THE Junior Kurukuru U-17 futsal team has won their second friendly match yesterday as they continue with preparations for the OFC U-17 qualifiers.
The squad arrived safely in Sydney on Thursday and is settling in well at the Dural Sports Center according to Team Manager and Chaplin Pastor Nacaneili Seru.
“Yes we arrived safely on Thursday night and are settling in well. Pastor Brian as usual was waiting at the airport with a fatherly smile giving a big welcome for the team with a big hug to each one of us,” Pr Seru told Sun SPORTS yesterday.
“The boys started playing their frat session this morning and they enjoyed. The two coaches were happy with the session in the mornings.
After defeating Dural Warriors U-16 futsal team 4-1 on Friday thanks to two goals each from Raphael Leai and Travis Sau the Junior Kurukurus followed that victory with a 10-4 win over Dural Warriors youth team in their second friendly match yesterday.
Team Manager Pastor Nacaneili Seru said the boys performed exceptionally well in their second friendly match saying the team is in good spirit in their preparations for the qualifiers.
“The size of the court in Dural is totally different from our court back at home and it’s really good to be here in Dural for training and friendly matches before flying to Auckland next week,” Pr Seru said.
““Head coach Stanley Puiarana was happy with his boy’s achievement and said that there is still more room for improvement.
“Our 10 days in Dural will be of great help towards our preparation for the youth OFC qualify on 4th to 8th of October.
“The team is in a good spirit, as the boys have developed a good relationship with each other. They are taking every moment serious and they want to thank everyone who has given their support one way or another. Go solo go and to God be the Glory,” Seru adds.
The Junior Kurukurus yesterday took time out from their trainings to attend a general church service at the Dural Baptist Church in Sydney.
“After the church service they gave me the opportunity to preach and the boys also sung in the general service at the sports center where Dural Baptist Church also has their church services,” Seru adds.
NEW CHAMPIONS...Bellona players with their Inter-Islands trophy...Photo supplied.
Wins second Inter-Islands title
By Taromane Martin
NEW CHAMPIONS…Bellona players with their Inter-Islands trophy…Photo supplied.
BELLONA Island rugby team is the new champions of the 2017 Solrice Inter-Islands rugby competition after defeating Malaita Subi in the grand final.
Bellona reclaimed their islands pride in the final on Saturday defeating Malaita Subi 17-15 in an exciting grand final at the Town Ground Rugby Staduim.
Despite trailing 15-0 in the opening 40 minutes of the match, Bellona clawed their way back into the match to trail by a point 15-14 with minutes to play.
Bellona stole the lead in the final minutes of play after experienced Fijian match referee James Bolambiu awarded them a penalty inside their opponents ten meter mark.
Leslie Puia’s conversion attempt was successful as Bellona held on for a 17-15 victory over the impressive Malaita Subi side.
“Subi is a good side and we were very lucky to get the win today,” Mr Puia said.
“The message was to fight until the end. We lost concentration in the opening minutes of the first half and got punished.
“However, credit to the boys for sticking together and believing in ourselves which saw us coming back stronger in the second half,” he said.
In the third and fourth position playoffs it was out going champions Rennell who claimed third position.
Rennell defeated Makira 22-10 to maintain their winning streak over Makira who settle in fourth position.
Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands Rugby Union Federation (SIRUF) will be hosting an opens sevens competition next month.
The SIRUF rugby 7s competition will kick off on October 14 at the Town Ground Rugby stadium.
Members of the Solomon Islands men’s and women’s national teams with their bags and water bottles donated by
BSP yesterday. The squads will leave for PNG today for the FIBA Melanesia Cup...Photo supplied
Squads flies for PNG today
By Taromane Martin
Members of the Solomon Islands men’s and women’s national teams with their bags and water bottles donated by BSP on Sunday. The squads will leave for PNG today for the FIBA Melanesia Cup…Photo supplied
BANK South Pacific (BSP) yesterday donated water bottles and bags to the Solomon Islands national basketball teams for the FIBA 2017 Melanesia Basketball Cup.
