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Case adjourned for Chinese company accused of importing meat

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0

BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case against a Chinese company accused of illegally importing meat into the country has adjourned for February 7 for mention.

Chinese company COVEC-CO JV CO, Ltd is being accused of breaching the country’s Biosecurity regulations by importing meat products without a valid import permit and documentations to import meat products into the country.

COVEC- CO-JV CO Ltd is being charged with one count of importing prohibited article into the country which contrary to the Biosecurity Act of Solomon Islands.

The defence lawyer informed the court yesterday that she yet to receive full disclosures from the prosecution.

Court directed prosecution to serve all the disclosures before January 19 to the defence counsel. Bail for the defendant was extended.

It was alleged that on April 12, 2023 Biosecurity Solomon Island officers (Seaport Operation) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock confiscated concealed meat products illegal imported into the Solomon Islands after conducting a container inspection at the Custom Kings warehouse in Henderson.

The allegation stated that the inspection officers observed products with no visible indication of proper country of origin labeling. This caused them to further investigate and inspect the whole consignment and found that the importer, COVEC-CR JV CO Ltd, breached the country’s Biosecurity regulations by importing the meat products without a valid import permit and documentations to import meat products into the country.

The cartons of goods were concealed inside a shipping container with no visible indication of proper country of origin labeling. All the products were from China.

The illegally imported products included pork meat which is still under Biosecurity ban and other meat products prohibited under Biosecurity laws from importation into the country.

Office of Public Prosecution appears for the Crown and private law firm appears for the defendant.

BDM BAN CONTINUES

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Rinah Mark, the legal officer of Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, explained the beche de mer ban process to people of Lord Howe in Honiara yesterday.

Ministry of fisheries and marine resources maintains prohibition on beche-de-mer harvesting

By EDDIE OSIFELO

The Ministry of fisheries and marine resources (MFMR) is upholding its ban on the harvest of beche-de-mer.

This is light of appeals by the people of Ontong Java, Malaita province’s outlier atolls to have the ban lifted.

MFMR reiterated its prohibition on the harvesting, possession, landing, receiving, buying, selling, or export of any species of Beche-de-mer (BDM) during a meeting with the residents of Ontong Java in Honiara yesterday.

This ban, effective on September 1, 2022, was officially declared in the Gazette of Prohibited Activities (Fishing and Possession of Beche-de-mer) Order 2021.

Addressing a large gathering in the Lord Howe settlement in Chinatown, a compliance officer from the Ministry emphasized that there has been no official communication in the media regarding the lifting of the ban.

Any rumors suggesting the ban’s imminent removal this month or the next are baseless, he warned.

“There is a specific procedure in place to lift the ban,” the officer explained.

“The presence of a research team in Lord Howe signals the beginning of the procedure, aimed at assessing the stock of Beche-de-mer. If the research team determines that the stock is healthy, the Ministry will submit a report to the Cabinet for consideration to lift the ban.”

Rinah Mark, legal officer of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, underscored that the primary objective is to manage marine products.

She disclosed that, since the last opening, scientific reports revealed a significant reduction in the size of Beche-de-mer, with approximately 80 percent of sea cucumbers depleted.

“Based on these findings, the Ministry will present a report to the Cabinet to sustain the ban,” she stated.

Mark outlined the procedural steps to lift the ban, indicating that the Director, with the advice of the Cabinet, holds the authority to lift the ban based on scientific research findings.

“This is a national ban, applicable not just to Ontong Java but to everyone in the Solomon Islands,” she clarified.

Despite the ban, residents of Ontong Java voiced concerns over illegal harvesting, alleging the involvement of Chinese business individuals supported by local Chiefs.

A compliance officer acknowledged these concerns, revealing that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Police, had submitted a $1.6 million budget last year to address illegal harvesting in Ontong Java.

“Unfortunately, the budget was dropped due to the government’s focus on the Pacific Games in Honiara,” he said.

Leslie Simao, Director of the National Criminal Investigation Department (Supervising), emphasized that harvesting Beche-de-mer during the ban is a punishable offense.

He urged individuals with evidence of illegal harvesting to report such activities to the police for appropriate action.

Simao emphasized the collective responsibility to protect Beche-de-mer for future generations.

Apart from that, the residents have agreed to convene and strategize on addressing the ongoing food shortage in Ontong Java.

Urgent need for public toilets in Tulagi Market

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

MARKET vendors at Tulagi Central Islands demand the province pay immediate attention to the absence of public toilets at the Tulagi Market.

