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MAL and DAFF conclude strategic workshop on animal biosecurity

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The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), in collaboration with the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), hosted a three-day animal biosecurity prioritisation workshop from March 31 – April 2 at the King Solomon Hotel.

The workshop brought together 22 key participants from across the livestock and biosecurity sector to assess, prioritise and enhance Solomon Islands’ national animal biosecurity system, a statement from MAL said.

The workshop aimed to explore country-level opportunities and challenges for refining biosecurity and animal health systems, while developing actionable recommendations to improve national preparedness and response to biosecurity threats.

With support from DAFF, a facilitated self-assessment of the Solomon Islands’ animal biosecurity system was conducted, enabling in-country stakeholders to identify key gaps, optimise resource allocation, and develop targeted strategies, the statement said.

The workshop attracted participants from various sectors including government officials, primary producers, industry representatives, and NGOs.

Discussions focused on the broader national biosecurity framework, livestock value chains, and on-farm biosecurity practices, the statement said.

Participants evaluate the current system strengths and areas needing improvement. Emphasis was placed on reducing the risk of transboundary animal diseases, protecting rural livelihoods, and enhancing food and nutrition security.

Deputy Secretary Special Duties, Simon Baete officially opened the workshop expressing sincere gratitude to the Australian DAFF team for their continued partnership and support, the statement said.

He acknowledged their vital role in strengthening knowledge exchange and collaboration in animal biosecurity.

“This workshop is not just about learning, it’s about fostering collaboration, sharing experiences, and developing practical solutions tailored to the needs of our local farming communities,” Mr Baete said.

Baete further encouraged participants to remain focused on the shared goal of strengthening the national biosecurity framework to protect agricultural resources, ensure food security, and sustain livelihoods, the statement said.

Robert Palmer from the Livestock Department noted that the workshop served as a valuable platform for fostering deeper engagement and collaborative discussions among Livestock and Biosecurity stakeholders.

“There were productive exchanges on key areas such as border controls, internal monitoring, and farm-level biosecurity.

“I hope the recommendations from this workshop will be taken forward promptly to enhance biosecurity strategies in the Solomon Islands,” Mr Palmer said.

WORKERS’ PAY UP

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Landmark memorandum of agreement between Malaita Assembly and Workers Union sees 3.5 percent increase in salary 2024/25 and 2025/26

BY NED GAGAHE

A landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed on April 3 between Malaita Provincial Assembly and the Workers Union of Solomon Islands (WUSI), securing long-awaited salary adjustments and arrears for provincial employees. 

According to the MOA, employees will receive a 3.5 percent salary increase for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026, payable immediately. 

Backdated salary adjustments (also 3.5 percent annually) from 2016/2017 to 2023/2024 will be paid in phases based on the province’s financial capacity. 

On revised salary structure, updated salary rates will take effect in the next pay cycle and the Health Department will fast-track arrears payments for medical staff. 

Under the MOA, the province has 14 days to review allowances and incentives before finalizing the Principal Collective Agreement. 

The deal ensures stability for Malaita’s workforce while maintaining industrial harmony. WUSI and the Provincial Assembly will reconvene soon to formalize the broader agreement. 

In a statement yesterday, WUSI said it is pleased with the successful signing of the MOA with the Malaita Provincial Government marking a historic milestone for direct employees under the provincial administration, including medical and health workers.

“This agreement comes after eight years of persistent negotiations and unwavering patience from Malaita’s dedicated public servants served as direct employees under Malaita Province.

“WUSI extends its deepest gratitude to Premier of Malaita Province and the Provincial Executive for their leadership and commitment.

“The Provincial Secretary and Senior Management Staff for their cooperation. The Malaita Provincial Medical and the Health Director, Nursing Director, and Kilu’ufi Hospital Secretary for their support,” the statement said.

WUSI sincerely thanked the direct employees under the Malaita Provincial Administration and the Medical and the Health Direct Employees for their resilience and patience throughout this prolonged process.

“Your steadfast dedication has been instrumental in reaching this achievement. While this signing marks a significant step forward, the final part of the agreement will be concluded after the Provincial Secretary reviews the remaining items for inclusion.

“WUSI remains committed to ensuring all outstanding matters are resolved in the best interest of the workers.

“This MOA represents a renewed commitment to fair labor practices, improved working conditions and stronger collaboration between WUSI and the Malaita Provincial Government.

