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HUGE FISHING PROBLEM

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FFA works to combat unreported, misreported fish catch by licensed vessels

BY NED GAGAHE

Unreported or misreported fish catch by vessels licensed by FFA member countries has become a huge problem for the agency, it is reported.

Allan Rahari, the Forum Fisheries Agency’s (FFA) director of Fisheries Operation says one major concern the FFA is combating is unreported or misreported catches.

In an exclusive interview with the Island Sun following the groundbreaking of the new Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre last week, Director Rahari said currently, illegal activities involving vessels stealing fish in FFA member countries’ waters are not a major issue.

“The real challenge lies in vessels licensed by our member countries, which underreport or misreport their catches.

“This is the primary focus for us at the moment.

“The centre plays a crucial role in collaborating with partners and technology experts to develop tools that can address this issue.

“One major concern is unreported and misreported catches.

“When vessels fish in member countries, they are allowed to take only a certain amount of fish.

“However, accurate reporting is essential to track the fish being taken.

“Unreported and misreported catches pose a significant challenge that we are currently addressing.

“To combat this issue, we are employing various strategies. The centre conducts regional surveillance operations throughout the year, deploying enforcement vessels and patrol boats to inspect fishing vessels.

“This involves checking catch logs and verifying the accuracy of reported catches,” Rahari said.

The Director revealed that in 2016, they have conducted a study to quantify the magnitude of IUU fishing in the Pacific fisheries, and we repeated it in 2021.

He said the goal was to understand the issues and to address it.

“The report revealed that the value and volume of fisheries products taken through illegal means have decreased.

“The work of the centre in combating illegal fishing has made a significant impact, leading to a decrease in IUU fishing.

“This is a positive outcome. However, the report also highlighted areas that require attention. One key area is focusing on vessels that are licensed members.

“Currently, illegal activities involving vessels stealing fish in our member countries are not a major issue.”

The Director also revealed that they are implementing electronic reporting, requiring fishing vessels to report their catches in real-time to fishery administrations.

“This ensures prompt analysis of catch reports and immediate enforcement action if anomalies are detected.

“Enforcement actions at the national level involve apprehending vessels that underreport or misreport catches, followed by investigation and prosecution.

“Regional enforcement actions aim to hold vessels accountable for breaching national laws and can result in blacklisting if necessary,” Rahari said.

Auki police arrest man over burning down of church building

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

A 27-year-old man has been arrested by Auki police for allegedly burning down their family church at Kakara in west Kwara’ae, Malaita province.

Police say the incident happened on October 26, when the suspect, who was disappointed with his mother for not lending him money allegedly used petrol and match to burn the church.

Police added that the suspect also caused damages at their house and threatened members of his family and relatives. The suspect was under the influence of liquor.

In response to reports received on the incident, Auki police arrested the suspect and charged him with arson.

PPC chief superintendent Tex Tafoa warned public of Malaita that police will always ensure those involve in such behaviour to face the law.

He also highlighted that kwaso is the main driver of crime in the communities and urged community leaders to work together with police to crackdown on kwaso activities.

In the meantime, he thanked members of Kakara community for support in reporting and assisting the police in the arrest of the suspect.

PPC calls on public to respect development in Malaita

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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Provincial Police Commander Malaita, Chief Superintendent Tex Tafoa has called on the public of Malaita to respect development undertakings in the province.

The call was made following the arrest of four suspects in Auki in relation to the theft of building materials for the newly build incinerator at Kilu’ufi hospital.

He stressed yesterday that the incident portrays bad image for the province when national government and donor partners are working hard to address development needs of the province.

Tafoa pointed out the incident or any of such actions downplay people, institutions and organizations who are questing for the development of the province.

He on that note issued discontent over the incident occurred at Kilu’ufi, where materials worth around $10,000 for the incinerator project were stolen.

 “This is a funded project for our hospital and we must take care of such important institutions that take care of our medical health,” Tafoa said in a statement.

Tafoa furthered that this is the second time materials for the project were stolen and he is urging surrounding Kilu’ufi community to assist police on their investigation into the matter.

