By Loretta B Manele

We are not pointing fingers at people, we are talking about good governance, accountability, trust and predictability.

Peter Shanel Agovaka, foreign affairs minister voiced the above when he contributed to the Sine Die Motion on Thur, 19^th Dec 2024 in parliament.

He was responding to a comment made by Matthew Wale, Leader of Opposition who spoke earlier on.

Wale said on the outstanding Rennell bauxite royalties, he is disappointed that they resorted to pointing fingers on this issue.

In response to this, Agovaka stated that they are not pointing fingers at people but are talking about good governance, accountability, trust and predictability.

“These are important good governance components to help us with our work”

Moreover, he said they have passed the budget and as ministers, their work is to bring policies and budget to parliament.

“And all 50 members of parliament we debated on the budget and passed it in parliament. Our job is done, budget has been passed. Where does it go from here?”

He added that it goes down to the public service which are the implementers of this budget; both the recurrent and the development budget.

Agovaka mentioned that as ministers, they oversee and make sure their permanent secretaries and ministries do their work.

He said the responsibility of implementing any budget in the country and the budget objectives lies in the hands of public service in all ministries.

Agovaka pointed out that if any ministry does not carry out their work it is due to the fact that public service in that particular ministry is not performing to the expectation of the people of this country.

“So don’t come and point fingers at ministers or members of parliament for not doing their part we have indeed our part.

We have been sitting here all day, listening to the debates and we go for breaks and come back.

We put our foot down and we go to work to the extent that sometimes we don’t have time for our families”

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Ms. Yumeno Fujii expressed her eagerness to collaborate with the Environment Division of the Isabel Provincial Government.

She volunteers from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), arriving in Honiara on Wednesday as part of the JICA volunteer program.

In an exclusive interview on Wednesday, Ms. Fujii highlighted her intention to advocate for the issue of sea level rise.

“Sea level rise is a global concern. The residents of Buala need to recognize that it impacts not only them but also the broader community. Raising awareness is crucial,” she said.

She mentioned her willingness to provide guidance to ministry officials and the local community during her time in Buala, Isabel Province.

“I may visit local communities or schools to promote this type of program,” the 27-year-old added.

Furthermore, she expressed her desire to convey a positive message to children regarding environmental matters.

“In the end, it is vital for everyone to be informed about these issues. Understanding the changes that need to be transferred to the public is important,” she concluded.

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BY NED GAGAHE

Finance Minister Manasseh Sogavare has called on indigenous Solomon Islanders to actively invest in key sectors of the economy, particularly tourism, in order to qualify for government tax exemptions and contribute to national development.

In an interview with the Island Sun, Sogavare emphasized that the government’s tax exemption policies are open to all investors, including indigenous entrepreneurs, who invest in strategic sectors.

Sogavare defended the government’s support for foreign investors, particularly the Chinese company Xiao’s Henderson Hotel Limited (XHHL), stating that the government’s role is to assist those investing in areas that drive economic growth.

He stated that there is nothing preventing Solomon Islanders from benefiting from the same tax exemptions if they choose to invest in sectors such as tourism or other critical sectors.

“Nothing stops the government from giving exemptions to Solomon Islanders,” Sogavare said. “You (Solomon Islanders) invest in the tourism sector; I’ll give you 100% exemption. Simple as that.”

He expressed disappointment that few Solomon Islanders were investing in these critical areas, urging local entrepreneurs to take initiative and seize such opportunities.

Sogavare criticized the tendency to complain without contributing to the development of the economy, especially when foreign investors are bringing in much-needed capital, creating jobs, and contributing to the country’s tax revenue and foreign reserves.

“We will be strategically stupid to victimize investors who come into this country, invest, provide employment, pay taxes, and contribute to foreign reserves while Solomon Islanders just sit to complain,” he said.

The Finance Minister reassured the public that the government’s policies are inclusive and that any Solomon Islander who applies for an exemption will receive fair consideration.

“I’m not closing my hands on this issue. Any Solomon Islander applies for exemption, I grant them,” he affirmed.

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By John Houaniahau

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Volunteer Program aims to increase its focus on the provinces, according to JICA Volunteer Coordinator Yoshu Ota.

Mr. Ota explained that all JICA volunteers returned to Japan in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the program resumed dispatching volunteers in October 2022.

“It has been two years and four months, I guess. Finally, the total number of volunteers has reached 21,” he said.

Mr. Ota expressed satisfaction with the progress of the program, noting that it is an encouraging development for JICA.

“This batch includes six volunteers. In April this year, six more volunteers will arrive, followed by another six in August. In total, the number of volunteers in the Solomon Islands will be around 27 or 28,” he stated.

He emphasized that the program’s commitment extends beyond Honiara to include provincial areas.

“Our commitment is not only focused on Honiara but also on the local provinces, such as Gizo, Munda, Noro, Taro, Auki, and Kirakira,” said Mr. Ota.

He added, “We aim to focus on the provinces to strengthen the capacity of various sectors in the Solomon Islands.”

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By Loretta B Manele

Having the constituent assembly is important because it can advise government on what government system is best for us.

Peter Shanel Agovaka, minister for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) spoke briefly about this at the Sin Die Motion in parliament recently.

He said coming up with this constituent assembly is important for the country because the assembly can advise the government about the government system that is suitable for the country.

Agovaka added that as stated by the member of parliament for Central Honiara, we are still finding what government system is suitable for us.

“We are still looking for this and it is important because the constituent assembly will be able to meet, discuss, debate and come up with a report to bring to government and parliament”

Moreover, Agovaka said at the meantime, the call for devolution of power is also important.

He explained that the devolution is to relocate powers from the central government down to the provincial government so they can have the power to collect revenue or to do other things.

“To invite investments or do investments elsewhere”

He added that the other issue is decentralisation which is the relocation of administrative functions and that is something that both the national government and the provincial government have to look at.

Agovaka said the bill is defeated however they will come back again with the bill and look at the report from the Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) and see how they can address issues raised by the committee.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The standing orders of Parliament allow members of the public to submit petitions, Opposition Leader Mathew Wale assured Caleb Pollard and Maverick Seda during a live podcast this month.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Aoke Langalanga highlighted this opportunity while discussing youth participation in addressing national issues.

“There are many avenues for young people to engage when issues arise,” Wale said.

“If youth care deeply about certain matters, you can organize a petition, get it signed, and deliver it to a Member of Parliament to sponsor it. Once submitted, it will be announced on the floor of Parliament.

“The standing orders of Parliament allow written petitions. You don’t have to wait—take the initiative. Be proactive and engage,” Wale encouraged.

He noted that when a bill is introduced to Parliament, it is referred to a committee for review.

“Bills are referred to the relevant committee. While we do receive written submissions, they are often from one or two individuals, rarely from youth.

“When you review the bill, you can ask yourself: What are they trying to achieve? Do we agree or disagree? Then engage. Write to the Bills and Legislation Committee. Write to your MP or ministers,” he urged.

Wale emphasized that laws are created to implement policies, and youth involvement in shaping these policies is vital.

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