support with hooks attached.

It’s simple Leonard, after prospecting, mining will be the next phase.

It’s simple Leonard, wisdom is not studied in any university in the world.

We the people of Temotu are not blind and to say only minority people are in the anti- mining side is totally wrong and far from truth.

The truth is all of Temotu and majority of Nende people are anti-miners.

Only a few handful are pro-miners.

The simple sense the grassroot dwellers have is “If the miners took all our top soil and leave behind craters full with water, where will we plant our Taro’s Kumara’s, Pana’s, fruit trees, etc?”, “What will our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren inherit from us?”, “Are we going to leave behind just bear rocky bushes with craters?”

And “Will Australia take us to Australia if a big famine hits Nende or Temotu province?”

These questions are simple but is very important to understand as it holds the future of Nende people.

Lastly Leonard, the people of Nende are not blind, we understand that exchanging our future, our life, and the future of our children’s children with just a few hospital equipment and just a mere t’ shirt to march and celebrate your “International Nurse Day” is a decision we will not allow to happen in Temotu.

Finally, the medical equipment issued at Lata hospital has long gone been used and your t’ shirt has long been used and near rotting away through natural process “tear and wear” and see we still here to live on for the many more thousand years ahead till Jesus comes.

Are we going to exchange our future with a very temporary equipment and just your t’ shirts?

Now you see why I said “your article is nonsense” because you’re easily got hooked while the rest of Temotu particularly Nende are not!

 

Ulysis Glass

Honiara

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