One of the regular market vendors informed this paper that ever since the market house was built, there has been no proper water or sanitation for market vendors.

And due to the absence of a proper facility, vendors resort to paddling out to Bangai Island just to relieve themselves.

“It is disheartening that our people lack access to basic amenities such as toilets and running water in such a central location.

“The situation not only raises concerns about hygiene but also highlights the lack of essential infrastructure in our provincial capital market. Vendors, who contribute significantly to the local economy, should not be subjected to such  inconveniences, the vendor said.

Therefore, the vendors call on the provincial government to prioritize the construction of proper facilities in Tulagi Market. This includes the urgent establishment of public toilets and the provision of clean, accessible drinking water. It is essential that our provincial capital, representing the heart of our community, uphold standards that reflect our commitment to the well-being of our people.

The market vendor also calls on Tulagi voters to choose the right leaders in the upcoming election, as previous leaders never addressed those issues.

Meanwhile, a former ward member for Tulagi ward said there was a toilet being built there, but the problem is the usage; people never use those facilities properly, which is why there have been no toilets ever since.

This paper was unable to call the Head of Division of the Tulagi Council for a response.

Aqorau reiterates zero tolerance for corrupt practices at SINU

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0

BY NED GAGAHE

Solomon Islands National University Vice Chancellor Professor Transform Aqorau says under his leadership the national university will continue to fight against corruption.

In the second edition of his personal reflection for last year, Aqorau said he will ensure that SINU continues to operate under a corrupt free environment for the benefit of this institution, staff, students, and the country as a whole.

“We have a higher responsibility to each other and for the country. Under my administration, we have zero tolerance for corrupt practices here at SINU. SINU in 2023 has lost a lot of well qualified staff due to corruption and dishonest practices.

“It’s a shame to see high qualified people who should have done better and lead by example did the opposite. SINU is our only national university and every staff who served under this institution should serve with integrity and to the best of their ability and not the other way around.

“SINU under my leadership will continue to fight against corruption to ensure SINU operates under a corrupt free environment for the benefit of this institution, staff, students, and the country as a whole.

“Let me start by saying, no one wants to invest in an institution where corruption is rife. SINU is the highest education institution in the country and if we do not address corruption here there is no hope for the country.

“If we want to see SINU grow, and if we want others to invest in this university, and if we want donors to help us, and to get the quality that we would like for our future thought leaders of Solomon Islands in the program and kind of degree we offered, we really need donors onboard and donors would not want to invest in an institution where corruption is rife.

“I recognized we cannot do it on our own that others must help, meaning SINU can only grow with the support of others. We need their intellectual horsepower, but we also need the money that they must bring in.

“I’ll just give you an example, if we want to get Australia and New Zealand level qualification, we must bring in New Zealanders and Australians to come and help us with the accreditation to their standards. They are not going to come if they knew corruption is rife here, that is why I recognized that for us to be able to do accreditation and ranking, getting and addressing corruption in this institution is a priority and a must.

“In addition to that, SINU is the highest education institution in the country, if we don’t address corruption here there is no hope for this country and that is why we must demonstrate in this institution where young people are coming to learn. So that when these young people complete their studies, they will go away with the values and spread good governance of ethical and critical thinking throughout the country. That is why I want to make sure that we SINU must work against corruption.

“I do realize no one is perfect, we all have our weaknesses, but as an institution we can do something good, and that something good that we can do is going to be good for the country. We want to see thousands of students who came through SINU to propel more to the nation with the value of good governance, the value of ethical leadership, and the value of critical thinking and become the agents of change in this country.

Concern on increase of school fees

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PARENTS and guardians are grappling with the burden of increased school fees this year, sparking concerns about the lack of corresponding improvements in school infrastructure.

Some parents raised concerned that if fees are on the rise, there should be a noticeable enhancement in the quality of education and facilities.

Francis Gabby said that as school fees increase, teachers must diligently fulfill their roles in the classroom. The expectation is that the fees paid should translate into tangible improvements in the educational experience for students.

He said some schools charged high fees but their school infrastructures are really not conducive for students to learn inside.

He said school board or management must improve their school once they charged so much on school fees.

One parent also expresses concern that schools should provide school stationeries as well for student especially primary schools.  

According to the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, Regulations specifies rules and requirements on school fees limits in compliance with the Education Act and Education Regulations 2023.

Subject to this regulation, an education provider of a school may charge school fees for each

year (or part of a year in which a student is enrolled or attends the school).

