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Solomon Housing on the roll

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY GEORGINA KEKEA

SHL 2 bedroom house at Kombevatu

WITH the vision to provide durable, affordable and quality homes in the country, Solomon Housing Limited (SHL) is now on the roll to sell its remaining houses at Kombevatu.

With a different market approach, yesterday SHL did a presentation for staff of Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) showcasing the houses in general through a presentation slide at the Central Bank’s complex.

Carrying out the presentation SHL Lending Officer, Algren Gilbert says the 12 houses that they have shown in the slides are two bedroom houses.

“The houses that you see, we have different contractors that built the houses and we do not deal with only one contractor but have different contractors,” Mr Gilbert says.

He revealed that the houses are selling at SBD$500,000.

With that a CBSI staff says the staff listening to the presentation are not familiar with how the housing market and building works.

Thus it is very important that these staff are made aware of the nitty gritty stuff of housing, construction and costs involved.

Responding to the comment and questions raised on the cost of a house, General Manager of SHL acknowledged the cost to be at the high end as it covers every aspect of home building that includes materials, labour, land, road, drainage, connection of water and electricity.

CBSI staff listening to SHL presentation

He says with the houses, buyers will only need to purchase the house before having the title transferred to them.

He says buyers will only need to look for money or consult the banks for assistance through their lending schemes.

Also SHL General Manager says they support local Solomon Islanders with house plans that costs only $1500 but includes the material breakdown and the costings as well.

“This is one way in which we can assist locals to build a good house for their families. As you know, housing plans by architects are costly and not only that, going through the Town and Country Planning Board would be a tedious process and one that can be avoided since the building plan issued by SHL are already passed by the Board.”

Housing is a longtime issue for Solomon Islanders living in Honiara with most city dwellers residing in informal settlements where it is much cheaper and affordable for them.

SHL currently has a five year Strategy (2017-2022) that sets the scope of its operations.

From the presentation yesterday, hope now was for the day when SINPF can set up a lending facility so SINPF members can loan from it to acquire homes built by SHL.

Ministry of culture pursues heritage law

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

By Mike Puia

THE Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) is pursuing a heritage law for the country.

Director of the National Museum, Tony Heorake, confirmed this when appearing before the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week.

Mr Heorake said they are working on the National Heritage bill that would cover all heritage aspects of the country including history, culture, environment and so forth.

He said the Attorney General’s chamber has prepared a bill.

Heorake said they are currently finalising the draft bill and as soon as they are done with it, they will take the bill out for consultation with stakeholders.

He said this is one of the two exciting programs his department is working on.

The other is the plan to build a museum dedicated for locals who involved in World War II as scouts and coast watchers.

Heorake said they are teaming with the British High Commission Office here on this “exciting project”.

He said the British High Commission office has provided money toward this project.

Currently, Heorake said they are working on the concept plan. An architectural plan will be developed based on this concept plan.

The site where the auditorium building at the national museum sits is been earmarked for this proposed museum building.

The director of museum said this museum will be the place that tells the stories of local scouts and coast watchers and their contribution to the Second World War.

He said their involvement in the war is now become part of the country’s heritage.

Election Day and AGM for SICCI

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
SICCI Board members for 2017 - 2018

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

WITH the dawn of election-day for Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), Jay Bartlett, Director of Hatanga Limited stands unopposed as Chairperson of SICCI.

Mr Bartlett, often described as a young visionary leader, has been the SICCI Board Chair since 2015 and has been an effective advocator and voice for the private sector ever since he took up leadership roles in SICCI.

SICCI is holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) today, with the election of new board members as an important part of today’s session. For election of board members, 12 nominations have been received by SICCI office with a fair good number of both genders now set to go before members in the AGM.

For the Vice President posts, the combat now is between Julie Haro, Managing Director Premiere Group of Companies and David Rupokets, Managing Director Capital Construction PTY Ltd.

