BY BEN BILUA

THE University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Solomon Islands Campus is organising a three-day roadshow in Honiara to help students and school leavers who want to study at the university.

The roadshow kicked off yesterday beside the Honiara City Council Office and attracted lots of interested candidates who collected application forms and other important documents about the university.

Speaking to the media, Acting Director of USP Solomon Islands Campus Mrs Patricia Rodie said the roadshow is part of USP Solomon Islands Campus’s programme to provide information about the different courses and programmes the university is offering in the country.

She adds that the roadshow is aimed at providing greater opportunity for the general public to access the needed information before applying to study at the university.

Rodie said USP staffs are present at the roadshow to assist students who are not sure how to fill the forms.

“USP has hosted a similar road show on December last year and now we are hosting this programme again in preparation of our registration in the coming weeks.

“Our goal is to provide an opportunity for the public especially students to access the information and also can apply on the sport with the assistance of USP staffs.

“We want to bring our office closer to the people instead of sitting in our offices and rely on the internet or hand deliver applications,” she explained.

Rodie also said that the road show provides an avenue for the University to promote some of its new and also ongoing programmes.

THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) has thanked the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) for taking lead in ensuring a peaceful festive season over the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

SICCI, on behalf of the Solomon Islands private sector acknowledged RSIPF’s high visibility and commitment to work during the festive season and the support and cooperation of communities.

RSIPF Supervising Commissioner Juanita Matanga last week pronounced this Christmas and New Year’s season being one of the quietest recorded by police with very good public behaviour.

SICCI Chair Jay Bartlett says it is evident that the good behaviour of the public is driven by RSIPF’s high visibility on the roads and communities over the past weeks.

“The business community is thankful for the commitment shown by our local police force. The Chamber maintains a high level of confidence in the RSIPF and will continue to support the role it plays in maintaining a peaceful society for Solomon Islanders,” said Mr Bartlett.

“This would not have been possible without the support of our community leaders and we would like to acknowledge and thank the cooperation shown by leaders in their respective communities.”

The Chair also extended SICCI’s acknowledgement to all public servants and essential service providers who continued to work throughout the festive season in ensuring that basic utilities and services are functioning, communities are kept safe by police and security firms, the sick are attended by doctors and nurses and the safe passage of travellers.

SICCI CEO Dennis Meone said the Chamber looks forward to another great year with the business community and the continued engagement with the national government and partnering stakeholders.

“Many milestones were achieved in 2017 and this year we look forward to working closely and collaborate with all our stakeholders in building a better Solomon Islands.”

–SICCI PRESS

THE Central Bank of the Solomon Islands has refuted reports in an Island Sun article by Mr Alfred Sasako on January 8, 2018, regarding the credit union of the Royal Solomon Islands police (RSIPCUL).

In a media statement yesterday, CBSI said that in the article, titled ‘Missing Police Credits’, there were references made to CBSI and to former CBSI Governor, who is now Solomon Islands Prime Minister, of ‘doing little or nothing about the situation’ in the Royal Solomon Islands Police Credit Union Limited (RSIPCUL).

“The references made about CBSI and its former governor are incorrect and misleading.”

CBSI explains: “As part of its oversight responsibility, CBSI through the Office of the Registrar of Credit Unions conducted a number of prudential onsite examinations on RSIPCUL ranging from all aspects of governance and operational risks to credit and liquidity risks, among others.

All its onsite examination findings, and risk mitigation strategies and recommendations were duly communicated to RSIPCUL Board and Management to address.

In addition to onsite examinations, the CBSI had also initiated two investigations, one in 1998 and one in 2017, as well as held quarterly bilateral consultations with RSIPCUL executives to help stabilise RSIPCUL.

Some actions that the Office of the Registrar of Credit Unions and CBSI took included suspension of RSIPCUL Board of Directors, suspension of all credit union committees, removal of some directors through a special AGM, suspension of RSIPCUL operations, and removal of RSIPCUL management.

Similarly, the CBSI had also been providing an interim administration of RSIPCUL operations and assisted RSIPCUL stabilise its cash-flow situation and, in September of 2017, had called for a special AGM for RSIPCUL members to elect new board of directors, members to the supervisory committee, and members to the credit committee to oversee the administration of RSIPCUL going forward.

The RSIPCUL was registered in 1988 under the Credit Unions Act Cap 165 and the Standard By-Laws 1987.

