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Swimmers to compete in PNG

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Members of the national swimming team during a training session last year at Honiara Hotel.

By Taromane Martin

Members of the national swimming team during a training session last year at Honiara Hotel.

SOLOMON Islands Swimming Federation (SISF) has confirmed the names of the athletes who will take part in the upcoming 12th Oceania Swimming Championships in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The championship will begin on June 24 in Port Moresby.

Federation Vice President Mr Nihal Seneviratne said this will be the first time Solomon Islands will compete in this competition.

“This is the first time in the history for Solomon Islands swimming to participate in this event,” Mr Seneviratne said.

“18 countries from Oceania and 19 smaller countries from the South East Asia are invited to compete in the synchronized event.

“Event’s participation will be a big boost to the Solomon Islands swimming athletes as they prepare for the 2023 Pacific Games,” he adds.

The 12th Oceania Swimming Championships will see athletes contesting in swimming for four days, the synchronize event for three days and the open water category which will last for two days.

The swimming and the synchronized contests will be held at the Taurama Aquatic Center while the open water competition will be held in the Fairfax Harbour in the heart of Port Moresby.

Meanwhile, the local swimming federation yesterday released their 17 man training squad for the Oceania Championships.

Seneviratne pointed out that the athletes are currently undergoing preparation to compete in the open water category.

“At the moment the national squad is training at Kakabona Beach for the Open water swimming category,” he said.

Head Coach Mr Stance Beula said they will select only six boys and four girls to represent the country at the championships.

NATIONAL TRAINING SQUAD SELECT

Women’s

ANGELA CHARLES

CINDY AUNGARIMA

WENDY CHRLES

ROSE LIMATO

RACHEL GESUNA

HANE BEN

JIHAN LARISA

MEN’S

CLAYMENT LAFIARA ILL

EDGAR IRO

JUSTIN TANAFERU

CLIFTON GAE

ALBERT KADO

JOHN AUTHA

ELIAS MANUI

CHRITLEAN AUKOBA

EDDIE CARREN

ERIC JUSTIN

HEAD COACH- STANCE BEULA SANGA

School 2018 Hockey Leagues starts April

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Taromane Martin

SOLOMON Islands Hockey Federation President Mr Nihal Seneviratne has confirmed that the 2018 Hockey Leagues will kick off in April.

Mr Seneviratne told SunSPORTS yesterday that both the high school and the Honiara Clubs Leagues are set to kick off on the first week of April.

“SIHF organised High School Hockey League 2018 and Honiara Hockey Club League 2018 due to kick off 1st week of April,” he said.

Following last year’s success of the league, Seneviratne said the federation is optimistic about the future of the sport in the country.

The President meanwhile has confirmed Solomon Islands will be sending a national U-18 team to compete at the 2018 Oceania youth Olympic Games qualifiers which will be held in Papua New Guinea on April 24.

 

Six seeking qualification

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

Hockey federation names train on squad

By Taromane Martin

SOLOMON Islands will join Australia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga to compete for Youth Olympic Games hockey qualification in April.

The Hockey 5s qualifiers will be held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from April 24-27.

There are three men’s qualifying spots and two women’s qualifying spots available for Oceania at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina according to the Oceania Hockey Federation.

Solomon Islands men’s hockey team will play Vanuatu in their first match while the women’s national team will take on Fiji on April 25.

The women’s will play Tonga in their second match on April 26 while the men’s will square off with Papua New Guinea.

Final round robin matches will see Solomon Islands taking on Australia for both the women and men teams on April 27.

Meanwhile local hockey President Mr Nihal Seneviratne yesterday released the national U-18 Hockey training squad.

Seneviratne who had just returned from a visit to the Federation International Hockey (FIH) headquarters in Switzerland says both squads have been undergoing intensive training in preparation to represent the country.

“At the moment national under 18 squad training daily at King George Six High School Hockey Ground,” he said.

All the players selected for the training squad were picked from the last year’s Lowprice and Colgate hockey leagues.

