BY ROMINAH FAKA

The interim mention for the case of a teacher accused of embezzling SBD 1.3 million from the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) in 2017 and 2018 was heard in the Magistrates’ Court last Friday.

During the session, both parties informed the court that they had no issues.

The trial is scheduled to begin from April 14 to 18, 2025. The matter has been adjourned to March 28, 2025, for the next interim mention, where parties will inform the court if any issues arise. The accused is excused from appearing at that hearing.

Cecilia Samani Tome was initially charged with one count of embezzlement, to which she pleaded not guilty. The trial was conducted before Principal Magistrate Beneteti Tearo. Instead of calling witnesses, the case was handled through submitted documents.

At the end of the prosecution’s case, the defense lawyer for Tome submitted a “No Case to Answer” motion. The court ruled in favor of the accused, determining that she had no case to answer for the embezzlement charge and acquitted her of the alleged misappropriation of SBD 1.3 million due to an erroneous payment deposited into her bank account.

However, the prosecution appealed the magistrate’s decision to acquit Tome, bringing the matter before the High Court. After reviewing the appeal, Judge Leonard Maina remitted the case back to the Magistrates’ Court for a retrial before a different magistrate.

Following the case’s remittance, Mrs. Tome pleaded not guilty again.

The prosecution alleges that two large payments totaling more than SBD 3 million were deposited into Tome’s bank account in December 2017 due to an error made by a payroll staff member at the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MOFT). Instead of entering the correct payment amount, the staff member mistakenly input the starting date for Tome’s back payments. As a result, an overpayment exceeding SBD 3 million was transferred to her personal salary account.

The prosecution further claims that Tome embezzled SBD 1.3 million of the mistakenly deposited funds for personal use.

John Wesley Zoze from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is representing the prosecution, while Ben Alasia from the Public Solicitor’s Office is defending Cecilia Tome.

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Commissioner of Labour clears King Solomon Hotel amid refuted mass sacking allegation

BY IRWIN ANGIKI

The Commissioner of Labour has said King Solomon Hotel had followed all processes to the dot in how it dealt with its workers before the change of ownership last week.

David Kaumae said King Solomon had followed the ‘normal process’ of making its workers redundant and paying them their dues before the change in ownership came into effect.

The hotel is now owned by the Solomon Island National Provident Fund (55 percent) and the O’Neill Remington Group (45 percent). The official handover of ownership was done Friday last week.

The same day a media report claimed the new owners had sacked about 35 of the hotel’s workers.

This was outrightly refuted by the new owners – Peter O’Neill, the NPF and the King Solomon Hotel management – all assuring that not a single worker has been sacked.

In his inaugural speech in Friday’s ceremony, Mr O’Neill said: “Today I hear that our good friends at the newspaper Solomon Star has indicated that we have sacked 35 of our staff here. Let me put it straight. If you had cared to ring me up or ask for my comments, I would have said we are not here for the business of sacking anyone.

“We are not here for the business of sacking. I want to assure everyone that the staff who are here, 75 of them, will continue to work here. That’s the whole idea about taking this construction as we go forward.

“So I think that information as such gives a wrong perception that we are not going to look after our people. Solomon Islands National Provident Fund is the workers’ fund. Our number one priority is to look after our workers.”

NPF in response to enquiries on Friday said: “SINPF, the new management or ownership of King Solomon Hotel will continue to employ the current staff of King Solomon Hotel.

“The story published by Solstar this morning [Friday, February 21] is not true to terminate the staff employed since the former management of the Hotel.”

King Solomon Hotel management in response to enquiries on Friday, said: “King Solomon Hotel (old company) has followed all legal requirements according to labour law.

“All staff have been taken on to continue with the new company/management.”

Supporting hotel management’s statement, Labour Commissioner Mr Kaumae said the hotel had done right by its workers following a normal process which observes labour laws and paying them their entitlements before ownership changed hands.

Kaumae explained that the former employers followed labour requirements and made their workers undergo redundancy in order to pay them their dues and entitlement before the new employers began their tenure on Friday last week.

“We had received a notice, and facilitation for payment was in process, from the Hotel.

“The workers were made redundant and payment was in process. From understanding, before changing ownership the previous employer had to pay the workers regarding how many years they had worked with the previous employer, they have to be paid any entitlement according to law. So they have to be made redundant.

