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MAKING CANADA HOME

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Margaret Edwards with husband Seru Daubitu showing their confirmation of the Permanent Residence document. Photo: Ofati Leve, Canada.

Solomons couple get PR status in Canada

The Government of Canada has granted two Solomon Islands nationals’ permanent residency.

Margaret Edwards and husband Seru Daubitu received their confirmation of permanent residency document, confirming their status as permanent residents from Canada’s Ministry of Immigration Refugee Citizenship [IRCC]. 

In a statement from Canada both Seru and Margaret expressed joy at their achievement, saying this journey to Canada has been “God’s Will” and they look forward to calling Canada their new home.

In the past 11 months a total of 14 persons from Solomon Islands have received their Canadian residency under the CITREC program. 

“This partnership with Canada has permitted us to seek employment under temporary employment and then apply for Permanent residency in this magnificent country Canada as part of the permanent resident nomination program,” Margaret said.

“We are so honoured and privileged to be part of the workforce in boosting this country’s economy,” she added.

“And we look forward to the opportunity to support our families back home through remittances in the future.

“Looking back in life it has been really a blessing and answers to many prayers.

“One could not express how grateful I was when I was informed of being selected for this opportunity.

“Thank you CITREC. I am thrilled and excited to call Canada my new home.

“However, let me say something today that Solomon Islands will always remain in my heart.

“It will always be my motherland.”

Margaret’s husband Seru said that if it was not for labour mobility, he would still be struggling to find employment opportunities back home.

The CITREC partnership has provided us a new opportunity and hope. 

Solomon Islands Consular General to Canada Ashwant Dwivedi has welcomed the news saying this is a great achievement for the recipient’s and Solomon Islands as a nation as labour mobility between Canada and Solomon Islands is trail blazing and setting new standards.

“I have in my effort to continue to strengthen our bi-lateral relations with the people and government of Canada and specially with Canada’s immigration division sent a letter in my capacity as representative of Solomon Islands and its people to Federal Immigration minister Sean Fraser to thank him and his staff at IRCC for their support to my people of the Solomon Islands, “Consular-General Dwivedi said.

He added that during the time of pandemic Canada and Canadians stood together with Solomon Islanders in Canada to provide the much-needed support.

Last year in March in a milestone achievement for the Solomon Islands for the first time in the country’s history eight Solomon Islands nationals were granted Canadian permanent residency.

They were all in Canada under the immigration nomination program to work and call Canada their permanent home under the CITREC program.  

Then a separate family of 4 were granted residency.  They were also in Canada under the nomination program under CITREC’s education and training program.

Canada’s partnership with the people of the Solomon Islands has paved the pathway to permanent residency allowing SI nationals to call Canada their new home. 

Canada has proven to present one of the strongest partnerships through its labour mobility.

PRESS STATEMENT

IS SUIDANI LOSING POWER?

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Daneil Suidani.

MPG fails to pass budget

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MALAITA Provincial Government (MPG) will rely on the ‘advice’ of Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Rollen Seleso, after their $24 million revised budget got defeated in Auki, on Tuesday.

Majority of the members of Provincial Assembly voted ‘Nos’ during the voice vote, after the debate of the revised budget.

Speaker of Malaita Province, Ronnie Butala said four MPAs debated the Minister of Finance’s speech on revised budget, when tabled in the Assembly.

Butala said the two common issues raised during the debate were over the Provincial Capacity Development Fund that was never paid to the province and the money in the Operational Heads, that have been vired already.

He said after the debate, it was put to voice vote in order to allow it to go through Committee of Supply and third reading.

“However, during the voice vote, the majority of the MPAs in the Chamber said ‘No’, so the ‘Nos’ have it.

“As such, under the Standing Order 47 in the Provincial Government Act 1997, I have no power to do anything about it,” he said.

Butala said he had sought advice from the Attorney General Office in Honiara.

He said a lawyer in the AG advised him that the Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening has the power to make any decision on the issue.

“I still have the report with me.

“I will submit to the Minister soon,” he added.

Further to that, he said the actual Budget is expected to be tabled in March.

However, advisor to Premier Suidani, Celsius Irokwato Talifilu posted on social media that it is not technically a new budget but rather a revised budget where the assembly meets to legalise any overspending or new revenue that took place in the last six months after a substantive budget was passed and expended.