UNDER 18 NATIONAL HOCKEY SQUAD SELECT

Women’s

CLAUDIA VOTU

SAMANTHA IFUNA’AU

SALLY HIRO

ALINA MAELAWA

ALISON SANGA

REANN ALABARU

GAMASI VALTIMAY

EKOTANI ABBY

SIOSI GRACE

INDERE HOWELL

JOSEPHINE LEVO

GWEN BALE

MEN’S

REGINALD AITOREA

LINFORD TALOSUI

LESLY SATU

JOSEPH LAMASI

RALPH MASAE

GEORNA PEGO

PAUL PULE

BROOKLYN WANETENIA

PAUL LUIRAMO

BRADFORD MAURI

All matches will be difficult: Figueira

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 captain Justin Gulley and coach José Figueria upon arrival yesterday at the Henderson International Airport.

TEAM Wellington Coach Jose Figueira says they are expecting no easy but a tough run in the Oceania Champions league Group D competition that will kick off in Honiara this weekend.

Figueiria uttered this when he spoke to SunSPORTS upon arrival at the Henderson International Airport on Thursday.

The Englishman said all the matches will be difficult.

Team Wellington is one of the top performing teams in the New Zealand ISPS Handa Premiership and their Oceania Champions League campaign opener will be against homeside Marist this Saturday 4pm at Lawson Tama Stadium.

Figueira said: “The first game is against the local team and it’s a big challenge for us.

“We are expecting a tough test so we have to make sure that we are at the top of our game and we are ready to perform.

“It’s always a tough challenge to play three matches in 10 days and it’s going to be difficult.

“The team’s been training very well, getting used to the conditions and we have to make sure we use all the players to keep fresh for all the games.”

Team Wellington’s campaign in Honiara will be buoyed by the remarkable achievements in the previous successive seasons where they came up three times in the grandfinal against Oceania champions Auckland City and unfortunately succumbed defeats in all occasions.

Figueiria said the boys are in full preparation mode and are getting used to playing away from home.

The only challenge now is to try and quickly acclimatise to the local weather condition before the actions get underway from tomorrow.

After taking on Marist come Saturday, the second match will be against Lupe Ole Soaga of Samoa fixed for 1pm Tuesday next week.

Their final pool match is scheduled for Friday next week against AS Magenta of New Caledonia.

Team wellington arrives in Honiara

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Team Wellington members upon arrival in Honiara on Thursday

BY ROMULUS HUTA

NEW Zealand representative Team Wellington has landed in Honiara yesterday afternoon ahead of the Oceania Champions League Group D competition that will get underway this weekend at Lawson Tama Stadium.

A team of 17 playing members and seven officials made the long trip from Wellington to Honiara via Brisbane yesterday.

Travelling members include four foreign imports and they are New Caledonia’s Roy Kayara, Ross Allen (England), Mario Barcia (Argentina) and Eric Molloy of Ireland.

Team Wellington members upon arrival in Honiara on Thursday

The team is currently residing at the Pacific Casino Hotel.

Upon arrival yesterday, the team headed on straight to their first training session.

Buoyed by a 4-1 win over Waitakere in the New Zealand domestic ISPS Handa Premiership last weekend, Team Wellington will be one of the contenders in the race for the two quarterfinal spots allocated to Group D.

Team Wellington will open their Oceania Champions League campaign against hosts Marist 4pm this Saturday at Lawson Tama.

Their second match is against Lupe Ole Soaga on February 27 while their final match is set for March 2 against AS Magenta.

Team Wellington has reached the grandfinal of the Oceania Champions League for the past three seasons and only to be beaten by close rival Auckland City in all occasions.

The mission that they will begin in Honiara tomorrow afternoon is basically about going after an unfinished business.

Team Wellington Coach José Figueria said they are pleased to be here in the Solomon Islands for the Oceania Champions league.

“We’re excited to be here.

“The Champions League is always an exciting thing to be part of.

Team Wellington members Nathanael Hailemariam and Roy Kayara pose for a photo after arriving at Henderson International Airport on Thursday. PICTURE BY ROMULUS HUTA

“Last year we’re in New Caledonia and now we have come to the Solomon Islands and the players are looking forward to the challenge,” Figueria said.

Apart from their group competition matches, the weather here comes as another challenge to Figueria and his boys.