“It’s a normal process. And, whoever continues to work, the new management will now be responsible for them,” Commissioner Kaumae clarified.

Meanwhile, a person close to the matter speaking on condition of anonymity on Friday said the media report was false and misleading.

“The report was based on a PR by the Workers Union which claimed that the new owners had sacked the workers. But, this is simply not true, and all the workers are continuing work as normal.

“It just may have been a misunderstanding by the Workers Union or the Solomon Star over the practice of making workers redundant, especially before a company changes ownership. No one has been sacked,” the person said.

Three workers of King Solomon Hotel spoken to after the Friday ceremony told Island Sun that all the workers under the previous employer are still working, and that they have not heard of anyone being sacked.

Meanwhile, the former owners of Hotel are the Kennedy family from Australia, who had owned it since 2002.

The hotel was established in the 1960s as the Hibiscus hotel.

The hotel offers ‘73 modern and spacious air-conditioned rooms and is built around lush tropical gardens overlooking the beautiful harbour’, according to its website info.

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By Loretta B Manele

Four villages in Isabel are recipients of a water project from Japan’s Grassroots and Human Security Scheme.

A signing ceremony between Solomon Islands Climate Action (SICAN) representing these four villages and Keiichi Higuchi, Japanese ambassador to Solomon Islands sealed the US $84,822 grant for the water project on Friday last week.

Higuchi said he is pleased to announce that the project will assist in the installation of a water supply system at the 4 villages namely; Kaolo, Kaevanga, Doga and Kabahegha in Hograno-Kia- Havulei constituency.

He expressed that one of the priority areas under the Grassroots and Human Security Scheme is to meet basic human needs like water.

Higuchi said it goes without question that everyone should have access to clean water no matter where they live.

“Access to water is fundamental for health, dignity and prosperity in every person’s life.”

Higuchi stated that they have learned that the water supply system in these four villages is not sufficiently developed.

He added that during dry season, people sometimes use water from rivers which has adverse effects on their health.

Higuchi hopes that this project will improve the living environment of the people in these four villages and believe that it will have positive impacts on the socio-economic development of Solomon Islands.

On another note, he emphasized that one important point of this project is the participation and contribution of the communities.

Higuchi said while this project is funded by the government of Japan, it is the receiving communities that must drive the project forward to improve their living conditions.

“The communities should be the moving force of the project. With the commitment of each community, we are confident that the project will be successfully and smoothly carried out and reach the anticipated goal.”

Higuchi said they hope that this project will be remembered as a symbol of the friendship between the people of Japan and Solomon Islands.

He furthered that it is a great honour to contribute to the development for the people of Solomon Islands.

“This project is a symbol of the cordial relationship between our two countries. On behalf of the government and people of Japan, I would like to reaffirm our continuous commitment to the people and the prosperity of our two countries.”

Rodrick Holness Rollands SICAN chair also took the opportunity to express gratitude to the Japanese government for their support to these four villages.

He said the signing marks an important milestone for all of them and he acknowledges the government of Japan and its people who from time and time again over the years have continuously supported and assisted grass roots communities and people in Solomon Islands.

Rollands mentioned that these four villages for over a decade have not had any water supply so they would have to paddles across the ocean to San Jorge Island to collect water for drinking and cooking and for other important necessities.

He said Kaevanga on the other hand is the central economic hub and main port to all the communities within the Hograno District.

Rollands said this signing ceremony is a step closer to achieving the much-needed hopes and dreams of the people in those 4 villages and surrounding villages.

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By Loretta B Manele

The recent signing of a joint venture agreement between Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) and Papau New Guinea’s O’Neill Remington Group is historical and vital for transformative development.

These two parties are now co-owners of King Solomon Hotel and SINPF’s decision to have this partnership was described by Manasseh Sogavare, finance minister as a “wise one”.

In his address at the handover ceremony of the hotel last week, he said SINPF is embarking on its most ambitious journey yet to make tourism a significant contributor to our society and economy.

Sogavare pointed out that hotels provide much needed employment and opportunity for supply chain development.

While tourists on the other hand, want to enjoy local culture, local food, our history and create lasting memories that they share as stories with their families and friends back home.

Henceforth, he said hotels like King Solomon have an important role in developing our tourism industry and providing lasting positive impressions of our entire country to our visitors.

Sogavare went on to state that SINPF’s decision to invest in the King Solomon Hotel is a wise one.