Talifilu said when certain heads are overspent the process is to legalise those spending and if there is new money to come into the budget then that too needs to be legalised under the budget.

Moreover, he said technically MARA still has the numbers to rule.

Talifilu said the three ministers did not attend the meeting due to funerals in the family as well as one having a newborn child and stayed with his wife.

He said the premier still has 17 ministers, which is the majority of the assembly.

“The non-executive members were taking advantage of a situation when the 3 ministers were absent.

“This is irresponsible on the part of the non-executive members,” he added.

“Similarly, the nonexecutive should state their disagreements on the revised budget and the issues that need to be addressed rather than unnecessarily voting in opposition to the revised figures.

“After all, it is not a new budget but rather just a revised budget to legalise spendings that were not part of the budget when it was passed last year,” he added.

Gizo residents against MPs’ entitlement raise

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA

GIZO residents have described the proposed increase in members’ of Parliament entitlement as ‘insane and unjustifiable’.

An interview carried out by Island Sun in the street of Gizo found that all the interviewees were against the proposal.

Out of 10 interviewed, 10 said that they are against the proposal saying that it is an unjustified proposal.

Most of the people spoken to refuse to give their names.

Only two respected leaders, Jeffrey Wickham and Mrs Rendy Solomon consented to have their names published along with their statements.

Wickham said the proposal is unfounded and makes no sense given that the country’s economy is still struggling.

He adds that the proposal and those who compound such proposal must be out of their minds.

“Our country is still recovering from the economic effect of COVID-19 and this proposal comes in. What?

“I heard that we have a cash flow problem so where the hell will we find extra fund to put into this entitlements.

“Look at our investment, there is no new foreign investors. Our economy is surviving on old investors.

“Our old investors are grinding every corner of their business to pay their tax and other duties.

“Government should do an extra job to milk money for the economy rather than trying to milk money from our dying economy.

“This is one of the impractical proposal that I ever came across and to me, the proposal is unjustifiable,” Wickham said.

Rendy shared similar sentiment saying the proposal best describes “Self-Serving”.

She questioned as to why MPs’ entitlement continues to increase while there is no such arrangement for public servants.

“Public Service never had an increase in their entitlement but they continue to do their best in making sure their duties are carried out.

“But, if we look at our national leaders, some of them are there just to enjoy people’s tax money.

“Our leaders have been sitting in their comfort zone year in year out and yet they want to increase their entitlement. Can they tell me the reason behind this 10 percent increase entitlements?

Such huge amount of money should go towards important services that have been on halt due to lack of financial support.

“Most Area Health Centers within the country have closed. People are dying from curable diseases and yet MPs want their entitlements increased?

“This is unfair and a mockery to the citizen of this country,” Rendy said.

She hopes and pray that one day the national leaders will come to their senses and start prioritizing the need of the people before their own interests.

Breakin Records Krew to launch songs soon

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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The Breakin Records Krew, with Sean Rii sitting in the middle, at Namaruka studio in White River.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

BREAKIN Records Krew, led by young talented Solomon Islands music sensational, Sean Rii (Richie Saeni) is planning to launch their six songs (known as Extended Play EP) soon.

EP contains around six songs but is less than an album, which is more than more than 10 songs.

The other members in the band are: Mi Santana (Albert Saeni), Jenieo (Alfred Junior Saeni), Sharzkii (Sharzy Saeni), De Plezza (Mathew), G. Cube (Sammy) and Keol (Michael).

Santana and Sean Rii have performed alongside famous Jarol Locals with Dezine in the past, which is a band consists of brothers and close friends.

While G. Cube used to play for Litol Rastas in the past.

Speaking to Island Sun in his small recording studio at Namaruka, White River yesterday, Sean Rii said they have already completed the six songs.

“We are ready to arrange, make profile and ready to launch them.

“We want to tell the people to get ready for these new six songs,” he said.

Sean Rii said these songs talk about life and blended with mix pidgin English.

“We will promote all the six songs through the musical platforms like Spotify, Itunes, youtube and others.

“We will also promote our music through Distrokid, which normally pays US dollars,” he said.

Sean Rii, who has followers of more than 100,000 people on his social media page, has used Distrokid to promote his three EPs in the past.

“I used Distrokid and received USD from it,” he said.

Sean Rii said music is no longer like in the past where you just recorded any song just for fun, without getting much money out of it.

