BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

WESTERN province is preparing to host the cruise liner Crystal Serenity in Gizo town, Premier Wayne Maepioh says.

Although Western province is facing challenges regarding border security, Mr Maepioh reassures that all preparations are bent on ensuring a safe and enjoyable time for the visiting tourists.

Maepioh said, “People of Western province are now ready to accommodate the full capacity the Crystal Serenity holds, and nothing will happen, they will enjoy their short stay in western province peacefully.”

He said they are aware that this is Crystal Serenity’s first visit to the province, and they will make sure that the tourists have the time of their lives by experiencing and enjoying what the province has to offer safely.

According to SIVB, this is Crystal Serenity’s first visit to the country and Honiara and Gizo are the pilot sites to host the liner and her passengers.

Crsytal Serenity departs Honiara today at 8pm for Gizo.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

SOLOMON Islands Democratic Coalition for Change Government (SIDCCG) efforts in sustaining peace stands on four principles.

This was expressed by Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela who attended the launch of UNPBF’s (United Nations Peacebuilding Fund) Joint Programme Initiative at the Heritage Park Hotel on Tuesday.

Having an explicit and deliberate peacebuilding policy for all citizens, continuous well-grounded peacebuilding initiatives, aspiration for the peace building agenda to be an endogenous process and a peace policy that is all encompassing was expressed by the Prime Minister as the government’s four stand points in sustaining peace in the country.

Whilst stressing on the third point, he said that SIDCCG wants the peace building agenda to be an endogenous process which he stated as something that requires strong and inclusive national ownership and leadership.

In this regard, Prime Minister Houenipwela voiced that the government’s commitment is illustrated by the leadership of the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in spearheading the implementation of the peacebuilding initiative.

“Needless to say, Solomon Islands is one of a few countries that has a ministry dedicated for peacebuilding and reconciliation,” he said.

The Prime Minister further referred to the launching of the UN peacebuilding programme which centres on consolidating peace, stability and social cohesion in Solomon Islands as a contributing initiative to our peace building initiatives.

“This programme should not be a stand-alone like many other programmes in the country. It is important to have strong coordination on peacebuilding work and make this a collective effort,” he said.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

EXPIRED goods shipped to shops in rural areas at South Choiseul have raised fear of health risk.

A local businessman of Kakasa Village at South Choiseul Mr Remesio Gerevele on behalf of other local business shop owners said the expired goods are from Chinese shops at Taro Station being unexpectedly shipped to shops in the rural areas.

“This situation has caused loss to small shop owners posing a great health risk for customers as well,” said Gerevele.

Local shop owners victimised are now calling on Chinese shop owners to respect their customers and serve them with fairness. They also want the Consumer Affairs Unit to thoroughly make routine check-ups in every shop around the station at Taro to avoid selling of expired goods.

Attempts to contact the Consumer Affairs Unit were not possible yesterday.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE officer from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) Leslie Nate confirmed in court yesterday he remembers signing a vehicle hiring agreement under the name Krash Transport and Marketing in 2015.

The officer is one of prosecution’s witnesses giving evidence on the case against the former Permanent Secretary of the MID Henry Murray and his wife.

Yesterday he explained to court the process of vehicle hiring.

He said that there is no tender for vehicle hiring as it was already budgeted for under the re-current budget of the mechanical division of MID.

He said that whenever any government ministry or the MID wants to hire a vehicle the PS of that Ministry responsible and then the Director of the Mechanical division and other responsible sign the agreement with the owner.

The witness explained that the requisition officer of MID is responsible for preparing the vehicle hiring agreement and then from there proceed to the Director and other responsible people for signing the agreement.

The witness said what matters to them is whether the vehicle has a valid licence, a third party registration and whether it is comfortable and safe.

Trial continues today.

This is the case against Henry Aife Murray and his wife who were charged in relation to an allegation relate to a series of offences alleged between 2014 to 2017 in relation to multiple payments of motor vehicle hire charges to a company that police alleged was registered to the PS and his wife.

The value of those payments is estimated to the excess of 1.1 million dollars and as a result of that they both face a range of serious charges.

The couple appeared at the Honiara Magistrate Court and apart from the cash bail other strict conditions also applied on both the accused.

That they must surrender all passports (official and personal), Surrender any or all keys, access cards, identification cards to the offices of Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) including telecommunication devices, cellular phones laptop computers, motor vehicles, passwords and pass codes and uniform items provided to him by virtue of his contract of employment as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development;

Not to approach or enter Office buildings belonging to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development or Ministry of Finance & Treasury;

To reside at their current residential address situated at East Kola Ridge, Honiara;

Not to interfere with Police witnesses;

Not to contact any person directly or indirectly employed by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development or the Ministry of Finance & Treasury;

Leslie Kwaiga from L & L law firm represents the couple while Florence Joel from the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRINCIPAL Magistrate Jim Seuika has again reminded drivers that it is their duty to know that vehicles they are driving are road-worthy and are validly licensed.

He said this in court yesterday when he made his ruling on the case against a man charged for driving an unlicensed vehicle.

Richard Namoriu pleaded guilty to the charge of driving an unlicensed vehicle relating to an incident which occurred on January 24 at the Kukum highway.

Police said the incident occurred around mid-afternoon of that date and Mr Namoriu was driving in the easterly direction; police stopped the vehicle and checked its registration and licence, but was found to have been expired on November 30, 2017.

Police then charged the driver and also the owner of the vehicle for permitting Namoriu to drive the vehicle.

Mr Seuika said the maximum penalty for driving unlicensed vehicle under the 2009 Traffic amendment Act is $5000 and this shows how the court is serious on traffic cases.

He said drivers and owners of vehicles must be aware that every vehicle and driver must have a valid licence.

He said in Namoriu’s case he had a valid driving licence but the vehicle he drove was expired, and it is his duty to know that the vehicle is licensed valid or not.

While considering Namoriu’s early guilty plea and saying that he was not aware whether the vehicle licence was expired, Seuika said he will impose a penalty that will deter others from committing such offence and he imposed a fine of $700 on the accused to be paid by yesterday.

He then made an order that failure to pay up the fine will result in imprisonment.

Police Prosecutor Ethel Maeue is prosecuting the case in court.