SUPERVISING Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Isabel Province Inspector Oswald Iru urges his officers to consider the Media Awareness Training currently underway at the Buala Police Station as part of their capacity development under the Capability Plan of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF).

10 officers including the PPC and Heads of Units at the Buala Police Station are attending the training which is being held from March 19-23, 2018. One female officer is among the participants.

“Media is a powerful medium which police can utilise to convey its messages to prevent crime and also impress on communities that policing is not a task for police officers only but it is something for the whole community. It’s only when communities work together with police that our villages and towns can be free of crime,” says PPC Iru.

“There is a lot of cooperation between police and the communities in Isabel Province but not a lot of these stories are being told for the rest of the country to hear and may be do likewise.

“I hope that with this media training and a better understanding of how we can use the media, more of these stories about what the police is doing in Isabel Province can be disseminated to the rest of the country.”

During the Media Awareness Training participants will be briefed on the RSIPF Commissioner’s Order on Media, the RSIPF Media Strategy, expectations of the Media, how to draft a media release, interview techniques, photography, dealing with media enquiries and developing relations with the media.

The Media Awareness Training is being coordinated by Solomon Islands Police Development Programme (SIPDP) as part of the strengthening of the capability of the RSIPF Media Unit to market the organisation in order to increase the confidence of communities in the Force.

The Training, which started at the Gizo Police Station in Western Province early in February, has so far been held at the Auki and Kirakira Police Stations.

It is expected to be held at all the other provincial centres including Honiara City by mid-May this year.

–POLICE MEDIA

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THIS year Taiwan will offer 15 scholarships as compared to the 10 scholarships offered in past years.

This is according to Mr Oliver Weng who is the Deputy Counselor of the Taiwanese Embassy here in the Solomon Islands.

He explained that this is the embassy’s effort to fulfill what their President, Her Excellency, Madam Tsai Ing-wen had stated during her visit to the country last year which was a promise that Taiwan would increase their support in education for Solomon Islands.

Additionally, Mr Weng said that the number of students who have applied for Taiwanese scholarships have increased and this is a good thing.

He emphasized that students should see this as an opportunity and experience to help broaden their perspective of the world and how they view things or can change things for the better.

The Deputy Counselor furthered that education is not the only sector where Taiwan is providing assistance for given that they have and are still involved in a number of projects and forms assistances for the country such as trainings, medical, research, agriculture and so forth.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

ALTHOUGH we offer affordable fees, we are also committed to offering free medical care to the elderly and those with disabilities so that they too can access the quality health care we provide.

The above was expressed to the paper yesterday by Sape Private Medical Clinic owner, Dr Paul Bosawai Popora who hails from Sape village in North Guadalcanal.

Moreover, he voiced that their aim is to improve health care access in their rural communities.

Speaking of communities, Dr Popora also stated that some of the community services they provide are the provision of small scholarships for disadvantaged families and individuals, free and discounted consultations for geriatric and pediatric groups, 50% discount for NCDs (non-communicable diseases) consultations and free consultations for cancer patients.

He noted that the reason for the huge discount on NCDs consultations is to help the government fight against the increasing trend of the NCDs affecting the country.

Dr Popora furthered that the clinic management is willing to work with any donor partner to implement water and sanitation projects suitable for communities that are lacking quality water supply.

SOLOMON Water celebrates the appointment of three new Board members, restoring the board to full strength after a long wait.

The new Board members, who will serve for a period of three years effective from March 12, 2018, are Mr Donald Marahare, Ms Cynthia Wickham and Mr John Belande, who bring with them a mixture of legal, business and engineering knowledge.

Board chairman Phil Bradford said “We are thrilled to have some new and younger board members join Solomon Water at this time of exciting growth and implementation of our 30 year Strategic Plan.”

Their appointments fill positions that have been vacant for some time, and Mr Bradford would like to thank current Prime Minister, Mr Rick Houenipwela and accountable ministers Sogavare and Tovosia of the Government for dealing with the appointments promptly since taking office.

Solomon Water also farewells long serving Board Member, Mr David Laurie this month.

Mr Laurie joined the Board in the late 2000s and has been with Solomon Water through a period of significant change.

Mr Bradford, on behalf of the board and management of Solomon Water would like to thank Laurie for the invaluable contribution he has made to improve the business operations of Solomon Water and would like to wish him all the best for his future endeavours.

Laurie provided a wealth of knowledge to the board, as well as providing good governance rigour in all their activities.

He first came to the Solomons in the 1980s with SIEA and later returned on a part time basis as an SIEA board member appointed by the World Bank.

–SOLOMON WATER PRESS

WORLD Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is celebrating Earth Hour this Saturday night.

Earth Hour is the WWF’s international movement uniting people in more than 180 countries in raising awareness for the issues of a warming climate and loss of biodiversity.

Across the world on Saturday March 24, people will switch off their lights for one hour, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm local time.

Earth Hour started back in Sydney over a decade ago in 2007, and has grown into one of the world’s largest environmental movements, recognising that we can all take small actions that can help to reduce our individual impact on the environment.

In 2018, WWF and Earth Hour teams around the world will be using the movement to highlight the environmental issues most relevant in their country or region.

In Colombia, people will call for the country to commit to zero deforestation by 2020.

French Polynesia is expected to move to protect 5 million square kilometres of its seas to preserve ocean ecosystems.

In Guatemala, citizens will raise their voice on the importance of freshwater conservation and in India, people will pledge to shift toward sustainable lifestyles.

In Nepal, WWF will build public support for a clean, renewable energy future for all.

In Solomon Islands, we advocate for sustainable coastal communities. We work closely with communities in Western province to help them manage and protect their coral reef systems and fish stocks, so they don’t disappear in the years to come.

