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Principal of Choiseul Bay PSS commended

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

COMMUNITIES of Northwest Choiseul commend the Principal of Choiseul Bay Provincial Secondary School (PSS) for improvement standard shown on teaching students.

According to Mr Nerio Ulemiki the media coordinator for Christ the King Parish at Voruvoru reporting, Mr Collin Ruqebatu and his hardworking Staff have helped upgraded the education level of teaching in the Premier school of the province.

“Their effort is a bonus to uplifting the quality of education in Choiseul,” said Mr Ulemiki.

Choiseul Bay PSS currently has 11 Degree and Diploma qualified teachers serving.

The infrastructure development of the school from report is also bonus to provide a good learning environment.

Data collected very important on national and global level

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

DATA collected at Western Province by a research team from Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau under the Tsunami, Earthquake and Cyclone Early Warning system (TEC) program is very important information nationally and globally.

This was expressed by Mr Yu-Ting Kuo, who is part of the research team and a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sincia in Taiwan.

In relation, he stressed that in the southern part of Solomon Islands, there is a large ocean trench which in geology is a natural boundary located between two crustal plates. More or so, this movement occurs when a continental plate converges or intersects with an oceanic plate forming a subduction zone which then creates a trench between the plates.

Mr Kuo adds that many earthquakes occur on this trench, noting that in 2007 in the southern part of the country, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.1 occurred.

In this regard, he mentioned that Simbo is on the footwall just two sides of the subduction zone which is something that is quite rare globally.

“Simbo is on the footwall, just two sides of the subduction. In the global, very less, almost no two islands can besides the subduction. So this part is very important because the subduction is very active”, Mr Kuo said.

He furthers that utilizing the data they collect to help estimate the probability of whether or not an earthquake is likely to occur is the final stage they want to try to reach.

“That’s the final and very important point we want to try but before that we still have many things to figure at like how it happens”, Mr Kuo said.

We are entering a new territory, which gives little hope for our your people

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Alfred Sasako

WE have truly entered into a new territory, which gives our young people little hope for the future.

At a time when our young people should be up on their feet looking for new opportunities, their hopes have been dashed. There are no funds for scholarships.

Many young people, who have worked so hard throughout the year in the hope of starting a new beginning, have been told in no uncertain terms that their names were not on the list.

Not because they did not make it academically. No. In fact many have got good marks, but because they knew no one in the system, they were largely overlooked.

How can government overlook school fees each year? Take for example in 2016 the DCC Government allocated some $300, 000 in Constituency Scholarship to each MP.

The following year (2017) the DCC government allocated some $350, 000 to each of the 50 Constituencies. No one knows how much was given to Constituencies this year. This raises a lot of questions – questions such as where did the money go?

This year there’s a change to the allocation of scholarships. Whereas MPs were in control in past years in terms of how many students would be nominated by MPs for scholarships, this year there’s only 8 scholarships per constituency – four to be taken at SINU and perhaps the USP campus in Honiara and the other four to be taken offshore.

It is a drop in the bucket

But hang on. How can we ignore the plight of so many of our young people? They worked so hard as were their parents in the hope of making it through. Unfortunately, the hopes of many were dashed when they found out their names were not on the scholarship list.

How can we ignore their future? It is heart-wrenching to say the least that our kids should be allowed to pursue an endless vicious cycle? While they did their part, the government people have truly let them down. Where is the fee-free policy?

One way to explore additional opportunities for the young people is perhaps to inject additional funding through the Don Bosco-type practical training. This is certainly one area to open new opportunities for practical training which would help prepare the young people for the life ahead.

It is certainly a good start. The difficulty is whether those who run the institution would be willing to consider such cooperation given that it has its own board and that they may not be too keen to tango.

Still it is worth exploring. We cannot continue to give the impression that all is well. All is not well.

National leaders are standing in the way of our young people trying to advance their future and indeed the future of this country. We need to consider a brake with the past because the night comes when no one can work.

