By RODRICK DESURI 

AUKI 

China’s Jiangsu Province is keen to support Malaita Province with a rice revitalisation project and pineapple factory.

In an interview with Malaita’s Minister for Agriculture, John Daubo Tafi’iru last week, he said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Jiangsu Province and Malaita Province for the implementation of these projects during their recent visit to China.

He expressed that these two initiatives rank as the top priorities in the MOU.

“Rice revitalisation and the pineapple factory are the two top priorities that were signed between Jiangsu Province and Malaita Province during our recent visit to China,” Tafi’iru said.

In addition, he said the supply of livelihood goods to Malaita Province is another significant commitment that was also agreed upon between the two provinces.

Tafi’iru said in the agreed MOU, human development initiatives such as short courses, seminars, and scholarships are also among the areas that Jiangsu agreed to provide for the people of Malaita Province.

He stated that rice revitalisation and the establishment of a pineapple factory will take place in the West Kwaio Constituency.

Also mentioned is that land to cater for these two projects has been arranged and awaits implementation.

“The two priority projects will take place in the West Kwaio Constituency, as the provincial government has planned,” he said.

Tafi’iru explained that the pineapple factory will be located in Ward 28, and rice revitalization will take place at Mao’a.

“The land plots for the projects have been negotiated and agreed upon by the landowners,” he added.

A team from the provincial government and Jiangsu Province will be visiting the sites next month.

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Premier of Makira Ulawa province, Stanley Siapu calls on the national government to reinstate the $6 million Fixed Service Grant (FSG) for provinces.

At the height of the covid pandemic in 2021 the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had instructed the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institution Strengthening (MPGIS) to remove the $6 million from its budget for the nine provinces.

Provincial governments have been calling on the national government through MPGIS demanding answers to this much-needed $6 million allocation.

Speaking during the recent Makira Ulawa province 42nd Second Appointed Day celebration held at Kirakira, Siapu emphasised the main source of funding for the provinces’ recurrent expenditure is the FSG provided by the Solomon Islands Governments.

However, he mentioned the trend analysis for the past 10 years shows that the funding has only increased by about $26.4m. 

Siapu said this is because human capital and other services have to be paid for by respective provinces so as to facilitate delivery of infrastructures.

He said the funding that is allocated by the national government in its recurrent budget for provinces is indeed critical if provincial policy objectives are to be met in the area of infrastructures for economic development.

The premier recalled in 2018, when the minister for MPGIS tabled a cabinet paper requesting an increase of $6millions for the fixed service grant across all nine provinces.

“The extra costs had been to cater for deployment of 27 provincial specialists to nine provincial governments as requested by nine premiers at Auki Premiers Conference 2017 and improved service delivery.

“The cabinet’s approval of the proposal was welcomed by the nine provincial governments,” he said.

Siapu emphasised that being a fixed service grant, it was the only guaranteed source of funding for provincial governments because of its recurrent nature.

“It is therefore seen as a vital support to the nine provinces. Its adequacy to meet provincial expenditure needs is of great significance,” he said.

However, Siapu noted during the covid 19 pandemic in 2021, the PMO instructed all line ministries to retrieve funds allocated for non-essential services and return it to PMO.

He said the exercise resulted in the retrieval of the $6million from MPGIS budget allocation for the nine provincial governments’ FSG.

“The $6million reduction from Fixed Service Grant created a financial vacuum in our efforts to deliver services to the people in rural areas of Solomon Islands, where 85% of the people dwell.

“My humble call is to re-instate this much needed $6 million to the nine provincial governments through MPGIS, as approved by Cabinet 2018,” said Siapu.

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BY NED GAGAHE

Co-Chair of the National Organising Committee, Colin Beck says Solomon Islands is entering a “historic chapter” as it prepares to welcome regional leaders for the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting (PIFLM), scheduled for September 8–12 in Honiara.

This year will be the third time the country is hosting the prestigious event.

The first time the country hosted the event was in 1979, second time in 1992, and now, 33 years later, Solomon Islands takes the centre stage once again.

Speaking at the radio talk back show on SIBC, Sunday, Colin Beck, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) and Co-Chair of the National Organising Committee, highlighted the significance of this event for the country and the broader Pacific region.

“The world has changed, and so has the nature of our regional conversations. The Forum’s agenda is deeper, the issues more pressing, but our shared Pacific values of unity and cooperation remain strong,” Beck said.

He said the official theme of this year’s Forum, “Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific,” captures the urgent need for Pacific nations to come together to address shared challenges such as climate change, economic resilience, and regional security.

Beck explained that the theme is rooted in the spirit of kinship, mutual care, and a call for action over rhetoric, as the region continues to navigate a complex global environment.

He said the 2025 Forum logo features a “Te Puke”, the iconic traditional canoe representing Pacific navigation and leadership.

“It’s three sails symbolize people, collaboration, and direction, while the national colours blue, yellow, and green reflect our ocean, sun and beaches, and forests and biodiversity, respectively.

