BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Opposition Leader Mathew Wale has called upon the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Forestry and Research to take action against loggers who frequently violate the logging regulations and practices established in the Solomon Islands.

While recognizing the efforts of the Ministry, Mr. Wale emphasized the necessity for Richardson Raomae to ensure that loggers are held accountable for their actions.

He stated, “It is imperative to criminalize those who disregard these regulations and laws. This includes individuals who exceed concession boundaries, operate above the 400-meter elevation, and harvest logs that do not meet size requirements. They must be held accountable and face imprisonment for 10 to 20 years.”

“If companies are found to have logged timber below the mandated diameter or size, they should face imprisonment. The penalties must exceed the financial gains they obtained from such activities; otherwise, the current situation will persist,” he stated.

During a recent appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), he expressed to officials from the Ministry of Forestry that loggers disregard legal regulations and the welfare of Solomon Islanders, emphasizing the urgent need to address this issue.

“It is essential to reconsider the conditions of their licenses. Implement stringent requirements for compliance,” he advised.

He noted that at logging sites across the nation, no one takes responsibility, as companies simply abandon their machinery without regard for their actions.

“They must restore the sites after their operations. Leaving behind environmental degradation is unacceptable. These are fundamental values. They exploit our leniency, making it all too easy for them to take advantage of us,” said Wale.

He added that loggers are adept at inciting discord among families and tribes, pitting chiefs against their members, and even influencing high-level decision-makers.

“Once they tempt us with small incentives, we surrender, and then everything weakens immediately,” he said.

In 2023, the Ministry suspended 20 logging companies for operating in forests situated above 400 meters in elevation, and this year, 9 companies faced similar sanctions for violating logging regulations.

Mr. Wale subsequently called on the Ministry to provide further details for the PAC.

By Loretta B Manele

Gender-based violence is not a private issue, it’s a public crisis that has ripple effects that run through families, workplaces and entire communities.

Tristan Armstrong, Australian High Commission’s Development Counsellor raised this at the SIWINN’s (Solomon Islands Women in Nius Network) Breakfast Event at the Heritage Park Hotel yesterday.

He stressed that gender-based violence comes in many forms whether it is physical, emotional, sexual and economic and is rooted in unequal power dynamics, harmful gender norms and systemic inequalities.

Armstrong said statistics of gender-based violence are staggering given that across the globe, one in three women will experience some form of violence in their lifetime.

He mentioned that men and boys can also be victims of gender-based violence particularly in cultures where rigid stereotypes create silence and stigma.

Armstrong said gender-based violence destabilises communities, perpetuating cycles of fear, distrust and trauma.

“Economically, it costs billions annually in healthcare, lost productivity and legal services. Socially, it diminishes us all by normalising inequality and injustice”

Moreover, Armstrong said the media plays a vital role in combatting gender-based violence by raising awareness, challenging harmful stereotypes and promoting gender equality.

“Responsible reporting and advocacy campaigns educate the public, amplify survivors’ voices and foster a culture of accountability and change”

Armstrong said Australia remains the key partner in Solomon Islands and the only development partner in gender equality efforts.

He added that over the course of 12 years from 2012 to 2024, Australia has invested 300 million SBD dollars to support gender equality in Solomon Islands through bilateral and regional funding.

Armstrong said this work reminds us that ending gender-based violence requires all of us; individuals, families, businesses and governments to work together.

He pointed out that we must also remember that prevention is as important as response.

“Every time we challenge a sexist joke, every time we stand up for someone who feels unsafe, every time we model healthy respectful relationships, we are contributing to a culture where violence has no place”

Armstrong said as we gather here today, lets applaud the resilience, dedication and courage of those fighting to end it.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

Premier of Malaita province, Elijah Asilaua calls on Malaitans to prove themselves to national government and donor partners that they are ready for developments they have been craving for.

The premier made the call this week appealing to Malaitans both in the province and abroad to unite and contribute whatever they can to develop the province.

“We have been crying for development in Malaita province for 40 or so years and no tangible development yet seen in the province.

“For these years, we had talked about major developments in the province as all know, but maybe they will come at their right time.

“Now, some of them are about to happen. The Bina Harbor Tuna Processing Plant project, Kilu’ufi hospital project, Auki road tar-seal project and the Auki/Bina tar-seal project.