For Board member positions, nominees are Belinda Botha of Dive Munda, Lyn Fa’arodo of Bank South Pacific (BSP), Craig Gibsone of Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Limited (GPPOL), Joseph Huta of South Pacific Oil, Samantha Maeke of Pacific Horticultural Marketing Access (PHAMA), Sohaib Mahmood of ANZ Bank, Anna Masioa of United Risk Services Ltd, Sir Bruce Saunders of AJ & G Blum Ltd and Frank Wickham of National Fisheries Development (NFD) Ltd.

Meanwhile, unopposed Chairperson, Bartlett says his vision for SICCI is for it to be an effective advocator and voice for its members and the wider community.

Also for SICCI to continue to strengthen and develop its relationship between the government and local business and all other local, regional and international stakeholders that SICCI engage with.

“Internally I’d like to continue to build on the achievement we have made to date with the leadership team and office to ensure that we as an organisation are committed to meeting and exceeding member’s expectations and to ensure the viability and sustainability of SICCI in the medium to long term.”

SICCI has well over 200 members and is the peak representative organisation for the private sector in Solomon Islands. 60 percent of its membership is made up of Small Medium enterprises employing less than 20 employees. It also has a number of affiliations to other national private sector organisations.

SICCI has an office that oversee the administrative work for the private sector with Dennis Meone as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). All members of SICCI are being called on to attend the AGM today at Heritage Park Hotel.

SICCI Board members for 2017 – 2018

Talasasa slams timing of budget hearing

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Provincial Member for Nusa Roviana and ward 16, Ramrakha Talasasa

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

Provincial Member for Nusa Roviana and ward 16, Ramrakha Talasasa during debating Western Province 2017/2018 supplementary appropriate (N0.1) Bill at Women Resource Centre on Monday.

THE Western provincial government has come under fire for tabling its draft revised budget 2017/2018 at an ‘inconvenient and awkward time’.

Non-executive MPA Ramrakha Talasasa (member for ward 16) blames the western provincial executive for negligence in tabling a revised budget which has already been spent “some 12 months ago”.

On Monday this week, the Western provincial assembly sat over its draft revised budget 2017/2018. It was successfully passed.

However, Mr Talasasa says the inconvenient and awkward timing of the sitting does not allow for thorough and necessary reviews to be made on the budget, which he says would have otherwise ensured maximum productivity and equity for the government.

“The deliberate negligence of holding a mid-term review, allows deviations from assembly directions being set up almost exactly 12 months ago in the effort of having a sound financial management practice to allow divisional objective from being side tracked by unnecessary variances incurred through over spending by the provincial executive and under spendings by provincial government divisions.

“This imbalance has becoming a common practice and a reflection on exactly the kind of behaviour we criticise of the Unitary system being evident at the provincial level where compliance is only a matter for discussion political wills.

“Physical discipline in the economy of western province is very important and this is to ensure that we have the right business environment.

“This is to allow a boost in economic activities, setting standards by which we conduct development in our urban centres, allowing a give and take system whereby people pay taxes, rates or licenses, for actually receiving services such as proper roads and access, proper water supply, proper ground works and planning done before allocating land to successful applicants, appropriate infrastructures, establish economic base infrastructures, support health and education services and advance government policies.”

He said the province’s government must seriously allow for these needs to be addressed in the provincial government level.

Meanwhile, the second session for the Assembly to debate the new budget for 2018/2019 will be held at the Women Resource centre today at 9am.

Thumbs up SIPEU

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Dear editor,

PLEASE allow me space to give my acknowledgement and support to the Solomon Islands Public Employees Union (SIPU) to pursue an action to ensure the Long Service Benefit for retired public servants is tax excepted.

I understand the Union met with Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela early this year to discuss the issue of avoiding tax from LBS.

Whether the issue is taken onboard by government or not, I believe SIPU has taken a major step to address the concern of retired public servants.

This has shown SIPU’s commitment to serve the interest of public employees.

Singing the same chorus with SIPU, retired public servants deserve their full benefit as a token of appreciation from the government for their hard work in the public service.

They have been paying taxes during their term so what’s the reason for deducting taxes from their last hope of benefit.

