FOOD prices in Honiara continue to fall with 0.03 percent drop recorded for April 2018.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) latest Honiara Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of April 2018 has revealed.

CPI is a monthly indicator of the variation in prices for retail goods and other items.

The basket of goods chosen represents the spending behaviour of the population of Honiara and the resulting CPI is used to calculate inflation.

Government Statistician (GS) Douglas Kimi while releasing the official statistics on Thursday May 31, 2018 said the slight fall was 0.03 percent from 194.7 in March to 194.6.

He said the price fall was mainly driven by price drops in Drinks and Tobacco, and Household Operation categories of the index, which outweighed price increases in Food, and Housing and Utilities sub-indexes.

“The Food index went up during the month by 0.9 percent to 181.9. This was mainly driven by price rises in sugar 3.1 percent, and fresh fruits and vegetables sold at the Honiara market; most notable were bush cabbage 25.8 percent, pawpaw 22.0 percent, tomatoes 20.7 percent, fern cabbage 17.0 per cent, cooking banana 3.1percent, green coconut 1.9 percent, spring onion 8.2 percent and green pepper 8.6 percent. These outweighed price drops in dry coconuts -23.5 percent, melon -14.2 percent, Chinese cabbage -8.4 percent, cucumber -7.2 percent, kumara heaps -6.9 percent, cassava -1.6 percent, green bean -0.7 percent, bush lime -8.3 percent and non-alcoholic beverages -0.3 percent to result in the slight rise of the overall food index,” Mr Kimi stated.

Other major changes in other sub-indexes include;

• Drinks and Tobacco fell 6.7 percent driven by a 1.6 percent and 20.3 percent price drop in tobacco and betel nut, respectively.
• Clothing and Footwear fell 0.2 percent on account of a 3.1 percent drop in footwear prices.
• Housing and Utilities went up 0.8 percent largely driven by a 3.5 percent increase in electricity charges.
• Household Operations dropped 0.2 percent driven by price falls in household cleaning products, notably soap.
• Miscellaneous Items fell 1.4 percent resulting from drops in the prices of toiletries.

Kimi said apart from the above, price movements elsewhere in the consumption basket were negligible.

“The main underlying rates of inflation based on a 3 months moving average for the month of April 2018 were observed between 0.0 percent and 2.9 percent while the headline inflation rate was at 3.9 percent,” he said.

–SINSO PRESS

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE Central provincial government is embarking on a number of policy papers trying to translate to the policy paper of land partnership in order to have access to land with landowners.

This follows what will happen after the banning of logging in Ngella comes into place.

Second is the diversification of tourism by revitalising on it, as well as other private sector economic activities.

But the focus is on tourism according to Central Islands Province (CIP) Provincial Secretary (PS), Christian Siale.

He said even Forestry but on a reafforestation approach.

“We just had an approval from the Ministry of Forestry by the Permanent Secretary (PS) himself and the Director of Reafforestation. They have accepted the program to be situated at Maleali government registered land,” said the PS.

“There will be about three to four hectares which will accommodate a nursery station, research centre and will have two Staff housing, a dormitory and a classroom as that will form the basis where the Forestry will do a lot of native species trials on Maleali land.

“It will also be a source of revenue for the province in the sales of seedlings to other provinces as well as to reafforestation programs within CIP.

“The focus now is after all this logging through all these years, replanting is to take place.”

PS Siale said the slogan is “Invest in Trees” for the future.

“Trees will become a highly priced commodity within a range starting from five (5) to (6) years time. There will be a highly price depending on the species.”

CIP’s provincial government is looking ahead to liaising with the Ministry of Forestry as already there is a green light according to the PS.

“On that, hopefully to be funded by bilateral arrangements as the understanding of the province is most of provincial forestry projects are funded by KOICA and JICA,” said the PS

He assured that reafforestation is a sun rise industry.

“Based on these indicators and road map, this is where the province is heading in trying to utilise the forestry sector in not so much encouraging logging but reafforestation and investing trees establishing community plantations for the benefit of CIP and the rural as an alternative to the ban of logging,” said Siale.

“As well as the forestry sector, we are eying the tourism sector as an Australian Volunteers International (AVI) being a qualified cultural and tourism mentor is already working on some documents being assisted by the Tourism Division in Tulaghi that will be later linked to markets and other areas, as it is expected for the AVI to meet with some stakeholders this week in Honiara to arrange in reviving transport service to Tulaghi and also products and activities there.

“The focus now is at Tulaghi to set the platform as a pull factor of distributions to the smaller eco set-ups around the islands, but that is where the province is at the moment in terms of building connections and so as first things first to be done.”

PS Siale added that linking up network of eco set-ups will enable source of revenue for the rural population.

However, the PS also made mention that the province is optimistic regardless of the banning of logging.

“I think if the right infrastructures are in place being the services are conducive to whatever industry in the province, it should be okay,” said the PS.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case against former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Service Edmond Sikua is listed today for interim mention prior to his trial in July this year.

The trial date for the case has already been set for July 2 to July 31 this year.

Mr Sikua is charged with seven counts of official corruption contrary to section 91(a) of the Penal Code Cap 26.

He allegedly awarded government tenders worth $630,436.50 to Beeds Investment, a company registered and owned by his two daughters.

Prosecution alleged Sikua is by default the chairman of his ministry’s tender board.

The allegation said between December 18, 2015 and August 29, 2016 Beeds Investments responded to calls for tenders and was awarded business contracts for service delivery to the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services on seven different occasions.

The Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services have made payments of $630,436.50 to Beeds Investments for these services.

Prosecution further alleged that Sikua used his position of power and influence within the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services to manipulate the tendering process for his own and his family’s pecuniary advantage.

Sikua is the third public officer to have been arrested by Janus, since the establishment of the joint taskforce.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE court has again been told on Wednesday that the medical report into the case against Teururu Maraki is yet to be obtained from the Doctor.

Public Prosecutor John Zoze informed the court that investigators have been following up with the doctor but was unsuccessful.

This is in relation to the attempted murder incident which occurred at White River.

On the previous occasion prosecution said that all other documents in relation to the charge were already obtained but the only outstanding document is the medical report of the victim.

Principal Magistrate Leonard Chite also asked the accused whether he has a lawyer to represent him but the accused said that he has no lawyer, saying requests have been made several times but with no response from the Public Solicitor’s Office.

Meanwhile a lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Daniel Kwalai said his office is facing a shortage of lawyers.

Mr Kwalai said he will follow up with his superior in regards to the case.

Magistrate Chite then adjourned the case to June 13 for allocation of lawyer and completion of investigation.

Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A man found guilty for one count of domestic violence physical abuse has been warned not to commit any more offences against the complainant on the case.

Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika in his ruling on Wednesday said the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and a trial was conducted.

He was then found guilty and convicted.

Mr Seuika said having considering all the mitigation and aggravating features submitted by both prosecution and defence, the court warned the accused not to commit the offence again.

Seuika said according to the Family Protection Act an instrument purposely legislated to protect violation in a family or home, despite the relation is in a de facto or permanent order.

“What is paramount here is that the court will look at what range of sentencing will fit in well in such situations,” Seuika said.

He said since the accused has already spent two months in custody and is also a first time offender, the appropriate sentencing imposed is to discharge the accused without punishing him under the section 35 of the penal code.

“Dismissing the charge on condition that the defendant will not commit any offence against the complainant,” Seuika said.

Police Prosecution Service prosecutes the case in court.