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Marist travels to Lautoka for first leg

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Marist FC Head Coach Jerry Allen leads the team out upon their arrival at the Honiara International Airport on Tueday

BY ROMULUS HUTA

Marist FC Head Coach Jerry Allen leads the team out upon their arrival at the Honiara International Airport on Tueday

MARIST will travel to Fiji for the first leg of the Oceania Champions League all-Melanesian semi-final tie against Lautoka.

Marist arrived back in the country yesterday after qualifying for the last four of the competition thanks to their 2-1 win over Nalkutan FC of Vanuatu on Saturday.

The first leg is scheduled for Sunday April 22 at the Churchill Park in Lautoka while the return leg will be played in Honiara on Sunday April 29 at the Lawson Tama Stadium.

The fixtures for the Oceania Champions League semifinals were made known after it was released by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) yesterday.

Marist qualified into the semifinals after securing a hard-fought 2-1 win over Vanuatu champions Nalkutan at Korman Stadium in Port Vila last Saturday.

Goals from aging striker Abraham Iniga and Davidson Tome sealed a much-deserved qualification passage for Marist to a debut last-four appearance.

For Lautoka, who boasts the inclusion of sensational Solomon Islands forward Benjamin Totori in its roster for the Oceania Champions League 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.

After seeing off Lae City Dwellers with a competition record-equalling 11-0 margin, which also set a new mark for the largest win in a knockout phase, Team Wellington have earned themselves the right to play the first leg of the semi-finals at home.

They’ll take 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.

Oceania Champions League semi-final details:

Semi-Final 1 – Lautoka FC [FIJ] vs. Marist FC [SOL]

Leg 1 | Lautoka V Marist

Sunday 22 April

Churchill Park, Lautoka

Kickoff: 15h00

Leg 2 | Marist V Lautoka

Sunday 29 April

Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara

Kickoff: 14h30

 

Semi-Final 2 – Team Wellington [NZL] vs. Auckland City [NZL]

Leg 1 | Team Wellington V Auckland City

Sunday 22 April

David Farrington Park, Wellington

Kickoff: 15h00

Leg 2 | Auckland City V Team Wellington

Sunday 29 April

Kiwitea Street, Auckland

Kickoff: 12h30

Waita to select 25 players after trials

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE national under-16 soccer head coach Stanley Waita eyes 25 players for the training squad after holding the trials this week.

Speaking to SunSPORTS yesterday, Waita said the turn out for the trials this week appears very good.

The trials which began on Monday at Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Academy will run throughout the whole week until Sunday.

“At the moment trials are on for players that have been selected from the Under-16 Solomon Cup and an open trial will be on Saturday and Sunday for those who don’t have the chance to play in the Solomon cup,” Waita explained.

Waita added players from Western Province are supposed to join to join the trials by yesterday.

“As soon the 25 players are named, trainings will kick off straight away.

“The final squad of 23 players will be named later.”

The national under-16 side will participate in year’s Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Under-16 Championship.

Honiara will play host to the regional junior qualifiers from September 8 to 22.

The two top teams emerging from the championship will qualify into next year’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Peru.

Waita said plans aimed at strengthening the depth of the youth side are underway where they are looking at organising friendly matches but that is yet to be confirmed.

The head coach further adds that as soon as the trials are over then they will name the 25-man training squad.

The training squad will be put together with the help of SIFF technical department officials which is headed by the Technical Director and Spaniard Felipe Vega Arango Alonso.

Junior Kurukurus too tough

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Junior Kurukuru players on the counter. L-R Junior Mana, Frankster Rukumana and Travis Sao...Photo Taromane Martin.

SIPA Futsal league underway

By Taromane Martin

Junior Kurukuru players on the counter. L-R Junior Mana, Frankster Rukumana and Travis Sao…Photo Taromane Martin.

THE national U-17 junior Kurukuru futsal team has picked up their first win in the 2018 SIPA National Futsal League yesterday defeating Indo-Solo 7-5.

The Stanley Puirana coached side stole the lead mid-way through the first half, team captain Junior Mana finding the back of the net twice for the junior national side.

Frankster Rukumana added another goal for his team five minutes from the break to lead 4-0.

Indo Solo responded back with four quick goals to tie the scores and showing why they are the defending champions of the Suva National Hire/Pasifika Tents International Futsal Championship, and why they claimed third position in last year’s National Top 8 futsal challenge.

Indo Solo were hoping to keep the scores tied at the break but national U-17 player Travis Sao added another goal on the stroke of half time to lead 5-4 at the break.

