Home Blog Page 1416

Temotu Premier tours far eastern outliers

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Temotu Premier David Maina
Temotu Premier David Maina

THE Temotu Premier and his 28-member delegation left Lata onboard MV Onogou for a nine-day visit to outliers of the province.

He left with his delegation yesterday for Utupua, Vanikoro, Tikopia and Anuta Islands.

During his pre-departure meeting with members of his delegation, he re-iterated two major objectives of the visit. First, the visit is necessary to maintain provincial unity and togetherness amongst all island communities in the province.

“This means our presence in these islands will give rural communities the sense of being part of the province and the country as a whole.”

One of the main cries of the people of these outer islands, especially the good people of Anuta is the lack of recognition of the provincial and national government on their need for basic services.

He said their reluctance to participate during previous elections came about because of these reasons.

Hence part of the visit is to inform communities that their wish for a separate provincial ward boundary has been considered by the TPG Assembly and recommendation for such has been submitted to the boundary commission through the MPGIS.

Secondly, he said, “Our visit will see the signing of an MOU for a piece of customary land, outright purchased by the Temotu province government on Tikopia Island.

“The land is currently used for health clinic on the island and will remain for any such related use to advance health services on the island.”

The provincial secretary during the pre-departure meeting also advised team members that all provincial divisions will have opportunities to visit and meet respective officers and public facilities during the visit.

“It is time for us to learn and feel the issues, experienced by the island communities.”

He encouraged all to look carefully at opportunities in these islands, identify them through discussions, see what skills are available and prepare report of findings and suggestion for improvement upon return.

The Premier’s visit is the first in a long time since Temotu gained provincial status.

Upon hearing the visit, every island community is looking forward for the visit. The team is excited on the reception anticipated ahead of them.

The delegation includes 10 provincial government officers including the Premier and his spouse and 3 other executive members of the three wards, 10 official from Health division in the province, three staff of education division, two police officers and three members of the correctional service in Lata.

The team is looking forward to a successful visit and to return to Lata by Friday May 18, 2018 according to tentative itinerary.

–TEMOTU PROVINCE PRESS

Councillors and MPs called to step in and help MID

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A former Honiara City Councilor voices that road development is crucial for the efficiency of services in the capital and suggests that Honiara City councillors and members of Parliament for West, Central and East Honiara constituencies step in and assist the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) with its current roadwork initiative.

Speaking to the paper yesterday, concerned Mr Charles Lesimaoma stressed that as leaders who are entitled with funds for development purposes with the responsibility to provide good services for people in Honiara, they should utilise these public funds to help develop our roads.

With a document to show, he explained that from the 2018 approved estimated budget, the total ward development grant for councilors settles at a sum of $3,226,000.

He emphasised that the money should be used to help spur development because it is public money and money that should be allocated and spent for the people.

Lesimaoma expressed that if both parties collaborate with MID and donors then there should be enough money to cater for road improvements.

On another note, he said that in other constituencies, there is the reality of a new constructed clinic, road, bridge or even a purchase of a shipping vessel but when it comes to Honiara, the heart of the country’s development these things are hardly heard of or seen.

He furthered that the government must be serious about decentralisation because if not Honiara will be more populated and existing problems will only multiply.

NOCSI President congratulates Seneviratne

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
President of National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI), Martin Rara

BY ROMULUS HUTA

President of National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI), Martin Rara

PRESIDENT of National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) Martin Rara has congratulated the President of Solomon Islands Hockey Federation (SIHF) Nihal Seneviratne upon his recent election into the new Oceania Hockey Executive Board.

Seneviratne was voted in as the new Vice-President of Oceania Hockey Federation (OHF) during last Friday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The Solomon Islands Hockey boss replaces outgoing Oceania Vice-President Kaluwin Potuan of PNG.

In an email to Seneviratne, Rara said: “I write this email to you to officially congratulate you and your federation for the attainment of one of the senior positions in the Executive Board of Oceania Hockey.”

Rara described Seneviratne’s election as a milestone achievement toward the growth of the newly-revived sport in Solomon Islands.

“This achievement is a milestone in the sports of Hockey seeing that Hockey is a newly-revived sport in our country.

“The sporting body is very happy about this achievement and as NOCSI President I wish you all the best as you serve the sports of Hockey for the betterment of our athletes.

“NOCSI looks forward to working with your association in years to come.

“May God Bless Solomon Islands Hockey,” Rara expressed in his brief congratulatory remarks.

World heritage body tells company to leave

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Lake Tengano

THE Lake Tegano World Heritage Site Association (ERWHSA), the body looking after the country’s world heritage site in Renbel province, has expressed concern about a foreign fishing company showing interest in the province’s fishery resources.

It has been reported that a foreign company is interested in investing in Renbel province’s fisheries, and that the provincial government had permitted the company a one-day visit to the Indispensable Reef for surveillance purposes.

