THE Police National Traffic Department reports a slight drop in the number of reported traffic cases in Honiara during the first few weeks of January 2018.

“This is a very good outcome,” says Supervising Director of the Traffic Department, Staff Sergeant George Mouli.

“During the first week of January 2018, we recorded a total of 49 cases mostly being for unlicensed motor vehicles followed by permitting unlicensed motor vehicle, careless driving and presence of alcohol in person’s blood.

“During the second week, we recorded only 23 cases and last week we recorded only 14 cases.

“Throughout the past weeks my officers have also been working alongside Honiara City Council (HCC) Law enforcers in an operation to ensure that drivers have valid licences, vehicles are registered, insured and are road worthy and that the traffic rules are observed.

“I want to thank drivers and vehicle owners for their co-operation throughout the past weeks, my hardworking officers and law enforcers at the HCC in ensuring that safety on our roads are our top priority.

“I want to urge vehicle owners and drivers to comply with Traffic regulations and ensure your vehicles are registered, your employees must have valid driving licences and your vehicles must be road worthy. Permitting the use of unlicensed motor vehicles is a punishable offence under the Road and Transport Act.”

–POLICE MEDIA

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

FIRST focussing on to assist scholarships with are untrained teachers said Central Islands Province (CIP) Provincial Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni.

This is to clarify confusion in CIP over which type of students is the Provincial Government eyeing to assist first to study at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU).

The Provincial Government of CIP is currently eyeing to assist with scholarships for its citizens wishing to do studies at SINU.

This is once the province receives the 2018-2019 budgets soon.

Hon Vasuni said they will start with untrained teachers of the province who need to have qualifications which will be a boost for the education development of the province.

It is understood that those who wish for funding their tuition fees and so can seek through the Education Division at Tulaghi for assistance.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

THE general public has been urged to respect the country’s paper currencies that are circulated in the country.

The call was raised following repeated malpractice by the general public in squeezing and at times writing on dollar notes.

It is highlighted that such practice contributes to the bad looking local currency especially 10 dollars, five dollars and 20 dollars note.

When contacted yesterday the Media Officer of Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI’s) Mr Uriel Matanani said there is no new regulation within CBSI law to address such issues but CBSI will continue carry out their ongoing awareness programme.

He said the ongoing awareness are focused on counterfeiting money, its penalties and introducing of newly change notes.

Matanani said awareness programmes are carried through radio programmes, visit to schools and provinces.

He explained that the programmes are carried out by Currency and Banking Department of CBSI.

In the meantime Matanani advised that attitude problem is the main cause of the issues and that public must practice the use of purse to maintain the quality of notes.

BY BEN BILUA

CIVIL Society Group, Media, Parliamentarian and the government must be well-prepared to implement the Anti-Corruption Bill when it becomes law.

This was the message highlighted by UNDP’s Anti-Corruption Consultant Mr John Hyde during his meeting with the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) last week.

He stressed that stakeholders and the media must be trained to get better understanding on their respective roles as whistle blowers.

Hyde strongly emphasised that providing training for stakeholders including the media on their roles to report Anti-Corruption Bill is the best way forward to execute the implementation of the proposed Act.

“One of the big problem in anti-corruption is that, everyone must be part of the team and everybody must be informed of what is inside of the legislation.

“Mainstream media is still healthy in the Solomon Islands and that equipping the media with law to protect the industry as well as training is very important,” he said.

Hyde adds that it will be a bonus for the media and stakeholders to tackle corruption if the whistle Blowers Bill is legislated.

He advises MASI to look for resources to facilitate trainings for journalist in the country.

Hyde informs MASI that there will be a training on corruption in Tonga this year and it is important for MASI to send representatives to attend the training.

In the meantime he said local journalist can use the resources outlined in the United Nation Convention against Corruption where Solomon Islands is a party, to report corruption.

Hyde advised local journalists that the convention provides important resources that media can use to make sure government and other organisations are held accountable of corruption practices.

“The resources are very important for journalist to look and apply them locally in investigating and reporting corruption practices,” he said.

Hyde stressed that the prediction on the legislations to fight corruption and also laws to protect the media industry looks positive as the Prime Minister Rick Hou, shows support to table the bills to Parliament this year.

He reiterated that Civil Society Group, Media, Parliamentarian and the government must all work together to combat corruption practices in the society.

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

CHIEFS in central Kwara’ae are calling on their communities to live together in peace.

The call was made after disagreements from the public and communities towards the “kingdom movement” issue over the past two weeks in Auki had caused fear and disagreement in the communities.

The failed promises by the movement had resulted in skirmishes in many villages between disgruntled followers who feel they had been cheated, and between public and followers.