It is one of the largest active credit unions in Solomon Islands where its assets grew from $3,904 in 1988 to $8.5 million in 2017.

The Office of the Registrar of Credit Unions and CBSI will continue to provide oversight surveillance on RSIPCUL and on all registered credit unions in the country as part of its stability mandate.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

THE Ministry of Infrastructure Development and landowners within Poha area will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the integration of Poha Bridge in West Guadalcanal.

The MOU was rescheduled to January 5, 2018 after it failed in December last year due to minor alterations landowners wanted to include in the MOU.

Director Acting for CPIU under MID, Mr Jabin Laedola said yesterday that currently both parties waiting one of the signatory, former MP Mr Siriako Usa, who is overseas, to arrive before both parties sign the MOU.

However, last year Laedola said the project will be on the protection of the eastern bank of the bridge.

He said there will be cardiant basket constructed 100 metres both up and down the river from the bridge to shield the river-bank.

Laedola said the purpose is to protect the river bank from any possible risk the river might incur on the bridge.

He said the duration of the project is three month and it will be constructed by Capital Construction Company.

Laedola said the total cost of the project is about $SBD2.6 million and the fund has been sourced (funded) under the National Transport Fund.

In the same occasion last year a rep from the construction company who was also presented assured that as long as the MOU sign they should started with the work.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

SOLOMON Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) makes it clear for concern that they are broadcasting messages on Short Wave frequency which covers the whole country.

SIBC Radio Operations Manager Ronnie Buaoka said this to assure the Solomon Islands Maritime and Safety Administration (SIMSA) over querying if they are still broadcasting weather messages.

SIMSA Acting Director Captain Tim Harris concern for this matter is nobody is receiving weather forecasts or strong wind warnings.

He shared that one common thread between all nations is educating boat users especially small boat operators of the dangers of going to sea without proper preparation and when bad weather is forecast.

“Cost of educating boat users compared to the cost of mounting a search with boats, planes and helicopters is miniscule,” said Captain Harris.

However according to SIBC’s Radio Operations Manager, the shutting down of their Medium Wave off-air is what might be causing a bit of confusion.

He said the Medium Wave frequency only reaches within and around the Central Solomon of Guadalcanal and Malaita Provinces and the tips of Isabel and Makira Provinces which is why the decision for its closure was made as SIBC is currently facing a non-payment issue.

“We are still broadcasting but on Short Wave frequency and not on Medium Wave frequency. Honiara residents can still listen to SIBC but on Wantok FM,” said Mr Buaoka.

“If talking about safety messages for the people during such bad weather season, it is the Short Wave that reaches everyone and not the Medium Wave.”

SIBC’s Radio Operations Manager briefed that because of facing a situation of non-payment from the government heavily burdening their operation, the other alternative is to cut some of their services so that the operation can be maintained until such time the National Government will honour its non-payment bills.

“The government is aware of our situation and is helping in the best way they can, but everything depends from the availability of finance.”

“Though we are also aware that our decision will be affecting a lot of people especially during bad weather seasons, we had actually made the decision with a heavy heart.”

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

A man from West Makira constituency in Makira-Ulawa province has urged their MP to reconsider his plan if he is deciding to purchase a ship for the constituency.

Mr John Saeniasi said from the constituency’s perspective, they see agriculture sector is more important than having a shipping to be owned by the constituency.

He stressed that agriculture sector in the constituency is growing and it need fund to help develop the sector in the constituency.

Saeniasi added that more people in the constituency involved in agriculture activity and helping their activity will be a boost for them and the country’s economy.

He however said the constituency has a history with shipping in the past and it never turned out as what people expected for the constituency.

“History has shown that West Makira constituency not capable to run shipping service.

“Look at MV Haurosi for instance, is she still servicing our constituency and our province?

“MV Haurosi was brought by our former MP and was bankrupted some years back without knowing the beneficiaries as no financial report made after the shipping exited.

“So I personally suggested that the shipping grant should be directed to the RCDF to fund all the agriculture projects in our constituency,” Mr Saeniasi said.

He also urged their MP to fully funded and complete other projects he gave for the constituency.

“Individual and community projects were half-given and also half-finish. Church buildings were standing with skeletons or core structures.”

Saeniasi said their MP must let the people in the constituency on the future of those projects as well.

He kindly urged their MP, Hon Dereck Manuarii to work closely with his people to identify their areas of need and address them accordingly.