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School closes after decades of neglect by SDA Mission

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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The once premier school of Renbel province, the Mataiho SDA Primary School, standing obscured from the world behind wild vegetation.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE premier primary school of the Seventh Day Adventist in Bellona has been closed following failure by the SDA Mission to develop the school after 54 years.

Owner of the land on which the school stands, Jim Seuika, closed the Mataiho SDA primary school in response to decades of neglect by the SDA Mission.

Mr Seuika explains that his father had allowed the three-hectare land for the Mission as goodwill for the school to be built there, with absolutely no cost to the SDA Mission.

The school was establishment in 1964 and grew through the 60s and 70s, at one stage being the only primary school in the province.

The once premier school of Renbel province, the Mataiho SDA Primary School, standing obscured from the world behind wild vegetation.

However, in the 80s the school’s infrastructure notably began to deteriorate, and what was once a multi-classroom school, Mataiho turned out to be just a one-classroom school by the 90s.

This decline happened under the watch of the SDA Mission but it made no effort to rescue Mataiho school.

Furthermore, community support dwindled to just the staffs, students and a handful of parents. Unlike in the past, nearly the whole island turned up with vigour to support the school in whatever activities and programmes planned.

About a decade ago, landowners approached the SDA Mission requesting that it renovated the school’s classrooms and build staff houses including a proposal to upgrade Mataiho to a community high.

Since then the SDA Mission has kept the landowners in limbo with false promises of addressing the school’s needs.

Mataiho classroom barricaded with timber signalling its closure until further notice.

Seuika says, “All we ask for is that the Mission develops Mataiho school, like renovate the current classroom, build more classrooms, build staff houses, and even the possibility of upgrading the school to a have a secondary stream.

“We have never asked the Mission a single cent since the time of my father before school’s establishment to this day. Mataiho has been free for the Mission since day one.

“We only suggest that the Mission improve the school with no strings or conditions attached. Many SDA education directors and presidents have come and gone, but our calls have fallen on deaf ears.”

Last year, landowners decided to put their foot down and demand that the SDA Mission comes clear with its real intentions regarding Mataiho school.

A 21-day notice of closure was served to the Mission last year on April 27 by Mr Seuika to persuade the authority to the table for talks regarding the school.

The hole ridden interior of the classroom.

However, the SDA Mission ignored this notice and Seuika despite this, allowed the school to complete last year’s classes.

This year, on April 2, Seuika closed the school and served the SDA Mission a 14-day notice on April 11.

This is the final call for the SDA Mission to come to the table to discuss the issues surrounding Mataiho. If the Mission repeats its usual practice of ignorance and false promises, then Seuika says he will permanently close the school down and call on the Mission to go and remove its building materials from Mataiho.

Thus, it is understood that the notice lapses on April 25, 2018, after which there will be no hope for negotiations.

Meanwhile, SDA education director Mr Billy Leta said Mataiho Primary School’s closure last week is because of land issue and has nothing to do with the SDA authority.

He alleges that two parties are laying claims to the Mataiho land and the SDA Church wants to remain neutral therefore has not done anything apart from running the primary school service.

However, Seuika outright refutes this claim by Leta.

The decayed structure of what was once the staff house.

“There has been no land dispute over Mataiho. Even in 1964 when my father offered the land for the Mission to build the school, there was not a single voice of objection from anyone in Bellona.

“How can the SDA Mission cook up false stories to dally from the issue? I am declaring this now that they are lying to everyone. It is either the SDA Mission is deliberately misleading public or Mr Leta has no inkling of the issue of Mataiho.”

Island Sun has managed to verify this by checking records in the local courts, which contain no account of any land case recorded against Mataiho land.

In an interview with three elders in the Ngongona and Matangi districts in Bellona, they agree that there has been no land dispute case on Mataiho land from time immemorial.

Meanwhile, Leta tells Island Sun that he has already emailed the permanent secretary of the ministry of education (MEHRD) making him aware of the situation. Leta adds that they will continue to update him regarding the issue.

 

Mataiho SDA primary school history

The Seventh Day Adventist Mission was allowed to build a school in Mataiho land by Seuika’s father as a token of goodwill token, free of charge and no conditions attached. For the men and women in those days, their commitment to the church and their faith was paramount in their lives.

The agreement was verbal and based on trust, respect and good faith, with the overall purpose of advancing the SDA denomination in Bellona and the province.