Indo-Solo managed to level the scores, five all, only to see Rukumana finding the back of the net for his hat trick before forcing an own goal to see the Junior Kurukurus win 7-5.

Other results from day one of the SIPA national futsal league yesterday saw an experienced Kooline side defeating Real Kakamora 4-1.

Coleman Makau, George Stevenson and Atana Faarodo were on target for Kooline while Mike Oge scored Real Kakamora goal in the final seconds of the game.

Koloale also opened their campaign with a win defeating Vania 3-1 thanks to two goals from Eddie Taevo and a Joseph Onika strike in the second half.

Koloale Head Coach Junior Corey was pleased with the win but stressed there are still a lot of areas to improve on.

Vania Head Coach Paul Muia though disappointed with the result was pleased with how his players managed to hold an experienced Koloale side.

Muia said they look forward for their remaining matches saying, “We’re here to compete. Even though we lost we will always try to make sure it is not an easy win for the other team.

Meanwhile matches for the SIPA National Futsal League will continue on Thursday at the Multipurpose Hall.

Wake up call

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Jenly Wini (third from left) on the podium

First C’wealth medal renews call to construct standard sporting facilities

BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE bronze medal won by female lifter Jenlyn Wini has renewed calls for immediate construction of international standard sporting facilities in Solomon Islands.

Ronald Bei Talasasa Junior, a former top official within the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) made the statement following Wini’s milestone achievement last Friday by winning the country’s first ever medal at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast 2018.

Wini collected the bronze in the women’s 58 kilograms class of the weightlifting competition.

Talasasa Junior said Wini’s achievement is great news indeed.

“The medal won by Jenlyn calls for an immediate construction of an international standard facility for weightlifting and other sports.”

Talasasa Junior was a former NOCSI Vice-President International, a position he held for a number of years until earlier 2017.

During his tenure, he served as Chef De Mission for Team Solomon to various international sporting events overseas.

“We have seen enough and witnessed enough.

“Our athletes have proven their ability at the Pacific, Commonwealth and Olympic levels. They have sacrificed their time and efforts, some the time to see their kids grow, others the time to excel at schools or even the time to make money at home. Yet they chose to fly the Solomon colours and have indeed flown the colours and flourished. The best the country can do is to build international standard training and competition facilities. This will be the most we can do for the athletes and a living legacy for generations to come.

“I accept that there are other walks of life that contributes to nation building and should be given due attention. I accept that they too must be given due attention.

“But I am only emphasizing that Sports is a crucial vehicle by which crime reduces. Our strength is that the majority of our youths have taken to sports.

“Let us build on that strength by putting in place better facilities that are of international standards for our athletes to use.

“So I call, not only for weightlifting but for all sports. We want facilities of international standards. No less,” Talasasa Junior stressed.

Talasasa Junior said the long walk ahead for Wini started in 2009.

“She started in 2009 and sacrificed her precious family time with her son, since then. Jenly represents a renewed start for sports in Solomon Islands

“It was from 2009 that Team Solomon started to turn the clock by aiming to train better and select the best.

“It was slow but we had the determination to succeed.

“The goal was achieved in Wallis & Futuna Mini Games in 2013 when Team Solomon won four Gold Medals, the highest at any Mini Games.

“Then the Commonwealth Games in 2014 Glasgow, we had for the first time had a medal hopeful, Jenly Tegu Wini. She eventually won a medal at Gold Coast 2018. This is great news indeed! The celebrations continue! In 2011, Young Wale won bronze at the Youth Commonwealth Games at Isle of Man. This was in boxing. So Jenlyn and Wale had raised the Solomon Islands Flag at the Commonwealth Games.

“As for the Pacific Games, Team Solomon did another feat in PNG 2015 when it sets another record by winning 7 Gold Medals which was repeated or bettered at the Mini Games in VAN 2017.

“Looking back, I can only say that Team Solomon have come of age and should not lower its guards but hunger and thirst for more, hunger and thirst for better results! We are warriors!” said Talasasa Junior.

The problem of meeting demand for education

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Children group for class activities on the floor. Photo courtesy Friends of Brilliant Star

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

CHILDREN’S interest in education is progressing in Solomon Islands, yet many schools lack professional teachers and infrastructure, it is reported.

Solomon Islands has joined the world to push for quality education for all by 2030 through the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) and other relevant stakeholders in the country.

The target area under the SGDs that Solomon Islands pledge to address is Goal 4 – “Quality Education” and that is to ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Achieving these priority areas is becoming a challenge lately particularly regarding conditions which schools around Solomon Islands face such as; infrastructure, less professional teachers, classrooms and children still walk for distance to learn.

