BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

PROJECT construction of classroom building for Peava Primary School at East Gatokae, Western Province, has been given approval by the Embassy of Japan in Solomon Islands.

Ambassador of Japan to Solomon Islands Kenichi Kimiya during the Grant Contract signing Ceremony yesterday with two representatives of Peava PS including the Premier of Western Province Hon Wayne Maepioh congratulated them for the official approval which they submitted to the Embassy in August 2016.

The total amount of assistance for the school to build a two-story classroom building reaches SBD$ 636,663. 60.

“On behalf of the government of Japan, I would like to take the opportunity to say that we are very pleased to contribute to the development for the people of Solomon Islands.

He emphasised to Peava PS representatives that yesterday was just the beginning for them to start implementing the project properly while keeping in their mind that it is a present from the Japanese taxpayers.

“I would like to see the successful completion of your project together in the near future resulting in composing cordial relationship between Japan and Solomon Islands,” said the Ambassador.

Headmaster for Peava PS Mr Webber Patovaki representing the school, community and stakeholders expressed their profound appreciation to the government and people of Japan for accepting and approving to fund the classroom project.

“We will do our best to adhere to the conditions governing this project. At the end of the day, the success of this project depends very much on our partnership.”

Maepioh during the ceremony also took the opportunity to thank Japan on behalf of the people of Western Province.

“Your support through this grassroots project reduces some difficulties the government is also facing. We continue to be inspired by your support in the many projects you have contributed with.”

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A study on Solomon Islands women’s savings groups in rural areas of Makira and Malaita provinces found that while women face difficulties in saving, others opt out simply because they did not have any surplus to save.

Associate Professor Richard Eves of the Pacific Affairs Department of Australian National University stressed that the women had very limited options available to earn cash and couldn’t save money because there just wasn’t enough capital circulating or prices of cash crops was just too low.

“A recurring theme in the rural fieldwork sites of Makira and Malaita is that it is hard, if not impossible, to save when there is just not enough money circulating, or the price of cash crops, such as copra or cocoa, is very low.”

Eves said some women they interviewed expressed being dependent on remittances while one voiced that she would be poor if it was not for her children who live in the capital.

He furthered that in Malaita, women spoke of how they found it challenging when trying to save with of them who stressed on how hard it is to save money when there is so little of it coming through.

By Gary Hatigeva

FOREIGN Nationals with Solomon Islands heritage and Solomon Islanders holding on to foreign passports are anticipating the tabling and passage of the Dual Citizenship Bill 2017, which is confirmed to be tabled when parliament resumes.

Officials have confirmed that one of the much anticipated bills, the ‘Constitution (Amendment) (Dual Citizenship) Bill 2017’ has been confirmed for its first reading, along with The ‘Citizenship Bill 2017’.

This is something a lot of experts and officials familiar with the Bill believe will give people who have cultural connections to Solomon Islands the opportunity to take up Solomon Islands citizenship.

Island Sun took time to interview a good number of prominent figures who were part of the former Democratic Coalition for Change Government ((DCCG), who most of its policies have been adopted by the now SIDCCG, which includes the Dual Citizenship Bill, capturing their views on this.

Former Special Secretary to the Prime Minister, Andrew Muaki in an online interview shared that the Bill if becomes law will surely allow for many families who live overseas that have very close and cultural ties, to gain citizenship in Solomon Islands and will also encourage those people to invest in the country.

Another official who was also part of the former DCCG now SIDCC Government and was also part of the drafting team of their policies, shared similar sentiments regarding the Dual Citizenship Bill, which he stressed have very good intentions and positive outlooks.

“In its drafting and consultation phases, the bill was obviously looking at how we can enable our nationals that have given up their legal rights to be Solomon Islanders, regain that status and even people with Solomon heritage that might see opportunities to invest in the country.

“Another aspect or positive outlook on this is to attract potential foreign investors who might have interests in the Pacific or Solomon Islands and choose to have a Solomon Islands legal connection to enable their business interests,” the official who wished not to be named explained.

Meanwhile, someone who recently came back from an official business trip suggested said with the Dual Citizenship in place, there is potential Solomon Islands can create a model to market it as another form of revenue for the country.

He then urged the government to consider nations like the Republic of China (ROC) Taiwan and others with similar status who can become great markets for the Dual Citizenship.

“Economically, we can rely on business people or millionaires from these nations to take up legal status with us that would enable them to make direct business interactions globally.

“All we need is for them to meet requirements, and one of which is to come with, say 10 million US Dollars, if stipulated in the Bill, then by having at least around ten of them, we should definitely see impacts to our economy,” another official suggested.

However, when asked about the downside of having this bill becoming law, Muaki and most stressed that application of this has to come with tough criteria and pointed out that the Bill should, also strongly restrict citizens of countries that can take up deal citizenship.

“As it stands any person from any country can take up Solomon Islands (SI) citizenship so long as it meets the grounds in the Bill.