I know the government has its own reason for deducting tax from LBS.

Meanwhile, I would like to see the government to consider and take action into the recommendations submitted by SIPU to ensure the benefit is not taxed.

If there is a need to review and amend the country’s taxation law, I would like to see the government consider this for the sake of our retired Public Servants.

This is to ensure our retired Public Servants are treated fairly when it comes to taxing their benefits.

For SIPU you have done a great job and you deserve an acknowledgement for you are serving the interest of retired public servants or those who may be affected by this deduction.

My God be with you SIPU as u strive to serve the interest of public employees.

Fredrick Kusu

USP SI Campus

Keep Honiara clean

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

DEAR EDITOR, as an indigenous and concerned Solomon Islander, I raise my concerns on why Honiara needs to be clean. Ministry of Infrastructure and Rural Development, Honiara City Council and other responsible authorities are urged to consider this.

Cleanliness is an issue in our town. As highlighted in a statement made by the Pacific Games Council President Vidhya Lakhan in Solomon Star on February 26, 2018, which says, “We need clean Honiara for 2023 Pacific Games”. It is obvious that rubbish such as empty plastics and cans can be seen along the streets of Honiara every day. Dust is experienced almost everywhere in the street. Betel nut stains are seen on the walls of some shops and along some streets of Honiara town. These factors have therefore, contributed to the uncleanliness of our town.

Honiara needs a clean environment for our health and to encourage visitors and business people coming into our country. To improve this area, installing more bins along the streets and regular collection of rubbish everywhere in Honiara must be carried out effectively. All shops and restaurants must have adequate rubbish bins and, betel nuts selling along the streets of Honiara must thoroughly banned. Policies on public littering including their heavy penalties must be strongly exercised. Conducting awareness programmes on littering and recycling process for recycle waste materials are another way forward to have clean environment in Honiara town. These opinions are therefore, regarded as way forward to keep Honiara clean. Furthermore, they only work out once they are effectively carried out.

Here I would like to urge all Solomon Islanders to be responsible and care for our beloved city, Honiara. Besides, I want to call upon responsible authorities to put more emphasis on this issue. Let us work together to improve the standard of our town. With that, I believed my suggestions can be heard by the public.

Francis Tahokeni

USP Laucal campus

Honiara city enforcement litter bylaw

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

DEAR EDITOR, while this has raised concern to Honiara City Council that “Enforcement of litter Bylaw” is no longer implemented and power to embark at silence. The authority must seriously look into this problem that continue to degrade the environment, social and economic development in the city.

Honiara City Council (Litter Bill 2009) was enacted and strongly imposed all citizen to respect this bylaw and make sure that disposal of rubbish is manageable by individuals. For example, prolong to eradicate betel nut spiting along the street of Honiara City is alarming and create unhealthy lifestyle, escalating majority of people continue denial with unrealistic behaviour.

Rectifying the situation, the authority must review its policy to enact rules put in place and those who break this bylaw are penalise. Therefore, all citizen must feel responsible since social impact of this problem is sky-rocketing and people need transformation. Practically, people cultural norms, social behaviour and attitude must intact within the authority regulation.

Finally, analysing this problem the authority must accentuate this bylaw in a holistic approach through learning institutions in the country whilst educational dialogue must transmitted to embrace strong networking in the society.   Respectively, awareness programme and social media are emphasise to eradicate this problem in the city.

The authority is strongly encourage to evaluate the root cause of this problem in order to implement this bylaw. Clean environment is consolidating to tourism industry and eminent to economic development in the country.

Alfred M

USP Student

Closing time at Central Market is the same

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE closing time for Honiara Central Market is the same at 6pm according to Honiara City Council’s (HCC) Market Master Mr Jimmy Hanson Riunga over query.

According to report, the by-law for Central Market to close at 6pm recently has been lifted to 8pm. This from concern has it that the by-law lifted will be inconsistent to the by-law for closing at 6pm that was only recently passed.

However Mr Riunga confirmed that the by-law at Honiara Central Market to close during 6pm does remain the same.