In 1964 the school was established, and was the first school in the province, which garnered students from other pocket ad hoc schools around Bellona and Rennell.

In the 1960s and 70s the school flourished and produced many who are Renbel’s elites. Mataiho had several classrooms and a staff house.

However, 1980s saw the beginning of what was to become a decline from which Mataiho would never recover, and one by one the classrooms began to disappear until the school was only left with one, which remains to this day. The staff house has also gone.

Despite its rich and powerful history, both in terms of education and spreading of the SDA faith in the province, the school has been left alone to fend for itself and diminish to its current dismal state.

After Mataiho, dozens of schools were set up, and while some did not survive, others have managed to continue to upgrade throughout the years to levels surpassing Mataiho SDA primary school.

Markers want answers

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Gary Hatigeva

A number of school teachers involved in the marking of both primary and secondary exam papers for 2017 have raised concerns and frustrations over the delay in payments for what they refer to as ‘job done’.

Speaking on behalf of a group of unhappy markers, one of them who asked not to be named, during an interview yesterday, claimed that early this year, they (markers) were promised their payments following the completion of markings and should have been received by the end of last month.

The frustrated markers however told this paper that the initial payout promise was unfortunately delayed and pushed forward to early this month.

“Now we are well into April, ending the first quarter of this year, yet nothing has been forthcoming,” the marker added.

The three-time marker said what they are currently going through is also disheartening for most, having been kept waiting at a time when most of them have school fees and other responsibilities to take care of.

“Most, if not all, the markers are parents with school fees to pay and delaying their payments by over an uncalled for timeframe, when they had already prepared to have the money in good time is unfair.

“In the past we would wait for days without end for the payments, but with the new regulations and promise from the ministry through the National Examination and Standards Unit (NESU), we didn’t expect a delay,” the secondary exam marker explained.

The unhappy markers collectively urged the ministry to fast-track the payments, saying they have been patient long enough and want proper answers from the ministry.

“We have been promised by the director of NESU that last year would be different from the other years and that our payment should be processed before results will be released and that Ministry of Education has already secured money from AusAid for this annual activity, but till date, we have not received a single cent,” the group further claimed.

Referring to the status of the payment, the markers stressed that they are very confused, claiming that one group will be saying one thing, while the other will say something else.

“It is an unfortunate situation because if this issue continues to be dragged and not being dealt with, just imagine the amount of pressure it will have when they are carried forward to the next marking programmes, and maybe with sets of new markers?

“However, we can only hope it doesn’t, but again we call on the minister to also see that this issue is dealt with and those involved in causing the delays should also be dealt with appropriately,” the group shared.

Meanwhile, a follow up by this paper on the status of payment for the claims with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, revealed that the Ministry of Education has not made any payment for the markers, which insiders from the Education Ministry have also confirmed.

Calls to speak to the Permanent Secretary and other responsible officials yesterday regarding the delays were unanswered, but official sources claimed that the PS had promised, they (markers) will be paid.

“Most of the teachers have been paid but some not. So we will see what happens when all ministerial programs and allocations are sorted out, and then the ministry should be able to decide the way forward.”

Solomon Islands’ UN envoy vows to increase SI visibility

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Barrett Salato

By Mike Puia

Barrett Salato

THE country’s newly appointed Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Solomon Islands Permanent Mission in Geneva, Switzerland, has vowed to do his best to increase Solomon Islands’ visibility in the international scene.

Barrett Salato was speaking to this paper via email from Switzerland when contacted yesterday.

Mr Salato, who is delighted to be accorded the responsibility, said he hopes to work on many areas of interest to this country.

“I’m hoping to work on many areas of interests to Solomon Islands including trade and developments issues, small, micro and medium business development, health, human rights, labour and even climate change-related issues,” he said.

Salato said most of the international organisations that work to address these issues are based in Geneva and so he plans to check on them.

“I plan is to knock on their doors [international organisations] and seek maximum benefits for Solomon Islands as possible,” Salato said.

He said he has already done some of these works in his previous role as Minister Counsellor and Charge de Affairs in the Mission.

Salato said his new role will step-up his effort in seeking assistance that will benefit this country.

“My plan is to increase Solomon Islands visibility in the international level by contributing to global debates on issues that shape our national policies,” Salato said.

