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Botanical garden murder incident set for mention

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case of the Botanical Garden murder case will appear at the High Court on Wednesday this week for mention.

This is for the court to get an update on the case from the lawyers.

The case is a part-heard trial matter and prosecution has already called all their witnesses.

Ruben Jayrick Hitu is charged with one count of manslaughter in relation to the incident, which occurred on July 25, 2020.

Defendant Hitu was alleged to have involved in the murder of a 40-year-old man at the upper cliff next to the Botanical Garden in west Honiara.

The allegation said on that morning police were alerted that a person had fallen from the cliff before the entrance gate to the Botanical Garden; police responded to the report and discovered a body at the scene around 7am.

Police said the deceased and his girlfriend had gone up the cliff heading to the Botanical Garden prior to the incident. It is alleged that while the deceased and his girlfriend were at the top of the cliff, two men appeared and attacked the deceased.

Prosecution alleged that the deceased and the partner referred to as JM were having their food at one of the sites on top of the hill when they were approached by two young men who questioned them whether they had had sex.

Police also said that from reports they received the deceased answered them by saying that nothing happened, and it was at that time one of the accused allegedly grabbed the girl, but she resisted and escaped to a distance.

Prosecution also alleged that the girl saw the two men assault the deceased with their fists and legs.

At that time, she rushed down to where she and the deceased had earlier met a group of people but saw no one around so she walked further down and met a man who was not part of the group whom she begged for help.

She returned and looked for her partner but could not find him.

His body was later discovered down the cliff.

Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

KOICA 2023 scholarship for public servants opens

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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BY NED GAGAHE

Korea’s scholarship programme has opened up for interested public servants wishing to pursue Masters in 2023.

The Government of Korea through KOICA is offering Master Degree scholarships to eligible Solomon Islanders for the academic year 2023.

In a statement posted on their Facebook page yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) said the programme was designed to nurture key leaders to advance, promote and contribute to the socia-economic development of their respective countries.

“The 2023 KOICA scholarship program for Master’s Degree is a program designed to nurture key leaders to advance, promote and contribute to the socio-economic development of their respective countries.

“Interested candidates are advised to visit http://www.koica.go.kr/ciat/index.do for further information regarding the offered programs and the application guideline/form is hereby enclosed.

“All applications must be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, addressed to Asia and Africa Political Desk no later than the 6th March 2023.” The statement said.

Wale calls on gov’t to urgently fix bad state of roads in Honiara

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Opposition Leader Matthew C Wale.

OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Wale has called on the government to urgently address the bad state of the roads and drainage in Honiara.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Wale said the current poor state of our roads is a national embarrassment for the government of the day.

He said it is an eyesore and the government needs to urgently address this issue.

“In fact, it is worse than an embarrassment, as it negatively impacts the economy,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said the private sector is right to be very concerned about this terrible and inexcusable state of roads.

Wale said the condition of our roads has gone from bad to worse and is causing a lot of frustration and inconvenience for road users.

“It is becoming obvious that the current bad state of our roads is a reflection of the bad governance and poor leadership in this country,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said the Pacific Games is just months away, and the Government needs to pull up its socks and address these matters with urgency.

He said it is even disturbing to note that roads in Honiara are one of the concerns raised by some visiting pacific delegates to Honiara last year.

Meanwhile, Wale called for the urgent re-establishment of the Public Works Department (PWD).

He said this is to ensure quality, reliable and monitoring of our road infrastructures.

The Opposition Leader also urged the Ministry of Infrastructure Development to support the Honiara City Council PWD to maintain feeder roads.

“There have been millions of dollars pumped into road maintenance in Honiara and around the country yet there has been nothing but failed outcomes. Obviously something is not right,” he said.

–OPPOSITION PRESS

SI assures Forum of commitment to regional architecture.

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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PIF Secretary General, Henry Puna.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

SOLOMON Islands has assured the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna of its commitment to remain engaged throughout the process on the review of the ‘regional architecture’.