He said suspects were arrested and charged with simple larceny contrary to section 261 of the penal code and were released on bail to appear before Auki magistrate on November 5, 2024.

Gilbert Camp murder case investigation still ongoing

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BY ROMINAH FAKA

Investigations into the killing of a man this year at the Gilbert Camp, east Honiara, is ongoing.

Prosecution told the magistrates court this update yesterday.

Junior Modoa, 22, is charged with the murder of a 30-year-old man.

Outstanding documents yet to be collected include the medical report, photo album from the forensic office, and witness statement as the witness is still in Malaita and is expected to return to Honiara this week.

Police is also yet to locate another accused who allegedly accompanied accused Junior Modoa.

Crown sought a 14-day adjournment for the documents to be collected.

Court suspended the matter for November 13 for mention, instructing police to obtain the outstanding documents and finalise the investigations, and for the accused to seek legal representation.

Police alleged on October 14, about 8pm the deceased and his wife were at their betelnut stall at the Gilbert camp area beside the SIWA tank.

The deceased and his cousin brother were playing a Ludo game.

About 11pm the deceased’s wife went to another betelnut stall few metres from theirs.

Allegations say the deceased later went to where his wife was, and along the way beside the SIWA tank he met two men.

They had an argument which continued until they reached the stall in which the deceased’s wife was at.

It is alleged that one of the accused was armed with a white PVC pipe, which he used to strike the deceased with on the head.

Police say Modoa then pulled out a short knife from the pocket of his trousers and struck it at the deceased’s neck.

The two accused then escaped along the road to the water pump area at Gilbert Camp.

The deceased was transported to the National Referral Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Modoa was identified and arrested.

Office of Public Prosecution appears for crown.

20-yo who pled guilty to house break-in to be sentenced today

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Sentencing of a 20-year-old man who pled guilty to housebreaking is expected to be delivered today at the magistrates court.

Junior Jack Haikeu was charged with one count of housebreaking and committing a felony contrary to section 300 (a) of the Penal Code.

The complainant in this matter is a Malaysian national who manages USO Development Construction in Honiara.

On April 22 this year at around 8am the complainant arrived at his residence in the Tasahe B area from his workplace at Alligator Creek and noticed the gate to his home was slightly open.

He found out five laptops, two external drive, an electrical drill, a blender machine, and a telescope were missing.

The properties are worth $65,800 in total.

The case was filed against the accused at the White River Police Station.

Haikeu Jnr was arrested by police on May 7, 2024.

He participated in a record of an interview under caution with the police, and he admitted to breaking into the complainant’s house.

There was no recovery of the missing items from the accused.

Herrick Lautalo for crown and Lazarus Waroka for Haikeu.

IMO developed guideline on disposal of fiberglass boats

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recently developed a guideline on disposal of fiberglass boats. 

Zulla Mohammed, Pollution Advisor for SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme) stated this at the “Strengthening Marine Pollution Incident Resilience in the Pacific Islands” workshop at the Heritage Park Hotel earlier this month.

He said they know that from the individual maritime administration in the region, the disposal of fiberglass boats is one of the biggest challenges in the pacific region.

Mohammed said they are going to start off with national level consultation in terms of what individual countries would want to actually capture in a regional strategy and action plan tailored to individual countries’ needs.

He added that they will also try and evaluate the effectiveness of the current clean up strategy that they have, which has a component on marine pollution.

“But at the end of the day, I think what still needs to be decided through our consultation is the approach”

“But at the same time, looking at our backyard, I think it’s not only the World War II wrecks, it’s basically every other wreck that would be emanating from your domestic shipping industry, if not from the shipping industry”

Mohammed pointed out that they understand that the current strategy does not cover all of it, and thus are going to revise it.

He said knowing that this has become a bigger challenge for them, there are other initiatives through SPREP that is building capacity for SPREP countries and one of those is PacPlan which is a framework to help pacific island countries develop their own contingency plans.