“This logo is not just a design. It is a tribute to our cultural heritage and a visual statement of our shared future as Oceania peoples,” Beck said.

Co-Chair Beck also confirmed that the Forum Leaders Meeting will be held at the National Sports City, located approximately six kilometres east of Honiara.

“The week-long programme begins on Sunday, September 7, with an interdenominational church service for leaders and delegates. The service is intended to give thanks to God for safe travels and to seek His wisdom for the discussions ahead.

On Monday, September 8, two key meetings will take place: the Small Island States Leaders’ Meeting and the Pacific ACP Leaders Meeting, both scheduled at the FFA Conference Centre.

The day will also feature the arrival of traditional canoes, including the Te Puke from Temotu and the Uto Ni Yalo from Fiji. In the evening, the official opening ceremony will be held and will be open to the public. During this event, Solomon Islands will officially assume the Forum Chairmanship from Tonga.

On Tuesday, September 9, will feature a series of dialogue sessions involving regional CROP (Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific) agencies, the private sector, and civil society organisations, with focus on an inclusive regional engagement.

The Leaders’ Plenary Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, where leaders will engage in formal discussions to advance regional priorities under the Forum theme.

On Thursday, September 11, leaders will travel to the Western Province for the Leaders’ Retreat, to be held at Marina Hotel, Noro. This part of the programme will offer a more private setting for confidential dialogue among leaders.

Beck confirmed the forum concludes on Friday, September 12, when leaders will return to Honiara for the closing ceremony and the release of the final communique, summarizing the outcomes of the week’s discussions.

A spousal programme is also being arranged for spouses of the leaders.

Beck acknowledged the immense support of development partners including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, China, and others, as well as the Forum Secretariat.

“We are well into our preparations and confident in our ability to host a successful Forum. We thank our partners and call on our people to extend our traditional Solomon Islands hospitality to our Pacific neighbours,” he said.

As the host nation, Beck urged Solomon Islanders to follow the Forum’s progress closely and participate in public events such as the official opening ceremony.

“This is a proud moment for us as a nation. Let’s come together to welcome our leaders and show them the best of Solomon Islands,” Beck concluded.

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BY CHRIS ALEX

The Solomon Islands Red Cross Society (SIRCS) has stepped in to assist two families who were left homeless after separate house fires destroyed their homes last week at the Tenaru settlement and Linge Village, in the North East Guadalcanal region.

According to Red Cross, one of the affected families was that of Stanley Kiere, a resident of the Tenaru area, whose home was completely razed to the ground on the afternoon of Friday, August 8.

Kiere said the fire started while his two children were preparing their meals using a portable cooking stove.

“The incident happened at around 2pm while my children were cooking. They tried to put it out, but the flames spread quickly due to strong winds. It was beyond their control.

“The house was totally burned with our little belongings, and it has been very hard trying to get things to replace what we have lost,” Mr Kiere recounted.

In response to the disaster, the Solomon Islands Red Cross quickly mobilised to provide immediate humanitarian support.

The organisation distributed its standard non-food relief items to both affected families. These included essential supplies such as shelter kits, hygiene kits, kitchen sets, blankets, mosquito nets, buckets, collapsible water containers, and sleeping mats.

“I just wanted to say thank you to the Red Cross for the help given.

“This will help my family as we begin to find ways to get back to normal,” Kiere said.

The second family, affected by a similar incident in Linge Village, also received the same support.

SIRCS continues to play a critical role in disaster response throughout the Solomon Islands, particularly in supporting vulnerable communities affected by fire, flooding, and other emergencies. Their timely assistance has been a lifeline for many families in crisis.

No injuries were reported in either incident, but both families are now in urgent need of long-term recovery assistance, including permanent shelter and livelihood support.

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Amidst facing challenges with the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) programme, Makira Ulawa Province continues to show resilience.

This is not only about staying afloat, but also about the immense benefits of the programme through projects implemented in the province.

Premier of Makira Ulawa Province, Stanley Siapu shared the challenges and optimism of his government on this life-changing programme whilst speaking at the province’s recent 42nd Second Appointed Day celebration at Kirakira.

He said Makira Ulawa province was disqualified from accessing PCDF capital development grant since 2019.

Siapu admitted that as a result of these three years of disqualification, people in the province experienced significant negative impacts.

He said when his government assumed power in 2023, the provincial PCDF account had a balance of $129,000.

According to the Premier, his government has restored the province’s participation in the program and is optimistic to maintain its current positive status on the PCDF.

Siapu stated that the 202/2023 PCDF assessment is next month and his government is preparing to pass the assessment.

“The future for my government to access PCDF money this year forward is not yet over as 2022/2023 Assessment is scheduled for the month of September,” he mentioned.

Siapu said his executive and administration are working hard to ensure MUP meets all 11 Minimum Conditions under the PCDF program, to qualify and access resources to deliver much needed infrastructure in rural communities in the province.

