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Managing Director, Webpulse Solution Pvt Ltd”

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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(Webpulse Solution Pvt. Ltd. is an award-winning web designing, web marketing and web development company known for offering state of the art services and solutions to companies)

It seems to me an ideal opportunity to be able to further promote Solomon Islands in the manner set out and especially when anyone buying into the package on offer from the B2B website designer will have the added opportunity of having their own individual website as part of the deal and without any additional costs.

And there is the added bargain of a free trial period of 3 months.

If more information is needed please contact me via the link provided on my website and I will be very happy to help and forward any enquiries to the B2B website designer.

I should stress that my involvement in promoting this idea is entirely charitable and I will not be party to any financial arrangements that might be made by anyone with the designer of the B2B website

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

A trade and industry directory in the offing with a b2b website

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, on November 27, 2017, I wrote an article which I entitled ‘Selling the Solomon Islands’ and it was published in the Solomon Star and Island Sun.

I mentioned in my piece that I had never seen a consolidated website identifying, illustrating and promoting Solomon Island’s many businesses, products and services, handicrafts, construction, boat building, palm oil, copra, cocoa, virgin coconut oil, kava, coffee, chocolate, bananas, fish, mangoes, nuts, spices, taro, transportation, timber, transport etc.

I had my own website designed in 2014 to help put the Solomon Islands on the map and have used it to promote and advertise locally made beautiful shell inlaid wood carvings and give information on charitable welfare and rights organizations including the SINCW, SIDT, the CHRISTIAN CARE CENTRE, the FAMILY SUPPORT CENTRE, THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION and TAKE MY HANDS CHARITY TRUST (NZ).

As the private sector clearly has the potential to generate exports and contribute to the national economy, I feel I should do more to help the many local business enterprises, exporters and service providers by giving them a window to the world’s external markets and I raised the idea with the designer of my own website – www.solomonislandsinfocus.com – also the designer of many professional, internationally acclaimed B2B websites, including trade and industry directories.

This is the designer’s reply-

“Dear Mr. Short

Thank you for getting in touch with me regarding your suggestion that the Solomon Islands could greatly benefit from online services promoting the very wide range of local products and services.

“I could create a B2B Portal for small or big traders and businessmen in Solomon Islands, so that their businesses could be promoted online to open the door of online business for them.

“Nowadays, all countries have one or more Business Directories to list all their businesses, be it a seller of a product or a service. Interested buyers come online to find sellers and source products quickly.

“If all businesses in the SI could be available online, they could get business enquiries not only from within the country but also from all over the globe. And it will really help their business grow very fast.

“As you mentioned in your email to me there are businesses in the Solomon Islands dealing in a wide range of products and services including handicrafts, boat building, construction, copra, virgin coconut oil, cocoa, coffee, fruits like mangoes, bananas, papaw, pineapples, fish, kava, transportation, tourism, hotels, resorts, and institutes etc.”

“My proposal would be to develop a Business to Business (B2B) Portal or Directory displaying and listing all the businesses in SI with their company logo, company name, address, contact details and with an enquiry form.

“Such a service would promote the B2B Portal on the internet through Google and Face book to drive the traffic of interested customers searching suppliers or service providers from SI and it will generate business enquiries for them.

“Moreover, we will offer a website on sub-directory URL of the Portal where all businesses could showcase their products and services along with photographs, product descriptions, prices etc. Also, giving an introduction to their individual business, a company profile, team photos, and infrastructure photos to make the tailor made website very informative and engaging for online visitors, for after all, a website is the mirror of a business.

“The websites will also be mobile responsive (which changes its structure according to the screen size and fits well to give a best user experience) and SEO friendly.

“Keywords would be optimised to promote the website on Google.

“All registered businesses on the Portal would have a member dashboard to manage the content on the website, their contact details, products and services.

“All enquiries coming through their business listing on the B2B Portal or their individual website will be sent to their email ID and also one copy will be stored in their member’s folder so that they don’t miss any enquiry and be to manage and reply to enquiries promptly.

“To be able to keep promoting the Portal online on Google through dedicated SEO activities, and to ensure business enquiries, I would need to change a very affordable and minimal fee of US$999 from each registered member per year.

“I can assure you, Mr. Short, with the launch of a B2B Portal, businesses will flourish.

