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Figuiera says Island football improves alot

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Team Wellington captain Justin Gulley and coach José Figueria upon arrival yesterday at the Henderson International Airport.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

TEAM Wellington head coach Jose Manuel Figuiera says the quality of club football across Oceania region is increasing.

Figuiera was in Honiara last week accompanying his club’s participation in the Oceania Club Champions League Group D competition.

Despite finishing at the top spot in Group D, Team Wellington had to dig deeper to give a good fight to achieve that.

The Englishman said during their group competition, their opponents gave them really good and strong performances.

“This shows that football in the region is fast improving and very soon they will be hard to beat if they keep on doing the right thing in their development.”

The top place finish in Pool D enabled Team Wellington to qualify into the quarterfinal with an advantage of playing at home when they host Group A runner-up Lae City Dwellers of Papua New Guinea on April 7, according to the draws released by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Monday this week.

A win over the PNG outfit in the quarterfinal might possibly see them go up against Auckland City or Solomon Islands champions Solomon Warriors in a two-legged semifinal that will kick off on April 21.

“It’s good to know your passage all the way through and obviously there’s the cliche things of not looking too far ahead and making sure we do the job [against Lae City] first,” Figueira said.

“The quality of the teams across OFC is rising every year and we won’t be taking that quarterfinal lightly. And if we get through, and if it is Auckland, it will make for an exciting match for sure.

“It’s good to know your passage all the way through and obviously there’s the cliche things of not looking too far ahead and making sure we do the job [against Lae City] first,” Figueira said.

“The quality of the teams across OFC is rising every year and we won’t be taking that quarterfinal lightly. And if we get through, and if it is Auckland, it will make for an exciting match for sure.”

Wellington survived a scare in their opening match against group D hosts Marist, with substitute Angus Kilkolly salvaging a late 1-1 draw, before going on to beat Lupe o le Soaga 7-1 and AS Magenta 5-1 in much more comfortable fashion.

With the temperature soaring into the 30s, Figueira said it was tough going playing away from home in the Solomon Islands, with many of his players describing the Marist clash as the toughest they had ever played.

But they won’t have to worry about the foreign conditions in the quarterfinals, Figueira admitting it was a “huge advantage” to host the playoff in Wellington.

“We arrived in the Solomon Islands a couple of days before [our first game] and even then it still took some time to get used to the conditions, so having that home quarterfinal is big for us and we’re glad to have it.”

For now, Wellington turn their attention back to the ISPS Handa Premiership, facing Canterbury United in their penultimate match of the regular season this weekend.

Roy Kayara, who returned to New Caledonia following a family bereavement after their opening Oceania Champions League match in Honiara, is due back in Wellington this weekend but will miss the Canterbury game.

HFA league likely to resume next month

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE problem-plagued Honiara Football Association (HFA) league is highly likely to kick off next month, according to President Baddley Alaha.

According to a post by president Alaha via the Honiara Football Association (HFA) facebook page yesterday, an advice has been given out calling on clubs to begin their preparation for the 2018 season.

While the actual date of the league’s resumption was not stated, Alaha stressed that: “My advice for all clubs is to start their training now because every year our HFA league starts in April.”

Alaha added that they will soon announce the resumption date of the league and so as the date for the presentation for last season.

“The presentation and awards for the 2017 HFA League and the start of 2018 HFA League proper will soon be announced.

“Please just be patient with us as we are trying to address issues one at a time.”

Alaha said the HFA league will soon adopt a new structure.

The new structure will see only two divisions being played out by participating clubs.

“For your information, I’m working with the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Technical Director on how to administer the HFA new league structure.

“Under this new structure, we will have two divisions only. The Premier Division will have 18 teams and Division 1 also 18 teams.

“The detail of the new format will be announced next week,” Alaha explained.

On similar note, the HFA President invites all HFA coaches who attended the last year’s ‘SIFF Grassroots Certificate’ to attend the ‘SIFF Youth and Senior Coaching Certificate’ Course which will begin on March 19.