One only hopes the brake with the past starts this year and continues into 2019, the year which will mark the changing of the guard, come March that year. One also hopes that Taiwan slows down in the distribution of its slush fund.

While Tapei’s intention was noble, those who received the funds have abused the money in many ways than one. Taiwan can help curb corruption in this country. The funding has dwarfed development progress in this country.

125,000 visitors needed to replace logging receipts

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
PM Hounipwele said, “To replace logging receipts Solomon Islands will need to generate 125,000 additional international visitors.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

PM Hounipwele said, “To replace logging receipts Solomon Islands will need to generate 125,000 additional international visitors.

SOLOMON Islands needs to generate 125,000 additional international visitors before logging activities can be replaced.

Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela said this in reference to a long standing national vision that tourism will one day replace logging as a sustainable driver to the economy.

PM Hou said, “To replace logging receipts Solomon Islands will need to generate 125,000 additional international visitors.”

He said the spin-off from these extra arrivals is huge and can positively affect Solomon Airlines equipment acquisition, agriculture and fisheries sectors to increase production to feed the country’s guests.

“To do this in the shortest period of time will require active participation from all key stakeholders including total government support, willing resource owners and keen and capable investors to commit to the destination.

“Absence of good and quality accommodation in the Capital and the Provinces is identified as one of the main obstacle to growth.

“The disruptive approach is to saturate Honiara and selected Provinces with quality accommodation so inducing market forces to dictate play, effectively making Solomon Islands a more affordable destination compared to its Pacific neighbours.”

Recognising the important contribution of tourism to Solomon Islands’ economy, the Prime Minister pledged that his government would continue to develop the tourism sector through development and introduction of a national tourism legislation.

“This would include plans to implement range of activities under Tourism Division Capacity Development program to ensure consistency in tourism standards and quality management.

“Also enabling increased visitors satisfaction levels and improving industry competitiveness.”

SIVB CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto said there is a need for a change the status quo which requires collaboration and partnership to meet the country’s longstanding vision.

“We cannot go on the way we are if we want to grow our tourism sector,” Mr Tuamoto said.

“We have done pretty well considering the challenges we face but we really need to develop leisure market and hopefully by the end of this year, if we can achieve that, we will have finally cracked the 25,000 international visitation mark.”

Mataniko clinic closed for 3 months facelift

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
The HCC Mataniko Area Health Centre is under renovation as of Tuesday 6

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

The HCC Mataniko Area Health Centre is under renovation as of Tuesday 6

THE Mataniko Clinic has temporary closed on Monday for a three-month rennovations.

Honiara City Council’s Works division has been tasked with this important facelift.

Patients are advised to go to nearby clinics for medical attention.

The refurbishment of the HCC Mataniko Area Health Centre will be both interior and exterior.

HCC also explained its members can still access Council’s health centre because they are already aware about the renovation which the construction.

Pregnant mothers, scale/child immunisation and family planning are advised to use the Mbokonavera clinic, the Mataniko Clinic Nurse in Charge Mrs Gretal Sendersley said.

Sendersley adds, pregnant mothers who are members of the Mataniko clinics are allowed to visit the Mbokonavera clinics temporarily, and ‘their medical cards already transferred there’.

Patients from out-of-town boundary who use the Mataniko health centre, Mrs Sendersley encourages all to use the Good Samaritan Clinic on Guadalcanal province.

Sendersley said if the clinic reopens they will let the service users know.

Taro-Korovou officers query border claim

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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SIPEU’s General Secretary, Robert Au.

By Mike Puia

POLICE officers from Choiseul province and Shortland islands, in the Western province, are querying their border claim.

The claim relates to their service at the border with Papua New Guinea during the Bougainville crisis of 1988-1998.

About 40 officers who are part of the Taro-Korovou team made this claim known following reports the Solomon Islands Public Employees Union (SIPEU) is pursuing the government to compensate government workers who had been involved in the border operations.