BSP representatives, Mrs Joyce Nukumana and Mes Laurisha Pio made the hand over to the men’s and women’s national teams who will leave the country today for the competition in PNG.
“On behalf of the bank we are proud and happy to donate the water bottles and bags for the squads,” Mrs Nukumana said.
“We wish you all the best and believe you will make the country proud at the competition. All the best and be the country’s’ ambassadors of which you are already,” she said.
The FIBA Melanesian Basketball Cup will serve as qualifications for the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa.
Solomon Islands will compete against Papua New Guinea, Fiji and New Caledonia for a spot at the Pacific Games.
The top three teams from the Melanesia Basketball Cup will get qualification to represent Melanesia at the 2019 Pacific Games.
SIBF President Mr Brian Pongatapu urged the players to do their utter best at the competition reminding them to enjoy themselves but reminder what is at stake.
“This is the start of the road for the 2019 Pacific Games. I want to urge everyone to play, enjoy yourselves but remember what is at stake and that is qualification for the 2019 Games,” he said.
“I would like to thank the national coaches Brendan Beak and Eric Malcolm for your patience and heart for the team, and also to the government and sponsors for your assistance towards the squads,” the president adds.
The Solomon Islands Basketball Federation (SIBF) 40 man delegation that includes players and officials for the competition will arrive today afternoon; get settled before their first matches on Wednesday.
The Solomon Islands men’s basketball squad will take on Papua New Guinea in their opening match on Wednesday while the women’s team will take on New Caledonia.
The men’s will meet Fiji on Thursday while the women’s squad will also take on Fiji in their second match.
The final group matches will take place on Friday with Solomon Islands taking on New Caledonia men’s team while the women’s will play host nations’ Papua New Guinea.
Marist FC team captain Jeffery Bule (right) competes with a Real Kakamora
FC players during their TSL match yesterday. Marist won 2-0…Photo Benz
Newman.
Eels move up in third
By Taromane Martin
SOLOMON Warriors FC maintained their position on top of the 2017 Telekom Soccer League as round one of the competition nears the end.
Warriors extended their lead on the table to 15 points after their 1-0 win over FC Guadalcanal on Saturday.
That win sees Warriors still undefeated after five matches played and a five point cushion lead over Marist FC who are second with 10 points after defeating Real Kakamora FC 2-0 yesterday.
Sitting third on the competition table is Henderson Eels FC who is also with10 points after their securing their third win for round one.
The Chris Asipara eel’s coached side defeated Malaita Kingz FC 2-1 yesterday, midfielder Alick Mamae providing the goal in the second half for the new comers.
“We are happy with the win because that was our objective today. Malaita Kingz was really good this afternoon,” Coach Asipara said.
Their players really committed themselves to the game but unfortunately for them the result went our way.
Kingz PNG import Tommy Semmy leveled the scores for his side after Eels took the lead in the first half.
Mamae gave Eels the lead 20 minutes into the second half from close range. Semmy had two great chances to level the scores in the final ten minutes but saw his efforts blocked by the goal keeper.
Mr Asipara said the win yesterday will give his players extra motivation in training as they get ready for their next match against Solomon Warriors FC this weekend.
“The result will really give us a morale boost for our next game. Warriors are definitely a good side.
“Unfortunately I cannot predict the outcome of the game yet because we have no control over it.
“What we have control over is our preparations and what we can do in training. If we prepare well, who knows maybe we can get a positive result.
Eels will take on Solomon Warriors FC next and will face Western United FC in their final match for Round one of the 2017 Telekom Soccer League.
Meanwhile other results for the TSL weekend matches at Lawson Tama saw KOSSA FC thrashing Western United FC 7-3.
That win takes KOSSA up to fourth position with ten points while Western United remains in sixth position with three points.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will attend the UN meeting in New York.