The ‘SIFF Youth and Senior Coaching Certificate’ is a level up from the ‘SIFF Grassroots Certificate’.

Scheduled to run from March 19 to 22 at the SIFF Academy, Alaha urges all HFA coaches to contact the SIFF Technical Officer for registration.

“Please call in to see the SIFF Technical Director at the SIFF Office for your registration. The registration closes on Friday 16th of March at 4:30pm,” the HFA president said.

Naka’s absence won’t affect us: Marahare

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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James Naka playing for Nalkutan in the recent friendly with KOSSA at Korman Stadium in Port Vila.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

KOSSA coach Eddie Marahare says the absence of former captain and veteran striker James Naka will not affect them heading into this weekend’s Telekom S-League (TSL) Championship Series kick off.

Marahare made this assurance ahead of this weekend’s outing in the first leg of the Telekom S-League Championship Series round one match.

The round one match is against Western United starting at 2pm on Sunday at Lawson Tama Stadium.

To be played over a two-legged contest, Marahare said: “The absence of veteran striker James Naka will not affect team performance and determination to take advantage of the home game match on Sunday.”

But instead Marahare said the club will rely on the leadership of senior players George Suri and Charlie Otainao in shouldering the responsibility to deliver for them in the attack upfront.

“Team hopes rely on the likes of George Suri and Charlie Otainao to shoulder the responsibility to score goals in the prestigious TSL Championship.”

Marahare is eyeing a better and an improved finish up the ladder in the upcoming championship series.

“Our team finished third on the TSL league standing.

“Our objective now is to improve this standing in the championship.”

Meanwhile, Naka was KOSSA’s captain at the beginning of the season before leaving them to join Vanuatu’s Nalkutan for the Oceania Champions League competition.

KOSSA is one of the teams that began their preparation early for the 2018 season.

In January they flew to Vanuatu and played two international friendly matches against Nalkutan at Korman Stadium in Port Vila.

The friendlies were made possible upon request by the Ni-Vanuatu club as part of their preparation toward the Oceania Champions League competition.

 

International friendlies in pipeline for young Kurukurus

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Under-17 futsal top goal scorer Raphael Le’ai celebrates one of his goals with team mate Frankster Rukumana during last year’s qualifiers in New Zealand.

By Taromane Martin

SOLOMON Islands national under 17-futsal team is awaiting confirmation from the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) to have international friendly matches in June.

The national U-17 squad, dubbed junior Kurukurus, will represent the country at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina this October.

Head Coach Stanley Puirana said the squad is waiting for confirmation from SIFF if they will head for international friendly matches in June.

Under-17 futsal top goal scorer Raphael Le’ai celebrates one of his goals with team mate Frankster Rukumana during last year’s qualifiers in New Zealand.

The friendlies are to be held overseas.

“Regarding friendly matches, our tour in June is still awaiting confirmation. Hopefully we’ll know the outcome next week,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Junior Kurukurus have been confirmed to take part in this month’s National Futsal League.

Coach Puirana said the squad has resumed their training in preparation for the upcoming competition.

He said they have been working on the team’s fitness and endurance for the past two weeks.

He adds once they get confirmation from the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) regarding the total number of players for the team then they will do the final selections.

“Once we get confirmation then we make the final selection, for the moment all of the boys are here training,” he said.

The junior Kurukurus won their ticket for the Youth Olympic Games after winning the 2017 Oceania U-17 Futsal Championship, held in New Zealand.

Know your limit

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Taromane Martin

THE role of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the government should be limited to only governance and financing for the 2023 Pacific Games, a statement from the Solomon Islands 2023 Pacific Games Taskforce stated yesterday.

They made the statement in response to queries from SunSPORTS regarding an article published online via the Solomon Business Magazine (SBM) facebook page and shared onto the popular FSII Facebook page on Tuesday.