The identity of the company was unknown until photos of people loading boxes in Rennell surfaced. The boxes were alleged to contain crayfish.

Renbel premier, Collin Singamoana, later confirmed the People’s Fisheries Solomon Islands (PFSI), a Chinese-owned company, was allowed to conduct a one-day survey in the province’s Indispensable Reef.

News of the company’s operation worries the ERWHSA. Chairman of the Association, George Tauika claims the national and provincial government have failed to protect East Rennell.

East Rennell is the only world heritage site in the country which is found in Renbel Province, to the east of Rennell Island.

He said it is frustrating that whilst they are making an effort to conserve that part of the island, the province is entertaining a potential investor in its fisheries sector.

Tauika said harvesting of marine resources is a normal practice by the people in the province but they do it in a more sustainable way.

He said foreign companies have no care for the rules and it is worrying.

“The company is foreign owned. These companies have no care for the environment. All they care about is getting the resources they need,” Tauika said.

2 Taiwanese doctors help NRH

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Two Taiwan’s medical doctors, Dr Liu Kuan Fu and Dr Li Cheng Yu who are currently in Honiara for four-month work permit as volunteers at NRH under Taiwan’s programme.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

Two Taiwan’s medical doctors, Dr Liu Kuan Fu and Dr Li Cheng Yu who are currently in Honiara for four-month work permit as volunteers at NRH under Taiwan’s programme.

TWO Taiwanese medical doctors are working at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) under a volunteer work arrangement between the governments of Solomon Islands and Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Embassy in the country through the Taiwan Health Centre (THC) deployed the two young doctors – Dr Liu Kuan Fu and Dr Li Cheng Yu, who will be here for a four-month period.

Since arriving in early March, the two have been assigned to work at the NRH and Honiara City Council clinics and have contributed through their expertise and service.

Fu is stationed at the Orthopaedic ward while Yu is at the surgical ward and emergency department including HCC clinics.

According to the THC timeframe, they will spend a month and two weeks working respectively at the NRH and HCC clinics before finishing off the last month by joining the Taiwan Mobile team’s visit to Malaita province in June.

Both have referred to their stay and work in the country as “interesting” especially the experience of learning about the country’s medical issues such as the high rate of NCD, malaria, dengue and other related clinical difficulties from local officers.

Yu said they helped with their expertise in different health departments of the NRH according to their line of duty tasked by THC.

He also adds that they are both willing to support Solomon Islands with their expertise and are looking for opportunities as well for further support.

“We are here not only to help with our expertise but collect information as well and give back to THC to produce a report and send back to Kaohsiung Medical University and then support will come,” Yu said.

Fu said they both come from different institutions in Taiwan and are doctors who are happy to provide support for Solomon Islands particularly at NRH for their four-month stay here.

“We joined the substitute military service, a programme in Taiwan. The platform provides us opportunities to use our expertise to serve in foreign countries in medical services and both of us are medical doctors.

“Now we in Solomon Islands to use our expertise particularly stationed at the surgical ward and Emergency department and orthopaedic ward, and this will be a new experience for us.”

THC Leader, Ms Alice HY Hsu said this year is the 13th programme which Taiwan Embassy through its health centre has been coordinating with the NRH.

She adds Taiwan has been deploying doctors and other experts from Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan to do volunteer work for four years now as an arrangement between Taiwan and Solomon Islands.

Hsu said sending doctors and mobile team of experts to Solomon Islands is part of its priorities to support the Solomon Islands health sector.

BLC hearing into Anti-Corruption Bill 2017 commences

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A Parliamentary Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) two-day hearing into the Anti-Corruption Bill 2017 commences on Thursday, according to a press statement by Parliament Media.

The press release statement explains that Anti-Corruption Bill aims to give legislative effect to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by creating new corruption offences that will fully capture a range of corrupt practices within the public sector or in the interaction between public and private sectors, providing for the investigation and prosecution of corruption offences, establishing a national independent commission against corruption and introducing a wide variety of measures to prevent corruption.

Also stated is that corruption appears to be widespread in Solomon Islands and impedes development, sustains poverty, hinders economic growth, induces political instability, enables unsustainable use of natural resources, affects service delivery, undermines good governance and the rule of law.

The reasons stated above are why the bill which was originally introduced in 2016 and reintroduced after being withdrawn from the Business Paper in parliament on Monday, August 28, 2017 is important.

Moreover, the statement expressed that the UN Review had recommended Solomon Islands to have an institution dedicated to the prevention, investigation and prosecution of corruption.