“PacPlan, of course, is only focusing on oil pollution, but if you guys in the maritime industry follow what is really happening on the climate mitigation and adaptation side of things through IMO, we are moving into new fuels”

Mohammed mentioned that what they are actually trying to capture as part of their new PacPlan iniative is to not only focus on oil spills but to also look at chemical spills.

He said apart from World War II wrecks, they will also be looking basically at potential polluting wrecks in the region.

“That’s inclusive of fishing vessels in the region.  Apart from that, we are working with development partners, donors, scientific organisations to help our members to manage the different type of wrecks that we have in the region”

A woman propelled by patience, perseverance and hard work

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    Susan Timi(right) receiving her certificate photo credit BAF.

    BY INDY MAEALASIA

    AT first glance, Susan Timi may seem like any ordinary housewife, but a closer look reveals a woman whose principles of patience, perseverance, and hard work have propelled her to success.

    A proud Malaitan, Timi is not only a dedicated stay-at-home mum but also the founder of Malo Kitchen, a catering business. Her unwavering commitment to her small home enterprise has recently open doors of opportunity.

    “My business started back in 2020, and when I went into it, I did not go out to sell products but I reached out to communities and teach mothers how they can preserve food for cyclones, droughts, and how to store food in the house,” Timi explained.  

    Her specialty lies in grinding herbs, spices, and crops from her garden into powdered form. Some of her unique and interesting homemade products include cassava flour, cassava starch, ginger powder, ginger tea, and turmeric powder.

     “We cannot always purchase this at stores if we don’t have money,” she noted, It’s also important for mothers who want to cook nutritious food for their children to plant them and pound them into powder.”

    Despite lacking a colorful formal educational background or attending training workshops, Timi tapped into her creativity and experimented with whatever she had available from her garden, using only her hands and simple tools.

    “It took me years to master these things,” she said, beaming with pride.   

    Like any successful venture, Timi’s Malo Kitchen has faced its fair share of challenges.

    “Sometimes when I do this, my children will laugh at me, they would say, mum you are wasting your time, don’t do that,” Timi shared. “But because of the positivity within me, it drove me to continue.”

    She recalled numerous instances of failure but emphasized that she never gave up.

     “I failed and do it again. I might fail three to four times in a row but I kept on doing it.  At the end of my failures, my products turned out beautifully.”

    Her dedication has finally paid off when Timi was announced one of three winners in the country’s first-ever Agri-Innovative competition last Thursday. She is set represent the Solomon Islands at the upcoming Pacific SIDS Solutions Forum in Fiji from November 5-8.

    Reflecting on her milestone, Timi was thrilled and expressed her Joy: “I am happy and did not expect to win the competition.”

    Timi hoped her journey inspires other women and mothers like herself. “I encourage stay-at-home mums and those who feel uneducated, thinking they can’t achieve anything, to stay positive. If I can do it, so can you! Positivity can drive you to create a better future for your children.”

    As a mother, she understands the importance of being a role model. “What we show our children can have a lasting impact. Find your passion—whether it’s cooking or another skill—and be patient. With time, you’ll see improvement,” Timi added.

    Afio residents question implementation of million-dollar sea wall project

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    Afio sea front.

    BY SAMIE WAIKORI

    Residents of Afio, a provincial substation in the southern region of Malaita province, are calling on the Malaita provincial government to provide a timeline for the execution of the SBD1.302 million sea retaining wall project for the Afio seafront.

    The Afio sea wall project is included in Malaita province’s original budget for 2024/2025 and will be co-funded by the UNCDF Local – Environment, Conservation, and Climate Change and the PCDF.

    During a recent visit to Afio, residents expressed the urgent need for the project, emphasizing that Afio serves as the government center for the southern region and hosts several vital services, including education and health centers, as well as various government offices and business centers.

    Residents noted that the development of Afio station is hindered by multiple factors, with climate change being a significant concern. They pointed out that the area intended as the commercial center is being severely impacted by sea erosion, necessitating immediate action.