The ‘regional architecture’ or ‘Pacific Integration’ came about with the establishment of PIF in 1971, to drive the agenda of Pacific countries colonised by Great Britain, France and others.

Its purpose is to bring all Pacific Island countries together on a platform to discuss ways to deal with pressing issues like climate change and economics and socials issues.

However, with the influence of geo politics, like China in the region recently, the focus of PIF started to shift to dealing with international issues like security, rather than focusing on addressing the plights of islanders.

Australia and New Zealand are the major funders of PIF, that also comprises of Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Speaking at a joint press conference with PIF SG, Puna in Honiara last Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele said the review must strive to ensure that regional institutions and processes remain fit for purpose, reduce duplication, avoid inter-agency competition for mandate and funding and most importantly that it is member state led and driven.

Furthermore, he said integration as part of the Review of the Regional Architecture can also look at allowing for free movement of people across our respective borders and putting wheels on trade frameworks to facilitating movement of products into respective trade markets.

In response to free access to the members, Puna said, “you know that is consistence with the vision of ourselves as Pacific, we are one family.

“When we are family, there is no barriers, there is no holding back, your home is my home.

“And it makes sense for our bigger partners to respect that tradition that they must give us free access to their home,” he said.

Puna said he’s pleased to say that there is progress on the front, that Australia and New Zealand are starting to slowly open their doors to our people.

“So, we can look for optimism to what will happen in the future,” he added.

MORE NURSES LEAVING

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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National Referral Hospital

Senior, experienced health workers going overseas where they are ‘valued’

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO & NED GAGAHE

The country is set to lose hundreds of its experienced nurses following the government’s failure to address their welfare and outstanding issues.

More than a hundred senior nurses have signed up for jobs overseas, especially Australia.

And this number is increasing every day, it is reported.

Reasons behind this mass brain drain include:

1) SINA (Nurses association) issue which has been outstanding since 2020. In November, 2020, following a mass strike by nurses over covid-19 working conditions, the DCGA government responded harshly by suspending SINA and charging eight senior nurses, accusing them of incitement. To this day, nurses have reportedly worked under duress, too afraid to speak up on deteriorating working conditions and welfare problems.

2) Solomon Islands and Honiara is too expensive to live in with the low salaries that nurses receive from the government. Government has ignored nurses, and by removing their platform to voice their plights, SINA, the voices of nurses around the country is suppressed.

One of the nurses who are heading overseas confirmed the news to Island Sun yesterday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“We nurses are frustrated over our condition where government does no reinstate Solomon Island Nursing Association (SINA) as our representative or body that will speak for our issues.

“Also, we nurses want to find greener pastures following the cost of living is very expensive,” the nurse said.

The nurse says, speaking of SINA, it is the body that oversees nurses’ welfares.

“At the moment it is suspended and so there is no body looking after issues of nurses.

“It is like nothing is forthcoming for us nurses. So, we want to find greener pastures outside of the country that does have better conditions. It is an opportunity that most nurses are looking forward to.

“Basically we see that we have more value outside of the country compared to inside the country where we are not recognised because the body that will fight for us is not reinstated,” the nurse said

The source adds by confirming that more than a hundred nurses have submitted their application to the Standard of Care Australia.

“Still more nurses keep submitting their applications.”

The nurse also confirmed that Standard of Care Australia is the recruitment agency.

National Director of Nursing at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Michael Larui told Island Sun yesterday the ministry is not aware of this matter and will investigate it.

Lauri said they will try to find ways to retain experienced nurses who are planning to leave. 

“We cannot lose them. We need to retain them (nurses). I know that most of those who are planning to leave are senior nurses who have been working for more than 20 years with wealth of experience.

“If all of them leave the impact will be felt in our healthcare system,” he said.  

Standard of Care Australia (SOCA) started taking in applications from participants in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu around November 2022.

SOCA’s Pacific Islands director is based in Honiara.

