BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

SOLOMON Islands has been affirmed to be a leading reformer in the Pacific region due to being actively seeking and implementing reforming initiatives.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Head in SI Mr Amila Salgado announced this during his speech on the recent launching of the SI State Own Enterprises (SOE) website in Honiara.

He said the initiative was significantly supported by the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) through its funds which Solomon Islands has received the largest share at around $4.8million.

Salgado said the SI government has also made important progress in placing its SOEs on a commercial footing since the enactment of the SOE Act in 2007.

He adds, the implementation of regulations supporting director selection and community services obligations has been instrumental in the dramatic improvement in SOE performances in recent years and the government is to be commended for these efforts.

By Gary Hatigeva

THE Russian delegation that arrived in the country on Monday has held thorough talks with the national government through relevant ministries in an attempt to gain support for its bid to host the World-Expo in 2025.

The group met with top government officials from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Ministry and other relevant Ministries where discussions were centred on their proposition.

In an interview with the Permanent Secretary of the Tourism Ministry, Andrew Nihopara explained that the delegation headed by Russia’s Ambassador to Australia presented the candidacy of the city of Ekaterinburg to host the World Expo between May 2 and November 2, 2025.

The meeting heard that if earned the right to host, Russia has projected to set its main focus on the developing countries, under the theme “Changing the World: Inclusive Innovations for Our Children and Future Generations”.

The delegation also highlighted some of their objectives to promote and understand the markets and settings of anticipated participating countries.

With fast growing developments in the area of technology in the first world, Russia is also intending to look at how best they can best include the developing nations to fit in and interact with these various settings in the future.

The delegation was told that what’s highlighted in the meeting was a clear opportunity to expand the reach and market of the country’s tourism sector, however any decisions on it will depend very much on cabinet.

Nihopara said his ministry acknowledges the group’s presentation on their bid to host the expo, but clarified that no commitment of support was made at the meeting.

“Any decisions on this will rest entirely on cabinet to make, but yes, we do appreciate and acknowledge them for the presentation of their bid document, and we can only wish them luck in their submission,” the Permanent Secretary further explained.

It is understood that another group is also accompanying the New Zealand-based Russian Federation Ambassador Valery Tereschenko who held visits to the eastern Polynesian region.

Last week, a similar presentation of the candidacy of their city, Ekaterinburg was made to the Prime Minister of Samoa and his cabinet, by the Chief Executive Officer to be the host country for the global event of the Ekaterinburg Bid Committee who was part of a delegation of four officials presented their bid,.

The election for the host country will be made in June this year.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

There is now green light for the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) after it was revealed that the Leadership Advisory Group (LAG) will look into the recent MASI standoff.

The standoff concerning MASI’s constitution came about after their Special General Meeting (SGM) that was held on Saturday February 17, 2018.

According to the President elect of MASI Mr Charles Kadamana speaking to Sam Seke of Radio Australia’s Tok Pisin Service, LAG will be meeting over the MASI constitutional issue raised by Island Sun and whatever outcome or decision will be from them.

In the interview, Kadamana said as MASI’s new president he is keen on helping media in Solomon Islands in the area of trainings for Journalists.

Since speaking to ABC and revealing the next step forward for MASI, Island Sun understands that LAG is still to receive formal notices or call from the current MASI executive to sort out the issue at hand.

Island Sun has spoken to a number of members from LAG who revealed that they have not yet heard from MASI Executive but only heard about the decision for them to step in through the news from ABC.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

VILLAGERS in west Kwara’ae constituency in Malaita province are questioning why some intending candidates for next year’s national general elections are organising awareness programmes in their communities.

They say the timing of the awareness programmes is in breach of the law because no declaration has been made yet by authorities.

The villagers add that when they attended the awareness programmes, they were shocked to find that the intending candidates were actually campaigning for the coming elections.

“We call on for those intending candidates to wait for the right time for those specific programs.

“We also understand that our constituency in west Kwara’ae will have numbers of intending candidates to compete in the upcoming national general election which will be held early next year.”

West Kwara’ae is one of the biggest constituencies in Malaita population wise, and covers part of west Fataleka region, part of east Malaita and part of central Kwara’ae.

