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.”
Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and MP for Small Malaita Hon Rick Hou.
BY ALFRED SASAKO
THE meeting of political parties which ousted the DCC-led government a day earlier was set for 10am on Tuesday. It was intended to flesh out any outstanding issues as part of the preparations to take office.
No dramas at all.
As it turned out, there were surprises awaiting the unsuspecting. The euphoria in winning the no confidence motion in Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare a day earlier had dazzled the wisdom to move cautiously and collectively.
As a result, consultation which is the cornerstone of any negotiations was totally forgotten or ignored, knowingly or unknowingly. The repercussions would send shock waves through the entire political system, still bleeding from the wounds of defeat in the no confidence motion.
The Democratic Alliance Party (DAP), which has now firmly established itself as a formidable force in a rather fluid situation, was forgotten. Its politicians were fuming.
One of its senior executives told me yesterday: “We were quite shocked to learn that we were never consulted at all in terms of the proposed Cabinet line-up. Luckily, we had strategized options to take before arriving for the meeting at the Honiara Hotel, which was the camp of the dissenting MPs.
As more information came out to the DAP camp, it was nothing but bad news. The main group, which comprises the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Independents, have already decided amongst themselves the Cabinet line-up.
It has decided for example that:
Hon Dr Derek Sikua would be candidate for PM
Hon Manasseh Maelanga to be DPM
Hon Matthew Wale to be Finance and Treasury
Hon Danny Philip to be Development Planning and Aid Coordination
DAP which helped shore up the no confidence motion was never consulted except that its parliamentary wing leader and Opposition Leader, Hon Jeremiah Manele MP had been allocated Foreign Affairs. Prior to the approach, he was not even consulted.
The timing of the call from the remnants of the DCC government camp could not be better. It offered DAP the post of Prime Minister if it was willing to break-away from the HH camp. No sooner than the call being switched off that two DAP heavies were on their way to the Heritage Park hotel.
A deal was stitched and a new marriage was announced to the shock of the HH camp on Tuesday night.
“The DCC government agreed to every demand we put to them as condition for joining them,” a senior DAP official said yesterday.
“We moved away almost immediately to the Heritage Park.”
The proposed Cabinet line-up for a Ricky Hou administration looks something like this.
Hon R Hou MP – Prime Minister
Hon M Maelanga MP – Deputy Prime Minister
Hon J Maneniaru MP – Finance & Treasury
Yesterday, the HH camp apologised and was yesterday trying to woo the DAP members back with the offer of Prime Minister to Hon Ricky Hou. That offer may just be too late.
HCC law enforcement team who were part of the demolishing team yesterday. Photo Supplied
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
THE future of standard-six and form-three students of Perch Christian School have been put in jeopardy by Honiara City Council law enforcers.
Yesterday, while the students were sitting their entrance examinations, HCC law enforcers arrived with bulldozers and excavators threatening to demolish the school’s fence.
School Principal, Mr Paul Allen Daro told this paper yesterday that the issue is an old one however they were not made aware of any demolition plans by the HCC set for yesterday.
“But what surprised us was we don’t even aware of the demolishing exercise planned for the school fence this week.
“And our biggest concern is for the students who are sitting for their exams.
“Because if we were consulted on the exercise earlier, I would consult with HCC on the demolishing exercise.
“But that doesn’t happened since they never inform us of any plan they have for the school this week.
“And it’s very disrespecting, showing HCC staff failed to respect the students, parents and the school for that particular examination matter,
“The students are in the classes when the HCC officers came and made disturbance on movements and machinery noises in the school compound,” Daro said.
The HCC law enforcers also admitted not being aware of the exams being in progress.
Daro said they were following the demolition order given them by the HCC city clerk for the school fence.
“They insisted to carry out the exercise even we try to explain the importance of the students who are sitting for their exams.
“The incident grew and involved parents who were also at the school to help the school staff to ease the situation in the interest of the students,” he said.
Daro said the officers eventually agreed to postpone the demolition plan for any date after the exams.
Meanwhile, the director of Perch School, Ms Lydia Yeo, has expressed disappointment and much concern for her students.
She said HCC needs to weigh the importance between the students and the exercise.
Adding that the students are for the future betterment of the country and they should be respected for the course of their exam.
A couple are in custody over alleged sexual abusing of children in the Reef island, Temotu province.
The wife has been allowed to remain at home and babysit their child while waiting for the court hearing.
Provincial Police Commander (PPC) for Lata police Mr Frank Menasa told Island Sun yesterday that investigations are underway.
“The accused was alleged sexually abusing children since last year and continue on this year and investigation on this case is still underway at this time.”
He said the victims include males and females in the communities allegedly prowled by the accused.
“And the charges will be determined if the accused are found guilty,” said Menasa.