THE Prime Minister has used his speech at the UN last week to condemn North Korea for the recent ballistic missiles test over the Pacific.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare attended the United General Assembly last week said the region is continually threatened by global power who attempts to dictate our fate as a region.
He said the recent testing of ballistic missiles by DPRK over the Pacific Ocean is an insult to the people of the Pacific.
“Today, we refuse to remain silent and it is on this note that I would like to register our strongest condemnation of the actions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We too would like to echo the global call on DPRK to abide by the United Nations Security Council Resolutions,” he told the United Nations.
“We are ocean people. The sea is our sanctuary. It is the foundation of our heritage. It is where our people source their food and income. Therefore, we denounce any pollution and contamination of our ocean that our pacific peoples depend on for our livelihoods,” he said.
Sogavare said the Pacific supply approximately 60% of the world’s tuna market and that underscores the global significance of the region.
Women members of Fellow Gospel Ministry with the kitchen utensils they are donating to the Hacha SDA Church in
Ulawa Island.
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Women members of Fellow Gospel Ministry with the kitchen utensils they are donating to the Hacha SDA Church in Ulawa Island.
THE Fellow Gospel Ministry of White River SDA Church has assisted the Hacha SDA Church in Ulawa island of Makira-Ulawa province.
The gospel ministry has donated kitchen utensils in response to a request made by the Hacha Church for assistance.
Choir Conductor and also a leader in the ministry, Ms Naelyn Aloma John said yesterday that they received a request from the church for assistance especially with kitchen utensils.
“After we received the request, our members came together and discussed how we could go about getting these things.
“We organised ourselves and finally we bought what we can to assist our colleague brothers and sisters with their request.
“So with us now we have cooking pots, dishes, cups, spoons, containers and other kitchen utensils that cost us thousands to get them.
“From now we are just waiting for any available transport to send them over to Ulawa,” she said.
Ms John thanks the members of the ministry for their efforts through their contributions making their assistance to their sister Hacha church possible.
She also acknowledged the Hacha SDA Church for their recognition of the ministry and urges them to continue keeping their relationship.
On the same note an elder within the ministry, Mr Walter Angikisunga Tesuatai said the ministry is well known for supports in the SDA Church both nationally and internationally.
He said some of the recent assistance they have provided include, raising funds for a church building in Vanuatu, a church in Fiji and various other assistances provided in the country.
Mr Tesuatai shares that apart from providing assistances to sister churches in-country and abroad, they also help communities.
A specific line of work should not be delegated to just any one.
This is according to Mr Peter Forau who was speaking at MECDM’s (Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology) workshop on organisational restructuring coordinated by UNDP and SIMCAP’s (Solomon Islands Meteorology Capacity) development project.
As MECDM’s consultant on the organisational restructuring process, he said that under public service thinking, there is a set of guidelines on how government ministries are expected to function.
Mr Forau added that the guidelines are ; to modernise all ministries structures, harmonize every structure based in set criteria which will soon go before Cabinet, based on public service approved hierarchy, division of labor and span of control, achieve effectiveness and efficiency, embrace approves establishment and grading system and is based on functional delegation.
“The structure I believe should be based on functional delegates of ministries,” he said.
On this note, Mr Forau emphasized that work cannot be delegated to just anyone, giving the clear indication that any line of work should not be allocated by own interests but to the rightful and responsible officer.
THE Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) held an organisational restructuring workshop at the Town Ground complex yesterday.
The workshop under UNDP and SIMCAP’s (Solomon Islands Meteorology Capacity) development project, paved way for the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, division officers, Ministry of Public Service’s officers and MECDM’s consultant to discuss and exchange ideas on organizational restructuring of the ministry to boost efficiency, effectiveness and competence in the delivery of its services.
Among speakers at the workshop was MECDM’s consultant, Mr Peter Forau who spoke about the criteria for the design of the ministry’s new structure.