In relation, the bill will achieve this by the establishment of an independent Solomon Islands Independent Commission against Corruption (SIICAC) that will have it’s own finances, staff and power to instigate prosecutions with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Parliament Media furthered that stakeholders who will appear before the Bills and Legislation Committee under the Chairmanship of Hon Mathew Wale include the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO), Legal Draftsperson, Transparency Solomon Islands, NCW, FSII, DSE, Law Reform Commission, Leadership Code Commission, Office of the Ombudsman, Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Police (JANUS), Auditor General’s Office and Internal Audit.

4 missing men shore up in Choiseul

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

FOUR men who were lost at sea for 36 hours have been found at Vagara village in North West Choiseul.

They are from Karaka village in North Vella la Vella.

Vagara villagers rescued the four fishermen on Tuesday evening.

The fishermen went adrift on Monday after they ran out of fuel curing a fishing trip.

They had been fishing near a rafter between Vella la Vella and Choiseul.

A Mr Bernard Muvo from Karaka Village told Island Sun Gizo yesterday family members raised the alarm after the men failed to return on Monday evening.

Muvo said the four fishermen are expected to arrive back at Karaka village sometime today.

He urges people to check, local newspapers, SIBC news or the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service for the latest weather report.

Taro and Gizo police were unaware of this near-tragic incident.

RSIPF scales down search for missing man

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Members of the EOD unit during the search.

THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has scaled down its search for Christopher Nemaia who went missing on April 19, 2018, at the Mataniko River.

Supervising Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Capital and Crime Prevention, Superintendent Solomon Sisimia says, “Unfortunately the police has not been able to locate the body of the missing person despite extensive search since he went missing.

“The police search included officers from Honiara City, Maritime, Fire and Rescue and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit.

“Our condolences to the families, relatives, work colleagues and friends of the missing person.

“The police search was scaled down as from May 1, 2018 after a dive search by officers of the EOD Unit in the area of the Mataniko River from the Chinatown Police Station to the new Mataniko Bridge.

“Officers of the same Unit also dive searched on April 26 and April 28 but the River was too dirty to do a thorough search.

“The final search on May 1 was the most thorough search my officers have carried out but sadly we were unable to locate the body.

“I want to thank my officers for the commitment and dedication in trying their very best in searching for the missing person.

“I also want to thank the relatives of the missing person for their patience and confidence in the Police.

“We have done what we can do by exhausting all possible avenues during the search.

“I want to call on the travelling public from the Central and Isabel provinces and other mariners to keep a look out while travelling in the waters near Honiara.

“Please call Police Communication on 23666 or the toll free 999 should you notice any suspicious objects.”

–POLICE MEDIA

Crime prevention stakeholders in Malaita strengthened

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

POLICE on Wednesday met with representatives from various crime prevention stakeholders in Auki to strengthen their partnership and resolve to fighting crime in the province.

Officials from the RSIPF Rove headquarter in Honiara arrived yesterday for a half-day meeting and left at midday.

Auki Operation Manager who was also acting PPC, Inspector Michael Maebiru said the meeting looked at a crime prevention strategy in place for stakeholders in the province.

He said there was a workshop held at the beginning of this year during which the strategy was set up for a crime prevention committee to work on.

“So this coming is for the team to see progress made on the strategy or areas of improvement requires that will put into review,” Maebiru said.

He said two phases were held yesterday with the HQ team – the first involved government and non-government organisations in Auki.

The second meeting was held with representatives from crime prevention committee of local communities around Auki.

Western province agriculture declines

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

By Mike Puia

Gizo

WESTERN Province has been known as an agricultural hub of Solomon Islands, however this understanding is now under question as the province’s agriculture sector is on reportedly on the decline.

This deterioration is concerning leaders of the province.

Deputy Premier of the province, Maloney Lopoto said they are concerned about the drop in agriculture in the province.

Lopoto said the agriculture sector plays a huge part in the development of the province and a decline is worrying.

The provincial secretary, Jeffery Wickham said the province was a main supplier of cocoa in the past.

Wickham said it is worrying that the sector has declined.

He said even with a huge cut on the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) budget, which affected the agriculture office in the province, the office can still do more.

Wickham said the agriculture sector can feed the people of the province and its visitors and provide employment.

The work of the agriculture office in Gizo is directly dependent on the MAL office in Honiara with little control from the province.

The province and the agriculture office however work together in some areas.

One of these areas is work on the Mile-6 farm, a huge provincial farm in West Gizo.

The agriculture office helps run every technical things in the farm.

Staff of the agriculture office confirmed most of their work have been stalled since they have issue with funding.

Visit to other parts of the province, for instance, will not happen as there is no funding to cater for fuel to get agriculture staff out to the islands.

Principal agriculture officer, John Kepas, said their office will only wait on farmers who want support from their office.

Kepas said it will cost farmers more money but they have no other option.

He said communities where their field officers are present are lucky.

1...1,4151,4161,417...1,690Page 1,416 of 1,690