He said it is important to make songs, get them promoted on musical digital platforms where they are protected, so that you can get some money from them.

Prior to coming to Honiara, Sean Rii and Jenieo have spent about two years in Papua New Guinea during the covid 19 lockdown.

After the lockdown, they toured Australia to perform in pubs to entertain the Pacific people living there.

Sean Rii and Jenieo are currently in Honiara and teaming up with Santana, Sharzkii, De Plazza, G. Cube and Keol.

They have made their presence felt already by performing infront of a sold-out crowd at Cowboys Grill on Friday 6th January.

Suidani highlights concern on Chinese control of retail sector

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Premier of Malaita province Daniel Suidani

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Malaita’s premier has raised concern on the dominance and control of Chinese businesses in the retail sector of the country.

Daniel Suidani said this was what his government had forewarned as they made their stand against Solomon Islands’ switch to mainland China from Taiwan in 2019.

“As you know MARA government came into office during one of the most turbulence times in the history of Solomon Islands or the world at large.

“The MARA government as you know is at odds with the DCGA national government on the issue of the switch of diplomatic relations from ROC to PRC.

“Much debate has been going on domestically and internationally on this matter and at times painting a picture that Malaita province under my leadership and the MARA government failed to see the benefits that such relationship would bring,” he said.

Suidani said what the critics of this assumption have not seen is that there has already been a long sister relationship between the Guangdong province of China with Guadalcanal province way back in the mid-80s.

He said the relationship among others had brought about many Chinese nationals that had engaged in the wholesaling and retailing business mainly along the Kukum corridor.

“A survey conducted among our Chinese community last year here in Auki have found that close to 95 percent of the Chinese operating shops in Auki are from the Guangdong province of China.

“What we are seeing is that the Guangdong Guadalcanal relationship is one that highly favours the Chinese province than the Solomon Islands province.

“For instance, the GG venture ship was a fruit of the sister relationship. That has since long gone but the Chinese retailing and wholesaling is growing ever larger.

“And Malaita province is feeling the effects of this provincial relationship.

“What we need to be aware of is that while there has been a lot of talk on paper on this sister relationship, the real question would be, who is the real beneficiary in this sister relationship arrangement?

“Or is it just another those overly rated media stunts as often be the case with Chinese media propaganda. It is for a fact that there was once a location called China town in Honiara.

“Today China town is the whole of Honiara. This was even before the switch, how much more it will be after the switch,” Suidani said.

Sisiolo clarifies last pay rise for public servants

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
PS of the Ministry of Public Service, Mr Nego Sisiolo

By EDDIE OSIFELO

PUBLIC servants received their last Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2019.

It was a 3.5 percent increase.

Ministry of Public Service Permanent Secretary, Nego Sisiolo confirmed this to Island Sun yesterday.

This is contrary to the statement made by Parliamentary Entitlement Commission (PEC), after it planned to award seven percent increase to the terms and conditions of members of Parliament (MP) and not 10 percent.

PEC had informed Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU), during their meeting at the Solomon Islands Public Employment Union (SIPEU) office at the National Auditorium, last Friday that the proposed award was based on the two pay increases (3.5 percent and 3.5 percent totalled seven percent) awarded to Public Servants, in the last two years.

Representatives of the Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet had also attended the meeting.

As such, PEC said the same increase of seven percent was awarded to MPs entitlements, which covers the rising costs of living.

Following the public criticisms over the pay increase for the MPs, PEC submitted a submission to Cabinet to deliberate on it.

Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU) President, David Tuhanuku said they will not take any action at the moment because of the submission pending before Cabinet.

Tuhanuku said they will wait for the outcome of Cabinet’s deliberation over the submission by PEC, before deciding on their formal position on the issue.

It was revealed Caucus or Cabinet approved a $13,000 increase to the fortnight salaries of all 50 Members of Parliament under the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission.

The PEC is expected to meet in March to reject or approve the proposal.

Prior to the meeting, PEC also invites MPs and beneficiaries to attend a consultation meeting on 15th February 2023 at their conference room at AJ City Mall Room 42.

The Commission is currently in the process of reviewing the Members of Parliament Entitlement Regulation.

The PEC proposal leaked on social media by the Opposition Group will see the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare awarded an extra $30,000, on top of his annual salary.

This will give the PM’s new annual salary of $338.000.01.