The chiefs said, “Despite our disagreements we are all Malaitans and we will settle our disagreements in peace and harmony so that we will live happily again in our communities.”

The chiefs also made this call after a vehicle was destroyed by a group of men last week, a day after the failed doomsday.

The vehicle was believed to be owned by one of the movement members.

The group destroyed the vehicle’s (a three-tonne truck) tires which in turn caused fear amongst communities.

“The issue of the Kingdom movement must be settled quickly before it worsens and causes disharmony in the communities,” the chiefs said.

THE Parliamentary Opposition has called on the government to make a sufficient budgetary allocation for the Prime Minister’s official residence project in this year’s budget and speed up necessary arrangements for work to begin on the project.

“It is important that a sufficient budgetary allocation is made in the 2018 Budget for the Prime Minister’s official residence project and that relevant ministries speed up work arrangements for the this important project avoid the issue of the Prime Minister living in his private residence or being accommodated in expensive hotels.”

He said the temporary arrangement for the Prime Minister to be accommodated at the Heritage Park Hotel to allow his private residence, where he has been living since his election last November, for renovations to meet security and protocol requirements could have been avoided had successive governments prioritised the Prime Minister’s official residence project.

The Opposition Leader said the Opposition welcomes the Prime Minister’s prudent decision in opting for a reduced $490,000 bid for the renovation works to his private residence over a $2million bid.

He said the Prime Minister has demonstrated commitment to his election promise to ensure fiscal discipline across government sectors and the Opposition commends him for leading by example.

The Opposition Leader added that suitable permanent sites must be allocated for the proposed new Prime Minister’s Official residence together with the proposed Official Residence of the Speaker of Parliament and other constitutional post-holders.

He suggested that the government seriously considers working on a plan to have the Official Residence of the Prime Minister and the principal Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, all housed under one roof.

“This would not only meet security and protocol requirements, but will also serve as a convenient place where important meetings of Cabinet can be held and where the Prime Minister can receive and entertain foreign leaders and dignitaries.

“It will also save the Prime minister precious time that is normally spent navigating through lengthy traffic jams in Honiara. The home can then have historical significance to future generations of Solomon Islanders.

“It is also equally important that the official residence of other constitutional post-holders including the Speaker of National Parliament are built on ideal permanent sites within the crown boundaries to avoid having to relocate these state houses in the future.”

–OPPOSITION PRESS

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

BUALA Hospital in Isabel province is facing nurse shortage.

This has reportedly affected service delivery at the province’s only hospital since Christmas.

In an interview with this paper yesterday, Acting Director of Buala Hospital Ms Hellen Marau explained two possible reasons to the issue; one is that most staffs are still on leave and the other is staff housing.

“We receive reports that some of our staffs are still on leave while others are reluctant to return to work as there is not enough staff houses to accommodate nurses,” Marau said.

She stressed that the few staff left are being over-worked looking after the sick.

“Currently we have only one staff looking after clinical duties in three shift and this has imposed our nurses with more workloads,” Marau said.

She said nurses who are looking after the hospital administration have now stepped forward to do clinical duties which means lots of administrative work are being left undone.

In the meantime, Marau said Isabel provincial government has responded positively to their call by securing staff houses and Buala hospital management is looking at reallocating the nurses and their accommodations.

She hopes that nurses who are still on leave will return to work next week to ease the current situation.

Baula hospital is the main hospital in Isabel province and is currently serving 12 communities near Buala.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

A concerned farmer from North Guadalcanal is calling on their Member of Parliament to explain the $300,000 allocated for damage caused by heavy rains in December last year.

In a walk-in interview yesterday, Mr Timothy Urobo Junior said he wants his Member of Parliament to explain why the fund was delayed and its current status.

He claims farmers in the constituency have not yet received anything.

Urobo said MPs have already met at the GP Office recently over the matter and have conducted assessment already with the farmers and community, thus they assume the emergency relief distribution should be taking place.

Heavy rains in December last year had destroyed gardens and farms in the area, and had left many farmers in desperate need of assistance.

Meanwhile, Director for NDMO, Mr Loti Yates denies having released any $300,000 as alleged, but admits that they are aware that an assessment had been done by the Guadalcanal province.

He adds regarding the assessment the NDMO has supported the GP and plans for assistance is on the pipeline based on the assessment carried out by the GP team.

The local concerned farmers are based around Ngalimbiu Bridge, and during the heavy rain last month, they claimed that it had destroyed their long and short term crops for daily sustainable living.

Urobo as a banana farmer said he lost his farm, estimated to cost around $50,000.