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Defensive woes cost us: Housanau

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Malaita Eagles scoops first points

By Taromane Martin

IMPROVING defensively will be the priority for the Makira Ulawa Real Kakamora Under-19 football team after losing 4-2 to Malaita Eagles in their opening match of the 2018 Youth Solomon Cup yesterday.

Head Coach Martin Housanau said their defensive blunders costed them the game yesterday but says improvement is coming with the arrival of their top defensive player yesterday from the province.

“Defensive that is the only area I see we need to improve on for our next match with Central Shields. I believe we’ll improve now that we have one of our main defenders who just arrived from the province,” he told Sun SPORTS yesterday.

Coach Housanau said winning the Youth Solomon Cup will be a bonus but the teams’ priority is giving their players exposure and experience playing at national competitions.

“Our performance was not that bad though we lost 4-2 to Malaita Eagles. It’s a good performance for us considering majority of the team are new to playing at Lawson Tama.

“Our goal as a team is for the boys to get exposure and experience and secondly if we can win the competition it will be a bonus for us.

“We still have six games left and I believe we can win the tournament however; our main objective is to gain exposure and experience,” he said.

Steve Siwa and Noel Donga were on target for Real Kakamora while Charles Mani found the back of the net twice for Eagles while Junior Formani and Alfred Kafu grabbed a goal each for the victory yesterday.

“I’m pleased with the win because as a team winning is what we want,” Malaita Eagles Head Coach Robert Wanedala said.

“As the coach I’m happy and I think our first game will help us fully identify which players can combine with whom.

“Because most of the players are home based and it was such a short time to find the combinations.

“However I’m pleased we’ve managed to win our first game and we’ll improve in the other matches because the jellying process is still going on,” he said.

Meanwhile Coach Housanau said such youth tournaments are important for the country’s football praising the SIFF Executive for reviving the initiative.

“Youth tournaments are important because if Solomon Islands want to develop good players for the national team this is where it should start.

“And it’s good to see after more than 15 years is organising such competitions in the country again and it should become a regular thing for us,” he said.

 

Real Kakamora will take on Central Shields 4pm today while Malaita Eagles are on bye.

Renbel upset Honiara

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Renbel Chiefs attacking midfielder Leon Na’amoana tries to evade a tackle from the Honiara Warriors defender yesterday. Renbel won 2-1. PICTURE: BENZ NEWMAN

BY ROMULUS HUTA

RENNELL and Bellona Chiefs caused an upset on day one of the 2018 Youth Solomon Cup Under-19 category as they cruised to a 2-1 win over Honiara Warriors in the third match yesterday at Lawson Tama Stadium.

Rennell and Bellona’s victory will go down as their first ever win over Honiara in any football competition held at the competitive level.

The win also enabled them to go third place on the table with three points behind leader Malaita Eagles and Western Turtles respectively.

Eagles and Turtles are on three points as well but their advantage in the goal differences propelled them to top.

During yesterday’s match, Honiara Warrriors got in front in the opening minutes leading 1-0 through a goal by Ali Mekawir.

However, Chiefs quickly responded with an equalizer a minute later through Steve Mane before another goal which would later turn out the actual winner came from Leon Na’amoana within the first 15 minutes.

Chiefs held on to the 2-1 scoreline until the final whistle to register vital maximum competition points.

Chiefs head coach Greezer Pongi was overwhelmed with the win.

“My boys stick to our game plan with a lot of composure in the first half and that’s when we got the two goals.

“Honiara scored first but we quickly responded with the equalizer and minutes later we came away with the winner.

“I’m really pleased with my boys’ performance today.

“Honiara is a tough team and one of the favourites in the competition.

“After we led in the first half, I told my boys to play defensive in the second half and we held on to win,” Pongi said.

Renbel Chiefs attacking midfielder Leon Na’amoana tries to evade a tackle
from the Honiara Warriors defender yesterday. Renbel won 2-1. PICTURE:
BENZ NEWMAN

Chiefs’ second match is against Western Turtles starting at 1pm this afternoon while Honiara will take on Guadalcanal Hornets at 2.30pm.