The maximum amount of school fees that may be charged for school student for a year are as

follows:

· Primary Education: Urban is $1,200.00, non-urban is $250.00.

· For Junior Secondary Education Day student Urban $2,000.00 and Non-urban is $800.00.

· For Junior Secondary Education boarding: Urban is $4,500.00 and non-urban is $2,800.00.

· For Senior Secondary day student Urban $4,000.00 and Non-urban is $3,000.00.

· For Senior Secondary Boarding Urban is $9,000.00 and non-urban is $7,200.00.

No other fees or levies of any kind may be charged for the enrolment or attendance of a student at a school in particular enrolling a student in a school, placing a student on a waiting list for enrolment, transferring a student from one school to another and sitting an examination or participating in school-based assessment. Thus, these types of fees should not be included in the above school fees.

Voluntary contributions can be requested in addition to the school fees, for a specific purpose. For example, to support a building project such as a Library. However, the school or Center must allow students to continue to attend classes even when contributions are not paid since it is voluntary.

However, parents can be expected to provide consumables such as stationery, uniforms, excursion, extracurricular activities and transport to and from school.

The range of school fees in the School fees rules does not apply to self –funded schools because school fees of self-funding schools is not regulated because such schools do not receive Government funding.

Criminal trespass and intimidation case adjourned

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0

BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case against a man charged with criminal trespass and intimidation was suspended to January 22 for continuation trial of defence case.

Kabir Hossein is a Bangladeshi. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and a trial was conducted last year.

Prosecution called three witnesses in total and after crown closed their case, defence counsel applied for a no case to answer.

Yesterday when delivering the ruling on no case to answer, the Magistrate said he was satisfied that there is sufficient evidence from the prosecution case. Therefore, court concluded that defendant Hossein did commit the offence.

Defence lawyer for the defendant Hossein told court that they will call their side of the story. Bail for the defendant was extended.

Prosecution alleged on 11 March 2021 at Lunga area, Central Guadalcanal Province around 7pm in the evening defendant Kabir without lawful excuse entered the dwelling house of Complainant by climbing the ladder of the complainant house and shout. Complainant later went and reports the matter to the police and defendant charged for criminal trespass.

Again, on March 11, 2021 at Lunga Area complainant went and top up at defendant shop, defendant did intimidate or molest action to the complainant. Complainant later report the matter to the police and defendant later arrested and dealt with accordingly.

Public Prosecution Office appears for the Crown and Private law firm appears for the defence.

Man charged with forging land title faces plea

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0
In-court

BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case of a man accused of forging document of title of land and stealing of documents relating to government employment has appeared in court before Presiding Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi.

The defendant Wilson Menateti was charged with one count forgery of title to land and one count of larceny of document relating to government employment.

Yesterday PM Taeburi implement court restrictions bail condition upon the defendant Menateti which states, defendant to reside at Foxwoods area, he released on principal bail of $500, he must report to Central Police Station every Wednesday, he must not interfere with the prosecution witness, he must not leave Guadalcanal province without court leave and he must attend all his court hearing.

Court adjourned the matter to January 22 for defendant to take his plea. Bail for the defendant extended.

Prosecution alleged that Wilson Menateti on an unknown date between January 1 2015 and September 1, 2016 at Honiara did forged a document of title to lands of John Melanoli, Matthew Bade and John Tauto with intend to defraud the said persons.

Again it was alleged on the unknown date between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2016 at Honiara defendant did steal the whole document of title of lands the property of John Melanoli, Matthew Bade and John Tauto.

The matter was reported to the police and the defendant was arrested and charged accordingly.

Office of Public Prosecution appears for the crown and Maori Law Chamber appears for the defendant.

MV Ortega ensures lifeline to Sikaiana amid shipping challenges

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0

By EDDIE OSIFELO

In a significant effort to address the pressing needs of the remote island of Sikaiana in Malaita Outer Islands, MV Ortega, owned by Kii Shipping, completed its twelfth monthly trip yesterday.

The Franchise Shipping scheme, overseen by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID), facilitated this vital connection.

The MID’s decision to award a one-year contract to Kii Shipping followed a critical situation in October 2022 when the 200 Polynesia residents of Sikaiana faced eight months without shipping services, leading to severe food shortages.

Lawinter Kii, owner of Kii Shipping, acknowledged the pivotal role of the Franchise Shipping scheme in supporting both the company and the island’s inhabitants, emphasizing the uneconomical nature of the route.

