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Honiara welcomes Crystal Serenity today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Crystal Serenity

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

COUNTRY is expecting 600 tourists arriving on the Crystal Serenity cruise boat today.

Crystal Serenity will port at the country’s international wharf at 8am, later departing at 6pm to Gizo in the Western province.

Destination Solomons is the ground operator for the whole day in Honiara.

They will accompany tourists to the WWII sites, glance on the country’s cultural artefacts and histories, doing city tours and beach snorkeling.

According to Solomon Islands visitors Bureau (SIVB), this is Crystal Serenity’s first visit to Solomon Islands and thus will be a history for them.

SIVB Senior Marketing Officer, Mr Ellison Kyere said SIVB is calling on public to welcome tourists nicely and be friendly to them with a positive manner.

He said ‘if public meet them on the street, say hello and help then with informations when needed’.

Meanwhile, Kyere said people are now starting to see the importance and demand of cruise boats coming to Solomon Islands and slowly there’s a positive support from public.

In this year’s cruise ship schedule, Kyere highlights that two new cruise boat will visit new ports especially Tavanapupu in Marau Sound of the Guadalcanal province.

Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr Andrew Nihopara also appeals for public cooperation while Honiara plays key role to host the 600 visitors.

Nihopara calls on general public to maintain respect and cooperation during Crystal Serenity’s arrival in Honiara today.

“I call on the general public of Honiara to continue to maintain respect and cooperation particularly during Crystal Serenity arrival in Honiara, since this will leave a lasting impression to the tourist and can lead to this cruise boat future visit,” he said.

 

Public employees union meets SINPF

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Mike Puia

THE Solomon Islands Public Employees Union (SIPEU) and the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) last week held a historic meeting.

The meeting was unusual and could be the SINPF’s response to a move by members of the fund to form a watchdog group for members.

Already an interim committee has been set up to drive the watch-dog initiative. The committee is on a six-month consultation.

While the interim committee is doing its consultations, the SINPF appeared to be having its own consultations as well.

SIPEU’s General Secretary Robert Au confirmed they met the SINPF board last Monday.

Au said the meeting was very good as it gives representatives of both party the opportunity to share their minds.

“We also talked about the issue of having SIPEU, being the body representing government workers, having a voice in the SINPF board,” Au confirmed.

He said they will make a nomination and whoever is nominated his or her name will be given to the Minister of Finance and Treasury, through the SINPF board, to make an appointment.

Au said SIPEU used to be a member of the SINPF board in the past.

He said it is exciting that the SIPEU is moving closer to getting back into the SINPF board after over 10 years.

Most members of the SINPF board are appointed by the Minister. One member represents employers. This member is nominated by the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Au added they are happy with the initiative taken by the SINPF board to sit down and have a talk with the SIPEU.

He said they also discussed other matters like full cover insurance, housing for public employees.

 

Products expensive and no price tags, say tourists

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Stalls selling crafts.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

RECENT international visitors to Honiara have complained that local products are expensive and that they do not have any price tags on them.

This is the feedback from tourists on the two cruise boats which visited Honiara six days ago.

They explain that the unfair practice of not tagging products allows venders to change prices to different tourists. Some may pay more than others.

The tourists suggest the country applies standard pricing and to enforce venders to put price tags on their products.

However, on the overall, tourists said they really enjoyed the whole day here.

SIVB Senior Marketing Officer, Mr Ellison Kyere said the issue of pricing and price tag has been a talked-about issue for a long time.

Kyere said responsible authorities have progressively worked on it with associations such the Artist Association of Solomon Islands, Fashion Association and SIWIBA.

He adds venders should have price tags on their products and that their prices must be reasonable.

“The issue is a long time issue, SIVB considered the feedbacks but currently we are not really strict but we will try to work on that to ensure it becomes regulated,” Kyere said.

Kyere said if everything becomes regulated all products will not be displayed on the ground, and they must have price tags and pricing should be under control.

The significant part is the marketability of Solomon Islands and lasting impression for tourists to return, Kyere adds.

Meanwhile, President of Artist Association of Solomon Islands, Mr Bannie Ronnie said there are several contributing factors to why pricing varies and are high.

He explains that many of the venders retailers who buy products from local artists and carvers and resell them to the tourists.

For price tag and price control, Ronnie supports the idea of enforcing regulations for the country’s reputation with regards to tourism development.

He encourages ministries responsible to look at this issue seriously.

Members reminded of parliament responsibilities

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Acting Governor General Mr Ajilon Nasiu has put all MPs on notice regarding the Prime Minister’s election

By Gary Hatigeva

SPEAKER of the National Parliament, Ajilon Nasiu has reminded members of Parliament (MPs) to reorganise their priorities, while at the same time respect Parliament proceedings and schedules.

The Speaker made this statement when giving his remarks to welcome members before Parliament resumed for its seventh sessions under the 10th Parliament yesterday.

Mr Nasiu was also making this statement in response to the delayed start of the sitting due to late arrivals of members to form a quorum according to parliament schedule.

“This is also to avoid the issue of quorum and I encourage members to make good use of this meeting,” Nasiu stressed.