He said our very own fund, SINPF is our country’s largest investment fund and the decision to acquire King Solomon Hotel and to retain its majority ownership makes perfect economic and financial sense.

“Because it invests our money in a transformational undertaking that will generate much higher levels of return for SINPF members than current investments.”

He stressed that this investment will achieve excellent returns for the members while simultaneously playing an instrumental role in helping to develop the tourist industry and broaden the economic base of our country.

The minister for finance and treasury also took the opportunity to acknowledge Peter O’Neil, former Papua New Guinea Prime Minister and businessman.

Sogavare said the O’Neill Remington Group brings to the partnership years of successful hotel business development and management.

“This is a key experience the national provident fund does not have and we must admit that.”

Sogavare stated that O’Neill knows what it takes to make good investments at a country level and also how to make hotel business successful.

In this regard, he said he is encouraged that O’Neill sees King Solomon Hotel as a viable opportunity to invest in and grow the tourism industry in Solomon Islands through his company’s joint ownership of King Solomon Hotel Limited.

Sogavare noted that this joint partnership between SINPF and O’Neill Remington Group is a prime example of the government’s policy in action.

He thanked the O’Neill Remington Group for believing in Solomon Islands and for partnering with SINPF in this transformational undertaking.

Sogavare then extended his gratitude to SINPF board and management under the leadership of SINPF chairman Dr. Sir Jimmy Rogers for enabling this joint venture development.

“This is historical joint venture investment delivering on our government’s mandate is to prioritize the development of the tourism industry in our country.”

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By Loretta B Manele

The O’Neill Remington Group is ready to be an active partner and help develop the tourism industry in Solomon Islands.

A handover ceremony of King Solomon Hotel to co-owners, Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) and O’Neill Remington Group took place last week at the hotel itself.

Peter O’Neill of O’Neill Remington Group whilst speaking at the occasion highlighted that hotel businesses are not just businesses for the sake of making money.

“It is a place where it creates a lot of opportunities. It creates employment for many.”

O’Neill said they are very thankful that SINPF has been able to given them the opportunity to invest with them in this iconic hotel in Solomon Islands.

Moreover, he stated that tourism is a very big industry globally.

O’Neill said from the reports they are reading and from experts who are making studies about tourism globally, there are about 300 million jobs for tourism industry globally as we speak today.

“That means that over the next decade, one in every three jobs that’s available globally will be in tourism.”

O’Neill expressed that there is huge potential in Solomon Islands.

He believes that with all the necessary natural resources and beauty of the people of Solomon Islands, this can help develop the tourism industry over the coming years.

O’Neill assured that they will work together to ensure that we build an industry that we can all be proud of.

“You can be rest assured that we will be an active member, participating and helping out developing this industry.”

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BY MAVIS PODOKOLO

Cathy Nori, the only Member of Parliament present at the event, has congratulated Solomon Airlines on the successful launch of its inaugural Auckland-Brisbane-Honiara flight.

“It is great to see the revival of this Auckland-Brisbane-Honiara route. New Zealand is a country with which we have had a strong traditional relationship for a long time, just like Australia. This connection should continue, and if Solomon Airlines sees it as profitable, then why not?” Nori stated.

She highlighted the importance of expanding routes, especially now that Solomon Airlines operates two aircraft.

“With two planes, we must explore and invest in profitable routes. Our people travel to New Zealand for many reasons, and this new route will greatly benefit them. Well done, Solomon Airlines keep identifying new and profitable routes to grow,” she said.

Reflecting on the challenges faced by the airline, Nori, a former board member of Solomon Airlines, acknowledged the sacrifices made to ensure its survival, particularly during and after the global COVID-19 crisis, Nori stated.

“Many airlines struggled due to the challenges brought by COVID-19, but it is encouraging to see Solomon Airlines growing. I know firsthand the sacrifices made some employees went without pay or allowances to keep the airline operational. These efforts have paid off, and today, we are witnessing a significant milestone,” she said.

Nori also noted that the Labour Mobility Scheme in New Zealand will contribute to increased passenger demand on this route, making it even more beneficial for the airline and the country.

As a proud Member of Parliament, she expressed her happiness and reiterated her congratulations to Solomon Airlines for achieving this milestone.

Cathy Nori was part of the official delegation that witnessed the launch event on Friday, February 21, in Auckland, New Zealand.

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