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Mass to be held for missing person

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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A requiem mass will be held this weekend by the family of missing man, Chris Utia Nemaia.

In a media statement, the family advises that the mass will be held at the Holy Cross Cathedral this Sunday, April 29, starting at 2pm.

“This is held as part of the family’s grieving process in this sad and confusing time.

“The Requiem Mass will be an opportunity to find solace and take comfort in holy messages of hope in faith.

“Friends, extended relatives and colleagues of Christopher Utia Nemaia are invited to attend.

“At the end of the Requiem Mass everyone will be invited to walk from the church to take part in the floating of flowers in the river from the Old Mataniko Bridge.”

Meanwhile, Mr Nemaia’s family further request that friends and relatives taking part please come attired in bright colours of hope and not traditional funeral black.

“Flowers will be provided in baskets at the entrance of the church.

“The family maintains that their own attempts to locate Chris physically continues,” the statement says.

They also welcomed news that Police mobilised a dive operation at the upper parts of the river in the morning of Thursday April 26.

Mr Nemaia is the Senior Marketing Officer of the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau, who went missing during the flash flood of the Mataniko river on Thursday April 19.

West Rennell landowners maintain onslaught on their MP

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Alfred Sasako

WEST Rennell landowners have kept up criticisms of their MP, accusing him of serving his own interests rather than those of the people he represents in Parliament.

They took up two full colour pages of advertisement to vent their anger. The two-page advertisement appears as a centrespread in today’s Island Sun newspaper. It carries the signatures of landowners in Wards 3 – 5.

In a statement accompanying the signatures, the landowners said the call by their MP for the closure of mining on West Rennell is not genuine.

“It is a campaign strategy to lure voters for the upcoming National General Election.

“This is because he only highlighted the mining operation under APID/BMSI in his articles but he never mentioned anything about the mining operation that is carried out by Worldlink …,” they said

They said one of the reasons why their MP wants mining operation on Rennell to stop was because he did not “want other people to be well off. He just wants to be better off than everyone so that he could manipulate them in his campaign to be re-elected to serve his own interest and not the interest of the people”, the statement said.

The statement said social instability on Rennell was not caused by mining.

“We are the ones to be blamed for all these when we failed to create avenues to engage our women and children in order to prevent such social instability.”

The landowners also turned on members of the public for criticising the mining operations on Rennell, saying “we learned nothing from all those lousy noises”.

Teacher arrested for alleged sexual offence

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE Commissioner Mathew Varley has condemned the actions of a school teacher in Sikaiana for allegedly sexually assaulting a female student at a school there.

Mr Varley said a teacher involving in such offending is an abuse of power and breach of trust.

He made the comment following recent arrests made on Sikaiana Island last week after the patrol boat was dispatched there with police officers following reports from senior members of the Sikaiana community.

He said that two men were arrested in relation to alleged sexual assaults on two young girls at Sikaiana Island and are remanded in custody.

The two men were charged in relation to two separate incidents of rape which allegedly occurred at Sikaiana earlier this month.

“We received the report from a senior member of the Sikaiana community on Monday April 16 and we dispatch the Patrol boat in the afternoon of April 18 with the specialist team of Investigators, Sexual Assault unit our Intelligence officers and PRT for security,” Varley said.

“They went out to the Islands and conduct investigations for few days in which two suspects were arrested and also two victims were identified and cared for and were brought with the support to Honiara for medical check-ups the victims were subject to some serious threats and risks from the offenders.”

Varley also clarifies that police does not have any police post in Sikaiana, making reference to other remote parts of Solomon Islands which do not have any police post.

“It’s a very difficult balance between the resources that are available and something I will discuss with the Ministry. Currently we have number of other plans that the Ministry is working on as to where the Government will put a police post.

“Unfortunately Sikaiana at the moment is not one but that doesn’t mean will not be considered in the future,” Varley adds.

Police search for missing man continues

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

WHILE there has been a lot of criticism against police officers in relation to the search for the missing man, police say they will continue with their search operation.