Renbel Chiefs:

Darwin Aomatangi, Casper Mamae, Casper Junior, Warren Moana, Danstan Meke, Colton Lui, Jerry Maitaki, Steve Mane, Stevenson Junior, Leon Na’amoana and Robert Mamata. SUBS: Wanders Puia, Baggio Tuimaka, Hatiah Taika, Patrick Tengemoana, Steve Makos, Steve Pai, Clive Pongi and Moses Suamoana

Honiara Warriors:

John Mata Junior, George Warren, Junior Aengari, Stanley Sua, Standford Clement, Clinton Otoi, Clayton Menapa, Don Keana, Osifelo Vincent, Junior Bako and Ali Mekawir. SUBS: Ashley Buto, Ian Tutu, Hubert Au, Junior Kaoni, Raymond Taloi, Zeipitu Vavira and Junior Maelasi.

Man dies after hit by tree branch

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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POLICE in Gizo are investigating the death of a 48-year-old male after he was hit by the branch of a tree at Maravari Village, Vella La Vella, Western Province, on January 8, 2018.

It was alleged that the deceased was chopping a tree when it fell down on another nearby tree down during which a branch fell and hit the head of the deceased.

Provincial Police Commander, Western Province, Chief Superintendent Mathias Lenialu says, “The deceased was assisted by his work mates to the Village but was pronounced dead by a nurse at the local clinic.”

“The deceased was employed by the Earthmovers Company at the Maravari Camp as a Chainsaw Operator.

“I would like to thank the relatives of the deceased for their cooperation and support in allowing police to carry out its investigation into the tragic incident. We extend our sympathies to the family and relatives of the deceased.”

Gizo police are appealing to people in the communities in and around Maravari Village on Vella La Vella to come forward with any information that might assist them with their investigations into the tragic incident. Gizo police can be contacted on phone 60999.

–POLICE MEDIA

SIPC strategised to improve postal industry

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

CHAIRMAN of SIPC (Solomon Islands Post Corporation) has unveiled it strategies to deal with the realities of postal industry in Solomon Islands.

The strategies framework has been factored in the SIPC 2017 – 2019 Statement of Cooperation Objectives (SCOs).

Chairman of Solomon Post Post-pay and Bibimoney Seminar chairman of SIPC (Solomon Islands Post Cooperation) Mr Robert Bokelema the SCOs spells out strategies which will deal with postal realities in Solomon Islands and also sets out Solomon Post’s policy, business objectives, strategies and activities over a 3 year period.

He said the objective to review the current business activities to achieve profitability is amongst the current business objective.

“In 2017 upgrading and improving of current money transfer system has been a priority for Solomon Host in order to meet a world class standard, simple and a system that will mitigate the needs of all citizens especially those living in the rural areas within the country.

“I has been noticed that access to financial institution has become a problem for government employees in the rural areas such as teachers, Health workers and Police officers who have long distances to pick up their salary at the provincial centres.

“But the establishment of the new programmes will again boost the Solomon Islands Postal industry in the future,” Bokelema said.

He said access to financial services in the country is difficult to achieve especially the low income people in communities hence a barrier to the government’s financial inclusion policy objectives.

SI Postal Corporation launches Postpay

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

SOLOMON Islands Postal Corporation’s long struggle to change the way it has been delivering services to the country has been answered.

Yesterday, Chief Financial Officer of bibimoney, Ms Debbie Thomas and Chairman of Solomon Islands Postal Corporation, Mr Robert Bokelema took part in a signing ceremony at the Heritage Park Hotel to launch the local postal corporation’s new mobile wallet service, called “PostPay”.

The local postal corporation’s deputy CEO, Mr Alfred Ghemu in his address highlighted that they have been searching for a way to re-invent their role across the islands noting that the post office has found it difficult to adapt to change.

He added that mail delivery has been in decline and the onset of email and mobile phones have changed the way people stay connected.

Moreover, Ghemu stated that the cost of maintaining infrastructure and services to the country has also become very expensive.

“The post needs to offer new services to the people of Solomon Islands. We need to support women, youth and our rural population. We cannot just be focused on the major towns, we must try and include everyone.