Through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, job seekers from nine Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste can work in Australia’s aged-care sector for a minimum period of one year and up to four years.

SOCA has worked directly with Approved Employers in Aged Care under the PALM Scheme to arrange for the placement of candidates for periods up to four years.

They also assist candidates and employers to apply for and meet the visa requirements under the PALM programme and negotiate training arrangements for candidates in Australia.

SOCA also works with candidates to arrange travel, accommodation, living allowances and employer loans for costs not covered by their employment contract.

PIMEU team assists WPG with its policy

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Special Secretary to the Prime Minister Albert Kabui. Photo supplied

BY BEN BILUA

POLICY, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (PIMEU) officials from the Prime Minister’s Office last week paid a courtesy visit to the Premier of Western Province.

The team also assisted the Western Provincial Government formulate its policy.

This followed a request made by Western Provincial Assembly and the Premier’s Office to the Prime Minister’s office.

“It was a successful discussion. We have discussed couples of subjects and has reached a fruitful resolution,” Special Secretary to the Prime Minister, Albert Kabui said.

He said the aim and objective of the discussion was to align national policies with the policy of Western Province.

Albert said the policy will provide a clear path for Western Province’s Appropriation Budget 2023/2024 which will be tabled in March this year.

He explained that policy formulation and prioritization is important to draft the province’s budget as well as aligning national budgets and allocation to sectors that affiliate with provincial developments and services deliveries.

“What happen during our meeting was, Western Provincial Assembly seeking clarification on government policies especially priorities of different sectors within the national government.

“We have fundamental sector, productive sector and service sector. These sectors are vital organ of the central government adding aligning provinces’ policies to achieve the overall mission, vision and objectives of these sectors will not only bring positive outcome for the central government but also enhance service delivery and production sectors in the provinces.

“This is where both the central government and provincial government policies must be aligned,” Kabui said.

He adds that discussions during the meeting have been centered towards infrastructure development, Federal system, Human Resource development and land reform.

“From a practical point of view, it is important to align policies but it is equally important that there are human resources to implement the policies.

“The same goes to other development ambitions, for example; cooperation is needed to carry out infrastructure development, land reform and the much talked about federal system,” Kabui said.

He said the best take away from the meeting was the assurance between Western Province and the Prime Minister’s office to establish greater cooperation going forward.

Kabui said Choiseul Province is also looking at the same procedure and his team is likely to have discussion with the Premier and executive of the province later.

SI YOUTHS CLIMATE CHAMPS

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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PIF Secretary General, Henry Puna

Forum recognises our young people as strong advocates at COP26 & COP27

By EDDIE OSIFELO

PACIFIC Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna has acknowledged the young people of Solomon Islands to be strong advocates as youth climate champions, at the COP26 and COP27.

COP 26 was held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, from October 31 to November 13, 2021.

While, the recent COP 27 was held in held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from November 6 until November 20, 2022.

Speaking to media in a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele in Honiara last Thursday, Puna said he was really encouraged by the participation of our young people, because all the work that they do in climate change is for their sake.

“Isn’t it?

“We want to leave the world behind the same way even better the way we found it,” he said.

Puna said that is the least that they have to do for their young people.

“So, thank you to the young people of Solomon Islands for being so active advocates in assisting us spread our message on the global forum.

“In this particular regard, I want to acknowledge the young champion, Gladys Habu, who have been with us in Glasgow in COP 26, and also with us at the Ocean Conference in Lisbon, last June,” he said.

Puna said she (Habu) is an excellent advocate not just for the Solomon Islands but for our region.

“You should be proud of her,” he added.

Furthermore, Puna is happy to see Australia come on board and align her policies on the concerns of climate change in the region.

He said climate change is an existential threat that they have all acknowledge and accept as the greatest threat to our region.

“And we have been pushing and pushing very hard and we will continue to push.

“We starting to see ray of sunshine but there is still a lot of work to do,” he said.