By Gary Hatigeva

COSMO representatives who are here in the country to scout for potential products that can make it to the international market through its programme, Satofumi Kawata has suggested that Solomon Islands can become the next big player in the world food market.

The group came to identify major potential products that can be properly processed and exported from Solomon Islands to the United Arab Emirates under their exporting flagship, but apart from their main targets, Kawata explained that with their quality, fresh goods (products) can also be exported.

In a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Manasseh Sogavare, Mr Kawata further pointed out that having a small population in comparison to its mass resources, Solomon Islands will have more than enough to offer for the world as most are now relying heavily on imported food products.

It is unfortunate that due to lack of proper quarantine base for these products, it becomes hard for them to make the international markets.

Kawata however pointed out that if the government can provide such kind of function infrastructures, Solomon’s fresh goods can flood the international market.

“Considering the food market outside the country where land is becoming scars and population growth. So it is just a matter of time for the global society to be short of food.”

He said many countries in the world, some of which have the biggest and fast growing economies, have increased their rates of importation in food products to feed their mass populations.

“100 percent of food products in the United Araba Emirates (UAE) are imported while Japan relies on 70 percent of its imported food.

“And having high quality in your products, Solomon Islands can take over as the major supplier for these nations.

“They are short of food, whereas here (Solomon Islands), the country is still rich in its resources, and there is still mass access to land for production of food, with a population growth that is also very small having compared to the resources,” the Cosmo representative explained.

He added that with these analysis, Solomon Islands could be a reliable and continuous exporter of food to the outside world in the future.

“According to our analysis, Solomon Islands is one of the great potential countries in the world,” he further added.

He also suggested that the initial support in the investment on local producers is very important if they wanted to utilise the potential capacity.

“We came here one week ago and throughout our stay here, we found that the quality of products in Solomon Islands is very good, very high, but it could not be explained very well.”

Using tuna as an example, Kawata explained that dark flakes of tuna is regarded as one of the lowest quality layer product in the industry and regular operation could not make it products on them for human consumption.

This, he said, “is because the dark flakes can easily be damaged and easy to rot, however Soltuna continues to take a lead in its export products, which includes the canned dark flakes (Second Grade Tayio).

“For other potential countries, the level of their quality control is making it very difficult but here, quality control is excellent.”

He said the fishing processes in which fish are caught have very little damages or no damages to the products.

“And the processing is also very quick and that is why dark flakes could be exported overseas and this is just an example. Dark flakes is the evidence of very good quality control of the product. We also found that there is very good quality in local cocoa products, based on opinions of small scale exporters that we visited.”

He also explained that low quality cocoa taste bitter that is why when most factories make chocolate, they put high contains of sugar and milk to cover the bitterness of the cocoa, something their company felt it is not good for human health.

“Too much sugar is not good for health but it is unfortunate that without sugar, they cannot mask the bitterness of the chocolate and that is why most chocolate in the world are very sweet,” Kawata explained.

He said with top grade cocoa like it has been identified in Solomon Islands, there is the chance that manufacturers will certainly produce chocolates with less sugar.

“Top grade cocoa can differentiate chocolates produced in the Solomon’s from others and this only gives a clear indication why Solomon Islands products have great potentials.”

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By Mike Puia

LANDOWNERS from Guadalcanal Province who represent the Tandai Tribal Land Association (TTLA) have requested recognition for allowing their land to host Solomon Islands’ capital city.

TTLA’s wish for recognition was conveyed by a member of the Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly, Mr John Nano.

“Our Tandai landowners wanted some recognition for having this city on their land,” Nano said.

He said for years the city has grown with little control by their tribal land association.

“In fact, this town has grown three times without the knowledge on the TTLA. The Association was never consulted.”

He said there are events, like the queen’s birthdays, where honours and awards are bestowed to individuals who render outstanding service to the country.

“Why not create an award to recognised landowners of this town? They willingly allow their land to host this town,” Nano said.

He said it can be small recognition like awards or programmes to benefit landowners or an invitation to landowners to attend city events.

Prior to World War II, Honiara did not exist. In 1952 it officially replaced Tulagi in the Central Islands Province as the capital of Solomon Islands.

Today the city is overcrowded and the Guadalcanal provincial government is not giving the government and the Honiara City Council permission for expansion.

Honiara land is among issues to be discussed during the planned Guadalcanal land summit in March.