“WUSI looks forward to continued constructive engagement to uphold the rights and welfare of all workers in the province,” WUSI said.

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PM receives courtesy call from Sinomach officials

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Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele met officials from the China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH), marking a significant step toward strengthening mutual cooperation in rural development and sustainable energy initiatives.

Facilitated by the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), the courtesy visit underscored shared commitments to addressing critical needs in rural communities across the Solomon Islands, a statement by the PM’s office and MRD yesterday said.

The visiting SINOMACH team, led by Deputy General Manager Luo Xi Vincent, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage with PM Manele as he highlighted the Corporation’s global expertise in infrastructure, energy, and rural development.

“We are privileged to collaborate with the Solomon Islands government to identify attainable solutions that will elevate socio-economic progress in rural communities,” Luo Xi said.

Mr Luo also conveyed his team’s deep appreciation to PM Manele for the opportunity to meet, acknowledging the prevailing trade relations between Solomon Islands and China.

The team is currently in the country on a fact-finding mission with the aims to;

  • Showcase SINOMACH’s Global Expertise: Share insights from successful projects worldwide, particularly in rural electrification, sustainable energy, and agricultural development.
  • Assess Local Needs: Evaluate immediate priorities in rural communities, including access to clean energy, freshwater distillation, and saltwater desalination.
  • Promote Food Security: Explore investments in agriculture, including the redevelopment of rice paddy fields, to bolster economic growth and self-sufficiency.
  • Explore Collaborative Opportunities: Identify synergies in infrastructure, light industries, and technology-driven solutions tailored to the Solomon Islands’ unique challenges.
  • Establish Long-Term Support: Lay the groundwork for a permanent agency to facilitate ongoing development partnerships.

While in the country, the team will meet with different Solomon Islands officials including key Ministers and government Ministries associated with provincial governments, Communities, and national development sectors in energy and electrification with various development interests in infrastructure, light industries and agriculture.

This is the second time the company’s technical officials visit the Pacific and to Solomon Islands in particular following their first visit last year.

China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH) is a state-owned enterprise under the Central Government of the People’s Republic of China, specializing in machinery, infrastructure, and sustainable development projects worldwide.  The Corporation present in five continents, with more than 300 overseas service agencies in over 100 countries and regions.

The Prime Minister was also briefed on the services offered by SINOMACH which cover such critical national economic fields as machinery, energy, transportation, automobiles, shipbuilding, metallurgy, construction, electronics, environmental engineering, aeronautics and astronautics, and light industry.

In response, Prime Minister Manele acknowledged the SINOMACH team for meeting him while emphasizing the importance of international partnerships in transforming the nation’s development landscape.

“Our rural communities are the backbone of the Solomon Islands. By working with partners like SINOMACH, we can harness innovative technologies and investments to create lasting change,” Manele said.

Wale condemns illegal mining along Mbalasuna River

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The Leader of Opposition Matthew Wale has strongly condemned the illegal mining operation taking place along the Mbalasuna River, describing them as blatant criminal acts that violate the environment and livelihoods of local communities.

While acknowledging the efforts of the ECD Director and MMRE Chief Inspector, Mr Wale questioned the apparent inaction of the relevant authorities, a statement by Opposition yesterday said.

“It is incomprehensible that despite official orders, the company continues operations unimpeded. Why is enforcement absent?

“Are the responsible officials negligent, indifferent, or complicit? Each of these scenarios is equally alarming and simply unacceptable” Wale said.

The Opposition Leader further questioned how a company can operate without a valid prospecting license, mining lease, or mandatory development consent, and continue to do so over two months.

“How can the Prime Minister and his Minister of Mines allow this to continue at the expense of the people? Solomon Islanders deserve better,” Wale said.

Wale said the situation reflects a dangerous pattern that has previously been seen in the logging sector.

“This is a repeat of the same tragic scenario. Resources extracted illegally, environmental safeguards ignored, and communities left devastated. Such exploitation cannot be justified as development. It is theft, plain and simple,” Wale emphasised.

Wale said that an urgent and coordinated intervention by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Environment, and RSIPF must happen immediately.

“Immediate steps must be taken to shut down this illegal operation. A comprehensive investigation must be launched urgently, and those responsible, be they private operators or complicit public officials, must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wale insisted.

