BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

THE Remnant of Israel church in Solomon Islands has called on the national government to clarify who owns the Anti-corruption Bill 2017 (ACB).

General Overseer of Remnant of Israel congregation, Mr Tony Kedeau, explains that the ACB ‘since day-one has been the centre of public talks’.

And, his church is confused over who owns the Bill.

“Is it the Transparency Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands Christian Association, Government Steering committee, Government or Civil Society Organization?” Kedeau asks.

“I want to say, Government should come out clear and state clearly who owns the Anti-corruption bill, so that they will not make confusion with their political moves.

“It is better to tell nation straight away who this bill for so that they do right interpretation of it to avoid confusion within government and its people.”

Kedeau calls on the members of parliament to focus on the nation’s interests rather than engaging in political games which do not benefit the country.

“Just give us right conclusion as to who owns the Bill so that they made a right interpretation, and not for political propaganda moves which left people stranded,” Kedeau said.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

HONIARA City Council (HCC) 2018 budget has featured sanitation funding for schools under the HCC.

This statement was revealed by the Principal Education Officer (PEO) for Honiara City Council Education Authority (HCCEA) Mr Henson Cornelius.

This is to support schools under HCC on sanitation facilities in terms of renovation and maintenance and building new sanitation facilities.

“We have featured sanitation funding for schools under HCC in the 2018 HCC budget scheme and the amount of money will purposely finances renovations and maintenance and building of new sanitation facilities.

“This idea is not coming out from nowhere to drive us but during our visits and reports stated that the current status of sanitation facilities on schools are said to be very poor and need improvement, hence we (HCC) consider it,” said Cornelius.

He said sanitation facilities may not be featured in the schemes of schools under HCC to support their hygiene facilities but it is good for HCC to take initiative to support schools on these facilities.

Additionally he said before effective learning takes place, individuals including students and teachers must live healthy and adapt in a healthy environment.

Furthermore he stated it is essential for HCCEA to work closely with school managers to avoid disconnection and communication breakdown.

“This is regarding planning of school goals and making improvements on school priority areas and so I urge school managers under HCC to work closely with HCC in 2018.”

CERTAIN members of Parliament (MPs) have been pocketing their share of shipping grants paid out by the Government while others are using these funds to purchase logging machines.

This was revealed by caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Parliament on Monday before he was ousted by a vote of no confidence.

Sogavare told Parliament the abuse of shipping grants also contributed to the cash flow problem the country is currently faced with.

He said the total amount of money given to MPs to purchase ships can easily reach SBD$ 1 billion.

“There are reports of MPs taking cuts from shipping grants and machineries.

“We had one businessman from the Western Province who come and see me and told me very clear he applied for a project to complete a ship seeking $2 million in funding.

“The advice he received from a MP was to increase the amount to $3 million so that the MP can get the additional $1 million as commission.

“This was an attempt to corrupt a businessman who applied for his project,” Sogavare exposed.

Sogavare said some MPs even used their shipping grant paid to them to purchase a housing estate in White River, east of Honiara.

“MPs are buying houses instead of paying ships.

“And now they cannot rent the place because of the high criminal activities in the area, nobody wants to rent the place, so they don’t make money.

“I think the idea was to rent the houses, make money than buy the ship. But they got caught out,” he said.

“The amount already given to MPs can so easily go up to SBD$700 million or even $1 billion,” he added.

He said the Government policy is clear, which is to pay ships and machines to do road work and road repair, not to buy logging machines, as was the case for some MPs.

“We are just compounding this problem for ourselves.

“No wonder why there’s a cash flow problem, the Ministry of Finance cannot pay up the queue of payments because payments are going to this area.

“By paying logging machines MPs are setting a bad precedence, what if all the other MPs also what logging machines,” he said.

BY PHILIP LILOMO

RUSSELL Islands’ outspoken tribesman, Mr Silas Selo, says he wants to know why Mr Patrick Wong, a man who has never invested a single penny in the country, is allowed to come back.

Wong who is seeking a court-awarded $50 million payout for the waste land at Alligator Creek east of Honiara, was expelled but he returned to the country about four weeks ago.

Immigration officials said former Minister for Immigration waived Wong’s ban to enable him to attend court cases.

“While that may be the case, I want to know whether he was allowed to engage in other activities, including holding meetings under the guise of the so-called Lavukal Trust Board,” Selo said.

“What needs to be understood is that except for the ministerial waiver, he remains a prohibited person. As such, he should not be involved in arranging and attending meetings relating to RIPEL,” Selo said.

“The man’s movement in and around Honiara should be monitored,” he said.

Selo said Wong has organised or attended at least four meetings with the so-called members of the Lavukal Land Trust Board, chaired by Oliver Salepuka.

“Mr Salepuka cannot be the Chairman of the Lavukal Trust Board and at the same time be a director of RIPEL. Mr Salepuka cannot claim to represent the people of Russell in terms of his chairmanship of the Lavukal Trust Board and at the same time represent RIPEL interests as a director,” Selo said.

“It is a clear case of conflict of interest. The Lavukal Trust Board is a neutral body representing the interests of the Russell people.”

Last week Wong gave Mr John Whiteside, his right hand man, the boot, but Selo said “both men were wearing the same trousers when they arrived here so Mr Whiteside’s removal does not make sense.”

“If one goes, both of them must go,” he said.