Children group for class activities on the floor. Photo courtesy Friends of Brilliant Star

It was interesting to note that the Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Solomon Islands is flooded with children nowadays in private institutions, with few under government.

Within Honiara city, ECE school children are lucky to have easy accessibility to transportation while outside of town children walk distances by themselves for learning – this indicates interest for learning.

Outside of Honiara boundary is an ECE institution named Friends of Brilliant Star School based around Alligator creek, Henderson area.

Brilliant Star provides ECE education but does not have trained teachers; it offers education for children around Henderson, Tenaru and as far as Foxwood area.

Brilliant Star has two teachers, both on voluntary basis due to lack of funding from the national government through MEHRD.

At the moment, Brilliant Star urgently needs monetary support to pay their two ECE teachers.

A statement from the school said, “Brilliant Star has an urgent need to support the wages of 2 ECE teachers. The Education Authority in Solomon Islands does not support ECE teacher’s wages.”

The learning classroom of the Brilliant Star School. Photo courtesy Friends of Brilliant Star

They said donation of $10, $20, $50 or $100 per fortnight will allow them to sustain school operations.

They add, the school is new with hardly any resource to cater for the needs of its student, but for the time being they get resources and trainings from Australian volunteers.

The school is optimistic that if it can be registered the Government will pay for the teachers’ wages.

Meanwhile, the Friends of Brilliant Star School is a not-for-profit association established to raise funds and collect equipment to support the school.

The founding members are spread over Queensland Australia with diverse group of people passionate about assisting education development of children here.

PNA opens world tuna day art & talent quest 2018

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

THE Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) is hosting its 7th World Tuna Day with a World Tuna Day Art & Talent Quest 2018.

Themed ‘Smart Tuna – Smart Ocean,’ PNA is looking for World Tuna Day 2018 to be vast and is looking for participants’ creative ideas and pictures to help spread the word globally.

The World Tuna Day is annually set for May 2.

Since 2012, PNA has run the World Tuna Day Art and Talent Quest to profile the unique relationship local people have with tuna and its diverse artistic and cultural heritage.

To honour the importance of Tuna the World Tuna Day is to highlight the importance of sustainably managed fish stocks in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

PNA member countries are responsible for the forefront of collective decision making about conservation and management of tuna and is informed by the decisions of its officials, ministers and national leaders who have drafted Implementing Agreements and Declarations setting out key policies and amended these as needed to update decisions.

While tuna is a great food choice and excellent protein source, it is important to understand that you can help sustain global marine ecology and tuna stocks with smart buying decisions.

World Tuna Day is a great opportunity to explore steps that can make a lasting impact in supporting sustainable, legal fishing industry practices.

World Tuna Day is sure to be a good start in helping students from 5 to 12 years of age learn about how to be smart with respect to both their tuna and their ocean.

The contest requested entries are of poetry or short stories, pictures of artwork, short films or filmed music, dance or drama performances on the theme of Pacific Tuna in the wild, tuna and local cultures and lifestyles, Pacific ways of fishing for Tuna, or islanders working together to conserve and manage tuna.

This Competition is open to all artists of all ages who are residents and/or citizens of the PNA-member countries: Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu plus Tokelau.

By entering this competition, participants grant PNAO/Pacifical non-exclusive perpetual licence to reproduce images of your entry on the PNA and Pacifical websites, as well as the marketing of the World Tuna Day to the general public.

All winning entries will be displayed on the PNAtuna website. Each entry will become part of the public historical/archival online contest catalogue.

World Tuna Day is a great opportunity to explore steps that can make a lasting impact in supporting sustainable, legal fishing industry practices.

PNA sends out strong tuna message

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

THE PNA is sending a strong message of their commitment to conserving and managing tuna resources, while increasing economic benefits for the nine islands in the western and central Pacific that use the globally-recognised “Vessel Day Scheme” (VDS) to manage their fishery.

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) controls the world’s largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery.

PNA members are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Global leaders in tuna conservation and management, many PNA conservation measures are world firsts such as high seas closures to fishing, controls on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), protection for whale, sharks and the 100 percent coverage of purse seine fishing vessels with observers.

No dolphins are caught in PNA waters and the PNA is actively involved in limiting bycatch of other species.

In 2011, the PNA skipjack tuna caught without using FADs was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as sustainable, creating the world’s largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery.

PNA controls around 50 percent of the global supply of skipjack tuna, the most commonly canned tuna.