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Makira Ulawa Province over the past years, have witnessed a number of major developments unfold.

Premier of Makira Ulawa province, Stanley Siapu highlighted this at the province’s recent 42nd Second Appointed Day celebration at Kirakira.

In his address, the national government, development partners, resource owners and other stakeholders for their cooperation to achieve these milestone developments for the province.

These developments are not the only projects in the province as other projects are also in the pipeline.

As outlined by the premier, the development projects are as follows;

• The current wharf development funded by the Asian development bank will be completed in the upcoming months.
• The jetty and the storage facility for the Police fast craft project funded by the Australian defence has been completed and now awaiting the hand over.
• The Lavado cocoa factory is almost complete and the technical team to support the projects are here, awaiting the processing machines to be bought and installed.
• The final stages to our market project will be discussed this coming week and hopefully the temporary market site will begin after this celebration.
• The FIFA goal project to build our stadium just awaits the formal appointment of a project officer to oversee the project. Also, congratulation the men’s provincial football team for winning the Solomon Cup.
• A good number of ministries have now entered into formal land negotiations to establish their ministerial services and mandatory activities within the province (especially Ministry of Culture & Tourism for a Provincial Cultural Centre, Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Provincial Youth Centre, SINU for a Campus as part of its expansion program to provinces) etc.
• Since the discovery of the world’s largest coral in the province, plans to address tourisms is well under way in a project submitted under the name and modality of HANUA Eco Tourism project Makira Ulawa province.
• The support that has gone into the provincial development program under PCDF is now back into full swing after MUPG passed the assessments for 2023/2024. On this note we have again passed the assessment 2024/2025 at a very high percentage, meaning that we will continue to support our provincial development plans next year.

He said these achievements will have an immense impact on the province and he assures that his government will continue to work closely with the national government and development partners to bring change to Makira Ulawa province.

Siapu also highlighted that in terms of national budget, there are national projects proposed by national government to address infrastructures and social sector reforms in the country.

“I wish to highlight that we are looking forward to these projects under the national development budget to be implemented in the province,” he said.

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BY MORRIS NAFU

In a significant move to safeguard the cultural heritage of the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the office of the Pro Vice Chancellor last week.

In a SINU press statement, the agreement, focused on the Kukum Campus, establishes a collaborative partnership aimed at providing traditional musical entertainment during official SINU events.

SINU’s Pro Vice Chancellor Corporate (PVCC) Dr. William Parairato signed the agreement alongside Mr. John K. Ta’amora, Wauraha Panpipers Group Leader.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Ta’amora hailed the occasion as a “historic step” for his group, emphasizing that this marks their first formal agreement.

“We are thrilled to be part of this partnership and are eager to implement it effectively.

“Securing an agreement with a national institution like SINU is a monumental achievement for us. We encourage other cultural groups to take similar initiatives to promote and preserve our traditions,” he said.

Further noted in the statement, as part of the MOU, the Wauraha Panpipers will offer live traditional panpipe performances at various SINU events upon request, including graduation ceremonies, welcome receptions, cultural events, conferences, and other official functions.

This partnership underscores SINU’s dedication to cultural preservation while enhancing the university’s community activities through the rich sounds of traditional Solomon Islands music.

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BY MORRIS NAFU

The Youth Entrepreneur Council of Solomon Islands (YECSI) has received approval from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through the Cocoa and Coconut Revolving Fund (CCRF), marking a significant advancement in youth involvement in the agricultural sector.

As stated in a recent press release statement, the partnership was formalized as MAL began signing funding support agreements with the first group of YECSI member recipients under the CCRF.

The signing ceremony took place at the MAL Headquarters and was attended by the CCRF Secretariat, Deputy Secretary for Special Duties, Mr. Simon Baete, and Deputy Secretary for Technical, Mr. Michael Ho’ota.

During the event, Mr. Baete congratulated the young recipients and urged them to seize the opportunity, highlighting its potential to enhance their roles within the agriculture industry.

The following recipients were awarded grants:

Willie Yates: SOL FRESH PRODUCTS LTD, Henderson, Cocoa – $150,000.00

Creina Desonia Tapalaboe: LEXCRE ENTERPRISE COMPANY LTD, North Guadalcanal, Cocoa – $50,000.00

Blessed Tavi Peni: SEANUT TRADERS ENTERPRISE, Western Province, Copra – $50,000.00

YECSI expressed its gratitude to MAL for this groundbreaking support initiative, the first of its kind aimed specifically at empowering members involved in cocoa and copra production. The organization also acknowledged the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) for initiating the CCRF program.

Established in 2018 through a public-private partnership, YECSI has seen remarkable growth, expanding from 31 members in June 2024 to 127 members as of August 2025, with 14 actively engaged in agriculture.

The partnership with YECSI reflects MAL’s commitment to supporting youth-led agribusinesses, promoting economic growth, and enhancing the sustainability of the cocoa and coconut sectors.

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