SBM online claimed Prime Minister Rick Hounipwela had removed the Pacific Games portfolio from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the PMO because he was unhappy with the progress made so far in hosting the game.

However, the taskforce said they are close to finalizing everything for their report before their term in office ends in June so that ground work and actual games’ preparation could start.

“One of the milestone achievements for the task force is to recommend a date in June for the commencement and the implementation of the PG 2023 Act,” the statement said.

“When that happens, the three bodies namely the National Hosting Authority (NHA), Facilities Committee and the Games Organizing Committee (GOC) which is to be appointed under the Act will take over the organization and implementation of all the projects and programs for the games and to eventually administer the games. The role of MHA and PMO should be limited to governance and financing.

“We’ve followed the agenda the Pacific Games Council (PGC) gave us. At the moment everything is still in the preparation stage before the bulldozers start coming in.

“Dealing with land is not an easy thing. There are certain issues which need to be discussed and straightened before ground work can start.

“If the government just told us to develop the land then everything is set. But right now KGVI School and SINU seemed to be the fighting progress.

“All these issues needs to be discussed properly, every one agree then we go ahead with the constructions.

“Right now we’ve done the regulations and as soon as the Act is implemented, preparations should get underway.

“Finance is the area the government should be focusing on. Money and land – those are the two issues the government should be worrying about.

“Have a subcommittee or something to secure the land, a subcommittee of cabinet to work on finance. That’s all they should be doing.

“Rather than they make a change now they should wait. Let the Task Force complete its work then after June they can have a committee formed for the construction stage in placed to report to cabinet,” the statement adds.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs George Palua said he is aware of the situation but is still waiting to be fully briefed about it.

Premier warns NGO

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Premier of Temotu Province, David Maina

By Mike Puia

Premier of Temotu Province, David Maina

PREMIER of Temotu province, David Maina, has threatened to kick out Oxfam International from the remote province.

Premier Maina’s threat comes after a meeting with Santa Cruz landowners’ earlier this week.

During that meeting, landowners who are members of the Graciosa Bay Governing Council (GBGC) presented a list of demands to Premier Maina and members of his executive.

The demands are related to a proposed bauxite mining that is making progress in the province. One of the demands is a call on Premier Maina to resign.

GBGC is pursuing their government to revoke the business licence it awarded to the Australian mining company, Pacific Bauxite Company.

These demands were signed by Phelix Nani, chairman of the council and a staff of Oxfam based in Lata.

Referring to Nani’s involvement, Mr Maina said Oxfam is here to help the province and not to involve in politics.

“The province… will issue a paper soon to remove Oxfam from the province,” Maina said.

Meanwhile, defending his involvement, Mr Nani said he had declared to Oxfam his affiliation to land issues in his home.

He said he also declared before the meeting started that what he shares are not of Oxfam but his own as a landowner.

“I decided to involve in these issues because it threatened the lives of my people,” Nani said.

He said representatives from the churches, Telekom, hospital, teachers, women, marine environment also attended.

“During our dialogue with the province, we represented landowners, not our employers,” Nani said.

Oxfam country director, Dolores Devesi, said the organisation is no involved in the issue.

Devesi said it is sad that some people failed to recognise professional and personal lines.

She said their project in the province focuses on gender-based violence which has nothing to do with land rights.

She said their staff in point has declared to them that he is a landowner.

“We don’t demand leaders to step down. It’s not our place to demand such,” Devesi said.

She said they also sought to support people.

The Oxfam country head confirmed their office in Honiara and Lata were not given copies of any letter from the premier to inform them of the issue.

She said they hope to communicate with the provincial government to fix the issue.

Oxfam’s programme here, started in 2001, and is part of its Pacific regional program, along with programmes in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

 

Locals supported by JICA share action plans

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Mike Puia

FIVE locals who attended training in Japan and are members of the Solomon Nihon (JICA) Alumni Association presented their action plans yesterday.

The presentation of action plans was done at a session organised by the Association.