Supervising Assistant Commissioner for National Capital Solomon Sisimia said police are still continuing with their search and starting yesterday police expert divers were out diving from Koa hill down to Mamana Wata.

He said police are conducting their search following information received from people and based on experience they have on searching for missing persons in the water.

Sisimia adds, they have established good communication with one of the family members of the missing person and are updating each other on what is going on and the progress so far.

“The search will continue today and if nothing discovered they will have other plans as to what they will do next,” Sisimia said.

Meanwhile Police Commissioner Mathew Varley said the RSIPF search operation began on Thursday last week (April 19).

He said the search includes members of the Police Maritime unit, Fire and Rescue and the Explosive Ordinance Department.

He said that police are not only searching the river but along the entire coast line and the river mouth and they have been intensively searching since the incident occurred.

“We also have our Fire and Rescue services involve because they have specialised equipment for fast water rescue and that equipment is not only for person found in the river also for precaution and safety for our own officers as well so if an officer fall in the river or need rescue we have to have a security proportion as well,” Varley said.

Responding to questions on whether police is using drones, he said the RSIPF doesn’t have drones and are not necessarily convinced in this environment because the water is running so fast.

However if they have information of any sightings they have the opportunity to dispatch a helicopter through their emergency response arrangements.

“We have other resources that can be used,” Varley said.

West to impose ban on plastics in July

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Former Western Province Premier Hon. Wayne Maepio

By Mike Puia

Gizo

WESTERN province will ban plastics as of July this year as part of its effort to be a plastic-free province.

The province is the first to impose such ban.

Premier of Western Province, Wayne Maepioh, said the plastic ban is part of the province’s plans and his administration is aggressively pursuing it.

Mr Maepioh said his administration is conscious about the environment of the province therefore the need to impose such restriction.

“The plastic free campaign which has been aggressively pursued will now reach its phase two for implementation.

“Effective as of July 1, 2018 Western Province will effect the banning of plastic shopping bags in markets and shops.”

He said the ban on plastic will includes ice-block plastics.

Maepioh revealed there is another ban planned on water bottles.

He said it is a separate ban that his administration will also follow up on.

“The issue relating to water bottles will be further pursued. But, for the meantime, the sale of plastic shopping bags and ice block especially in Gizo market and all markets elsewhere in the Province will be ceased,” Maepioh said.

He said this ban would give the women of the province a lucrative business opportunity to tap.

“This am sure will give women the opportunity to weave baskets or to sew shopping bags, a lucrative business,” Maepioh said.

Youki not SITCo product: Singh

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Youki cigarette

By Gary Hatigeva

WITH the recent revelation in the alleged manufacturing of tobacco product under a ‘Youki’ brand name that is said to be done without approval of the responsible authorities, there is also confusion over similarities in appearances and status as compared to current existing products in the country.

Yesterday, Island Sun’s publication on the issue also noted from sources including follow ups with those inside the Solomon Islands Tobacco Company (SITCo) for clarification on product similarities.

However, this paper was able to establish an official interview with the management for formal clarifications on this confusion over product similarities who officially disassociate SITCo from the reported brand name.

In an interview with SITCo’s General Manager, Shusendra Singh, he confirmed yesterday’s information on the product and distanced the company from being owner or part of the Youki brand.

Mr Singh clarified and further explained that the current brands manufactured by SITCo in the Solomon Islands are Pall Mall, Rothmans, and Solbako.

He said all brands sold in the country are packaged in compliance with the laws and contain the contact details of the company.

“The brand reported in the media article is not a product of SITCo,” the SITCo General Manager affirmed.

Meanwhile, he expressed SITCo’s supports to any government initiatives to carryout investigations into the reported issue as a matter of fairness.

“We welcome an even playing field for all tobacco manufacturers in the Solomon Islands in full compliance with all laws and regulations,” Singh added.

Currently, the country only has two major tobacco manufacturers, the Solomon Islands Tobacco Company Limited and the Solomon Sun who is the manufacturer of the Bro brand.