“I have closely followed your letters to the Solomon Islands media over several years and I have often felt rather sad that the economy is sluggish and that businesses in SI struggle to generate income due to limited online promotion.

“These days, web promotion on Google is not an option but a must.

“I will look forward to you letting me know how my company might help develop a B2B Portal for the Solomon Islands and it would be our great pleasure if our many years of technical expertise can help businesses in SI to grow.

“I would greatly welcome enquiries.

Yours sincerely

Rahul Ranjan

A feared boating tragedy – spare a thought and a prayer for Kiribati

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, the Solomon Islands has had its share of tragic boating incidents but nothing, I believe, as what is emerging as a real tragedy for the nearby island and people of Kiribati.

Quoting the news relayed by Radio New Zealand International today – 30 January 2018.

“Missing Kiribati ferry shaping up as a tragedy for island

“The MP for the Kiribati island a missing ferry departed from says the tragedy has left the island of only 2,000 people devastated.

“The vessel Butiraoi, which may have been carrying as many as 100 people, vanished after leaving Nonouti on January the 18th.

“Seven survivors were found drifting in a dinghy on Sunday and an international search for other survivors is continuing, but chances are growing slimmer by the day.

“The Nonouti MP, Sir Ieremia Tabai, says many of the missing are probably high school children heading to Tarawa for the term.

“It’s a real sad day for those who lost their loved ones. I know from my village, I think two or three people that I personally know and live next to in my village, and they are on that boat that perished. People on Nonouti are affected in a very serious way.”

“Sir Ieremia Tabai says an independent inquiry needs be launched, as the ferry was clearly not seaworthy.”

Copyright 2018, Radio New Zealand (All Rights Reserved)

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

Major reforms and meeting the press

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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GOOD on you Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela for taking the bold move to reduce your political appointees, terminating all vehicle lease agreement and cutting back on post-paid mobile phones for your staff.

These reforms are as you rightly said to save money and cut back on unnecessary spending past governments has endured.

Thumbs up Prime Minister and we congratulate you for this brave move.

We say this was a bold decision because we know some people would be unhappy; however the national interest is paramount and we wish to congratulate you and your team Mr Prime Minister.

Despite your short stint in the Prime Ministership seat, you’ve done a tremendous job so far in saving money. We wish you will continue to implement these reforms until your term ends.

We will want to see these reforms carried through until the next elections early next year.

We also hope these reforms would not be the only ones taken to save money. As an economist yourself, we know you can do a lot of reforms to qualify this country of its developing status.

Although we do not have the qualities to become a developed nation overnight, we have the resources at our disposal to become a rich country.

And only visionary leader like yourself and likeminded people around you would be able to push Solomon Islands forward to be self-reliant, economically sustainable and ensure financial stability.

However we demand such reforms to be implemented in other government ministries and departments.

We think other line ministries are also inquiring unnecessary costs which costs the national government a lot. If such reforms can be done across the board, then it would be save us more money.

Saying it is one thing and actually doing it is quite another, so we hope such reforms must be seen to be done and supported by all those involved. Supporting these reforms spearheaded by Prime Minister Houenipwela is what we are asking for here.

Finally we welcome the ‘meet the media’ strategy the Prime Minister has announced. As patron of the Media Association of Solomon Islands, you have exercised your rights to take the lead in meeting the media with your regular press conferences.

We hope your regular press conferences will contribute to public awareness, educating our ordinary people with government’s policies and eradication of rumours and dissemination of factual information for our people to make informed choices.

For that this newspaper wishes to register its appreciation in spearheading this move and for other ministries to also meet the media regularly.

This is an act of recognising the important role the media plays as a fourth estate and a cornerstone of democracy.

Tourism industry focuses on marketing Solomon Islands

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Participants of the 2018 Tourism in Focus session which held at the Mendana Hotel on Tuesday

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

SOLOMON Islands is looking at increasing its tourism industry through new marketing strategy this year.

In the 2018 Tourism in Focus forum held at the Mendana Hotel yesterday, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau and Solomon Airlines Limited have detailed that their focus for this year is to make a disruptive change for tourism industry in an effort to increase leisure tourism and marketing strategy for Solomon’s tourism industry.