Initially, the PM’s annual salary was $307,919.30.

For example, the current base salary of the Prime Minister is $11,843.05, multiplies by 26 paydays, equals to $307,919.30 for his annual salary.

The ten percent increase from his annual salary is $30,080.71.

As such, the PM’s annual salary of $307,919.30 plus the $30,080.71, results in his new annual salary of $338.000.01.

Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister new annual salary is $304,872.67.

The Ministers, Leader of Opposition and Leader of Independent Group to get $266,123.00.

The Deputy Speaker, Chairperson of Parliamentary Caucus, Chairpersons of Parliamentary Standing Committees to get $241,166.24 and the members to get $218,231.60.

Other benefits include:

  1. meal allowance that increases from $200 to $500;
  2. education allowance increases from $10,000 to $25,000;
  3. appointment grant increase from $10,000 to $15,000;
  4. Clothing allowance (to be differed from outfit) none, with Members to get USD$3000

Why I WIN

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Member of Provincial Assembly for Choiseul Province, Florence Vasaro, is the new minister for Lauru Affairs.

Vasaro’s historic victory come as quite a surprise

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE only female Member of Provincial Assembly for Choiseul Province, Florence Vasaro has described her victory in the recent election as “quite a surprise”.

This is because Choiseul, known as Lauru, is a male dominated culture or society.

Speaking to Island Sun from Taro yesterday, Vasaro believes it was God’s timing that opened the hearts of her people to choose her as their MPA.

She said this is history for ward 5, Babatana, for the people to choose a woman as their provincial leader, as all along men had represented them in the Assembly.

“As someone new to politics, I am a bit scared.

“But I will work closely with my people to promote the Bottom-Up approach to allow service delivery to them,” she said.

Vasaro has no higher education qualifications.

She was a former water and sanitation field officer for Oxfam in Gizo, Western Province.

She was also the Women Coordinator of United Church in Gizo.

After her husband retired from Our Telekom, they returned home, where Vasaro was heavily involved in community work by joining the water supply committee, health committee and church building committee.

She was also empowered by the training programmes initiated by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP’s) SIEC through the Strengthening the Electoral Cycle in the Solomon Islands (SECSIP) in 2012.

Also, she joined the trainings organised by Women’s Rights Action Movement (WRAM), Solomon Islands National Council of Women (SINCW) and Provincial Council of Women.

Vasaro said these trainings have shaped her to become someone today in politics.

She plans to set up a Village Development Committee that comprise of different stakeholders and existing community leaders to work on identify priorities on how best to do better service delivery to the people.

Premier Tongoua Tabe, who represents the small minority group that settled on allocated land of Wagina in Choiseul, has selected Vasaro as the minister for Lauru Affairs.

Vasaro is responsible to look after the affairs of the women, youths and children in the province.

Proposed 7 percent rise in salary & entitlement

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0

By EDDIE OSIFELO

PARLIAMENTARY Entitlement Commission (PEC) has proposed a seven percent increase in relation to the terms and conditions of members of Parliament and not 10 percent, as leaked in the media recently.

This was revealed by PEC to Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU), following their meeting at the Solomon Islands Public Employment Union (SIPEU) office at the National Auditorium, last Friday.

Representatives of the Office of Prime Minister and Cabinet also attended the meeting.

PEC told SICTU the award was based on the two pay increases (3.5 percent and 3.5 percent totalled seven percent) awarded to Public Servants in the last two years.

As such, PEC said the same increase of seven percent was awarded to MPs entitlements, which covers the rising costs of living.

Following the public criticisms over the pay increase for the MPs, PEC has submitted a submission to Cabinet to deliberate on.

Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU) President David Tuhanuku said they will not take any action at the moment because of the submission pending before Cabinet.

Tuhanuku said they will wait for the outcome of Cabinet’s deliberation over the submission by PEC, before deciding on their formal position on the issue.

It was revealed Caucus or Cabinet approved a $13,000 increase to the fortnight salaries of all 50 Members of Parliament under the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission.

The PEC is expected to meet in March to reject or approve the proposal.

Prior to the meeting, PEC also invites MPs and beneficiaries to attend a consultation meeting on February 15, 2023 at their conference room at AJ City Mall Room 42.

The Commission is currently in the process of reviewing the Members of Parliament Entitlement Regulation.