    “The seafront of Afio continues to wash away, and if there are no plans to address this natural occurrence, it will jeopardize the future development of the station,” one resident stated. “This is why we need the retaining wall project to commence urgently, and we are awaiting information from the Malaita provincial government on when it will begin.”

    Mr. David Mane, Senior Administration Officer for the southern region, echoed the residents’ concerns, acknowledging the importance of the sea wall project. He confirmed that his office is aware of the project’s significance and that he, along with relevant MPs, will engage with the Malaita provincial government to expedite its implementation.

    Vokia election petition adjourned to December 2

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    BY ROMINAH FAKA

    The election petition against MP Jammie Lency Vokia for the North East Guadalcanal Constituency was mentioned in court yesterday and has been adjourned to December 2 for further discussion.

    During the hearing, which was scheduled as a Pre-Trial Conference (PTC), the petitioner’s lawyer, Gabriel Suri, informed the court that they plan to withdraw the petition and will submit a sworn statement with their application.

    The respondent’s lawyer, Jillian Soaika, objected to this withdrawal and requested an adjournment, citing a pending court of appeal judgment that may impact the Vokia case.

    The court instructed the Attorney General, representing the second respondent, to file necessary documents, and the respondent to submit a sworn statement.

    Previously, the petitioner filed allegations of four instances of bribery and three instances of undue influence against Vokia.

    On September 2, 2024, the court dismissed three undue influence claims and two bribery allegations, allowing only two bribery claims to proceed to PTC and trial.

    Both parties are preparing for the upcoming mention on December 2.

    SIICAC TO MEET OAG

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    SIICAC Director General John Kouni.

    Auditor General’s report reveals fraud risks and poor transparency in ESP funds, says Kouni


    BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

    The Director General of the Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC), John Kouni, will meet with the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) this week to discuss the findings of the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) audit report.

    SIICAC treated the revelations in the ESP Audit Report as shocking and confirmed that it will conduct an investigation based on the findings of the report.

    In an exclusive interview with Island Sun yesterday, Director General Kouni stated, “The report by the Office of the Auditor General’s revealed major fraud and corruption risks, poor administrative controls, and a lack of transparency in the administration and disbursement of ESP funds.”

    “We at SIICAC are taking the ESP report and its recommendations seriously and will be taking steps to address it as a matter of urgency. We are prepared to carry out a full investigation under Part 4 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2018, jointly with the RSIPF, the Office of the Auditor-General, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Leadership Code Commission, the IRC, the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, and other entities listed under Section 91 of the Penal Code, as amended,” said Kouni.

    Kouni mentioned that SIICAC has liaised with the Office of the Auditor General (OAG). “I already have a copy of the audit report and am currently reviewing it. I will meet with the Auditor General David Dennis this week to discuss the issues highlighted in the report and will proceed from there,” he stated.

    “In terms of conducting the investigation, there are no two ways about it. As soon as we assess the report, we will call upon other integrity, accountability, and enforcement institutions for a joint investigation,” Kouni added.

    “I assure the public that an investigation will be conducted, and the best way forward is to have a joint investigation involving all stakeholder government agencies, allowing us to conclude it within a reasonable timeframe,” he said.

    Regarding the relationship between the Auditor General’s Office and SIICAC,Kouni confirmed that the Anti-Corruption Act 2018 provides a collaborative framework that allows the two agencies to work together on corruption investigations. Furthermore, SIICAC has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OAG for effective engagement in their shared effort to combat corruption in the country.

    “There is already a collaborative arrangement in the form of an MOU that allows our two institutions to work together. As soon as we finalize the necessary administrative processes, including inter-agency dialogue, we will assemble a team to begin the investigation,” Kouni explained.

    In addition to the corruption investigation, Kouni confirmed that the weaknesses in procedures and administrative controls identified in the audit report will also be addressed. Where appropriate, SIICAC will propose policy and legal reforms to strengthen the current system.

    In the meantime, Kouni expressed his gratitude to the Auditor General and his team for their commendable work in producing the report. “I understand the challenges and constraints they faced during the audit, but I am grateful they successfully overcame those obstacles to deliver the report,” said Kouni.

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