This is a tough goal, as overfishing is a problem, but climate change is another major problem with massive impacts on coral reefs, sea temperatures and sea levels.

With one scientist at the Pacific Climate Change Convention estimating sea levels could rise by up to 2 metres by the year 2100, it is clear that climate change will greatly affect communities across the Solomons. But what can we do about it?

Burning coal or diesel to generate electricity is one of the greatest sources of emissions leading to rising world temperatures.

While most emissions come from more developed countries such as the USA, Australia and China, we can still reduce the amount of energy we use, and contribute to the change we want to see in the world.

If you would like to join with WWF and the countries, organisations and individuals across the world saying “no” to energy and electricity for one hour, please turn off your lights this Saturday night at 8.30pm. You’ll be joining a global movement to raise awareness for the world’s environment.

–WWF PRESS

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

THE Malaita Provincial Council of Women (MPCW) will go to the polls tomorrow to elect its new executive.

This is follows the completion of the terms of the current executive.

President of MPCW, Ms Rose Kafa announced during the 3rd annual general meeting yesterday that nominations are open until 5pm today for candidates to the posts.

The positions up for grabs are; President, Vice president, Secretary, Treasurer and three ordinary members to the executive.

Kafa said prior to the election, MPCW is holding a two-day talks on awareness on the needs of the women in the council.

She said the areas covered include women in politics, governances, the family protection act and many more.

In the meantime, Kafa said during her two years in office her executive faced lots of challenges especially on finance.

Kafa said despite that they have achieved many things that uplifted the organisation.

“Some of the things we achieved include establishing of six ward councils under MPCW, registered the organisation and registered land for the centre of the organisation to name a few.

“The activity we involved includes providing save house for victims of domestic violence especially children and women and many more,” she said.

Kafa thanked all the women in the province for their cooperation during her time as president.

“As the new executive expect to form soon there is a need to carry on and go beyond what the current executive did for the good of the organisation.

“We represent the voice of the women of Malaita province and we must work towards addressing them for our good,” she said.

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

PUBLIC Accounts Committees (PAC) of the Western provincial government will meet again on Tuesday next week in Gizo, Western province.

This is to consider and scrutinise the 2018/2019 budget estimates ready for presenting to the full sitting of the provincial assembly on March 28, 2018.

Clerk to Assembly Kevin Paia told Island Sun Gizo yesterday that all MPAs are advised to travel to Gizo and to arrive by Sunday March 25, 2018.

Mr Paia said that members’ of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs’) normal travel allowances will be paid on arrival in Gizo.

“You are also advised to seek the Western Province Clerk to the Assembly office or the assistance Clark, upon your arrival regarding your accommodations and other matters.

“We are looking forward to your attendance to this two last Western Province Full, Sitting of the Western Provincial Assembly meeting.”

By Tanny.E.Vahi

THE Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) yesterday held its 2018 Press Seminar at the IBS Hotel.

Resident Representative Mr Kyoji Mizutani in his speech acknowledged the success of Japanese assistance and complimented JICA’s role in the development process of Solomon Islands.

Mr Mizutani expressed the wish to further relations between the Solomons and JICA.

“JICA expects volunteers to live among the people of the country to which they are dispatched and to pursue their activities with local people to contribute to the country’s socioeconomic development, making effective use of their abilities and experiences,” he said.

A panel of four speakers then explored various themes of the development cooperation that ranged from JOCV/SV, GA-Kukum Highway, TC-Healthy Village, Forestry, J-PRISM, Fisheries, JPP-LEAF, training and finally the future of the cooperation, which will likely take the form of partnership, the next step beyond development cooperation and assistance.

JICA’s goals include; (1) to contribute to the socioeconomic development or reconstruction of developing countries and region, (2) to strengthen friendship and mutual understanding between developing countries and regions and Japan, and (3) to give back to society the fruits of volunteer-activity experience.

There was also an exchange of ideas concerning JICA volunteer programmes, an area that both organisations are focusing on, and the development of institutional framework and fostering of human resources.

The relationship between Solomon Islands and Japan is getting more comprehensive and multi-layered. To cope with this change, JICA’s role needs to change from simple cooperation to mediating and promoting collaboration between various companies of the two countries.

By Mike Puia

OFFICER in charge of the Police Response Team (PRT) of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, Edwin Sevoa, says they will not be deterred by any act of aggression by communities.

Mr Sevoa uttered these sentiments while speaking at a reconciliation ceremony between representatives of the RSIPF and Koa Hill-Saua community at the central police station yesterday.

The reconciliation is in relation to an attack on members of the PRT while they were conducting a raid in the community last Friday evening.

Police raided and confiscated illegal alcohol (kwaso) and equipment used to manufacture them.

Youths in the community responded by pelting members of the team with stones, resulting in two officers being injured.

Leaders of the community voluntarily came out and asked the RSIPF to give their community an opportunity to give traditional shell money to the injured officers and to the PRT to compensate them for profane words used by the youths during the stoning.

The request was accepted by the Provincial Police Commander for Honiara City, resulting in the reconciliation.

The police all-black leader said his team was responding to a crime at Koa Hill-Saua community but was met with resistance from youths of the community.

“We were responding to a crime. Production of kawso is illegal and we cannot expect crime to continue,” Seova said.

He said they are doing similar operations everywhere in the country.

He said they will continue to do what they are doing and will not be deterred by any aggressive act.

Sevoa said members of his team are mixed race and they do not hate anyone in the communities.

“We are here to help. Communities need to work with the police to ensure there are partnerships in place,” Sevoa said.

He said communities must not take members of the PRT wrong because they are only dealing with illegal issues.