BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

AUKI police recently arrested three males for damaging a water supply at the River Side village in Small Malaita.

Malaita PPC Timothy Apaesi told this paper that the incident happened last week and is under police investigation.

He said the initial motive for the alleged unlawful action is believed to be land dispute.

Apaesi said upon receiving information on the damage, Auki police attended to the incident and seized the men.

He said the men were charged and released on bail and are expected to appear in court soon.

Apaesi advises public in Malaita to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to allow police to enforce the law, because they are the ones mandated by law to do so.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE Commissioner Mathew Varley is proud of the performance and progress of the re-armament programme as it turned a year-old on May 8.

Mr Varley said May 8 actually marks the first anniversary of the police rearmament programme of the RSIPF before the end of RAMSI where a ceremony of 125 officers of RSIPF was held at the Rove Police Headquarter.

“This week is the anniversary of the Police re-armament and we thought we could give a good outcome and brief update and it is important for the community is aware of the work and the scrutiny that goes on behind the scene of the how the rearmament of our police force is properly managed understand that our officers are properly over the past 12 months.

“Obviously you aware the rearmament occurred including the development of the new National Response Department NRD complex at Rove including the armoury itself and the security systems that are in placed,” said Varley.

He said police always guarantees proper inspection and auditing of the weapons used and it is done monthly and quarterly and this is part of checking the record.

“We are pleased to say that all of our audits that have been conducted we have 100 percent compliance with the audits and so nothing has gone missing and that is a good taste of how the system and compliance are being checked,” Varley said.

He said all throughout the year the officers have done continuous training to qualify them to be armed.

Varley also said that the officers have increasing recognition by other police forces around the region for the expertise in weapons training and just recently RSIPF instructor officers have been to Samoa for five weeks to do weapons training for their instructors and now the RSIPF is looking at doing the same training to some of the officers in PNG.

“So overall the RSIPF rearmament have been going very well and we have had a lot of success and lot of increase in our security.

“And off course quite happy because we have done pretty well for the community,” Varley said.

He also said over the 12 months there has been no increase on the number as that is the only establishment on the PRT.

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

WESTERN Province Premier Wayne Maepioh is reportedly away overseas on a trip seeking medical attention for his sick wife.

Deputy Premier Malloney Lopoto said Premier Maepioh has informed his office about the trip on May 8.

They are expected back on May 15.

Meanwhile, Lopoto said he will oversee the Office as the acting premier during his absence in the provincial government.

“I am confident to take up this role as the acting Premier during his absence,” said Lopoto.

Lopoto on behalf of the Western provincial government wishes the Premier and his wife a speedy recovery.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

STUDENTS of national secondary school, King George Sixth have expressed dismay over their administration’s leadership.

According to a report received by the paper, teachers are alleged of turning up to classes drunk, mistreating students, lying to students and being absent from class.

To add on, students are questioning why these school leaders are indulged in such actions if it has to do with taking their leadership roles as means to benefit themselves or others.

The acting principal was also referred to as “unqualified” and “unsuitable” to lead an institution like King George VI, for the reason that some of the programmes students enjoyed last year are now forbidden to take course this year.

Further expressed is that the students are humbly calling on the national ministry of education to visit the school and see for themselves the kind of discipline the school is under.

Mr Augustine Omearo, the acting deputy principal, was contacted for comments on the matter but he declined to make any.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

LOCALS in Rennell and Bellona capital Tigoa are raising concerns that there is no PPC looking after the police station there.

Speaking to Island Sun in anonymity, three prominent figures in Tigoa community say Renbel’s provincial police commander Inspector Aloysio Manegaua had left Tigoa early April and has not been seen since.

They add that there has not been a replacement for Manegaua since, and the station is being manned by constables.

The Tigoa community leaders say there is an observed increase in anti-social behaviour, especially related to drunk and disorderly and public rows, which they say police do not act upon.

They are calling on the RSIPF HQ in Honiara to seriously consider Tigoa police station because Rennell island needs a working, visible and active police presence since it is a hub for extractive operations.

Island Sun had been following up the matter with the police media for clarification this week, but have not received any response.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE High Court has dismissed the Judicial Review of the Leadership Code Commission’s (LCC) determination process sought by former Special Secretary to the Prime Minister (SSPM), Andrew Muaki.

The former SSPM was found guilty of misconduct by the Leadership Code Commission in 2016 and penalised with a fine of $10,000.

According to report, the misconduct was said to have taken place within the Prime Minister’s Office during Muaki’s tenure as SSPM to then prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.

“High Court has dismissed his JR Claim on the ground because he did not satisfy the Court that there is no other available remedy that resolves that matter fully and directly,” said LCC in their press statement.

“In other words, Mr Muaki should have appealed the determination against him instead. This means that the LCC’s determination against Mr Muaki still stands.”

“However since the Court’s decision on 19 March 2018 to date, Mr Muaki had not paid his fine.”