The Englishman stressed that when they left Wellington yesterday morning it was raining and here it’s quite different.

“We’ll take a couple of days to get use to the weather. Here it’s hot.

“In Wellington when we left today (yesterday), it’s raining. Here it’s much hotter, so we have to make sure that we try and get used to it (weather) as soon as possible.”

Team Wellington Oceania Champions League Travelling Squad

Squad:

  1. Scott Basalaj (GK), 2. Justin Gulley (C), 3. Scott Hilliar, 4. Mario Ilich, 5. Liam Wood, 6. Taylor Schrijvers, 7. Eric Molloy (Foreign Player), 8. Tiahn Manuel, 10. Nathanael Hailemariam, 11. Mario Barcia (Foreign Player), 13. Roy Kayara (Oceania Player, 14. Jack-Henry Sinclair, 16. Angus Kilkolly, 19. Ross Allen (Foreign Player), 20. Daniel Mulholland, 21. Hamish Watson, 22. Marcel Kampman (RGK)

Staff:

General Manager – Peter Becker

Head Coach – José Figueria

Assistant Coach – Scott Hales

Team Manager – Stuart Widdowson

Sports Scientist – James Mac Aodhagain

Physio – Sarah Dunn & Alistair Basalaj

Media & Communications – Courtney Marsden

 

Sackings held off for Monday

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Alfred Sasako

UP to six senior government officials including ministers who were earmarked to be fired today have been given a temporary reprieve, thanks to the absence of the Attorney General.

Government House advised the Office of the Prime Minister late yesterday that the Attorney General, James Apaniai, is responsible for preparing the instruments for removing government Ministers.

But because he was out of the country, the planned sackings could not be carried out.

Island Sun was told late last night that because Mr Apaniai is out of the country, the dismissals could not be effected without the relevant instruments being prepared for endorsement by Government House.

This is now being held off until Monday, one insider told Island Sun last night.

In the meantime the SI DCC Government will launch its policy and translation this morning.

Angered by ongoing internal bickering Prime Minister Houenipwela was planning to remove up to six officials including ministers in a bid to bring about stability to the ruling two-party coalition.

Those being sacked included two political appointees who have been blamed for allegedly conspiring to remove the Prime Minister.

It is not clear whether the temporary reprieve would help ease the pressure on the government.

The government has also blamed the Opposition as being directly linked to the plot to unseat the government.

Power for public

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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1
The Ombudsman, Mr Fred Fakari’i

New Ombudsman’s law – civilians can report gov’t agency, ministry or department for investigation

By Mike Puia

PUBLIC can now raise complaints of maladministrative conducts by any government agency, ministry or department to the office of the Ombudsman for investigation.

As of 31st January 2018, the Ombudsman Office enforced the new Ombudsman Act 2017 which was passed in parliament on July 26, 2017. It repeals the old Ombudsman (Further Provisions) Act, Chapter 88.

Announcing the Act commencement at a press conference yesterday, the Ombudsman, Mr Fred Fakari’i said the Act requires any complaint be made in writing or verbal or from a third party. Making a verbal complaint to the Ombudsman Office for investigation is a new feature of the Act.

Fakari’i said getting written and verbal complaints is one way of encouraging those who cannot read and write to make a complaint.

Under this new Act, the Ombudsman’s Office is not responsible for investigating criminal conduct or complaints or court decisions or expert decisions and opinions.

The Act provides for a referral mechanism where the Ombudsman can formally refer complaints which are not maladministration to another authority like the police, Director of Public Prosecution or the Leadership Code Commission to handle it.

“My office can help refer anyone who has a complaint to the appropriate authority,” Fakari’i said.

He said this referral mechanism will ensure no complaint against the government can “fall through the cracks” simply because it does not involve maladministration.

The Ombudsman is empowered by this new Act to investigate complaints it receives and can also initiate investigations on its own from information received from any source including the media.

The new Act empowers the Ombudsman to request information, document or thing from any person for the purpose of his investigations or may also request a person to come forward and give information.

Fakari’i said anyone who failed to provide information or failed to attend when requested by his office will be punished. The penalties under this new Act have increased (see separate story about mal-administrative conduct and penalties). According to Fakari’i the increase of the penalties is an improvement under the new Act.