The focus of PNA efforts to sustainably manage tuna is the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS).

PNA members agree on a limited number of fishing days for the year, based on scientific advice about the status of the tuna stocks.

Fishing days are then allocated by country and sold to the highest bidder. In this way, Pacific Islanders reap economic benefits from their sustainable management of tuna.

Malaita Provincial Alliance unite stakeholders

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Rep from Domestic Violence Unit under Auki Police, Ms Lawrencia Ho’ira’o signing the MPA partnership agreement, witness by one of the Auki police commanding office, Mr Pato.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

Rep from Domestic Violence Unit under Auki Police, Ms Lawrencia Ho’ira’o signing the MPA partnership agreement, witness by one of the Auki police commanding office, Mr Pato.

INITIATIVE taken by stakeholders and Oxfam Australia to establish Malaita Provincial Alliance has created an avenue of working partnership among stakeholders in the province.

President of Malaita Provincial Alliance, Ms Martha Rurai explained that the alliance is a safe family programme coordinated by Oxfam and looks at combating violence.

She said the alliance is looking at becoming a separate body from Oxfam, “so that when Oxfam leaves the body takes over the job”.

Rurai said in light of the partnership, stakeholders in Auki are working on a document for the partnership.

“The important thing about the alliance is to share information, materials and expertise to each other through the partnership.

“There is a cap of being isolated among stakeholders, and this is one advantage of the body so that no one exists by itself.

“This is the rationale behind the establishment of MPA with the support of Oxfam so that everyone works hand-in-hand to save the people of the province,” she said.

Rurai gives an example, saying if someone falls victim to violence, police, health and Malaita’s council of women will collaborate to help the victim.

“We often do that and responsible stakeholders work really well together on providing safe home for victims of violence as one of the key area under MPA.

“Beyond that there are other areas of need involved certain stakeholders in the province we can also work together on them,” she said.

Rurai said the important thing people in the province should understand is no stakeholder works in Isolation.

She said they had their own expertise and areas of work, however MPA unites everyone to speak a same language as they go along.

Rurai said another important thing here is stakeholders in the province failed to provide reports on their work back to the province.

“So province knew nothing about work the stakeholders are doing in the province.

“Hence, this is one important area MPA will ensure to provide report back to the province on all the work they do in the province,” she said.

MUP development projects soon

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Premier of Makira Ulawa Province Stanley Siapu.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

PREMIER of Makira-Ulawa province Hon Stanley Siapu assures that proposed development projects for the province are set to be rolled out soon.

Information received from his office via email said his government has set focus on the implementation of the projects.

Mr Siapu said “so far all is well and good” as his government is confident on discharging the projects.

“With regards to our development projects, we are just keeping our fingers crossed awaiting outcomes of the national budget.

“The same also for the work mandated for a task force established by our government to negotiate appropriate areas for rehabilitating cocoa, coconut and other agricultural activities in the province,” he said.

Siapu added that under the proposal they aspire towards contributing to the production sector in the country.

He also said there are other national projects eyed for the province as his government is also committed to them.

Siapu said work is on process for two major infrastructure projects for the province including the Ugi Wharf and Kirakira ramp.

He added that a cocoa factory is also eyed for the province and his government is doing all they can in preparation for the major project.

Siapu said there are other projects his government is also eyeing for the province as they await the national budget and other means of funds to execute them.

Meanwhile, this week the national parliament passed its $3.7 billion 2018 national budget.

Bio-security to visit rural communities in Gizo

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock bio-security team from Honiara and other officials from Australia will visit Gizo in the Western province.

A statement from the Gizo bio-security office yesterday said the purpose of the visit is to put preventive measures in place to keep plants and coconut trees healthy from diseases.

Bio-security is planning to help and ensure that practices must be routinely carried out to homes, farms and urban areas for the benefit of plants, vegetables and coconut trees.

They will also visit rural communities to assess other diseases that are continuing to affect fruits, vegetables and coconut trees.

Gizo bio-security officer confirmed that the team will visit Saeragi village, Mile-six farm area, West Gizo communities and Gizo urban areas.

“We encourage the general public to report any signs or sickness that affecting your food gardens or coconuts to all our officers.

“The team will be carrying out their duty this Friday 13 April 2018.”

Public is being urged to report any disease, symptom or sign to the officers to assist in.

The officers said the team are currently in Munda and are expected to arrive tomorrow in Gizo.

Public have been encouraged to remain at their respective villages to assist the officials from Australia and bio-security officers from Honiara.

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