The Prime Minister in a group photo with the CEO of Solomon Islands Postal Corporation (on PM’s right), President of
bibimoney’s global partnership Martin Hine (right). Photo from PM Press Secretariat
BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
The Prime Minister in a group photo with the CEO of Solomon Islands Postal Corporation (on PM’s right), President of bibimoney’s global partnership Martin Hine (right). Photo from PM Press Secretariat
ON Monday, Solomon Islands Postal Corporation and Bibimoney representative, Mr Martin Hine called in at the Prime Minister’s Office to speak with Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela about the current plans and progress on their new mobile wallet system.
Solomon Post CEO, Mr Allan Arafoa explained to the Prime Minister that like other stakeholders who are financial inclusion partners they too want to see how they can help in providing financial services throughout the country right down to the people in the rural areas.
He stresses that knowing that most of government workers are based in the provinces, they decided to make their way to one of the provincial capitals, Auki in Malaita province to find out the problems these workers encounter with regards to how they receive their salaries.
Mr Arafoa said that the trip got them communicating with more than 30 teachers, 5 police officers and 16 health workers and what they learned was that they would travel on Wednesday or Thursday to Auki just to collect their pay.
He added that what these workers had to go through if their salaries were not ready at that time was having wait in Auki till Monday the following week which he voices will then have an impact at their work places whether it is providing education or health services.
“So we feel that if the system is introduced it will help to minimize some of those problems”, Mr Arafoa said.
AUKI market in Malaita province will undergo improvement that will allow the facility to cater for people with special needs.
A security fence will also be erected to keep the facility secure.
The recommendation comes from the first formal Auki Market Infrastructure Task Force Meeting held in early February.
The meeting convened representatives from the Malaita provincial government, Auki market vendor association, UN women’s markets for change (M4C) team, and other market partners.
Malaita Premier Mr Peter Ramohia said, “I am happy to see the level of consultation that has taken place between the Malaita Provincial Government’s Market Management and the market vendors.”
He adds, the consultation allows them better understanding for the needs of vendors in the market and priorities that focus on promoting safe, hygienic and inclusive environment for all.
Markets for Change (M4C) Project Manager for Solomon Islands, Kristy Nowland, said the Task Force meeting ensures partners have the chance to come together and discuss and decide on what is most important during these infrastructure refurbishment works.
“Partners want to focus repair and construction efforts on installing perimeter fencing and storage for better security, repairing water and drainage for improved hygiene, increasing access for elderly people and people with a disability, and improving the fish vending area,” Ms Nowland said.
She said recommendations compiled from marketplace vendors and managers are critical to best inform the market’s priority repairs, maintenance and installation of minor works.
The joint-project for construction is co-financed by the Malaita provincial government (MPG) and UN Women’s M4C project, primarily funded by the Australian Government.
MPG leads procurement and management of works and UN Women is supporting with technical, financial and project management aspects.
The Auki Market infrastructure works and repairs will be carried out in line with the Solomon Islands Government procurement requirements in quarters two and three of 2018.
One of the worst part of Auki road at Sigitae residential area.
BY GEORGE MANFORD
AUKI
One of the worst part of Auki road at Sigitae residential area.
AUKI’S newly built tar-sealed roads are reportedly deteriorating rapidly.
This is the ongoing impact caused by last month’s heavy rains, which chipped away into the new tar-sealed roads leaving potholes which are growing larger by the week.
The new road was constructed by the Dalgro company last year.
Along the Sigitae area in Auki is one of the worst areas at the moment where buses and public transport vehicles have to drive carefully to avoid accidents.
Transport owners in Auki have also complained on what they term as poor quality work done by Dalgro on building the roads.
They compare the new road with the old roads that were built in the ‘90s for the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in Auki
They call on the ministry of infrastructure development (MID) and other relevant authorities to look into addressing Auki’s road problem before it gets worse.
