BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

OXFAM Australia – Solomon Islands branch has continued to register positive outcome with its projects in the Solomon Islands.

Oxfam Australia is one of the NGOs established itself in the country with eight partners implementing seven projects which described as very successful and have delivered positive outcomes to improve rural livelihood in Solomon Islands.

According to Oxfam Australia statistics, 10,000 people among the total of 609, 883 people have benefited with their project and are slowly improving in their lives.

This statistic are distributed as 22.7% among the total population are living in a life with less than $1.25 USD per day adding 19 .5% don’t have access to safe water.

According to Oxfam surveys, Solomon Islands is small in geographic size hence people are still facing the complex challenge similar to other developing nation.

One of the major factor to the challenges is that, majority of Solomon Islanders live in widely dispersed villages with scattered settlement classified as rural settlement from urban.

It is stated that only few opportunities are available for people to generate income to sustain their livelihoods.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

A PROMINENT church leader from one of the mainstream churches in Malaita has called on all Christians to stay neutral and refrain from interfering other religious groups.

The church elder who want his name withheld mentions this following reports of the cult movement in Malaita.

The church elder encourages every Christian to stay calm and respect each other in all ways of Christian life.

The man said Christians should not compare each other in the name of one god where everyone believes in.

“Let’s focus on our own church traditions rather than pointing finger to others.

“I want all Malaitans to concentrate on their personal work of meeting family and house whole needs where their children will be benefited,” he said.

However, majority of people in Auki have criticised the movement, labelling it as false and misleading.

The criticisms have led to an argument between members of the movement resulting in an argument at Fulikafo village along road in central Kwara’ae in Malaita province.

It reported that a conflict occurred between the movement supporters and non-supporters after realising nothing happened as promised by the movement.

A member of one of the mainstream Christian churches in Solomon Islands says the movement’s doctrines and predictions are not true and impossible for people to believe.

“We are all Christian believers of one god that everyone has to work to earn living.”

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

THE Director of the National Public Health Laboratory has called on individuals and business houses to bring food to the laboratory for testing if they are uncertain of the health status of the food.

Mr Dickson Manongi made the appeal in an interview yesterday stressing the importance of food safety that people need to understand.

He said currently the level of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is growing and most of the diseases are related to food.

Manongi said food contributes a lot to the body, but knowing the health status of the food is very important to your health.

“This is the reason I’m appealing to everyone that if they want to know about the health status of the food they consume, bring them for test at the NHPL.

“We can do the test for you and by giving you the result of the test it can help you know what you eat and control your diets.

“Because nowadays more food was imported and public for sure don’t know how those food were process and the status of factories or where they were processed.

“Not only imported foods, but there were foods prepared locally like in public food outlets that were also need to check for their health status,” he said.

Manongi stressed that knowing what you eat is very important as it helps you know your health and to control your health as well.

He said food testing at the laboratory is free for individuals except fee imposed for business or commercials to do the test.

Manongi said his staff often available for the duty and they can assist you with the test in the laboratory.

However, he pointed out that as food triggered alarm to diseases nowadays, local food is best to keep you healthy.

Adding that diet is very important and must often balance with right kind of food.

He reiterated that the NHPL is providing food test and they people don’t hesitate to bring the food to the laboratory for testing if uncertain of the food and what it may has for their health.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE Correctional Services Solomon Islands (CSSI) Commissioner Francis Haisoma says that he acts on evidence and proof in disciplining officers.

Speaking to Island Sun in a telephone interview, he said he is aware of the allegation against his officers in relation to the misconduct issues against officers alleged to have smuggled mobile phones and marijuana into the centre for inmates while on duty that was published by SIBC on January 20 this year.

Mr Haisoma said such issues already happened in the past and officers were disciplined and dismissed when found guilty.

He said when such allegations arise they conduct an investigation and if there’s proof, officers are dismissed.

He also said that sometimes information and evidence are lacking to discipline officers and people who have evidence of such allegation should report the issue to rightful authorities.

“We are trying our best to stop such from happening and as Commissioner I have authority to dismiss officers if they are found guilty.

“I have been doing that in the past,” Haisoma said.

He also said that trafficking issues into the prison not only happens to officers but visitors as well.

“Sometimes visitors when they came for visit they hide something in places where Officers cannot check.”

He said that visits to the prison occur during week days, and if visitors hide something for their relative in prison the duty officers will not aware.

Haisoma said, “People may wonder whether CSSI have a CCTV yes there is a CCTV installed but only at the entrance gate but inside the Prison compound no CCTV.”

In an issued statement CSSI said as a leader in correctional management in the region with effective, ethical, committed and professional organisation.

With the mission to enhance the safety of the community by providing secure and human containment through facilitating the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners, it stands to maintain that integrity.

Thus the issue of trafficking or smuggling is a normal issue in any prison system in the world, the statement said.

It explains the involvement of staffs with prisoners is part of their duties to rehabilitate prisoners, but not to involve in contraband trafficking or taking in any prohibited articles that is not allowed to enter into a correctional centre for any prisoner.

This is restricted and if found guilty, you are liable for dismissal from the correctional service.

However, there are provisions in the CSSI Act & Regulation which clearly stipulated the prohibited articles and disciplining of officers, it further explains. CSSI commissioner Mr Francis Haisoma said, his office has received reports of misconduct by officers.

Some of the reports regarding mobile and marijuana trafficking have been reported and severe disciplinary actions been taken which resulted to dismissal from service.

Correctional officers are fully aware of the consequences of trafficking prohibited articles and CSSI Commissioner said, he will not tolerate under any circumstances on matters of trafficking

BY CAROL-ANNE SULEGA

WITH the amendment in the Lands and Titles legislation, the Commissioner of Lands may exercise his or his powers to forfeit a Fixed Term Estate or a PE award.

This action, according to the report on the legislation compiled by the Bills and Legislation Committee may happen if a land is not developed within three years of the award.

In such cases, the Commissioner of Lands may forfeit the land or use his or her powers for resumption.

“The affected party may appeal the cause for the act of forfeiting by the Commissioner of Lands, thus the objectives of this Bill to bring certainty to the loopholes of the current Act,” the report states.

However, in this case of a forfeited awarded title Fixed Term Estate or PE, no compensation will be paid to the affected party.

The BLC welcomed this aspect of the reform but also suggested that this provision should be extended so that an estate may also be forfeited in the event the owner of the estate is convicted of an offence relating to the possession, manufacture and sale of dangerous and illicit drugs.

The Lands and Titles (Amendment) Bill 2016 allows the Lands Board to resume for public purposes all or part of a fixed term estate automatically created under section 100 of the Act.

The Bills and Legislation Committee, in conducting the inquiry looked at the power of resumption of the Commissioner of Lands, compensation for resumptions

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

HEARING of evidence into the case of a Japanese national has adjourned for Monday.

The trial was supposed to have been resumed yesterday for ten days, but had to be adjourned due to some reasons by the counsels.

This is the case alleged to have involved a Japanese national alleged of commercial sexual offences relating to incidents in October and November of 2016.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges at the Honiara Magistrate Court last year and a committal hearing was made on whether or not there is sufficient evidence on the case.

After the committal hearing the presiding magistrate ruled that prosecution has sufficient evidence on the case and committed the matter to High Court for trial.

The allegation said the accused possessed digital photographs of child exploitation material on his laptop and also he allegedly procured one unity home to provide commercial sexual service in Solomon Islands. His laptop also was seized by police upon his arrest.

A private lawyer Michael Pitakaka is representing the accused in court, while the office of the Director Public Prosecution is prosecuting the matter in court.