“As a sovereign country we need to pursue and defend our national interests whether on economic, trade, environment, religion or even our culture and traditions.”

Since working as Minister Counsellor and Charge de Affairs in the Mission over the last three years, Salato said his new role is not new as he did perform both technical roles and Ambassadorial role.

The government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & External Trade, has already informed and congratulated him, and two others, on behalf of the Cabinet.

SDA community mourns death of well respected pastor

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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The body of the Late Pr Francis Feratalia being carried out of the Kukum SDA Church after the funeral service on Thursday

By Gary Hatigeva

The body of the Late Pr Francis Feratalia being carried out of the Kukum SDA Church after the funeral service on Thursday

MEMBERS of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) throughout Solomon Islands and the Pacific region are in mourning for the loss of one of their well respected and outspoken pastors, Francis Feratalia who passed away on Tuesday at the National Referral Hospital.

Church leaders from different denominations around the Pacific and in the country have also expressed sympathies to the late whom many described as a true man of faith and indeed a fearless Christian.

Many who have come to know him through his gospel ministry, took to social media, expressing how much he will be missed and shared how the late pastor had helped them becoming not just Christians but better persons in their communities and families.

Others described him not just being a powerful preacher but so as a counsellor who helped a lot of broken families and homes, and he according to many, has a unique way of bridging gaps, spaces and time.

Others also took time to describe and recall his miraculous programmes and services, saying he did things in his own unique ways that put smiles and amusement in thousands of faces and lives.

“Indeed the Solomon Islands Christian family has lost a man who stood the test of time, spiritually and ethically.”

A funeral service was held at the Kukum SDA church yesterday, receiving hundreds of guests from both the political and Christian arena who went to pay their last respect to the late.

Following the service, the Late was taken across to his home province in Malaita where his body was laid at his final resting place.

500K per MP

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Members of the parliament

Micro-project funding converted into discretionary fund

By Alfred Sasako

MICRO project funding administered by Parliament has been converted into discretionary funds giving Members of Parliament direct control over the use of half a million dollars each annually.

The information was contained in the new Parliamentary Entitlements Regulations (PER).

Titled Members Discretionary Fund (Reg 9) the change was made in 2015, according to the document.

Under the change, each MP is entitled to $500,000 in discretionary funding each year.

This means in total, the 50 MPs share $25 million annually.

It is not clear whether this is in addition to the $7.5 million given to each Constituency annually.

In the past projects proposed for funding under the micro project must first be recommended by a local leader such as a pastor, priest, chief, area council member and or provincial member.

Such proposal must also be endorsed by the Constituency Development Committee and signed by its Chairman.

This is no longer the case as the change has given MPs full discretionary use of $500,000 each a year.

It is also not clear whether the full amount can be drawn at one time or in tranches.

Constituency Allowance, which is intended for touring the constituencies, has also been increased by $8,000 each.

Constituencies have been divided into five zones, with Zone 1 (Temotu Pele, Temotu Nende, Vatud and Malaita Outer Island) topping the list at $28,000 a year.

Zone 2 with 12 constituencies is in second place at $27,000 a year.

Zones 3-to5 receive $26,000 in Constituency Allowance each.

Members draw these allowances even although many never set foot in their constituencies during the four-year term in office.

12-yr-old girl raped in Sikaiana

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

A 12-year old girl has been allegedly raped by a man in his late 30s in the island of Sikaiana early this week.

Accounts from locals say currently they are afraid to apprehend the man, who is part Sikaiana and Liuania (Lord Howe islands), and are anticipating police to accompany the next ship to the island to arrest him.

It is also not known when the next ship is scheduled for Sikaiana.

And, for the time-being, the suspect is reported to be roaming the island scot-free, much to the dismay of members of a shocked community.

Speaking to Island Sun, a person who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal from the suspect’s relatives, say the girl is receiving medical attention and recovering under the ‘24-hour care’ of her grandmother and relatives.

“This is not the first rape incident by the suspect, as he has been reported among the community to have carried out the horrible act on several other girls and women in the past,” the person said.

The person adds that the culture of keeping silent over such taboo incidents has prevented the reporting of such acts by the community to the police.

“Making it worse is the fact that there is no police station in Sikaiana. Everyone depends on mutual respect and common understanding for peaceful co-existing, but when such incidents occur there is no mechanism in place to punish perpetrators and send out the message to deter them happening in the future.