“As Malaita province will expand with its development and town expansion we need quality road infrastructures must be done in Malaita,” they say.
DPM with high level delegation team of experts from Cosmo group of company
By Gary Hatigeva
DPM with high level delegation team of experts from Cosmo group of company
FINANCE Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare yesterday accepted a courtesy visit from a high level delegation team of experts and top officials from the Cosmo group of Companies, a giant player in the Japanese economy.
The meeting heard information about the potentials Solomon Islands food products in the areas of Agriculture and other related areas have for markets abroad.
Headquartered in Dubai, the company is looking to open up the United Arab Emirates market to Solomon Islands, highlighting the high quality Solomon’s local food products have to offer in that part of the world.
Company representatives, Satofumi Kawata who is the Representative Director of Cosmo Company and Tomokatsu Ichikawa, the Senior Manager Head of Business Development, accompanied by local supporting staff came with the mission to get the national government’s support in implementing this export initiative, which looks to involve a number of players in the local economy.
The Finance Minister was told that based on recommendations, they thought that export products from Solomon Islands to UAE may have greater potentials.
When asked about Japan’s market potentials, the group explained they are also checking for opportunities to export direct from Solomon Islands to Japan, but Japan is quite a matured market, where the size is big but very mature market.
“On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates is a very fast growing market so it may be easier to find opportunities there in UAE.
The group representatives also pointed out that with identified higher qualities in most of its resources compared to other providers, they are confident Solomon Islands products can make a long life span in the international market.
“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, something we will try to ensure it is highlighted and made known,” the Representative Director further explained.
He added that in the United Arab Emirate now, 100 percent of the food products are imported, while Japan relies on 70 percent on imported food.
This is a clear indication that a lot of these big markets will need small states llike Solomon Islands seeon as they are short of food.
“Here (SI), the country is rich in marine resources, and land is still usable (mass access to land for production of food) and population growth here is also very small having compared to the resources.
“So it means Solomon Islands could be a reliable and continuous exporter of food to the outside world. It is according to our analysis, is one of the great potential countries in the world.
“So to utilize the potential capacity, the initial support in the investment on local producers is very important and the government need to see this now,” Kawata added.
“Tuna, Cocoa, Coconut and Ngalinut should be differentiated appropriately in its quality then and only then, we can enjoy premium and Solomon Islands has that,” Mr. Satofumi Kawata explained.
Meanwhile, the group highlighted this kind of initiative does not come easy and cheap as there are so many challenges and downside facing them, which requires the government’s support.
The initiative is looking to use existing but small scale exporters and commercial food producers Solomon Islands whom the group felt are being disadvantaged in a many areas.
The meeting also heard that these local companies will play big roles in this initiative and need the right kind of support to push their capacities when producing to meet targets and demands.
“I think what the government can do is firstly, take initiative so that different sectors and different companies can collaborate with each other and secondly, may be some support to the initial investment in the areas of machineries or infrastructure,” Mr. Kawata explained when asked where the Solomon government can support.
“Another challenge is logistics because if the amount is limited, with a high transport cost, it is obviously be a loss and that too could damage the competitiveness of the product especially for the outside export market.
“So ones we start to increase the volume of export, the cost will go down and everything will be competitive and that would rely heavily on the ground works, which needs a swift backing of the national government.”
Mr. Kawata however stressed that currently, their team needs some support from the private sector to initiate good samples to take back for sampling and testing.
He said the group up their return to Japan, they will look to discuss ways to how they can also support this initial stage of the export from their end.
“We came here to identify the products to be exported from Solomon Islands UAE (Trying to open up way for Exports to UAE through our company)
The group visited Soltuna, National Fishing Development (NFD), Coconut Pacific, ADRA for Cocoa export and SolFish.
In a short but sharp respond, the Finance Minister assured the group of the government’s willingness to support and ensure this initiative eventuates.
