BY JARED KOLI

VOLUNTEERS will today begin to collect signatures from patients at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) to call on the Prime Minister to call for a Commission of Enquiry (COE) into the medical and health service provided at the hospital.

With observed lack of access to quality health services at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), the move is headed by a local civil society activist, Ishmael Nori, and has received overwhelming support from the public, members of the Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII), and Young Women Parliamentary Group (YWPG).

In a phone interview yesterday, Mr Nori who is a patient at NRH, said volunteers will gather outside the NRH Rehabilitation Unit before moving on to different wards within the hospital to collect signatures from patients who support this worthy cause.

“The Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NRH is supportive of the move, and give us a nudge that patients have right to call for quality health services. We will work in close collaboration with FSII and YWPG starting tomorrow (today) to give out petition forms to patients and invited their signatures,” Nori said.

He said nurses who support this can also sign in the petition forms.

“After this we will compile all the signatories and see where we can go from here to present this to the Prime Minister. We are looking at presenting the signatories to the prime minister through a Member of Parliament (MP) who will act as our Ambassador.

“We want to see the recommendations set in the 2009 and 2015 Special Select Committee report into the Quality of Medical Services provided at NRH fully implemented, more on the development aspects of NRH,” Nori added.

He earlier told Island Sun that people and ordinary citizens of this country deserve a St Vincent-like quality hospital service provided at the NRH.

“I have observed that for many people, there is nothing much to do for them here, if we can have services that are accessed by our Ministers or Members of Parliament at St Vincent hospital here during the early stages of their sick, that could prevent deaths and save lives here,” he adds.

Nori also questions how the government prioritizes health workers, doctors, nurses and technical staff on specialized trainings.

“What we want the government to do is to prioritise to save lives same as the quality of service at its sister hospital, St Vincent hospital in Sydney, Australia,” Nori said.

He said the petition is for people who believe that this is a good cause, all for the sake of improving quality of service in the hospital, such as improved state of the art medical facilities and so forth.

“How can we afford this, knowing our needs, identifying our medical needs is what we want, and at the same time identify specialize training needs to serve our people.

“Besides hospital relocation, the government must look at this as a national project,” Nori said.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Technical Department has released its 35-member training squad for the national under-16 yesterday.

The squad was selected from the recent Youth Solomon Cup Under-16 competition held in Honiara earlier this month.

This is to prepare for this year’s Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Under-16 Championship.

Honiara will play host to the regional junior qualifiers from September 8 to 22 with all matches likely to be played at Lawson Tama Stadium.

The Western Tomoko Under-16 winning side dominates the pick with a total of eight players selected for the training squad followed by Malaita and Honiara with seven players each.

Guadalcanal has four of its players selected, Central (three players) while Rennell and Bellona has two players selected.

Local Honiara club Marist will also have its representation in the national training squad with three players.

The former national senior men’s assistant coach Stanley Waita has been appointed to take charge of the head coaching role for the national under-16 side.

The former national center midfielder will be assisted by Henry Fa’arodo Junior as the assistant coach.

According to the team management, training will start earlier March.

“This list is not final, it is a training list. And it is also an open list – we can still add and remove players as soon as we start training.

“Training will start around early March 2018. We will be in touch with the coaches and parents of the players selected and make arrangements for each player especially the ones in the provinces.

“To the players’ coaches and parents, please contact the federation’s technical department on 26496 to confirm availability or if there are any concerns regarding your child.

“The earlier we sort things out the better it is. So your assistance is very much important too,” a statement from the SIFF technical department said yesterday.

See below members of the training squad.

Goalkeepers:

Felix Advent (Central), Lloyd Kari (Malaita) and Edilson Lamupio (Western)

Defenders:

Edward Aulanga (Honiara), Sanau Hou (Honiara), John Misi (Malaita), Benedict Ferani (Malaita), Patson Tongaka (Renbel), Fresha Sofu (Renbel), Fabio Pao (Western), Benbate Lamupio (Western), Chackie Dadson (Western) and Ronado Cromwell (Marist).

Midfielders:

Roljar Damme (Central), Philip Ropa (Guadalcanal), Jones Manearoa (Guadalcanal), Francis Sade (Guadalcanal), Roque Junior (Honiara), Watson Kiko (Honiara), Stephen Koti (Malaita), Julius Kera (Western), Mattson Hoto (Western), Xavier Omearo (Marist) and Kelvin Mekawir (Honiara)

Forwards:

Luke Tena (Central), Gregory Langilana (Honiara), Junior Lea’alafa (Honiara), Jack Baera (Malaita), Floyd Hagi (Malaita), Joshua Baela (Malaita), Hamilton Pao (Western), Clenty Lamupio (Western) and Raphael Le’ai (Marist).

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

A COMMUNITY elder of Wairokai in West Are Are has urged the police to investigate and apprehend youths allegedly involved in a stealing incident against a tourist in Wairokai.

Community elder, Mr Jackson Keni’oma made the statement appealing to the police to apprehend the youths and to make them face justice for their actions.

He stressed that the community must work together with the police in investigating the matter.

Mr Keni’oma said it is known that the incident was already settled by the victim and chiefs in Wairokai, but that doesn’t stop the law to take its course.

“So the only way to rightly deal with people when involving in such nasty activity is to let the law deal with them, so they can learn from what they did.

“They should not evade the law and anyone else in the community must not harbour them for that matter,” he said.

Mr Keni’oma said the incident is an embarrassment for the people of Wairokai and it only tarnished the reputation of the community.

He said such anti-social behaviour should not be encouraged in the community and everyone must work together to fight against such crimes in the community.

On the other hand, Mr Keni’oma also called on the police to swiftly conduct investigation into the incident.

“I already reported the matter to the police, but since than nothing has happened as expected from the police.

“During the course of the incident I reported it to Maka and their excuse in respond to the matter was on lack of staffing.

“The same happened with the police in Auki. When reported the incident to them, they said they didn’t have fuel to go to Wairokai,” he said.

Mr Keni’oma said faced with that difficulty, on Thursday last week he went to Auki and proposed a transport arrangement for the police from Hauhui to Wairokai, but this was not considered.

He said he understands the difficulties faced by the police, but urged them to be prepared at all time for any reports that might reach their office at any time.

According to recent media report, the youths robbed a bag-pack containing some valuable items and a bike own by an Australian, Mr Oliver Wisden.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CENTRAL Islands Provincial Government Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni assures CIP’s citizens that their Executive is doing their best to lead despite negative challenges.

It has been reported last week that there is currently an ongoing attempt to oust the current Premier which has raised many queries from the province with many locals not supporting such move.

Locals said continuous political disturbances are what are affecting the province to develop further, suffering for a long period now.

“Let the Provincial Government finish their mission for these last couple of months remaining as they are currently doing great for the province,” said concerns.

According to the Premier Hon Vasuni, he has no fear of such move being confident of his Executive Government number to still be intact.

The Provincial Executive Government of CIP is currently trying its best to stop such influence that will affect the provincial government’s leadership.

A former government leader of CIP and Ngella Constituency is revealed to be behind the move in which the motive is not clear assuming maybe because of political interest.

Under investigation, three MPA’s (two from Ngella and one from Russell) have confirmed receiving phone calls for the plan to oust the Premier.