By Mike Puia

THE Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA) is holding a one-day training for local seamen at the Honiara Hotel this morning.

Ship owners, ship masters and seafarers have been invited to attend the training.

SIMSA’s acting director, Captain Tim Harris, will be the lead facilitator of the training.

The session is expected to be interactive and discussions would revolve around issues concerning the shipping industry.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), under its technical assistance programme- the Strengthening Solomon Islands Maritime Safety Administration and Establishing the Maritime Authority, supported this training.

Mr Harris said there are many areas to be covered in his presentations.

Among other things, he said they will look at the idea to set up the Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA).

Harris said SIMA operation is to be funded through the current taxes and levies collected by the government and the body will have its own Act of Parliament.

He believes this will enable Solomon Islands shipping and SIMA in particular to deliver seamless and customer-centred service to our shipping stakeholders, to be passed on to the shippers and passengers.

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

POLICE in the western province are investigating the death of a man in Noro, said to be in his 30s.

The death is being treated as ‘suspicious’, according to police in Noro.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Mathias Lenialu said the incident occurred at the Noro main road opposite to the Telekom office building.

He said the deceased had reportedly fell and hit his head on the road.

“Information is still not clear but initial reports say the deceased and two of his relatives were walking along the Noro main road opposite to the Telekom Office when all of a sudden the deceased fell down on the tarmac and hit his head.”

“The male person, believed to be part Shortlands and Bougainville, was rushed to a local clinic but was pronounced dead upon arrival.”

Police have appealed to relatives of the deceased to allow police to carry out investigations and not to take the law into their own hands.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

GUADALCANAL Province (GP) plans to hold a land summit this year as part of resolving land issues on the island.

The assurance was revealed by GP Premier Anthony Veke in a dialogue with the UN Peacebuilding Project Manager this week to discuss peacebuilding activities in the province as part of UN support to peacebuilding in Solomon Islands.

“The summit is aim at assisting people of Guadalcanal on finding best model for solution on how land could be used effectively for development without creating conflict.

“It will be an opportunity to also hear from the landowner, women and youth on how land reform should be addressed.

“Addressing land issues is not easy, but it is essential for peacebuilding.”

Mr Veke said organising the conference this year will be a major milestone in land issue resolution building for the province.

UN Peacebuilding Project Manager (UN PBF) in Solomon Islands Mr Agus Wandi supports Guadalcanal’s initiative, saying this is one of the country’s most important issues which need continuous discussion both at the provincial and the national front.

Wandi said land issue is closely linked to peacebuilding in Solomon Islands in the long term.

He said UN’s peacebuilding programme is designed to support sustaining peace in Solomon Islands in the immediate post RAMSI and election period.

With that, Wandi encourages inclusive implementation of solutions addressing development and peacebuilding challenges in Solomon Islands.

On the land summit, Guadalcanal will cost share the event and will ensure inclusive participation with women and youths will also be invited.

Guadalcanal is also committed to promoting women’s stronger participation.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

RECENT research conducted by Dickson Boboria is understood to be an extensive analysis for his doctoral paper.

Mr Boboria recently made public his findings through the media which had caused a stir amongst people in the community.

“The reason for exposing my findings in the media is because I have a heart to make awareness to our local people.

“The question of safety for our people has always been an issue which is why I am interested in this research. The welfare of our people is very important.

“There was no data I released on my research which is why I had published them.”

Referring to his ongoing studies overseas at his institution if it might be affected from exposing on the media of such research, Boboria said if he had presented data based on concentration areas and their levels then that would be the case. In his case, he did not present any data.

“I’m just generalising on a background of what I conducted my research on. I did not make mention of focus areas being highly contaminated because that would be presenting data,” said Boboria.

It is understood that for his research at the Gold Ridge tailings dam, it had been dismissed by GRML.

The company said the findings are in direct contradiction to the cyanide sampling results obtained from Gold Ridge Mine and accredited independent environmental consultants.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

THE national government and the Malaitan provincial government have been called on to construct proper roads in the province.

A Mr Clyde Maelifo’oa makes the appeal following a huge deterioration in the general condition of roads around the province.

“What we experienced here was when the roads were damaged, the government tendered them to constructors who probably not doing much to the improvement of the roads.”

Maelifo’oa points out that Malaita needs road construction that will require the use of big heavy machines which will create permanent hardy roads.

“Not the temporary fixes which use only hand tools and wheel barrows to fix patches and so forth.”

“We want government to think beyond just giving the road maintenance projects to contractors who will never make changes to the roads.

“Because for sure, huge amount of money the government spent on those maintenance projects, but no tangible work happen on the ground.”

Maelifo’oa explained that rain is very common in Malaita and this is the main contributing factor to most road damage faced in the province.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

THE kingdom movement in Malaita are now silent after the promises and prophecies did not eventuate as promised by their so-called leader, Kemmeul Kalani.

Or so everyone thought.

Island Sun has sighted information saying the group is mobilising to register all its members for a purported supply of wealth and riches from Israel.

The information said, “A ship is on its way from Israel carrying riches, wealth and other valuable material.

“For the unbelievers, they will be missed out from having a share from the riches that is coming on that ship.”

Even though the promises and prophesies have not come true, they still believe that something will happen with more trust on what their so called leader Kemmeul Kalani had promised.