Unregistered pets in shops is illegal

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

DESPITE how much shop owners may love their pet(s), they just cannot keep them in their shops.

Honiara City Council Chief Health Inspector George Titulu says unregistered pets kept in shops within town boundary is illegal.

He said this in response to complaints from public on shop owners keeping animals or pets in their shops, which public say poses a health risk to customers and members of public.

The animals are also regarded as a nuisance by many.

Mr Titulu said the dog ordinance of the council states that animals found without a disc or wondering at large in circumstances which constitutes a nuisance or danger to public or to any person renders them (animal) illegal.

“With these circumstances it endangers the health of daily consumers in terms of pets’ nuisances.

“Due to these mentioned circumstances taming of unregistered pets at shops in town boundary is illegal,” he said.

In relation to its penalties the ordinances states that any person found breaching this ordinance will be charged in the magistrate court in relation to the offence.

Titiulu says shop owners who are in the habit of rearing pets in their shops should be made aware of the ordinance.

Hence the council is planning a campaign in mid-year to educate and inform pet owners, shop owners who have pets and general public over the set ordinances of dogs and animals.

Former North Guadalcanal MP called to explain projects

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THE Paramount Chief of North Guadalcanal’s Thimbo tribe, Mr Benedict Garimane is calling on the former Member of Parliament for North Guadalcanal constituency, Mr Martin Sopage to explain to the people how he carried out constituency projects during his term as MP, a positon he held for two terms.

He said Mr Sopage is one of the candidates that will contest in the upcoming national elections, and people have been curious and are seeking explanation from him regarding how he took charge of the constituency projects when he was their MP.

Garimane said that these issues include financial assistance given by the government to build a constituency centre, a roofing iron machine, a machine to drill water, Lucas mills, housing project, a health clinic, a roofing iron project, a water tank project and the issue of constituency funds that were transferred to a private account.

With documents to show, he informed the paper that Sopage had received a sum of $500,000 for roofing iron project in 2010 and $300,000 for a 2012 water tank project both under the Ministry of Rural Development Project.

Garimane adds that an amount of $1,200,264 was also received by a private account instead of being deposited into the constituency’s account.

The paper was able to contact Sopage, who explained that during his two terms as North Guadalcanal’s member of parliament, the government had carried out auditing work in the constituency where people were questioned about the projects he carried out.

He also said that everything he had done was audited and he was not questioned about it.

Investigation pending on sexual case

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE court was told yesterday that investigation into the case against a man charged for three counts of sexual offence and one count of intimidation is still pending.

Public Prosecutor Dalcy Belapitu, under instruction from colleague in carriage of the case, said police investigators are yet to complete the investigation – this is in regards to the photographs and the sketch place of the crime scene.

Ms Belapitu said once all required documents are collected they will serve it to the defence before the accused can enter his plea on the charges against him.

Meanwhile the accused also told the court that he is yet to secure any lawyer to assist him with his cases.

Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika then adjourned the case to May 10 to allow prosecution time to gather all outstanding evidence and also for the accused to secure a lawyer to represent him in court.

Bauro murder committed to High Court

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRINCIPAL Magistrate Jim Seuika has committed the Bauro murder case to the High Court.

Magistrate Seuika said after having looked through the documents tendered by the prosecution, at this stage prosecution is yet to prove the charge of murder as they are still to produce additional evidence relating to the case at the High Court.

Prosecution yesterday tendered the preliminary documents to the court and also made an application that prosecution will still tender additional documents to the High Court, this is in regards to the autopsy report.

Prosecutor Dalcy Belapitu, who appears on instruction of her colleague prosecutor, said that the autopsy report is yet to be produced as they are still waiting for the exhumation to be conducted.

The accused also was re-arraigned and he entered a not guilty plea.

This is in relation to the murder incident that prosecution alleged Jimmy Baukuhu of killing another person.

The allegation said Mr Baukuhu and his associates killed a man from Bauro on May 24, 2016.

The Prosecution said that the deceased was found lying dead at a seaside near Kirakira with a rope tied to his neck.

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