He said this initiative will have a direct impact on the owners of the resources relevant for exports and knowing that they will have direct benefits, they will definitely jump it and that is something he said the government looks forward to initiate and support.
“I think the government is very actively supporting the similar initiatives and knowing land is an issue in Solomon Islands where they are owned by the people it has always been a challenge for the government as well, but if we ask them to do something, they would want to see how they will benefit from it so are pumping in financial resources into the rural areas but it is not properly organizing the areas we are targeting for the export marketing.
“That is because we are not sure about the right markets but if there is market here now, that will change the whole picture and how we think of these products,” the Finance Minister explained when giving his response remarks during the meeting.
The group has collected samples which were sent over to their headquarters in UAE yesterday, with the intention to show the samples to the people there and get feedback and maybe do further investigations and testing for actual potential products for export.
The Cosmo Group of Company through its Energy Holdings establishment has been an active participant in the development of Solomon Islands and was awarded a medal of honour for its role in promoting Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture by establishing an agriculture training centre and providing financial support for the training courses.
TWO cruise boats will arrive tomorrow in Honiara as the first of the cruise boats to kick-start tourism destination to Solomon Islands this year.
The boats are Ocean Dream ground to be hosted in Honiara by Travel Solomons Ltd, and Caledonia Sky will be looked after by Destination Solomons.
According to Travel Solomons, most of the tourists boarding the Ocean Dream are Japanese, and they will be in Honiara for the whole day.
During their visit, Travel Solomons will assist the visiting friends from Japan for a day tour at the WWII sites, take a glance at the country’s cultural artifacts and histories as well as carrying out city tours and beach snorkeling.
“We have collaborated with the police and they will be working to ensure the visitors are being looked after during their short visit here,” Mr John Foimua of Travel Solomons said.
In addition, the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) calls on the general public to cooperate as we play host to the visitors.
SIVB Senior Marketing Officer, Mr Ellison Kyere said SIVB is calling on the good people of Solomon Islands to continue to maintain respect and cooperation particularly since this will leave a lasting impression to tourists for this year.
He asked people to stay out from trouble and be friendly and assist visitors during their full day stay in Honiara.
Kyere said a positive experience will reflect Solomon Islands’ on the global market as a potential tourism destination and tourists will replicate interesting stories about Solomon Islands upon return to their own country.
He encourages citizens to continue to do the same for future ships schedule to visits Solomon Islands ahead.
Ocean Dream is a Japanese boat which has been visiting Solomon Islands twice already. This round about 1,300 visitors are onboard and they will arrive tomorrow at 10am and will depart 9pm.
Upon its departure, Foimua of Travel Solomons said there will be a cultural performance from one of the country’s cultural group inside the Ocean Dream to bid farewell to the visitors from Japan.
Meanwhile Caledonia Sky, the other cruise boat as of Tuesday February 20, 2018 has passed through Paeu village of Vanikoro Island, Temotu province and Gupuna village, Port Mary Harbour, Santa Ana Island of Makira province.
It is expected to arrive at the Honiara International port around 8am for a full day visit to the country’s iconic sites and will depart by 6pm.
This year, a total of 11 boats will visit Solomon Islands, and the next cruise boat will be on March 1.
One of the two buses taking the Russians into town after they arrived on a private jet last night.
IT is an intriguing mystery – why the flood lights at Henderson International Airport – were not turned on at the time a private jet carrying Russian nationals arrived in Honiara on Monday evening.
As a matter of fact I was tipped off about the flight’s arrival time – 7pm my informer told me. Shortly after 7pm, I parked outside the Domestic Security gate. With two mobiles in hand, I entered the security area to find out where a Russian plane, due around 7pm was.
“Yes, the plane has arrived. Where is it?, I inquired.
“It’s at the international airport, the duty security officer told me. So I hoped into my car and drove down to the entrance to Solomon Airlines’ head office, where I stopped outside.
I told the security officer inside the Solomon Airlines’ gate who I was and what I was interested in. “I want to take photographs of the Russian plane that arrived this evening,” I said.