In an earlier statement, the Speaker made similar calls to MPs but yesterday’s situation had forced him to reiterate the importance of attendance of all members to all sittings of parliament.

He said this is to allow parliament to continue deliver its overall mandate as the law making institution of the country, and this he added, calls for the cooperation of all members to attend parliament.

On the same note, His Excellency, Governor General Sir Frank Kabui also in an earlier statement reminded MPs that people hold envious confidence in their leadership abilities and capabilities, to provide sound guidance and clear vision, not as micro-scale project managers, but as national legislators.

IMO is coming next year

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Mike Puia

THE International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which deals with world maritime, is coming next year.

IMO external auditors are interested in assessing how well this country is implementing obligations under maritime conventions it signed.

Despite being a maritime nation and a member of the IMO, this country has not been doing well in the international maritime community.

According to the Solomon Islands Maritime Safety Administration (SIMSA) Director, Captain Tim Harris, the IMO auditors are also interested in assessing how well this country is implementing the amendments of these conventions.

IMO member countries, including Solomon Islands, have 580 obligations.

As for Solomon Islands, SIMSA has conducted an audit from 2016 to 2017 and found out that this country only satisfied 10 percent of these obligations.

The last convention this country signed is the Civil Liability Convention it signed in1992.

Mr Harris said there are important conventions, like the Fund Convention 1971 and Protocol 1992, this country has not signed.

He said these two conventions gives this country access to huge funding without costing the country anything.

The convention allows a signature country to access millions in an event there is an oil spill.

Harris said the IMO auditors are interested to look at the legal system in the country, the work of Parliament with regards to maritime legislation, the work of the Attorney General Chamber, the work of the High Court, the condition of the industry and ships and how well the SIMSA is implementing the content of the conventions.

 

Forestry Division called upon to assist tree growers

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

A tree grower at Sirobesi in Northwest Choiseul makes a call again for the Forestry Division to assist tree growers around the province in order to sell their trees.

Mr Francis Qoloni on behalf of other tree growers said it has been a very long time now since the Forestry Division assured to assist them in finding buyers for their trees.

“We call on them to come fulfil their assurance in order for us to earn some money from these trees. Assisting us to export our trees will be good as well,” said Mr Qoloni.

It is understood that tree growers of Choiseul Province have planted hundreds of acres of Teak, Eucalyptus and other species of trees.

Attempts for comment from the Forestry Division in Honiara were not possible yesterday.

Wale to question PM Hou over apology statement at MSG summit

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Opposition Leader and MP for Aoke Langalanga Hon Matthew Wale. Photo Credit; Pacificwin NZ Aus Pacific on LinkedIn.

By Gary Hatigeva

MEMBER of Parliament for Aoke Langa Langa who is also a strong advocator for the West Papuan issue, Mathew Wale, is expected to question the Prime Minister, Rick Hounipwela in Parliament, over his apology statement made at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting in Port Moresby early this month.

This is revealed in the Order paper for today’s meeting when Parliament resumes this morning.

Earlier reports revealed that Prime Minister Hou during the meeting used his hand-over speech to his Papua New Guinea counterpart to apologise for any sour relations with other member countries during its two years as chair of the MSG.

PacNews reported that Hou was quoted as saying bilaterally, under Solomon’s chairmanship over the two years the nation may have renewed or soured some relationships with other members of our sub region by promoting aspirations of certain groups and individuals.

He said if Solomon Islands had broken any bridges with any member of the MSG family during the two years, his government will make needful amends and rebuild these broken bridges.

“We will normalise and enhance our bilateral relationships with all members of the MSG family.

“We will ensure to enhance our relationships with all members, associate members and observers of the sub regional organization,” Hou was reported to have shared this in his first MSG Leaders’ Summit since his election in November last year.

For the two years, the MSG met only once in Honiara and the Solomon Islands Prime Minister stressed that the Spearhead Group could not reach consensus for members to meet the second time around, which could be a result of what he was referring to in his apology speech.

Meanwhile, according to the Parliament Order paper, Wale will raise the question over what the causes and nature of these sour relations and request for which member countries were offended that were highlighted by the PM in his apology speech.

However, the former holder of the Chairmanship and Former Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare has been silent about the outcome, knowing he was indirectly blamed for what were highlighted, being the Chairman at that time.

Mr Sogavare was instrumental and influential during his time as Chairman of MSG, which led to the inclusion of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) with an observer status, a group that had proven to have the mandates from the West Papuan people to represent their interests at political fronts.

Advocators have however seen Hou’s apology as a direct attack on his predecessor, where under his capacity as chair of MSG was said to have driven the interests of certain groups and individuals.

This could however lead to the reason for the Aoke Langalanga MP and former Special Envoy on West Papua who also intended to question which groups and individuals Hou was referring to when he mentioned that the sour relations were created in pursuit of certain groups and individuals.

Sogavare under his capacity as Solomon Islands Prime Minister was also Chairman of MSG until he was ousted following a no-confidence motion against last him last year.