“Everybody knows the country has a police force, but taking into account the isolation of Sikaiana, this notion is of no comfort to people in the community.

“So it is imperative that police come in the patrol boat and arrest the suspect, and not wait for the next scheduled ship and send an officer to do it.”

It is understood that the incident has been reported to the police by the girl’s mother who is residing in Honiara.

Seif Pleis has also been reportedly informed of the incident.

People living on Sikaiana are calling on the police to act quickly and arrest the suspect.

Sikaiana is the second group of islets which make up the Malaita Outer Islands constituency of Malaita province, and is situated 212 kilometres (132 miles) NE of Malaita.

Vania out to prove a point

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Vania FC Head Coach Paul Muia

By Taromane Martin

Vania FC Head Coach Paul Muia

VANIA Futsal Club are out to prove that Polynesians in the Solomon Islands can also be great soccer and futsal players for the country.

Head Coach Paul Muia told SunSPORTS on Tuesday that his team which comprised mostly of Sikaiana players from Malaita Outer Islands are taking part in the SIPA National Futsal Premiership to prepare and prove the point.

“This is a good competition especially for my players who are all from Sikaiana,” Muia said

“For us competing at this league is like part of our preparations. We strongly believe that Polynesians also have some great players in futsal and football.

“That is what we believe in and therefore want to show that yes Polynesians in Solomon Islands also have a lot of excellent football and futsal players.

“Tahiti is a classic example moving from an underdog to one of the football powerhouses in football, futsal and beach soccer in Oceania,” he said.

The coach said he was pleased with his boy’s performance during their 3-1 loss to Koloale on Tuesday stressing Vania FC is here to challenge.

“Despite losing our first game to Koloale it was a good game for us because the boys showed a lot of confidence even though most is their first time to play at such competition.

“I’m pleased with the way we managed to hold Koloale in that game because they are an experienced team with the likes of Lenson Bisili and Eddie.

“We still have ten games left to play so my encouragement to the boys was despite not the best team in this competition we must always make it hard for the other teams to win.

“If we can win any of our games it’s a bonus for us if not then we’ll make sure it is not an easy walk over win for them though still new to the game” he adds.

Meanwhile matches for the SIPA futsal Premiership will continue today at the Multipurpose Hall with three matches.

First match for today sees Marist FC taking on Mataks FC at 3pm followed by Guntimac FC taking on Henderson Eels FC at 4pm and then the final match between Vania FC and G-Camp FC at 5pm.

All teams are asked to be on time for their respective matches today.

Marist resumes training for semi

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Marist had resumed training for the Oceania Champions League semis against Lautoka set for weekend next week.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

MARIST has resumed training for the Oceania Champions League (OCL) semi-finals which will kick off on April 22.

The national OCL rep resumed training just a day after they flew in from Vanuatu on Tuesday.

Marist qualified into a two-legged semi-final tie against Fiji’s Lautoka following last Saturday’s 2-1 quarterfinal win over Nalkutan at the Korman Stadium in Port Vila.

Marist travels to Fiji for the first leg of the OCL’s all-Melanesian semi-final tie scheduled for Sunday April 22 at the Churchill Park in Lautoka.

The return leg will be played in Honiara on Sunday April 29 at the Lawson Tama Stadium.

During the quarterfinal, goals from aging striker Abraham Iniga and Davidson Tome sealed a much-deserved qualification passage for the Jerry Allen-coached side to a debut last-four appearance.

For Lautoka, who boasts the inclusion of sensational Solomon Islands forward Benjamin Totori in its roster got their place in the semis after posting a 2-1 away quarterfinal win against AS Dragon at Stade Pater in Papeete on Sunday.

The Fijian side outplayed AS Dragon in Papeete to claim their place in the semi-final for the first time in the club’s history.

Meanwhile, the other semifinal features Team Wellington and Auckland City in an all-New Zealand semi-final, ruling out the opportunity for a repeat of the final for the three previous editions.

Team Wellington hosts the first leg taking on domestic champions Auckland City, who took out the domestic Premiership grand final between the two sides with a 1-0 victory on April 1, at Dave Farrington Park on Sunday 22 April at 1pm.

As mentioned, the two teams have met in the final of the last three editions of the OFC Champions League with Auckland yet to drop a match to their domestic counterparts in this competition to date.

Auckland City will host the return leg at Kiwitea Street on Sunday 29 April from 12.30pm.