Concluding, Wale reiterated his call for a complete moratorium on all future mining activities until fair and just legal safeguards are enacted through the new Minerals Bill, the statement said.

“I have raised this in Parliament before, and I repeat it now. There should be a halt to all new mining operations until the new Minerals Bill is passed. Continuing under the current weak and outdated Act invites abuse, corruption, and irreversible damage. To proceed without reform is not only irresponsible, but also a betrayal of our people and the future of this nation.”

Poor knowledge and forgetfulness; key barriers to medication adherence for hypertension patients

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

LIMITED knowledge about medications and forgetfulness are two leading personal barriers preventing patients with chronic conditions like hypertension, from adhering to prescribed treatments, recent research has found.

The study, titled “Personal Factors Affecting Adherence in Hypertension Patients in the Solomon Islands,” was carried out last year by Solomon Islands National University (SINU) researcher Marineth Magi at the National Referral Hospital (NRH). The research focused on patients aged 41 to 70 years.

Speaking at the FALAH research seminar last week, Magi highlighted the seriousness of the issue:

“This lack of knowledge on medication intake is a serious issue that really affects patient’s health and well-being,” she said.

The research uncovered that many patients struggle to recognize their medications and have a limited understanding of how to take them correctly. These gaps in knowledge were highlighted as major contributors to non-adherence.

Additionally, Magi shared a striking statistic; nearly 70 to 80% of participants admitted to forgetting to take their daily prescribed medications.

She attributed this forgetfulness to demands of household chores and daily routines.

“Everyday, people are busy with daily tasks or chores that they tend to forget without realizing that it’s putting a risk on those diseases that they are living with,” she warned.

To address these challenges, Magi called on the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) to take action by promoting community education and strengthening follow-up care for patients after hospital discharge.

“It is very important to educate the community, especially to provide a good follow-up care after patients have been discharged from the hospital,” she said.

Magi also urged healthcare workers including nurses, doctors, and pharmacists to provide patients with clear and detailed explanations about their medications.

This includes discussing potential side effects and how medications function in the body.

“This will empower patients to better understand their treatment plans and improve adherence,” she added.

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PM outlines international engagements for 2025

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By Loretta B Manele

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has given an outline of his international engagements for 2025.

He gave an update of the above whilst speaking at a press conference on Monday.

Manele said in regards to his next international engagements, the first will be as the incoming Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

He stated that he will attend a Pacific Islands Forum meeting on Mon 14th April, as part our preparations towards the PIF Leaders meeting here in Honiara in September.

Manele said he will also attend the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco from June 7th to 8th.

He stated that this is a preparatory meeting leading to the 3rd UNOC (UN Ocean Conference) which will be held on June 9 to 13th in Nice, France where he will speak as the host of the Honiara Summit that was held in Honiara in February this year.

The Prime Minister is also invited to speak and attend the OPEC Development Fund Forum that will be held in Vienna from June 16th to 17th.

He mentioned that Solomon Islands has signed an agreement framework with the OPEC Development Fund and hopefully, financing agreement on concessional funding requested by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) will be finalized at that time.

Manele said he will also be attending Papua New Guinea’s 50th independence anniversary between Sept 15th and 17th.

He added that on the invitation from James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, all PIF leaders will travel from Honiara to Port Moresby after the PIF meeting to participate in PNG’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations.

Manele said his final international engagement for this year will be at the 80th UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) meeting in New York from 21st Sept to 30th Sept.

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Premier Salini criticizes rushed consultation on Special Economic Zone Bill

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BY NED GAGAHE

Central Islands Province Premier Michael Salini has raised concerns about the limited consultation period for the Special Economic Zone Bill 2024, telling Parliament’s Bills and Legislation Committee that his delegation lacked sufficient time to properly analyze the proposed legislation. 

Speaking during yesterday’s hearing, Salini revealed his team only received a copy of the bill last week and participated in a briefing with the Commerce Ministry task force just one day before the parliamentary session.

“We didn’t have time to really scrutinize and understand the bill in its entirety,” Salini stated, adding that this tight timeline prevented them from fully grasping the technical aspects or potential negative impacts on provinces. 

While expressing these concerns, the premier carefully acknowledged the government’s efforts, stating: “We don’t want to undermine the amount of hard work that has been put into this bill.” He noted his understanding that consultations had occurred in other provinces before his team’s involvement. 

Salini called for more inclusive consultation processes in the future to ensure provincial governments can meaningfully contribute to legislation that directly affects their communities.