The Aoke Langa langa MP and the former Prime Minister though may not have shared the same domestic political interests and views and in most cases from the opposite sides of the House, continue to share common principles and political views on the West Papuan issue.

Sogavare and Wale were key players and have been very outspoken on the West Papua issue at various political levels, which includes Sogavare’s two times appearances at the United Nations General Assembly summits.

Police investigate attack on businessman in Honiara

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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POLICE in Honiara are searching for a suspect in an alleged armed robbery incident during which a businessman was wounded in the Point Cruz area in Central Honiara early morning February 28, 2018.

It is alleged the victim was attacked with a bush knife at about 7.30 am this morning at his business premises.

It was further alleged the victim sustained severe injuries on both of his hands and mouth as a result of the knife attack.

He was rushed to the National Referral Hospital by his employees and is currently undergoing medical treatment.

Honiara City Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Alfred Uiga says, “The man allegedly involved in the incident escaped after the incident but my officers who are investigating the incident have some good leads to follow up on. I must thank witnesses to the alleged incident for giving police the information.

“I want to appeal to members of the public who were at the vicinity of the alleged armed robbery to come forward with any other information that will assist the police with its investigation.”

The Honiara Central Police Station can be contacted on phones 22999 or 23304. Members of the public with information can also call Police National Communication Centre on 23666 or toll free 999.

–POLICE MEDIA

UDP heavies remain with the opposition: secretary

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Alfred Sasako

THE United Democratic Party (UDP) says its senior MPs, former Finance Minister, Snyder Rini and former Development Planning and Aid Coordination Minister Danny Philip have never left the Party, contrary to an article in the Island Sun newspaper yesterday.

Island Sun was informed on Tuesday night that UDP Members in the previous DCC Government have resigned their membership and have joined Kadere Party in a new Alliance formed over the weekend.

It was on the basis of this information that the Secretary of the UDP was sent the following text message at 7pm on Tuesday night. It was in respect of the new Kadere-UDP Alliance, allegedly formed over the weekend, not about events of last November.

My text message simply read:

“Bro, sorry to trouble you. I want confirmation that ALL UDP members have resigned their UDP membership and have merged with Kadere.”

At one minute past 7, UDP Secretary was prompt as a torpedo, responding thus: “Yes bro … I received the letters.”

How many, I asked at 2 minutes past 7. There was no response until at 09.03am the next day when I received the following text message.

“Bro the news you released this morning is factually incorrect. The resignations I refer to above were received in November last year when Soga lost the PMship. Danny and Snyder never resigned and are with UDP in Opposition. Bro me barava concerned na about the report as it now implicates two senior UDP MPs.”

“The article authored by Mr Sasako and published in the Island Sun newspaper is false and misleading and the UDP therefore calls on the daily newspaper and Mr Sasako to retract and apologise for the news item,” UDP Secretary Barnabas Henson said in a statement issued yesterday.

The article said Hon Rini and Hon Philip have resigned from the UDP over the weekend and joined the Kadere Party.

“UDP remains intact under the Opposition Coalition and Hon Rini and Hon Philip remain members of the party. They will be leading the party into the next general elections. The party’s current parliamentary wing consists of five (5) Members of Parliament. They are Hon Philip, Hon Rini, Hon Fugui, Hon Maneka, and Hon Iduri,” he said.

Mr Henson said the party also wants reporters writing any stories to do with it or its members to contact the party Secretary for proper verification before publishing them to avoid misleading the public with false or fabricated information.

He said the UDP sees the article as a direct attack on its integrity and that of its senior parliamentarians and therefore calls on Island Sun and Mr Sasako to immediately correct the media report.

Peacebuilding, a gov’t priority: PM

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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PM Hounipwele said, “To replace logging receipts Solomon Islands will need to generate 125,000 additional international visitors.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela says sustaining peace and stability is the priority if his government. He thus welcomes support from the United Nations.

Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela said this at the launching of the Joint Programme Initiative, Consolidating Peace, Stability and Social Cohesion in Solomon Islands Post RAMSI 2018 at the Heritage Park Hotel yesterday.

Initially acknowledging the UN Peacebuilding supported programme, he referred to it as an initiative that the government will work towards to achieve lasting peace and stability in the country.

Moreover, the Prime Minister also expressed how encouraged he is given the strong partnership of UN agencies like UNDP and UN Women which have been working competently with respective ministries under the first peacebuilding programme for the last 18 months.

“The cooperation that exists between these agencies is an affirmation of that commitment. Be assured the Government will on its part work towards cementing this partnership,” he said.

Speaking of UNPBF (United Nations Peacebuilding Fund), Prime Minister Hou voiced its importance for two reasons; to strengthen peacebuilding and to ensure the integrity of upcoming elections.

Stressing on the former, he said that since RAMSI has left the country last year, there is a collaborative need for us to sustain many gains and achievements to strengthen peacebuilding by deepening development and reform.

On another note, Hou said the programme itself is looking at peace in a broader sense hence embodies aspects such as accelerating development, inclusive partnership and nation building.

“In addition, the current UN programme design should allow for open dialogues on key development issues connecting to peace and stability in the country,” he said.

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