The main focus is set on marketing Solomon Islands through promotions by increasing more oversea travel writers, attending events abroad and in-country and sending staffs for trainings.

This year the country’s tourism will focus its market in Europe and Asia as additional markets to Australia – Solomon Islands’ main tourism market.

The Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr Andrew Nihoopara said the country needs to look at opportunities such as developing the Munda airport, and relevant infrastructure.

Nihopara believes the Munda airstrip should be capitalised on, which will require working together to make the desired disruptive change for tourism in the country.

“There are discussions already held in terms of how we can as tourism sector capitalize on Munda infrastructure opportunity to ensure very important asset given to us is utilize for economic benefit of tourism,” Nihopara said.

SIVB’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Josefa Jo Tuamoto adds on that the country needs to focus on leisure market in order for it to grow.

He said Solomon Islands is depending too much on the business market.

Tuamoto also adds September last year, Solomon Islands has increases its number to tourist to 67.8 percent, and to continue increase the figure this year country needs to concentrated on leisure market.

Concerning tourism development so far, Tuamoto said SIVB have done well with support from government and stakeholders despite challenges encountered.

The 2018 Tourism in Focus forum was ended with insights information which sectors from the provinces have equipped with in an effort to work together on developing tourism in Solomon Islands.

Parasi airport nears resumption

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Parasi airport

By Mike Puia

PARASI airport in Small Malaita is being prepped to reopen after nearly two decades of closure.

In 2000, Parasi airport was closed down. It was during the height of the ethnic tension that broke out in Guadalcanal.

Since then, traveling travel to and out of Small Malaita has been an issue. Travellers rely on ferry or powered canoe to get to Afio, Small Malaita’s main station.

As of January, materials, machines, fuel have been arriving at the site – and work has started.

Work started with civil tasks from clearing of the runway and surrounding perimeter, scraping of top soil to reach subgrade level, backfill of identified areas, compaction of threshold area on taxiway and working on drainage on side of runway to account for runoffs.

A Small Malaita traveller, Graham Tahu, said the opening of the airport will provide another means of transportation for traveling public.

“This means, more people will travel between Honiara and other destinations.

“This will make life easy for travellers and will boost business activities in our rural communities. It can be tourism and many more,” Tahu said.

He added they have missed this essential service for years and look forward to its resumption.

New emergency clinic ready to open in town

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Inside the Togamae Private Emergency Clinic

BY BEN BILUA

Dr Ishmael Togamae and Dr Pedical Togamae during the commemorating of their late Dad’s tomb stone at Tirotona village.

A new emergency clinic called Togamae Private Emergency will open its doors in Honiara next week.

The clinic is owned by two brothers from Isabel Province, Dr Pedical Togamae and Dr Ishmael Togamae.

In an interview with this paper, Dr Pedical Togamae said the clinic will provide the following services; general outpatient and emergency cases, lab services includes malaria test, full blood counts and biochemistry tests, dispensing medicines, keeping patients overnight while on treatment, doing patient referral to specialists or overseas and further services includes escorting patients from any destination and home visit.

“This means that you can be seen at your comfort home for nursing care or Doctors’ can come and visit patients at your home.”

He said basic equipment for the clinic is all set except for an ECG machine which is currently on its way to Solomon Islands from Australia.

Togamae adds that laboratory machines and ultrasound machine will soon arrive in the country.

He told this paper that his older brother Dr Ishmael Togamae who has a license to practice and currently working in United States of America is an advantage to the clinic’s set up as some of the essential machines needed were purchased in United States.

Togamae said his brother’s experience working in a 1st world class country like USA is a bonus for the clinic to effectives deliver best services.

“My dream is to have all the equipment that supposed to be in the Emergency Department to meet the quality of care I want.

“In addition to that, learning from my elder brother is a great achievement,” he said.

Togamae said stressed that there are lots of reasons that gave him the strength to establish the emergency clinic.

He said the first reason is to fulfill his late father’s wish and vision, and second is to improve the quality of emergency services in Honiara to save lives.

Dr Pedical Togamae’s father, late Cecil Togamae who passed away on January 19, 2015 here in Honiara is a prominent leader of Isabel Province and he (Pedical) dedicates the establishment to his late father.