“One obvious down side is that a dual citizen can now stand for election as the restriction imposed under section 49 of the Constitution will be lifted by the Constitutional amendment bill,” the former SSPM shared.

The Bills are expected to be tabled after parliament goes through two Reports from the office of the Auditor General, presentation of the Civil Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands 2018 Budget and two other reports from the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund, and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Annual Report.

Around $2 Million has been projected to be allocated for the implementation programs of the Bill, anticipating its passing and enactment.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

IN Solomon Islands, how women earn an income is not only challenged by local conditions but by social and gender norms.

Australian National University’s Associate Professor Richard Eves of Pacific Affairs Department discussed the above at last week’s Research Launch programme.

Mr Eves spoke on the kinds of social and gender norms that are perceived as appropriate behaviour for women and how it affects a woman’s mobility. Domestic labour and care responsibilities place restrictions on women in how they earn an income.

“Domestic labour and care responsibilities also impose constraints on women, so that they may not be able to devote long periods at markets or away from home earning an income,” he said.

Eves said although gender norms specify women as the responsible gender for unpaid household labour and childcare, some changes have changed these norms.

Regarding these changes, he said that what they found from communities that received gender awareness training, forums for discussions of gender roles and had economic empowerment programming introduced was a change in gender roles.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

COMMUNITIES around Auki are calling on police to crack down on kwaso production and distribution in the town.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, Nelson Hugo said police should carry out raids on manufacture sites around the province.

He says the rise in anti-social activities related to consumption of kwaso is unbearable for the law abiding citizens of Auki.

He claims that there is a huge manufacturing site in the Tiki area near the Aligegeo school, but police have not raided it.

“Tiki is the main area where youths in and around Auki have come together almost every day to buy containers of mineral water containing Kwaso.

“Communities around Auki town appeal to again to Auki police to do a major operation to the Tiki area and do arrests for those producers.”

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

WESTERN province premier Wayne Maepioh has praised the RSIPF Police Commissioner Matthew Varley for his visit to the province.

Maepioh said it was an honour to welcome the incumbent commissioner to the shores of the province.

More so, he stresses that the people of the province are indebted to the police for the fast and decisive action taken in addressing the recent scare involving 29 men from Bougainville who had crossed border last week.

“We thank you for the back up support rendered to our police officers here particularly with the availability of the two patrol boats, the PRT, other officers, the logistics.”

Maepioh also acknowledges the provincial police commander of Western province, Matthias Lenialu, for the remarkable policing done throughout the province since his appointment on the job.

“As the Premier of this Province, I am extremely satisfied with the level of security rendered and have a lot of confidence in our police force for the safety and security of our people, our communities and for the people of our nation Solomon Island.”

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

IT is reported that Northwest Choiseul Constituency’s Office is urgently requiring a completion report from the MPA of Varisi Lavata, Ward 12, over Tutu’s aid post project.

This is according to Mr Nerio Ulemiki the media coordinator for Christ the King Parish at Voruvoru reporting.

He said the purpose for the report is for transparency and accountability regarding the $100,000 for Tutu aid post project which was hand delivered to the MPA in 2014 by the MP of Northwest Choiseul.

“Since 2014, only a small aid post building has been completed in which Tutu community suspect that the money has not been fully utilised. This is why the project completion report is needed for transparency,” said Mr Ulemiki.

“If there is no completion report being transparent to Tutu and the Northwest Choiseul Constituency Office then the matter will be brought to the Ombudsman Office.”

Hon Gideon Panisaga the MPA for Ward 12 at Northwest Choiseul in response however said that the project over Tutu’s aid post has already been completed and that the matter queried is confused for Ward 11’s aid post.

“About the aid Post project for Ward 11 given by the MP of Northwest Choiseul, it is instructed that until they form a committee before the finance for the project will be released,” said Mr Panisaga.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

A SENIOR officer in the Malaita provincial government in Auki has gone public with allegations that ward grants are being misused by the MPAs of the province.

He claims that only a meagre portion of the grant finds its way to the people.

The officer who wants his name withheld said the Malaita province government should be responsible to assess and monitor the use of ward grants in an accountable and transparent way.

“In general, the ward grant is to support the ward in small development projects for people as part provincial government service for people in the rural area.”

He asserts that people in the rurals of Malaita are in the dark regarding the ward grants and the process to apply for them.

He believes that lack of development communication with rural people allows most of the ward members are abusing the ward grant.

“Some of them have seen owning businesses and vehicles or event expensive asset while their wards are still to be developing. The ward members are lack plant to development the ward grant, the government must stop it. The government should explain to the people the criteria to apply for the ward grants project.

“As an officer, I see only few ward member are try their best to use the ward grants for good of their people back at their respective wards,” the officer said.

Island Sun understands that ward members in the Malaita provincial government have recently received part of their ward grants entitlement purposely for small developments in wards.