“Our search came to an end last year when we contracted a UK FIN-TECH company to help us launch a fully interoperable Solomon Post mobile wallet service. It will be called PostPay,” he said.

Ghemu mentioned that although mobile money has been set on trial before in the Pacific with varying results, it was never tried at a national level with a product that is fully interoperable.

He explained that the PostPay wallet will be applicable on any phone and any network without affecting the consumer’s current mobile provider’s services.

Ghemu further stated that PostPay will give people access to a full range of financial services such as; withdrawing cash, transferring goods, buying goods, transferring money, international payments, bill payments and micro loans and savings.

Provincial school libraries go empty

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Japanese volunteer, Mr Hirofuni Masui

By Mike Puia

SCHOOL libraries in the provinces are becoming boring these days. Most children don’t go there and read up books.

This is an observation made by a Japanese volunteer, Mr Hirofuni Masui.

Hirofuni said people in the provinces, especially school children, are not used to libraries saying this is “a problem”.

“Libraries are less attractive to students. I found out in some libraries, some books are never been looked up for years,” Masui said.

Hirofuni, who arrived in the country in 2016 under the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer programme, has left to his home country yesterday.

Hirofuni spends most of his time in Buala, the provincial center of Isabel Province, supporting the Isabel Provincial Education Authority.

Since arrival, he has been visiting schools in Isabel, Malaita, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Makira, Western and Honiara introducing the reading promotion on literacy programme.

Hirofuni uses a game call ‘bibliobattle’ to get school children visit libraries to read up books and understand the story in preparation for presentation and voting. The one who answer most question from colleagues and get more votes is the winner and is named a ‘bibliobattle champion’. In some schools, teachers offer prizes to bibliobattle champions.

He said the program he delivered is showing good results in participating schools.

“I have taught the game in most schools in the country like a hundred times,” Hirofuni, a bibliobattle champion back in Japan, said.

As part of his programme, he also sourced reading books for schools that lacks reading books.

Hirofuni said he is happy that some schools children have picked up the game and are now spending time in the library.

A mobile wallet that faciliates Domestic and International Services

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Bibimoney Chief Financial Officer, Ms Debbie shake hands with SI Postal Corporation’s chairman, Mr Robert Bokelema to mark signing as DPM and Finance Minister, Hon Sogavare looks on.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THE growing problem for financial institutions is finding strategies to tackle issues like capturing the unbanked market, leveraging technology and providing new services to existing customers.

This is according to Bibimoney’s 2017 report that highlights the stressing issues behind banking services and how Bibimoney solves these barriers.

Bibimoney states that since billions of people are either unbanked or underbanked, this gives banks a huge opportunity to utilize new technology that will attract customers cost effectively while creating financial inclusion.

In relation, the second factor, “leverage technology”, the report mentions that in order to in order to increase market share, profits and shareholder value, existing banks need to tap into emerging technology.

The last problem for financial institutions expressed by Bibimoney is the provision of new services to cater to existing customers of which noted is the statement that in emerging markets customers are often young and dissatisfied with existing services.

Henceforth, in response to the above issues, the report expressed that Bibimoney resolves these issues by providing a 24 hour convenient low cost access to financial services, providing access to bill and salary payments, airtime top ups, domestic money transfers, micro-finance and insurance services, providing basic banking services to the unbanked and providing access to fast low cost remittance corridors.

Additional issues pose by the report include the lack of interoperability, apps only work effectively on smart phones, does not link from one country to the next and it often requires senders and recipients to have a bank account.

In regards to the above, Bibimoney has removed these barriers by being a fully patented SIM-Skin solution and mobile wallet that is simple to install, suitable for any type of phone, fast and secure using 256 bit encryption, scalable to partner’s needs, compatible with any mobile phone network without requiring a partnership with any mobile operator, and facilitates viral customer growth domestically and internationally.

Furthermore, in terms of remittances, Bibimoney’s service is interoperable hence, allowing both sender and receiver use the service without having to use the same mobile network, it works on any type of phone, internet or data connectivity is not required, it is inclusive to the unbanked and underbanked, reduces the cost of remitting funds internationally, efficient in cashing out funds through an agent network and is an instant transfer, descriptively, Western Union in seconds.