He highlighted that the scheme played a crucial role in offsetting fuel costs, as the number of passengers and cargo for Sikaiana was limited.

“Sometimes, only 20 to 50 people travel on the ship with cargo,” Kii explained, noting that the scheme helped cover the financial gap incurred while servicing the remote island.

“For example, if the cost is $200,000 and I make a profit of $170,000, the scheme will cover the remaining $30,000,” he added.

However, Kii cautioned that if private shipping companies were to service Sikaiana without subsidies, the challenging economics of the route and high fuel costs might discourage continued operations.

He stressed the importance of the Franchise Shipping scheme in ensuring the sustainability of such critical lifelines.

Sikaiana, a vulnerable community in the Solomon Islands already grappling with the impacts of climate change, faced additional hardships due to the lack of consistent shipping services in the past.

Insufficient access to medicines and the closure of schools, as children accompanied their parents in search of food on smaller islets, underscored the profound impact of the shipping challenges on the daily lives of Sikaiana’s residents.

MV Carolina plans last trip to Ontong Java to alleviate food shortages

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Luaniua Island, Ontong Java, MOI.Photo supplied.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

In a bid to address ongoing concerns of a food shortage crisis in the Malaita Outer Islands, MV Carolina is set to embark on a final journey to Ontong Java later this month.

The move is part of the Franchise shipping scheme arrangement with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

Isikeli Tuwaii Vave, owner of Henderson Logistics Limited, the company that owns MV Carolina, expressed his sympathy for the residents of the islands who have been grappling with food shortages.

Vave revealed that the decision to withdraw services to Ontong Java was prompted by outstanding payments from some residents and the insufficient government subsidy of $130,000, which falls short of covering fuel costs.

Vave explained that for the company to remain profitable, it has prioritized serving economical routes in the Western Province and collaborating with the Soltuna company.

He lamented the economic challenges faced by the people of Ontong Java, attributing them to the government’s ban on bech de mers, which had previously made the route economical during harvest periods.

The residents of Ontong Java have been compelled to undertake arduous journeys, covering approximately 467 kilometers to Honiara and even to Isabel Provincial township, Buala, in search of food supplies.

The impact of climate change on their root crops has worsened the critical situation.

Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Alenge Katoravu of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) stated that the lack of ships servicing the islands over the past five months has left residents in dire need, particularly during the Christmas and New Year period.

Katoravu emphasized that the food shortage in Malaita Outer Islands is a longstanding issue aggravated by climate change affecting swamp taro and gardens.

The islands’ vulnerability to saltwater intrusion during high tides has further hindered their ability to replant.

Katoravu clarified that he became aware of the issue through a report in the Island Sun newspaper and highlighted the absence of a formal report from the Malaita Provincial government addressing the situation.

He noted that the food shortage was compounded by the irregular shipping services, preventing residents in Honiara from sending much-needed food supplies to the affected areas.

Despite these challenges, Katoravu acknowledged past efforts by the National Government to support vulnerable communities.

$35M SIGNED

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0
Electoral Commission chair Hon Patteson Oti (centre), Chief Electoral Officer Jasper Anisi (on his right), PS Finance McKinnie Dentana (with tie), NZ High Commissioner Jonathan Schwass (on Hon Oti’s left) and Clerk of Parliament David Kusilifu (on the High Commissioner’s left) with staff of SIEC and the NZ High Commission.

New Zealand supports Solomon Islands’ elections

High Commissioner Jonathan Schwass says New Zealand is pleased to be able to meet the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission’s (SIEC) request for assistance to help deliver this year’s general, provincial and city council elections.

“New Zealand has a long history of supporting elections in the Pacific, including in Solomon Islands,” Mr Schwass says.

“We’re very pleased to be able to support SIEC to organise free and fair 2024 elections in which every voter can cast their informed vote.

“This is a key part of the democratic process.”

New Zealand’s support will help train civic coordinators and educators, recruit and train polling booth staff and set up an operation centre.

SIEC Chair Taeasi Sanga thanked the New Zealand Government, on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government, for its support.

“New Zealand has always been a friend to Solomon Islands,” Mrs Sanga says.

“This is not the first time the New Zealand Government has supported the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission.

“The Electoral Commission is grateful for this funding support, which will go towards the preparation and management of the simultaneous elections in 2024.”

New Zealand will provide separate funding of up to SBD $15 million to cover technical support from the New Zealand Electoral Commission, transportation of election materials and personnel during the election period, and provision of New Zealand election observers.

–NZHC PRESS

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