Shanel first casualty of PM’s travel restrictions

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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THE Minister for Civil Aviation and Communications, Peter Shanel

By Alfred Sasako

THE Minister for Civil Aviation and Communications, Peter Shanel, yesterday became the first casualty of travel restrictions announced by Prime Minister Ricky Houenipwela earlier this week.

Hon Shanel was on his way to Mainland China, when he was recalled. Details of the visit including whether it was cleared by the Office of the Prime Minister were not immediately clear.

Sources told Island Sun yesterday the visit was supposed to be a first by a Government Minister from Solomon Islands, which does not have diplomatic relations with Beijing.

But Hon Shanel’s recall was not without a hand from Taiwan.

Sources close to the government confirmed last night that Hon Shanel’s immediate recall followed an intervention by the Embassy of Taiwan in Honiara, demanding that the Minister be recalled.

Prime Minister Houenipwela succumbed.

“There’s a lot at stake so the government has no choice but to recall the Minister,” the sources said.

They said Taiwan’s decision to help foot the bill for hosting the South Pacific Games in 2023 and a proposed visit to Taiwan by the Prime Minister in April are reasons enough to convince Prime Minister Houenipwela to order Minister Shanel’s recall.

Hon Shanel was said to be in Brisbane, on his way home.

On Monday Prime Minister Houenipwela announced a raft of measures including a clampdown on overseas travels by government ministers in a move to cut costs.

But the measures are being seen by many as politically suicidal with others suggesting there would be backlash.

Hon Shanel’s recall signals the potential to remove him from a new ministerial line-up believed to be under active consideration.

Beche-de-mer open period closes on Jan 31

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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All activities relating to fishing or harvesting of sea cucumber (beche-de-mer) will cease as of midnight of January 31, 2018, says the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in a statement issued yesterday.

It says the five months ‘Open Harvest Period’ will end at midnight on Wednesday and no further extension will be given, therefore, those involved in the beche-de mer trade are reminded to take heed.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources opened the beche-de-mer fishery on September 1, 2017 following approval from the cabinet.

The fishery was supposed to close at the end of November 2017, however, an extension was required because of delays in issuing of export licence so MFMR decided to extend the open harvest period to January 2018 to make up for the lost time.

The Director of Fisheries will enforce an order under section 22(2) of the Fisheries Management Act 2015 on February 1, 2018 prohibiting fishing or possession of sea cucumber or beche-de-mer.

There will be a grace period for licensed exporters to export products that they have already purchased from fishers.

MFMR says data collected by the Ministry of Fisheries shows that there have been fewer high grade beche-de-mer species purchased by exporters in the current open period compared to previous open periods.

“The majority of beche-de-mer harvested has been of low value. This is a strong indication that the high grade beche-de-mer species have been overexploited and their recovery was slow in spite of two years of closure before the lifting of the ban.

“The decline is of great concern to the Ministry of Fisheries. However, MFMR is committed to improve the management of beche-de-mer fishery to ensure its sustainability into the future.”

–MFMR PRESS

Tanito described as ‘livewire’

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Tanito in action Madang last weekend in the PNG NSL.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

SOLOMON Islands international Tutizama Tanito has been described as ‘livewire’ by the PNG media.

Tanito was given the description following his electrifying pace in the PNG national soccer league.

The lad from Western Province is currently playing for Lae City Dwellers known as Toti FC in the PNG’s top flight soccer league.

Dwellers coach Peter Gunemba told the PNG media that Tanito has been very sharp since joining the club three weeks ago scoring three goals in two matches.

“The livewire from Solomon Islands has been very sharp since his arrival this month.”

Gunemba said he arrived two days before the second game against Buang FC and they did not waste him, thus bringing him into the second half in the game against Buang FC.

According to other reports, Tanito impressed the coach and the crowd with his speed and footworks where he terrorizes the Buang FC defence in his debut for Toti City FC.

He assisted 2 goals and scored himself one.

Last weekend, in the game against Madang FC, the coach opted to use him in the first 11 and he scored his second goal by stepping up to get a penalty.

“Tutizama now commomly called by team mates and local fans as “Totizama” is a silent achiever and well known in PNG since his days with former NSL club Hekari United FC,” a statement from the club said.

Meanwhile, another Solomon Islander and defender Andrew Rarangia is also playing alongside Tanito at the same club.

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