“6pm is what is in the ordinance and it is the time for business houses and markets to close. And we Officers are activating the ordinance,” said Riunga.

“All the entry gates from the western side of the market will be closed at 6pm and only the gates on the eastern side of the market will open until 7pm to allow vehicles and the people to go out.”

The HCC Market Master elaborated that it is only recently they activated the ordinance after the market gates were maintained facing breakdown for some time, experiencing people sleeping in the market.

Honiara Central Market opens at 6am and closes at 6pm.

Budget for everyone, or is it?

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

‘IN the midst of adversity, Government has decided to redesign and more effectively manage the delivery of public services within a tighter fiscal framework’.

These were the words used by Finance Minister, Manasseh Sogavare in his budget speech for 2018.

Recently there has been utter disbelief from all angles regarding budget cuts in other areas of government’s expenses.

SIG sponsored students had been left incredulous on the news of their allowance being slashed in half whilst Western province has reached a point of no return and the Ministry of Health concerned that service delivery in health services will be affected.

But comparing past budgets to now, the national budget is often centred on the $4b mark.

For instance in 2015, the budget totals up to four-billion-plus and had been spent on major reform programmes and other sector areas that are yet to be fulfilled like the Relocation of National Referral Hospital for one.

From past experience probably this shows that government have come to realise that it is important priorities must be set right in order for it to achieve its targeted goal.

All along we have been complaining of government not setting its priorities right and now Government is basically doing what we as concerned citizens of this country wants.

Now the onus is on the government to really prioritise its spending to where it matters the most.

The National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016 – 2035 to which the budget is reflected on mainly targets our rural people and focusses on two key areas, social and economic livelihoods of all Solomon Islanders.

All Solomon Islanders means everyone and not just a small portion of the population.

With that, let us hope the national government will also take on board the concerns of the provincial governments and work hand in hand with them with the limited resources we have to improve the lives of our other 80 percent of the population.

SINUSA 14-day strike still stands

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Group of students attending the open forum yesterday. (INSERT) SINUSA President Mr Reginald Ngati reaffirmed Students’ strike is still continue.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

STUDENTS of the Solomon Islands National University have turned up in number to show support for its student association’s 14-day strike notice in yesterday’s open forum with institution heads.

The Solomon Islands National Students Association (SINUSA) said yesterday in front of the department heads that the strike notice still stands until its demands are met.

Students spoken to say while they acknowledge SINU’s current development, they feel that the institution has overlooked their welfare.

They are also say they are concerned that their legal body is ‘violated’.

Before SINU’s vice chancellor (acting) Prof Basil Marasinghe and 10 heads of department, the students voiced their stand on having the pro-vice chancellor (corporate) Donald Malasa removed.

Mr Marasinghe told the students that he did not have the mandate to remove Mr Malasa.

Such decision must be from the University Council before any action taken, it’s a regulation and protocol of SINU, he said.

Group of students attending the open forum yesterday. (INSERT) SINUSA President Mr Reginald Ngati reaffirmed Students’ strike is still continue.

He suggested SINUSA and students to call off the strike and come up with a resolution because boycotting lectures will affect the school’s academic rounds this semester.

The SINU leaders provided the students with two options; First, is to withdraw the strike and secondly, form a committee (select two rep from SINUSA and SINU) to re-look on student concerns in a professional way.

After much deliberation, both parties agreed to select two representatives each to join a committee which will be formed later, but the strike will still continue.

SINUSA president Mr Reginald Ngati said as strike notice is approaching its maturity SINUSA welcomes further dialogue with SINU regarding their issue of interest and come up with a resolution.

If the 14 days lapse and SINU fails to meet their demand, Ngati said they have other alternatives to take the issue to another level.

“We have a lot of options in place, and have a think tank of group of student with good brains which we will look at other alternatives. We will not stop until the demands of students are met,” Ngati said.

The strike notice will lapse on Wednesday April 4, 2018.

Mr Malasa did not attend the forum yesterday.

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