Despite the criticism, Premier Salini offered conditional support for the Bill.

 “If the intention is to build our economy for the benefit of our people, my team is willing to support it.” He said. 

The premier also highlighted ongoing challenges in legislative consultation between the national government and provincial administrations.

The Bills and Legislation Committee is expected to consider these concerns as deliberations on the Special Economic Bill throughout the week, with remaining stakeholders and witnesses who are invited to present their views.

Presented before the Committee yesterday were Premiers of Renbel, Malaita, Choiseul, Isabel, Makira, Western, Temotu and Central and provincial government officials.

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Study highlights cultural and social barriers to proper medication

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

RESEARCH has shown that reliance on herbal remedies, negative attitudes towards prescribed treatments and alcohol consumption are major factors undermining medication adherence among hypertension patients at the National Referral Hospital (NRH).

Researcher Marineth Magi of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) explained that  patients participating in the study opted for herbal alternatives due to cultural beliefs and perceptions

“They(patients) think that it is safer for them to take it however, there is always no scientific proof at all for those herbal medications that they take,” she said. 

Negative attitudes towards prescribed medications also surfaced as a significant barrier.

“They feel exhausted after taking medications for such a long time. Some miss their doses for a day or two, while others only take their medications when they feel unwell,” she noted.

Additionally, alcohol consumption further complicated the adherence problem. Magi revealed that certain patients avoid taking their medication while socializing, believing that alcohol interferes with the effectiveness of their treatments.

“They think alcohol interferes with how the medication works. Because of this belief, they skip their doses during social events,” she added.

Magi emphasized the need for a coordinated effort to address these challenges. “A multi-sectoral approach involving patients, families, healthcare providers and the government is essential to promote adherence to prescribed treatments,” she said.

She called for the development and implementation of effective intervention programs tailored to address these barriers.

“Effective intervention program should be developed and implemented to address these adherence challenges,” she added.

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Kukum clinic renovation nearing completion

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

RENOVATION work on Kukum clinic, East Honiara is advancing well and expected to be completed by June this year, according to a public notice from Honiara City Council’s (HCC) Health Division.

The announcement has brought relief to residents who regularly depend on the clinic. Local resident Mirriam Balau, whose family relies on the facility for medical visits, expressed her eagerness for its reopening.

“I am looking forward to the reopening of the clinic,” she said.

Balau shared the difficulties patients have faced since the clinic’s closure, particularly the financial burden of seeking services elsewhere.

“Recently, I visited the clinic and found it was closed. I had to spend extra money traveling to another nearby health center,” she explained.

Contractors working on the clinic reported that renovations have been ongoing for nearly six weeks. They remain confident in finishing the project by the end of this month, which is two months ahead of the originally projected deadline.

However, they noted that additional finishing touches might be needed in coming months if necessary.

In related updates, HCC confirmed that the Rove clinic has reopened, while the Mataniko outpatient clinic remains under renovation.

The notice also announced extended clinic hours at Rove and Vura clinics, which will now remain open until 10 PM every day.

Additionally, for weekends and public holidays, Rove clinic will cater to residents in west Honiara, Mataniko clinic will serve central Honiara and Kukum clinic will handle patients in east Honiara.

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Broken promises, Tulagi’s fall from grace: Premier Salini

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BY NED GAGAHE

Premier of Central Islands Province Michael Salini says Tulagi, former capital of Solomon Islands and once a proud capital, is now starting from scratch.

Salini uttered this statement when contributing to the Special Economic Zone Bill 2024 during Bills and Legislation Committee hearing in Parliament yesterday.

“Mr. Chairman, the story of my province, as you might have been aware, has been a sad one. As a host of the first capital of the country, we started off fairly well in terms of investment and some small but limited infrastructure in place.” He said.

Premier Salini said successive national governments have allowed this investment to either be taken away or allowed to deteriorate to the point where a lot of money is needed to rehabilitate them.

He said as far as CIP government is concerned; the province is basically just going to start from scratch again.

However, the Premier said the people of Central province need to be pulled out from the economic stagnancy and the level of poverty they are in. 

He said if this bill is a way forward, they will be happy to support it.

“If the special economic zone can be an avenue to attract foreign investment, improve trade and perhaps provide economic opportunities for our people in terms of employment, then I think it’s a good idea.” Premier Salini said.

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