ANZ bank pulling out in Auki Malaita Province has got the Bank of South Pacific (BSP) Country Manager Mr David Anderson calling on concerned customers to bank with BSP.
He said they have business facilities in Auki as there are two ATM machines and Officers to help them sort their frustration in having to travel to Honiara to do their banking.
“Just want to get the message out to ANZ customers that they can do their banking in Auki if they transfer their account to BSP,” said the Country Manager.
“If you’re a business then there are a number of genuine business customers that have opened an account with BSP so any that has a complication there can seek our branch so that we can open an account for them.
“So I want to take the opportunity to assure ANZ customers that we have no plans of leaving in the long term.”
The Country Manager went on to elaborate that there are a number of electronic options.
“There are the ATM machines and mobile banking or customers can use merchants with their BSP Account cards and do other small cash transactions using these electronic options.
“We are in Auki for the long term and we will be helping those who want to be our customers at anytime. We understand the ANZ customers concern as ANZ have been there for so long.”
Recently, it was published on Island Sun that ANZ customers in Auki had raised their frustration and concern over the bank pulling out from Auki.
It was reported that customers had to travel to Honiara to do their banking.
ANZ is the third bank to pull out from Auki after Wespac and DBSI.
Truths creeping out as no-confidence motion winners turn on each other
BY BEN BILUA
MEMBERS of Parliament who had moved the no-confidence motion did so with their own agendas and pre-determined portfolio holders for a new government, it is revealed.
Instead of celebrating in solidarity, the movers of the successful motion of no confidence against former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare are embroiled in an internal battle for power.
Speaking to Island Sun last night, a source close to the affair says the group which had defected from the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) government, colluded with the Independence group and had set their agenda before teaming up with the Official Opposition group.
They had already earmarked their own members to the top positions, a move which did not go down well with members of the Official Opposition.
As a result, seven MPs from the Democratic Alliance (DAP) and Solomon Islands People’s First parties moved to the Heritage Park Hotel camp and joined the DCC government.
The source says the key players behind the motion wanted the top positions in a new government – the prime ministership (PM), its deputy (DPM), finance (MOFT), and development planning and aid coordination (MDPAC).
The source stresses that the reasons tabled in parliament during the motion’s debate were all a front concealing the real intentions for the motion.
“They already allocated the portfolios before they team-up and move the motion of no confidence and when they won, they want to push for their agendas not knowing that such simple mistake will break-up the opposition camp.
“This the reason where some of us have to jump to the other side of the house because we realise that something is wrong,” the source said.
The source furthers that the truth behind the motion will be revealed in the coming days, which should be interesting for public to make their own judgement from.
“It’s a democracy system of the country but leaders must do the right thing making good decision, but in this case we hardly distinguish the motive behind the motion and the interest of transforming the country’s development aspiration,” source said.
The source strongly emphasised that leaders should be reminded that they are elected to the post to represent the welfare and development of the country and not their own interest.
MY one day trip to Rennell last week was never intended to investigate logging and mining operations on the island. But with a bit of time on my hand, it was pretty hard to pass up such a golden opportunity.
It’s what seasoned journalists the world over often faced: making on-the-spot decision, particularly if the issue they are on to will satisfy the bosses in terms of producing a good story for their newspaper or television and radio.
That was my dilemma two Mondays ago after arriving at Tingoa Airstrip on Rennell that morning. The controversies surrounding logging and mining operations on Rennell were too widespread and indeed and too inviting to ignore.
A recent letter which Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare wrote to one of the mining operators on the island added fuel to the controversies. It made it a candidate for a good story.
That letter gave bauxite mining there, at least for one of the two companies operating there, a rather odd twist. Despite on-going complaints by landowners, Mr Sogavare appears to have ignored the people there and their complaints.
Worldlink resources
Instead, he spoke in glowing terms of what the mining company is doing, particularly the delivery of its social responsibility to communities and people of Rennell, particularly those who live in the mining tenements area, including at Tingoa.
As a result, landowners in the Tingoa area have clamped down on further mining on their land. At one point, they seized a mining truck, which tried to enter their area. That truck remains in the custody of landowners today just outside Tingoa airstrip.
And so I set out that Monday afternoon on a hired open back Ute. My intention was to visit Lavangu, West Rennell. Lavangu, I was told, is where large stockpiles of bauxite are stored, ready for export. It is here that overseas bulk carriers would pick up the “red stuff” to take overseas for refining and sale for hundreds of millions of dollars.
I was told Lavangu was about two hours’ drive away each way. Because we didn’t have time, it was decided that Worldlink Resources mining operations around Lugigi, a domestic seaport used for loading bauxite, would be sufficient for my purpose.