The PEC proposal leaked on social media by the Opposition Group will see the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare awarded an extra $30,000, on top of his annual salary.

This will give the PM’s new annual salary of $338.000.01.

Initially, the PM’s annual salary was $307,919.30.

For example, the current base salary of the Prime Minister is $11,843.05, multiplies by 26 paydays, equals to $307,919.30 for his annual salary.

The ten percent increase from his annual salary is $30,080.71.

As such, the PM’s annual salary of $307,919.30 plus the $30,080.71, results in his new annual salary of $338.000.01.

Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister new annual salary is $304,872.67.

The Ministers, Leader of Opposition and Leader of Independent Group to get $266,123.00.

The Deputy Speaker, Chairperson of Parliamentary Caucus, Chairpersons of Parliamentary Standing Committees to get $241,166.24 and the members to get $218,231.60.

Other benefits include:

  1. meal allowance that increases from $200 to $500;
  2. education allowance increases from $10,000 to $25,000;
  3. appointment grant increase from $10,000 to $15,000;
  4. Clothing allowance (to be differed from outfit) none, with Members to get USD$3000 while PM, DPM, Ministers and Leaders to get USD$7000.

Choiseul gets first female minister

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Member of Provincial Assembly for Choiseul Province, Florence Vasaro, is the new minister for Lauru Affairs.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE only female Member of Provincial Assembly for Choiseul Province, Florence Vasaro, is the new minister for Lauru Affairs.

Premier Tongoua Tabe has selected Vasaro among his eight-member government to serve the province in the next four years.

Tabe said she is the right person on the wheel to look after the affairs of women, youths and children in the province.

Attempts to talk to Vasaro yesterday were unsuccessful.

The other ministerial arrangements are:

Tongoua Tabe – Premier and Minister responsible for Planning and Administration;

Harrison Ngosu Pitakaka – Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Forestry and Natural Resources;

Lincoln Galo – Minister of Finance and Investment;

Patson Sualalu – Minister of Education and Training;

Jones Galo Sepu – Minister of Health and Medical Services;

Simon Polotovae – Minister of Works, Transport and Communication;

Samson Takubala – Minister of Agriculture and Lands

Deputy Speaker – Stiudy Salekana

MPG unveils revised $25m budget

Written by
Samie Waikori
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0

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

MINISTER for Finance and Treasury under MARA government, Nelson Lenty unveiled a revised budget estimate of $24,819,672 to be passed by the end of the current full assembly sitting.

The budget which is under operation will be used until the end of the financial year 2022/2023, which will lapse by the end of March, 2023.

Announcing the budget estimate during his budget speech yesterday, Lenty thanked divisions under the provincial administration in ensuring the budget is prepared.

He said the total revenue budget summary is estimated at $24,819,672 and total expenditure budget summary is estimated at $24,819,672.

Adding that the total recurrent revenue for financial year 2022/2023 is estimated at $19,869,372, an increase of $1,643,818 or  nine percent increase from the 2022/2023 original estimates.

Lenty said of this total recurrent revenue, we have estimated that our local revenue will contribute around SBD7,800,217, SIG through service grant contributes SBD11,636,456, timber right hearing SBD240,873, reserve account of SBD161,826 and MPGIS second appointed day fund of SBD30,000.

He said from the difference of total recurrent revenue less total recurrent expenditure figure, we anticipated a surplus of SBD5,108,700 to cover for the ward funded projects amount to SBD5,008,700 and PCDF co-funding of SBD100,000 in the capital expenditure.

Lenty added that there is a brought forward of SBD1,708,700 for 2021/2022 and SBD3,300,000 for 2022/2023.

He said the total revised recurrent expenditure for financial year 2022/2023 is estimated at SBD14,760,672.

Lenty furthered that the disbursement of these expenditures covers core expenditure levels of the provincial government include; salary and wages, consultancy costs, operational costs, assembly and executive expenditure, debt servicing and repairs and maintenance.

According to the Minister the total revised capital revenue is SBD4,950,300.

He said the new PCDF allocation is SBD1,249,637, commitment carried forward SBD2,260,905, tourism fund SBD500,00, World Bank Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience Programme (IEDCR) SBD312,409 and government for climate change resilience SBD627,349.

Lenty said on the revise capital expenditure, the province plans to spend a total of SBD10,050,000 for this fiscal year.

   

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