“Yes, go right in. One could hardly see the jet in the distance as the whole area which the aircraft had parked was in pitch black darkness.” Inside the fence which separates the tarmac parking area for aircraft and Solomon Airlines head office, I met a senior official of our national carrier.
He too was surprised there were no lights except for the blue tarmac lights and those inside the main Terminal Building. The powerful flood lights were off.
“That’s pretty dangerous when you are unloading especially at night. The lights should have been turned on,” he said. Around twenty-past seven, he left me there, telling me he was going to buy cash power at Ranadi before SolomonPower closed for the day.
After snapping one or two shots of the jet in pitch black darkness, I walked back to my car and drove to the gate to the check-in at the main Terminal Building. It was closed but I informed the security officer on duty why I was there. He waved me through.
Shortly thereafter I parked my car on the eastern side of the main Terminal Building. I arrived at the exit gate, manned 24hours by Civil Aviation security, around 7:30pm. The floodlights were still off. By then the jet had departed.
The security officer on duty told me the passengers who arrived on the jet would soon be coming through the gate, if I cared to wait there so I could take some photos. I did.
I asked why the floodlights were not turned on when the jet arrived.
“The electtician(s) arrived late. I think they were not notified about the flight in good time,” the security man told me.
Just then the two or three floodlights came on, lighting up the entire area including where the Russian jet had parked as well as outside the VIP lounge area. By then the jet had been cleared and left.
Anyone who claimed to have seen the floodlights turned on between 7pm and 7:30pm was obviously not there. I was there the whole time and only left the airport area around 8pm that evening.
The story which made the front page was filed around 9pm, half an hour after I had arrived home from the airport.
What makes this story rather intriguing is the fact that the visit by the Russians was allegedly pre-arranged by members of the SI DCCG coalition partners. If that was the case, why did it come through at a rather odd hour?
Secondly, why would the Prime Minister be reportedly asking for surveillance on the visitors if indeed they were legit and are here to invest?
It’s very odd indeed.
Lightings are not an issue at all because we know in Solomon Islands no one reports to work on time. However, the fact that it involved foreign nationals whose bona fides are unknown just raises other important considerations, especially the issue of our national security. It is important to establish who officially invited the Russians.
Canberra is worried as would the United States given what the Russians did during the United States Presidential election in 2016. Should we be worried?
Tandai Tribal Land Association representative Benjiman Gerebuana.
By Mike Puia
Tandai Tribal Land Association representative Benjiman Gerebuana.
THE Tandai Tribal Land Association (TTLA) has boycotted a land census hearing called by the Valumamata Ghaobata Tribal Chief Association in Honiara yesterday.
This was not the expected beginning to the weeklong meeting, which is held at the Rove police ground – TTLA walking out on day one.
TTLA presented a chupu to the Valumamata Association then announced its decision not to participate in the hearing. The announcement was tense. Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, Gwen Ratu was at the scene trying to calm the people.
TTLA representative, Benjamin Gerebuana, said they have respectfully walked out of the hearing because it appears the Valumamata Association had called the hearing without following Guadalcanal custom.
“The chupu [Guadalcanal traditional gift] we present to the Valumamata Association is to tell them that the Tandai Association will not participate in the hearing.
“We expect the Valumamata Association to recognise that it is subject under TTLA,” Mr Gerebuana said.
He said Valumamata Association should have applied to TTLA seeking permission to be allowed to call the meeting.
A Guadalcanal provincial assembly member, John Nano, who is also a member of the TTLA, said Valumamata Association is new compared to the TTLA which was registered in 1996.
Assistant Commissioner of RSIPF Gwen Ratu was present during the ocassion
Nano said Valumamata Association had called the hearing because it wanted to also get a share from royalty money the national government had paid to landowners for the use of Kongulai water source.
The water source is within Tautu land. TTLA claim ownership of most Tautu land, which also covers Honiara city.