“Their (Bintang Mining Company (BMC) and Worldlink Resources) mining practices and treatment of landowners are the same,” my guide said.
WorldLink Resources is the smaller of the two in terms of scale, he said.
“First, I want to show you how much damage these people have done to our land. They left huge areas that they dug up without covering them as they should have,” the driver/guide said.
Mining in Rennell
As we turned off the main road, the clearings were clear. Further up the road, once used by loggers, there were more clearings. The destruction of the top soil on both sides of the road was unmistakably mining. The devastation of this once virgin forest was an eye sore.
Some of the sites were old, others were not so old. One thing they share in common is that the company has failed to cover the top soil by land-filling and tree-planting.
Can I get down to take some photos?, I asked.
“Yes sure. The people outside Rennell need to know what is happening here. The mining practice engaged here is destroying the future of our children. Land is their future but this kind of mining practice simply denies our children of any future.
“What the mining companies do is that as soon as they finished digging up the bauxite from the roadside, they simply left without covering the gaping holes they had created. They are doing that with ease because there is no one around here to monitor their activities,” he said.
My guide said landowners had repeatedly asked the government for help in two main areas.
“First, we want from the government to ensure the mining companies comply with the environmental requirements that they cover the top soil and start planting trees over the areas they dug up.
“Secondly, we ask the government to clarify to us other minerals which are being mined with the bauxite. We know that at least there are four other minerals that are being taken with the bauxite.
“Because if that is the case, the companies are robbing us substantial amounts of money. The government it seems has ignored us,” the guide said.
“Now I will take you to where they have their stockpiles before we visit their camp,” he said.
The makeshift stockpile of the raw materials covers a large area on both sides of the road. Some heaps are about five metres high and two metres deep. Lower piles are covered with large green canvas.
As we were turning to head to the Worldlink camp, the driver stopped the vehicle and pointed in the opposite direction.
“That’s Lugigi up there. But we are not going there,” he said as he cranked up the engine and drove off. Minutes later we arrived at the Worldlink camp. Mechanics were busy repairing some of the heavy equipment and machines.
As we left the camp, I put the question to him – that according to the Prime Minister the mining companies are exemplary in their work particularly in delivering social services such as building schools, water supplies and so on.
“No, no, no. That’s not true. These companies have been working here for many years now and there’s not a single project they have provided to villages in and around here,” he said.
“For sure those things were in the agreement. But there’s nothing tangible on the ground. In fact, they keep the money that is supposed to be used in these projects. It includes royalty payments,” he said.
“The reality is that payments are made into special bank account(s), which the company keeps. These are large amounts of money, but no one knows who takes the interest on the money in the accounts.
“In the case of royalty payments, they never pay landowners the full amount at one time. Instead, they simply make payments in small amounts. The largest amount they pay at any one time as far as I know was $150, 000 to be shared by landowners. The rest of the money simply stays in the account in the bank collecting interest,” he said.
“Just imagine how much money there is in royalty since the government raised the royalty rate to 6.5 per cent from a mere three (3) per cent. It’s millions but we don’t get to see any difference at all, he said.
“So our question is where does the extra money go?”
“These wakus (Chinese guys) are very, very clever when it comes to money. Apart from paying less, they made sure every single thing given to you as a landowner is taken off your payments,” he said.
As I was waiting for my early morning flight, I was introduced to a young man, who seems to have given up on the fight with the government and the mining companies.
“Alfred, the truth of the matter is that our rights have been removed from us. That’s the reality we face today. The government through its dealings with the mining companies has taken away all our rights … rights to ask questions and our collective rights as an ethnic group,” he said.
In Honiara, a spokesman for Worldlink Resources said the company never moved away from its commitments in mining agreement it signed with Rennell landowners.
“But we want to keep a low profile, so please do not publish anything about our activities there,” he said.
To date Worldlink Resources have made seven bauxite shipments including one which left about three weeks ago. Payments are made to landowners after every shipment
Bauxite is big money. It is estimated that each shipment contains around 80-thousand cubic valued at USD70 per cubic. In simple maths, each shipment is valued at around USD5.6 million in sales (about SBD43.68 million).
Based on the figures above, the company has sold about 560, 000 cubic of the red stuff, valued at roughly SBD306 million.
Values of other valuable minerals included in the “dirt” are not included in the sales figures because mining companies successfully argued that other minerals were too small to be included in the equation.
LEADER of Opposition Jeremiah Manele says his group supports the motion against Manasseh Sogavare based on democratic rights and legislative mandates the country has since independence.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, the MP for Hograno, Katova, Kia and Havulei said the Opposition Parliamentary Group is exercising their democratic right to provide check and balance on the government.
He told parliament that the motion of no confidence is the last resort to overthrow a legislate government and that his group took the decision to support the motion for the sake of the people of Solomon Islands.