A week more to go

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
A Tenaru player makes a steal from a KGVI player on the attack.

National Hockey squads leaves April 23

By Taromane Martin

A Tenaru player makes a steal from a KGVI player on the attack.

THE Solomon Islands national hockey teams will leave the country on April 23 to compete at the Oceania U-18 Youth Olympic Games qualifiers in Papua New Guinea.

Hockey President Mr Nihal Seneviratne confirmed the team will depart Monday the following week to take part at the competition which starts on April 25.

Mr Seneviratne said they are yet to finalize the final travelling squad but is expected to be done this Sunday.

“National Hockey Team departs April 23 final selection will be done this Sunday at the Don Bosco Hall at 1pm,” the President said.

Meanwhile SIHF Development Officer Mr Allen Temoa said the training squad have been undergoing intensive sessions over the past months.

“We’ve been training three days in a week in preparation for the competition. Our sessions is two hours starting from 3pm to 5pm.

“The training squad will probably have their final training sessions today before the final travelling squad is named on Sunday,” Mr Temoa said.

The Development Officer said only nine players will be selected for both the men and the women’s national squads.

No need to meet

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

Renbel Premier brushes aside NSC calls to discuss games’ fate

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

RENNELL and Bellona Premier has brushed aside calls to meet with the national sports council (SINSC) and discuss the fate of the Solomon Games, which is just two months away.

On March 27 the Council gave a media call for a meet with the Renbel province to discuss updates on preparations for the Solomon Games.

The Council is concerned that with only ‘two months’ left, Renbel province may not be ready to host the Games.

Executive member of SINSC, Mr Siosi Dioko said in the March-27 report that Renbel should discuss with them the situation on the ground.

And, if the province is not prepared to host the Games, then it should come clear with the truth and admit it to the Council.

This would give the Council ample time to switch to ‘plan B’, which Dioko says would be to move the Games to Honiara.

Dioko said, “We have told Renbel’s local organising committee (LOC) to prepare since the last games in 2016 in Honiara in which next week should be our schedule for inspection on the province’s facilities preparation.

“With only two months left, this is the final week given for the province LOC or Ministers responsible to come discuss with us.

“If we find out that Renbel province is not ready to host the 2018 Solomon Games then we will move to ‘plan B’ because the possibility for it to be hosted back in Honiara is possible having facilities to use there.”

However, Premier Collin Singamoana says there is no need to meet with the SINSC.

He explains that the province has a taskforce and a LOC, which are in direct contact with the national ministry of home affairs (MHA) over preparations for the Games.

“The Renbel taskforce is in direct contact, and is working under guidance by the MHA. We communicate directly with the ministry’s permanent secretary and he gives us the instructions to work by.

“If it were necessary for us to meet with the SINSC then the PS would have informed us of it.”

Singamoana questions why SINSC is behaving as if it has the authority to remove the Games from Renbel, saying that only the Ministry has this power.

“The Solomon Games belongs to the MHA, and the PS is the pivotal between the ministry and the host province.

“We do not deal with any other third parties from the side. This would be determined by the ministry’s PS, if he says we must meet and update the SINSC then we will be obliged to, but since he has not said anything about having to inform SINSC anything then we won’t respond to Dioko’s call.”

In 2014, Renbel province was awarded the hosting rights for the 2016 Games, however, it failed to prepare hence the event was shifted in the last minute to Honiara.

The province was however given a second chance – to host the 2018 Games.

It is understood that Renbel province games taskforce, which was set up to replace the LOC, was given $3million as a first tranche payment towards helping it in preparations by the MHA. However, this fund was reportedly misused.

The issue of the misused $3million had led to the removal of the then-chairman of the taskforce, with Premier Singamoana replacing him on the intention of ‘ensuring that there is no repetition of misuse of any funds from MHA’.

It is understood that there is no single infrastructure standing in the provincial capital Tigoa (the proposed hosting venue) to testify for the usage of the first tranche of $3million.

Reports from locals in Rennell say an area had been cleared for the purpose of building the stadium and multi-purpose hall in it, but since then has been allowed to be overrun with wild vegetation.

There have been claims and counter claims raised in the various Facebook forums belonging to the Renbel community over alleged materials which were bought using part of the $3million.

However, Island Sun understands that nothing tangible is yet to surface regarding preparations on the ground.

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