The new Act gives the Ombudsman power to obtain any evidence without a court warrant.

The Ombudsman office will conduct its investigations in confidentiality. It will prepare a report of its findings after its investigations.

If the Ombudsman office finds that the government agency, ministry or department is wrong, the Ombudsman makes recommendations to the government agency, ministry or department on how best the problem should be solved and provided recommendations for improvement.

Once a government agency, ministry or department failed to implement the Ombudsman’s recommendations, the Ombudsman can make a report for tabling in Parliament so that the government agency, ministry or department can account to Parliament.

Fakari’i said he hopes this new Act will assist his office to be effective in its “watch-dog” role.

He added he hopes the Act will become a medium for the public to channel complaints through and for the government to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of its systems to see whether there is a fair, transparent and accountable public administration that benefits the people of this country.

Too many Police drivers, poor vehicle conditions

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A concerned citizen voices that a number of police vehicles in the country are in poor conditions because we have too many police drivers and vehicles are not properly cared for.

Former policeman, Mr Henry B Kahui expressed this after having learnt of the situation from an article published by Solomon Star on Feb 13, 2018, titled “vehicle shortage”.

He said that from how he sees it, while we have too many police drivers on the road some of them who are not fit to drive still take on the wheel and vehicles are not properly managed which may be the result of accidents.

Kahui also mentioned that police officers are not effective with their patrols and do not visit areas that have high crime rates.

On the other hand, he shares his experience and compares it to today’s police force.

Kahui explained that back then they used less than 50 vehicles which lasted for more than 10 years.

“We had to go through a 3 month training where we learned how to care for our vehicles and a little on basic law before moving on to various police stations that needed drivers. Drivers would have to check the vehicles before we used them.

“Although we did not have as much vehicles as today, we did our part in terms of patrolling around areas where crimes were committed on a daily basis. We carried out foot beat patrol where we walked around, patrolling around places from 10pm-6am. We did about 4 to 5 patrols before daylight and did not depend much on vehicles,” he said.

Kahui furthers that in order for RSIPF to safeguard our vehicles they must to change the direction of how their vehicles are managed and suggests that they recruit police drivers instead of allowing any police officers to drive.

Youths want leaders with ‘real development’ agenda

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

By Mike Puia

AS the National General Elections move closer, some youths have come out and expressed their concern about our leaders.

A youth from Langalanga, in Malaita Province, Joseph Waledala, said current and would-be Members of Parliament must have genuine plans to make “real development” happens.

“We want leaders who are honest and devoted to the people. Leaders with visions and not self-serving,” Waledala said.

He said candidates must join the election equipped with plans and strategy on how to address the challenges rural people are experiencing.

“We want to see MPs making a difference in their constituency and in this country. We are fading-up of seeing self-serving MPs,” Waledala said.

He said the important thing they want to see is leaders who push for real development.

“Dishing out of roofing irons, solar, boats or engine is no real development. Real development is tapping the potentials in the constituency,” the youth said.

He said investing on things that would generate income and employment like eco-lodge for tourists, shell money exports and others should be every MP and intending MPs’ focus.

The elections are due to take place early next year. The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission confirmed it still working on updating and finalizing the voters list.

NPF made right choice to invest in Heritage Park Hotel

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Heritage Park Hotel

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A concerned citizen is opposing comments made by Mr Charles Dausabea in an article published by one of the local papers regarding NPF’s investment in Heritage Park Hotel.

Mr George Notoibae of Malaita province explains that Dausabea had referred to NPF’s board decision to invest in Heritage Park Hotel as “wrong” and “not profitable”.

He, however begs to differ, voicing that any investment in tourism, especially that of accommodation businesses like Heritage Park Hotel is profitable hence, from his point of view, NPF did not make a wrong decision when it chose to invest its members money there.

“When NPF invests in a hotel, it is good investment because members will benefit from it and they are investing in a property. This kind of business always makes good return or income for its investment,” said Notoibae.

Having worked in various departments for a number of hotels in the capital for more than 25 years, he said “It’s not just about accommodation, it’s about understanding how to provide good services.”

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