Interim chairman of the group, Patrick Mudano, said they are still waiting on the government.

Only police officers who were on the frontline were compensated by the government.

SIPEU’s General Secretary, Robert Au, revealed many government workers risked their lives during the crisis but are yet to be compensated.

He said government workers who served under marine, quarantine, immigrations and customs who also risked their lives are still waiting.

Au said these officers who are yet to be compensated played a vital service during the crisis.

Construction at the old China Town Bridge continues

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Constructors working on the new bridge

By TANNY E VAHI

WORK on the old Matanikau bridge is progressing well.

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) is understood to have engaged three local contractors and has signed an agreement with those companies.

At the east bound bridge near Fijian Quarter (the old China Town Bridge), there is one establishment which is now on its working progress.

It is understand that the work on the bridge is one fundamental issue in terms of transportation.

The new bridge is said to bring about improvement to traffic and also allow better flowing for the river, which usually swells during rainy seasons.

The integrity of the bridge had come under fire after receiving damages from the recent flashflood of 2014.

The bridge is said to be open by November this year.

Operations for CIP must go through its government

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

Any company wishing to carry out operations in Central Islands Province (CIP) must deal through the Provincial Executive Government first for a business licence.

This is according to the Executive Government of the province.

The CIP government is responding in disappointment to information reporting approvals of agreements between land owners and companies for certain operations of interest in the province that they are not aware off.

A survey from a recent agreement for operation is rumoured to take place soon at Small Ngella and this is for mining purposes.

CIP Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni when speaking to Island Sun yesterday said it would be wise to have their consent as well as the government of CIP.

“We do not accept such operations that are hazardous for the nature of this province. We only support those that will contribute positively to the tourism of CIP and the country,” said Vasuni.

Lack of safety procedures leaves 1 dead

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY BEN BILUA

LACK of proper safety procedures and compliance has left one dead at Kahigi logging camp in Isabel Province.

Buala Police says the deceased went out for his normal working routine with his supervisor when he was hit by falling ‘rotting’ wood.

Buala Police said the deceased was rushed to Buala Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival and was transported to his home at Kolokofa in the Maringe highland district.

“The deceased was a crew of a chainsaw operator with a role to clear the bush and search for bigger trees to fell into logs for export.

“It was during the process that the deceased met his sad fate that took his life.

“A preliminary report we receive stated that the boy and his chainsaw operator were trying to escape a fallen tree and while they escape, the fallen tree hit another tree with dead branch.

“It is said that the fallen dead wood hit the deceased,” Buala police said.

Report of the fatal death has raised concern, and leaders of Isabel province are calling on Mass Pacific Logging Company who is currently operating at Kahigi to improve safety measures to avoid such incident in the future.

Leaders also called on Isabel Provincial Government and the national government to legislate tougher laws that would warrant the safety of employees working in logging camps.

Leaders strongly emphasised that a penalty must be put in place for such company who have not safety regulations and procedures.

This paper understands that this is one among many accidents that have cost lives at logging camps in Isabel province.

Attempts to get information from Buala Hospital on the cause of the death was unsuccessful yesterday.

It’s all politics: Vasuni

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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CIP Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

MOVE to oust the Premier of Central Islands Province (CIP) Hon Patrick Vasuni has disappeared without a trace.

Hon Vasuni’s investigation into the issue had left no stones unturned according to the CIP Executive Government.

They said he met with three of the MPAs for CIP said to be involved in receiving phone calls vying for the move.

However they told him that they were not interested to cause such disturbances, giving him the green light to continue working together positively for the province.

The CIP Premier when contacted yesterday said he also met the accused behind the move in which they settled the matter sorting out the misunderstandings.

“They say it was a misunderstanding in which we managed to calm this move to oust me, but who knows, it is all politics,” said Vasuni.

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