In fact, the session is a follow-up to the first one that was held last year where seven individuals presented their action plans.

When introducing the session, President of the Association, Michael Larui, said shortly after their election to the Association one of their goal was to follow-up on action plans of those who went and attended study in various learning institutes in Japan.

Every local who went and study in Japan through JICA produced action plans outlining when they will do on their return to their country, especially to their various workplace.

Some have implemented part of their action plans while others have almost implemented most things in their action plans.

Alison Sio, for instance, during her presentation, confirmed that most of the things she outlined in her action plan have been fulfilled.

Alison represented and Public Health Emergency & Surveillance Unit within the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

She said the main challenge she is encountering while implementing her plan in the lack of working togetherness.

The Association’s president said getting scholars to share their plans will allow other members of the Association and staff of JICA to listen and learn about these plans and give inputs.

“Such program allows us to listen and to participate in outcome proposed by the scholars. This is a learning opportunity as it allows scholars to share they experiences and challenges,” Larui said.

Information dissemination crucial to everyday decisions

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Government Communication Officers during the workshop yesterday

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THE challenge is to breach the existing gap between the government and its people through effective communication strategies.

Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela expressed this yesterday whilst speaking at the government communication officers’ workshop held at the Iron Bottom Sound Hotel.

In earlier remarks, he stressed that providing information for the public is indeed a challenge and emphasised to the communication officers that the public is the main consumer of information.

The Prime Minister also shed light on the three day workshop’s theme “Breaching the government with people through effective communication” and added that the theme reflects the importance of communication between inter-government departments and divisions.

Government Communication Officers during the workshop yesterday

He said that the theme recognises the existing gap between the government and its people while embodying the fundamental challenge the government is facing of which is to breach that gap through effective communication strategies.

“I believe that only through effective dissemination of information we can be able to breach this gap and it has to be done through the various media platforms,” said Prime Minister Hou.

On another note, he briefly touched on important functions of the government communications noting that it is important that they are understood.

Prime Minister Houenipwela explained that there are three significant functions with the first settling on ensuring that citizens are informed of the government’s policies and programmes.

The second he adds is that a platform for advocacy for government policies and reforms is provided and the third function is to effectively engage citizens.

Addressing the various ministerial communication officers present at the workshop, he strongly stated that they play an important role in the government, most especially in safeguarding democracy and achieving social economic development at all levels of our society.

“As such discharging your duties to the best of your abilities enables our people to make well informed decisions on matters that will have an impact on their daily lives,” said Prime Minister Hou.

 

I put myself in the victims’ shoes: Sgt Nester Qoloni

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Police Sergeant Nester Qoloni

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

WHILE today is Women’s International Day a Police Sergeant Nester Qoloni who has been in the Police force for 35 years said caring and listening to sexual violence victims is her interest and passion.

Speaking to Island Sun recently she said whenever a victim of sexual violence appears at her work place she always feels for the victim and also puts herself in their shoes.

“I always welcome them and felt sorry for victims of sexual violence in our country and been working in the force for 35 years it is become part of me to listen and care for victims.

“When victim came to my office seeking assistance about their problem I always listen to their stories and then made referrals to stakeholders like hospital, Seif place and the Christian Care centre.

“It is a very challenging job for me but because I love what am doing I enjoyed it,” Mrs Qoloni said.

She said sometimes her fellow officers can make comments when victims go to the station for help, good comments and bad comments, but she always told them that they are all human beings and need support.

“I always say to my fellow colleague they are just human beings like us and they need our help, it is us who knows about the law,” Qoloni said.

Women do not deserve to be raped. Most times people blame the victims and not the perpetrator who should be blamed because of his abusive or violent behaviour.

The perpetrator should be blamed and hold responsible for their abusive actions and girls and women should never be blamed.

It’s about time men respect women and girls because all these violence and sexual assault that is happening is just because the men are not respecting them.

Qoloni said the recent training they had on how to improve the management of sexual violence victims is a bonus to her knowledge and skills to better manage such cases.