“The SIM-Skin is simple to use, advanced, patented technology. You do not need the skin to receive the money, but you do to use it so the recipient becomes as wallet customer locally,” said the 2017 bibimoney report.

Contractors affected by cash-flow syndrome

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY ALICE NANTARA

THE working relationship between contractors and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) is again under strain due to the cash-flow problem of the country.

Few contractors who plead anonymity said that this dilemma that the government keeps facing approaching the final months of any given year is starting to get on their nerves.

“We rallied up all our effort and resources to get the contract and meet our end of the bargain only to be told that the government is currently going through a difficult financial crisis right now so the cheque will be delayed.

“All the requirements and the time frame allocated for each project we manage to comply with, get the job done and what did we receive in return?

“Talk of cash-flow issue is what we get in return and then payments are delayed and got carried forward into another year.”

Another individual hinted that the government should really look into the all too common cash-flow issue and settle it once and for all.

According to this person’s understanding, the lack of businesses investing here in our country is the sure cause of the ongoing ‘cash-flow crisis’.

“We deal with the lack of investment in Solomon Islands first and everything else will fall into place straight after.

“Personally I think that one way of strengthening our currency and ensuring this country does not get caught in the habit of having money troubles is to encourage operating businesses to invest here in the country.”

This continuing cash-flow issue has put contractors and MID personnel at an uncomfortable space.

One contractor sadly voiced that the waiting game has seriously taken a toll on his family and construction team and he just hopes that the government pays up ASAP.

Meanwhile an MID worker said that they understand the frustration contractors are going through but at the moment there is not much that can be done except wait for the government.

Young men arrested for unlawful wounding in Malaita

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

POLICE in Malu’u, in North Malaita have arrested two male suspects following a fight at Adau Village, East Mbaelelea, in Malaita Province on January 8, 2018.

The two accused, aged 22 and 24, were arrested on January 9, 2018 and were both charged for unlawful wounding.

“It is being alleged that a fight broke out and the two accused allegedly wounded the victim with a bush knife during which he sustained serious injuries,” says Provincial Police Commander, Malaita Province, Superintendent Timothy Apaesi.

“The victim is still admitted at the Malu’u Health Clinic and still receiving medical treatment.

“This is a serious matter and I call on both parties not to take the law into their hands but let the police do their duty. I also call on anyone with information about the incident to come forward and assist police in our investigations.”

The two accused have been charged for unlawful wounding and were released on principal bail to appear in court on January 29, 2018.

–POLICE MEDIA

Gap in govt payment affects road project: Bartlett

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Hatanga Managing Director Mr Jay Bartlett

BY ALICE NANTARA

Hatanga Managing Director Mr Jay Bartlett

HATANGA Ltd has confirmed to the paper that government still owes the company a sizeable amount of SBD currency.

According to the information shared by Hatanga Managing Director, it’s extremely difficult to work and keep continuing while not getting paid.

Mr Jay Bartlett said that his company has offered the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) all the relevant notices to inform them of the company’s intention to terminate and demobilise.

Hatanga Ltd has given the government ample time and opportunity to rectify the unfortunate situation to a point whereby the businessman realised the only wise decision is to halt the North Malaita Road Project (NMRP) and terminate the existing legal contract they have with MID.

The contract was terminated due to Government defaulting on the payment terms within the contract, says Bartlett.

The last time that the company received any form of down payment from the government was in December 2016 and the latter months between March 2017 to November 2017 has been confirmed SIG’s due.

Acting Permanent Secretary of MID also reaffirmed that it is the right of the contractor to terminate a contract under provisions of the contract if the employer does not fulfil part of its obligation.

Mr Jimmy Nuake also added that the employer did put in an effort to settle outstanding payments on time but unfortunately it did not workout has planned so now a new contract will have to be procured in order to ensure continuation of the NMRP.

According to the PS (Ag) the North Malaita Road Project is definitely part of 2018’s work plan.

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