Whilst explaining the first component of the criteria he stressed that the principles of effectiveness, efficiency, clarity, simplicity and flexibility must be visible and mentioned that working on the structure is like mapping up the work of the ministry thus, it must be clear and simple.
In addition, he said that the structure must coordinate the work of the divisions without breaking any law or act with the inclusion of exercising the flexibility of additional services.
Referring to the second criteria requirement, Mr Forau stressed that the new design must reflect the hierarchy within the country’s Public Service as this hierarchy is based on established superior subordinate relationships and reflects a vertical line of command.
As he proceeded to discuss the criteria’s third component which emphasised on the design of the new organisational structure, he said that it must illustrate a clear division of labour based on a span of control that is at least more than one staff to one supervisor.
Mr Forau said that the new design should avoid the creation of loops that would describe the existence of multiple supervisors for one subordinate thus every subordinate must have only one supervisor.
MECDM and MPS Partcipants at the Organisational Restructuring Workshop.
BY MAVIS PODOKOLO
MECDM and MPS Partcipants at the Organisational Restructuring Workshop.
MINISTRY of Environment, Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) underwent an organisational restructuring workshop yesterday, mainly for technical capacity support targeting planning and restructuring.
The workshop was funded by United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) under the Solomon Islands Capacity Development Project (SIMCAP).
Its current restructuring is based on the previous structure which was also funded under the SIMCAP project.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop was Permanent Secretary for MECDM Dr Melchior Mataki, who said that the organisational restructuring contributes to government policy.
“It must be critical but at the same time must be constructive in order to bring change. Its process must be solution oriental,” said the permanent secretary.
Mr Peter Forau the consultant for MECDM outlined three objectives which are; to assess the efficiency of MECDM’s current organisational structure in achieving its mandate, mission, and goals, to outline and assess the costs and benefits of potential options for a suitable new organisational structure and to recommend and describe in detail a new organisational structure for (MECDM)
“The structure must be able to help ministry deliver these three pillars,” he said.
Rivers and bushes are being used as toilets everywhere in Solomon Islands.
Stop open defaecation and purchase cheaper toilet today
BY PRIESTLEY HABRU
Live and Learn staff and some journalists outside the Henderson demonstration toilet house.
WHEN you fail to notice blue flies swarming your uncovered food after feasting from human wastes disposed carelessly in nearby bushes or beaches; then you know very well what you will be eating and the consequences thereafter.
Apologies for the vulgar description but that is how ignorant we can be as Solomon Islanders who seem to treat open defaecation as normal.
White sandy beaches near our coastal villages are used as toilet. Tall grasses behind betel-nut markets in Honiara are already no-go zones. Even the concrete sea wall at Honiara Central Market seaside is a familiar scene of human poo deposited everywhere as if to show-off their previous day’s fresh consumption.
Lack of public toilets in our local urban cities and villages; and public displaying of human wastes in nearby bushes and public areas is a national disgrace. To add to the national shame is our ignorance to prioritise sanitation and hygiene. We tend to leave this responsibility to the government and aid donors to build the toilets for us.
This ignorant attitude has intruded permanently into our brains which led us to think that even spending our time and energy into digging holes in the ground to deposit our own waste matter is a total waste of time.
However there are some communities and provinces whose cultures prioritise owning of toilets by each family and ban open defaecation in the bushes and beaches. For instance, open defaecation especially on the beaches is totally disrespectful in the culture of Renbel Province people.
Live and Learn staff and local journalists visiting the Henderson Community Sanitation Enterprise office area.
So it should be time we take the onus to prioritise toilets in order to deposit properly what we previously consume. In doing so we respect ourselves with pride and dignity in allowing our wastes to be properly disposed away from the prying flies, cockroaches and insects that love to prey on human waste and in return give us diseases that could have been easily prevented.
The task ahead to eventually have all communities and households own toilets is still a difficult one but can be achieved if we take the bold step forward now.