Nano said TTLA has been instructed that there is a case pending in court over the land the Valumamata Association wanted to conduct a census hearing over, which is not right in law.
He said the Valumamata Association has to display Guadalcanal custom and also get approval from TTLA before it can successfully do what it wants in Tautu land.
Nano added TTLA is a recognised association in the province.
Other tribal groups from Malango, Sahalu, Ghaobata and others.
THE Malaita Chazon Development Authority (MCDA) committee will regroup and revive the once thriving business arm of Malaita province.
This was confirmed by the provincial secretary of Malaita province Jackson Gege during the provincial planning development committee meeting with the heads of Department (HODs) earlier this week.
He said the MCDA formerly known as Malaita Development Authority (MDA) has not been functioning well for the last decade, thus the idea to regroup for the betterment of the people of Malaita province.
Mr Gege added MCDA upon revival will revisit its operations that will help the province in terms of its revenue.
At the moment the MCDA committee members manning the office for the past few years are yet to be reorganised and take up new responsibilities.
“We will call for a meeting soon for all our members to regroup and started of our developments for the future of this province.”
MCDA will also be looking at reviving and revisiting their assets including fisheries and agriculture and livestock in Auki and around Malaita province.
LIVING stipend allowance for Solomons Government sponsored students in Fiji have arrived – but no book allowance.
While the students acknowledge yesterday’s receipt of their living stipend, they have called on the government and the ministry of education to make-quick with their book allowances.
Book allowance is equally important since textbooks by which lecturers base their lectures on can only be bought with the book allowance, and the majority of Solomon Islands students have been to classes since day one without any text book, course guide or assignment book.
This is very serious, the students say.
“Usually the book allowances are received with our monthly allowances but today, only monthly allowances were facilitated.
“We have still not heard of updates over our book allowances but hopefully we should receive them soon.”
An attempt for update from the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) was not possible yesterday.
One of the two buses taking the Russians into town after they arrived on a private jet last night.
By Alfred Sasako
IT is not a normal sight in Solomon Islands – that a group of Russians drop in on a private jet. This week they did – all six of them – four men and two women.
Perhaps it is one of the reasons why the timing for their visit was kept under wrap as such arrival would no doubt have attracted quite a crowd if it were to have taken place in broad daylight.
One social media commentator suggested the private jet touched down at 6:50pm – 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.
One of the two buses taking the Russians into town after they arrived on a private jet last night.
Of much contention was an eyewitness account which Island Sun carried about the fact that Civil Aviation Authority electricians were late in turning on the powerful floodlights for more than half an hour.
Island Sun was at the international Airport precinct for about two hours – from shortly after 7pm to around 8pm. Between 7pm and around 7.30pm the floodlights remained off.
This shows the airport in total darkness without flood lights.
This was at the time the Russian jet was parked outside the international terminal building and being cleared by Customs and Immigration officials.
The only lights that could be seen in the pitch-black darkness were those from inside the Terminal Building, the lights inside the jet as well as the blue tarmac light. There were no flood lights.
The only light seen on the left here is the one coming from the tail of the Russian jet.
I took a number of photographs including two which show the aircraft parking area in total darkness. The explanation which I was given was that the electricians arrived late, possibly because they were not informed about the jet’s arrival time in good time.
Why the lightings became an issue is because our people simply do not have the bona fides of the Russian individuals. Were they businessmen, for example? Or were they using businesses as a cover for their visit?
The other vitally important question is who in the new government invited them? I am inclined to believe that Prime Minister Ricky Houenipwela was cautiously guarded about the visit.
So security concerns should be a major consideration for all Solomon Islands people if we care about our country. Surprisingly, even senior people in this country are still accusing us of creating the story.
The timing of the visit is another concern. Why invite the Russians when the government is still finding its feet? So many unanswered questions.
One of the two buses taking the Russians into town after they arrived on a private jet last night.
