BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE Commissioner Mathew Varley reassures the people that police are there to protect the citizens of this country including women and girls.

Commissioner Varley said International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world to advance on gender equality and the Royal Solomon Island Police Force is proud to be part of the match yesterday.

He said RSIPF is committed to gender equality and of course the progress of women throughout the organisation not only for women’s achievement themselves but the organisation wants the Force to represent the community they serve.

And so the Police Force is the reflection of the community in Solomon Islands, Mr Varley said.

“We work very hard on the recruitment we work very hard on making sure our officers are available to meet and work with women in the community on issues affecting women and girls,” Varley said.

He said violence against women and girls is a significant problem and far too high in Solomon Islands and not only women but also men to take a leading role to end such activities happening in the community.

Varley said it is sad to see that cases of family and gender based violence in Solomon Islands are still high and police are too often called to cases where women and girls have been injured or harmed by men.

“And as you have heard me said this before really this has to stop.

“So our message today from the RSIPF your police are there to protect and serve the community and in particular we are here to protect women and girls across Solomon Islands and we are committed to doing that and we are committed to making sure we can do our part as best we can to make women and girls safe in our country,” Varley said..

He also urges the people of Solomon Islands that police alone cannot do that but needs all people across Solomon Islands to get behind them and work together with them to end violence.

“We need strong men to stand up and say enough is enough,” Varley said.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE Commissioner Mathew Varley has confirmed in his weekly media conference yesterday that the medical report regarding the Auki motel death has been received.

He said investigation is continuing and they are waiting on the Director of Public Prosecution for the review of the file, as the file is with the DPP’s office.

Responding to questions asked in regards to the death, he said no arrest has been made and police do not have any particular suspect as yet.

“The medical report has been received and at this stage waiting on the DPP for review of the file to assess the evidence and at this pointing time no one has been arrested and we don’t have a particular suspect we are waiting to see what the DPP’s conclusion based on the facts of the case,” Mr Varley said.

This is in relation to the death of a female, about 20-years-old, whose body was found at the Travellers Motel in Auki in December last year.

The cause of the death is still unknown and police are still continuing with investigations.

Police, as always, are urging relatives of the deceased to refrain from taking the law into their own hands whilst investigation is ongoing.

By Alfred Sasako

IT has emerged that controversial businessman, Patrick Wong, was brought into Solomon Islands as an employee of the Copra Export Marketing Authority (CEMA), not as an investor.

“The CEMA Board employed him to reorganise the Russell Islands Plantation Estates Ltd (RIPEL). This means that when the term of the CEMA Board expired, he too was finished,” Russell Islands tribal landowner, Silas Selo told Island Sun in an exclusive interview yesterday.

The emergence of this new information is significant because it proves Mr Wong had no legal right to claim anything. He was merely an employee, not an investor, Mr Selo said.

The revelation comes amidst reports that some people stand to gain significant benefit from the $50 million the High Court ordered the Government to pay for the Hell’s Point waste land in east Honiara.

Island Sun was informed that up to $20 million from the payment would be paid to those who convince the government to pay.

Prime Minister Ricky Houenipwela has put his foot down against the payment, although some reports suggest that there is in-principle agreement for future government to make the payment later.

Selo said the very reason the 1994 CEMA Act was enacted was for the sole reason that all alienated land held by foreigners up to July 7, 1978 were to be returned to the traditional landowners.

“All freehold land titles were converted into Fixed Term Estates (FTEs) then. So it means that even freehold land owned by Levers Solomon Ltd were returned to the traditional landowners,” Selo said.

“This means Mr Wong is not entitled to be paid a single penny. He owns nothing and Solomon Islands owes him nothing. The Government should never pay the $50 million,” Selo said, adding there should be a judicial review into the High Court decision awarding the payment.

“I believe the High Court may have been misled on the background of the so-called transactions involving the Hell’s Point land and LSL’s ownership of it,” he said.

“There should be a judicial review.”