Solomon Islands Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (RWASH) National Base Line Survey in 2015 indicated that only 13 percent of the population have access to basic sanitation facilities, the rest is open defaecation. This means a staggering 87 percent of our population still use the bushes, beaches, rivers, mangroves, mountains and so forth as latrines.
Proper toilets alone will not solve the problem but we also need to have access to clean water as well in consideration of our women, children, older people and those with disabilities.
According to RWASH, access to safe water is important in the reduction of diarrhoeal diseases and many other ill health conditions as well as improved livelihoods.
“Access to safe sanitation also eliminates many diseases and health conditions and is a very important indicator of human progress,” RWASH stated.
It was against this backdrop that Live and Learn Solomon Islands is embarking on a four year Community Based Sanitation Enterprise piloted in Henderson in East Honiara and Namoliki in Central Honiara since 2014.
Solomon Islands Live and Learn WASH Project Manager Mrs Hilda Tango said under the Western Pacific Sanitation Innovation Programme (WPSIP) the two peri-urban communities of Henderson and Namoliki have been engaged in constructing two types of toilet raisers namely the Ventilated Improved Pits (VIP) and Pour Flush. The third one is the normal slabs.
The Pour Flash toilet
Services provided by both Henderson and Namoliki community sanitation enterprise are construction, installation and maintenance of the toilets.
“They also assist customers to identify safe and right spot to locate toilet to ensure that water points are far enough from the toilet. The two sanitation enterprises are now operating and should you wish to contact or visit the offices they will be more than happy to receive you,” Mrs Tango said.
She noted that within the 11 zones in Henderson, 49 percent are still without toilets and 20 percent of people within the four zones of Namoliki are still without proper toilets.
Mrs Tango reiterated that since its mini-launching in February this year, seven have been sold by the Henderson Community Sanitation Enterprise and one prospecting with some interests already been coming in from Uhu Village, West Are’are.
Namoliki Community Sanitation Enterprise has just started constructing the two types of toilet raisers and will soon start selling their products.
Stephen Alick, Centre Manager of Henderson Community Sanitation Enterprise said he and his Finance Officer Julie Sau operate from their small office at Henderson and those interested in purchasing the toilet raisers can contact them to make their orders.
Those from Namoliki, Aekafo and nearby areas can contact Joana Kwalea to purchase your toilet raisers.
Samples of the toilets constructed by Namoliki Community Sanitation Enterprise.
Money raised from selling these toilets are deposited into bank accounts set up by these two communities’ enterprises to keep the sanitation business flowing.
The VIP toilet type costs $339 each whilst the Pour-Flush raiser is selling at $651 each. The slab type is only $110.
The good thing is that when you make your order for the toilet raiser, the staff from the two enterprises will help you identify the proper location to build your toilet house and they would also provide construction and maintenance services.
Prices of the toilets are very reasonable compared to smart phones which are so expensive that accumulates and drains your wallet each time you top-up credits to make calls, texting and browse the internet.
The flipside is that it is disgraceful a sight when you are using and showing off with your smart phone but do not have a proper toilet at home. Even so embarrassing is seeing yourself squatting in the nearby bush or beach whilst texting or commenting ‘lol’ on Facebook.
We all should be ‘lols’ or ‘Laughing Out Loud’ to ourselves for not owning or having proper toilets back in our villages or where we live in town where we retire each day for the night.
So wake up now and contact Solomon Islands Live and Learn staff at their office in New China Town to connect you with Joana of Namoliki and Stephen of Henderson to purchase a brand new cheap toilet facility for your use at home.
Having proper toilets would reduce our chances of contracting preventable diseases like diarrhoea and never attract dirty blue flies to ever feast on our delicious food again.
Rivers and bushes are being used as toilets everywhere in Solomon Islands.Stephen Alick, left, and Joana Kwalea are Centre Managers for Henderson and Namoliki Sanitation Enterprises respectively.