“Work on some of these projects like the Japanese funded Kilu’ufi hospital project has started and the PRC funded Auki road tar-seal to start next month.

“Bina Harbor project is also progressing and I hope paper work on the Australian funded Auki/Bina road tar-seal is also progressing,” he said.

Asilaua emphasized that these are game changing projects for the province that will create job opportunities and boost the economy.

He added not only that but they will also address some of the issues faced by Malaitans in the country.

“These are the developments we are crying for. And we must ask ourselves; Are we ready for them? How are we going to work together to achieve these projects?

“To achieve them, we need to work together as one-Malaitan. If we have negative mindsets on these developments, we must change them to become positive.

“Our turn is here and we must prove to the country, the national government and development partners that we are ready for development,” he uttered.

By Loretta B Manele

At all platforms that we represent today we must unite to break the silence and to break the cycle of violence, abuse and out of custodial limits.

Jerolie Navala Belabule, Seif Ples Deputy Center Manager voiced this at the Solomon Islands Women in Nius Network (SIWINN) Breakfast Event at Heritage Park Hotel yesterday.

She said as we reflect on the 16 days activism programme, we must be reminded that there is still work to be done.

“We must be united to foster behaviour change to prevent violence and engage more actors for service delivery, especially to eliminate gender-based violence at our platforms”

Belabule also took the opportunity to talk about Seif Ples.

She said it is an initiative of the Solomon Islands government to offer coordination and comprehensive care to victims and survivors of gender-based violence in Solomon Islands.

Belabule pointed out that for such times like this, there is still lack of care for women and girls in Solomon Islands.

She added that gender-based violence led to profound and lasting physical and mental health impacts on women, girls and children and there was an alarming rate of victims and survivors that admitted at Seif Ples for the last year and months.

Belabule said Seif Ples has faced a lot of challenges such as resources, limited space at the centre and no 24-hour security service.

In regards to resources the challenge is having resources to sustain the comprehensive care mandated under the family protection law, which is to provide protection and safety for victims of domestic violence.

Belabule said there is also limited space at the center to accommodate victims who on average come in and out of Seif Ples within 24 hours given that the building is very small and there are only 9 rooms to accommodate clients every time.

Another challenge at the center is not having 24-hour security services making them vulnerable to perpetrators.

Belabule said Seif Ples has been supported by donor partners, UN women, the Australian government, New Zealand government and was housed by the Ministry of Police since the canter’s establishment in 2013.

She stated that they provide equitable services to the public such as accommodation, food and clothing, medical first aid and also coordinate the safety and preferential medical via the 132 helpline, toll free to maintain services and the service is open 24 hours a day and is free for the public.

Belabule said under the referral safety net pathway, they coordinate clients or victims to other service providers that provide counselling and legal services that are based on their clients’ needs.

She emphasized that it’s a big challenge in all service providers, the pathway to seek justice for victims, but she strongly believes that by working together and that we can serve more justice for the victims of gender-based violence.

“We are committed to fulfil our obligation and mandate under the Family Protection Act to ensure there is protection and safety for victims and survivors of gender-based violence and to build a future for Solomon Island that is free from sexual and gender-based violence”

By Loretta B Manele

The Development Bank of Solomon Islands (DBSI) has loaned South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) 5 million SBD dollars to assist women.

Stanley Peter Hauae, Acting CEO of DBSI told the media that there has been a lot of advocacies for women and that is why they want to go this far.

“Our focus is mainly on women, we want to assist women in terms of lending so that’s why we are here”

He said the proposal went as far to the board level and part of their mandate is to reach out to women in the rural areas.

Hauae expressed that SPBD is an intermediary which they want to help because they focus on womens’group in the informal sector.

“We don’t have the logistics to do this whereas SPBD has people who can reach out to the women in the rural areas”

He mentioned that they have also received funding from other specific line of ministries and part of their mandate is to reach out to the women in the rural areas as well.

“We have not utilized that funding until now with SPBD because they are the best people who understand the market and are able to reach women in the rural areas”

SPBD general manager in Solomon Islands, Raymond McCarthy said in a way both parties are kind of meeting each other’s mission.

“Complete each other’s mission because that’s one of the key things that serving the informal sector is all about as well”

Hauae said they have given SPBD the first dispersion of 3 million and the remaining will be given during the first quarter of 2025.