“My group has no option but to support the motion on behalf of the people who suffered inadequate health and medical services lack of employment opportunities, for the rural populace who continued to be neglected with false promises and good governance.
“For the environment that has been destroyed by logging and mining, for those who yawn for good governance, for the people of this country who have deprived from their God given resources, for the public servants whom promised to provide shelter and home are nothing but empty words,” Manele said.
He stressed that Opposition has made a serious assessment on the political situation and have decided on what is best for the nation and not themselves.
Manele said the political instability which eventuated to the successful motion of no confidence was not caused by the opposition group but the government itself as there have been serious deficiencies in the processes demonstrating the government is not performing well.
“Motion of no confident is a fundamental mechanism provided under section 27, 28 and 29 in the standing orders to pave way for check and balance in our democratic system of government so that our people can understand what is going on in the government.
“It is an integral part of the type of democracy that we adopted when this country gains its independence.
“Without such a provisions in our laws, we will never a healthy democracy but instead tyranny,” Manele explained.
He told parliament that Opposition has provided constructive advices to the government for the past three years but the government and the Prime Minister failed to take on-board the views and advises.
He said Opposition are bound by a legislative mandate in providing oversight and scrutiny to allow the motion to take place.
Manele strongly emphasised that Opposition’s decision to support the Motion is nothing personal against the caretaker Prime Minister and ministers.
On the same note he said his group has been prepared and determined to remain in the opposition ‘come what may’ until the end of the 10th Parliament.
THE 6th Melanesian Arts Festival National Organising Committee vows not to repeat what happened after the 11th Festival of Pacific Arts, which was hosted by Solomon Islands in 2012.
The response was made when local media asked on outstanding claims still uttered by local contractors on their contributions to the development of infrastructure for the event.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mr Andrew Nihopara, who is also the Chairman of MAFNOC, said this is one of the positive lessons they learnt from hosting FOPA in 2012.
Adding that to ensure the upcoming Melanesian festival is free from such issues, they are carefully working on necessary areas to avoid the issue.
Nihopara said the organising committee will look after the execution of plans for the festival.
“We want to streamline the level of bureaucracy of the committee, so that to avoid unnecessary decisions and ensure only responsible people within the committee to make decisions.
“We will execute all the capital expenditure projects will happen in preparation for the festival under the current government’s procurement.
“So, basically as the accountable officer, as PS for MCT and also chair to the committee, the whole process will follow what the procurement of Ministry of Finance and Treasury required.
“So things will go out in tender as the preparation for the festival looms,” he said.
Nihopara said that the 2012 FOPA happened before the Public Financial Management Act enacted.
“So it makes the procurement system at that time not subjected to the act, now we have the act in place which we will execute plan according to the requirement of the act.
“We are hoping that it will be a normal process of procurement that will help a lot.
“Again this is public money that we will be using so we will ensure all the use of the money to fall within the requirement of the Public Financial Management Act,” he said.
Nihopara pointed out that the importance of the forward plan is to properly plan the execution of the projects in appliance to the requirement.
“So we think we will manage it under the current requirement and of course to avoid any of the issues faced after FOPA in 2012 where lot of constructors remain unpaid.
“Because there were system put in place where approval to some of the things made down there without the consent of the PS.
“But for now the Public Financial Management Act is in place and will help us a lot in execution of the plans for the festive next year,” he said.
Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Culture and Tourism Andrew Nihopara
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
THE sixth Melanesian Arts Festival will be hosted using permanent facilities.
Mr Andrew Nihopara, permanent secretary for Ministry of culture and tourism and chairman to the festival’s organising committee, reveals this, adding that the 2012 Festival of Pacific Arts has taught them a lot of questions.
“There are lot of positive things came out from the particular event hosted and there were lot of lessons learned as well.
“Which we built infrastructure and the system that we would like to approach in hosting the 6th Melanesian Festival.
“The government’s commitment to host the event is looking at bigger events like the 2023 South pacific Game and other future events.
“That will help us test our capacity to host the event and at the same time create necessary capacity in terms of accommodation, activity and attraction where people can engage in long-term,” he said.
Nihopara said with the proposed budget they have for this event they are looking at a long-term approach – for this event and future ones.
“We want to invest in facilities that will be the host for the festival next year, but long-term they can also use for other activities.
“This is some of the long-term outcomes the committee is looking at for the event that will be hosted.
“And one of such is the Honiara Craft Market Centre project which will shortly be implemented,” he said.
Nihopara said the craft market is a facility they want to invest in as a craft market for Honiara and also earmark for the official festival village during the 6th Melanesian Festival.
He said having in place the facilities are very important as they also contribute a lot to the development of the tourism and cultural sectors in the country.