She said that by attending the training it gives a bright future for police officers to investigate and also properly manage victims of sexual violence.

Qoloni said dealing with sexual violence victims in a country like Solomon Islands is challenging in terms of logistics support and others.

“Sometimes in cases where the victims need to go to the hospital I sometimes use my own money to feed the victims as hospital queue is one thing.

“This job is not an easy job because we are dealing with human beings, but I have a very supportive husband and family supporting me all throughout.

“And I salute them for that,” Qoloni said.

Qoloni also said sometimes though she was posted at the Guadalcanal Police victims always find her for assistance and help when they encountered problems.

She said victims of sexual violence can only share their problems to people they trust.

Therefore she encourages all her fellow colleagues to have a heart and care for sexual violence victims.

Police Sergeant Nester Qoloni is currently the Family Violence Coordinator for Guadalcanal Province Police.

Police and stakeholders are working very hard to end such happening in the country and they always call on communities and individual to work together with police to end sexual violence against women, girls and children.

SICFA, READ SI and Huawei bring high tech world to Solomon Islands students

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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SICFA, READ SI and Huawei have brought the high tech world to Solomon Islands students. (Pictured) READ SI’s Joyce Boykin (left) and Sir Thomas Chan with some of the 927 sets of tablets donated by Telco giant Huawei under the umbrella of SICFA.

By Alfred Sasako

THE high tech world has come to some Solomon Islands’ students, thanks to a partnership with China’s largest information technology company, Huawei, the 9th in global revenue rankings.

Under the arrangement, Huawei has donated some 927 sets of tablets following a request by the Treasurer of the Solomon Islands-China Friendship Association (SICFA), Diana Yates, who last year requested the Telco giant to consider providing up to 300 sets for students and schools under the umbrella of SICFA.

SICFA is an NGO established in 2016 to promote friendship and cultural exchanges between the peoples of Solomon Islands and Mainland China.

Huawei responded by providing 927 sets through the new partnership with SICFA and Read SI.

READ SI is already piloting the effectiveness of the technology with Brilliant Star, a primary school on Guadalcanal, READ SI founder/director, Joyce Boykin told Island Sun earlier this week.

READ SI will be sending some of the tablets with library books to selected villages on Malaita as well. In fact, the tablets will be going to 91 villages located on Guadalcanal, in Malaita, Makira and the Western Provinces in April for Phase 3 of the National Literacy Campaign,” she said.

“We have given 20 to be used by upper primary students when they do reading class. The goal is to train people how to use this new tool and have these tablets contribute to the acquisition of practical knowledge and learning,” Mrs Boykin said.

SICFA President, Sir Thomas Chan, said Huawei’s donation is a pleasant surprise.

“We are overwhelmed by the size of the donation, which are being giving away to students and teachers including those in remote schools.

SICFA, READ SI and Huawei have brought the high tech world to Solomon Islands students. (Pictured) READ SI’s Joyce Boykin (left) and Sir Thomas Chan with some of the 927 sets of tablets donated by Telco giant Huawei under the umbrella of SICFA.

“We are very grateful to Huawei for responding positively to our request in providing the tablets, which we know would be a great help in aiding students in their learning and acquisition of practical knowledge,” Sir Thomas said.

“I would also like to record SICFA’s gratitude to each and every one including the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, for facilitating Customs clearance of the donation.

“It’s the future of the young people of Solomon Islands that matters. I am grateful that Huawei has donated the tablets which would make an enormous contribution towards the future of Solomon Islands students who would be using the new gadgets,” he said.

Sir Thomas said the donation by Huawei was only possible through the help of the Kingdom of Tonga, which helped Solomon Islands become a Member of the Pacific-China Friendship Association (PCFA).

Solomon Islands has since established its own association, known as Solomon Islands-China Friendship Association (SICFA).

“These tablets will definitely bring the world of technology a whole lot closer to the students even in remote areas,” Sir Thomas said.

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