However, Puna said but the comfort to him is the fact that Australia is now starting to come onboard and align the policies with the concerns that they have expressed as a region.

“So, I want to congratulate the Australia Government for the new change that they are bringing about so that they are more align with the concerns that we the Pacific states have experienced and have continue to experience,” he added.

Puna has left the country last Thursday after choosing Solomon Islands as a first stop over to meet with Heads of Government, officials, civil society and private sectors.

MPG onto relocation of Auki bonito market

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Auki bonito market at the old Auki market area.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Malaita provincial government is working on relocating Auki’s bonito market from the old area back to the Auki main market.

Deputy Provincial Secretary, Mr David Filia Tuita said about two years ago the bonito market was removed from the Auki main market due to an upgrade being carried out on the designated area for the business.

Tuita said this was to make sure the business is carried out in a clean and hygienic environment.

He said the facility has been ready since, but bonito vendors are still using the old Auki market area.

Tuita said his office understands that there are advantages like vendors are not paying fee for doing business at the current site, but that is not the matter.

He said MPG is concerned with all services provided in Auki town to be at the right and designated places for the operation of the provincial town.

Tuita said business activities such as the bonito market must be at the right place.

He said Auki bonito market is ready and they are working with vendors and owners of the current site for the relocation of the bonito market back to Auki main market.

MPG calls for stop to street market in Auki

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Auki provincial town of Malaita.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

MALAITA provincial government is calling on street market vendors to stop.

It threatens ‘tougher’ measures if vendors do not adhere to this call.

Deputy Provincial Secretary, Mr David Filia Tuita made the call following MPG’s plan to get tough on the illegal activity within Auki’s CBD area.

He said there is a provincial litter ordinance that prohibits such business activities along the street of Auki.

Tuita said the ordinance exists to advocate for hygiene and cleanliness of Auki town, which is for the benefit of everyone and it must be respected.

He said however people continue to carry out market activities which mostly involve betel-nut, smoke and cooked food at undesignated areas within the town.

Tuita said his office understands that illegal markets go on at the old Auki market during nights when ships arrive and even in front of Auki main market.

He said there are designated areas for cooked food, betel-nut and smokes to be sold and those involved in the activity know about it.

SI commends Forum stand against nuclear dumping

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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PIF Secretary General, Henry Puna

By EDDIE OSIFELO

SOLOMON Islands has commended the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna for pushing the region’s interest to stop Japan from discharging nuclear wastes into the Pacific ocean.

Japan is moving to start dumping one million tonnes of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the Pacific Ocean, in few months’ time.

This treated water was used to clean up the Fukushima plant after the nuclear accident that followed the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.

The US National Association of Marine Laboratories said there was a lack of adequate and accurate scientific data supporting Japan’s assertion of safety.

Speaking at the joint press conference with Puna in Honiara yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Maneli said indeed much of our economy and livelihoods depend upon the resources within our ocean.

He said Solomon Islands welcomes further engagement with Japan on this matter to ensure all the necessary data and information needed to reassure Pacific countries that our ocean will not be affected in the slightest way, are obtained and scientifically verified.

“We are a region that has experienced first-hand the effects of the negative impacts of a nuclear testing legacy and it is our wish that such events do not repeat themselves.

“As a signatory to the 1985 Rarotonga Treaty, Solomon Islands remains supportive of a nuclear free region,” he said.

Furthermore, Puna said he has taken the responsibly on his shoulders and have been pushing hard with Japan to at least defer the proposed discharge for as early as March or April until the agreement that they reached with the Japan Prime Minister in 2011 is accomplished.

“And that agreement basically says that Japan will not proceed with discharge until all international consultations, international law and independent verifiable scientific evidence and assessments have been made and successfully completed,” he said.

However, Puna said he pleased that the Japanese Prime Minister has finally agreed to meet with a high-level delegation from our region and he’s intend to part of the mission on the 7th of March.

“It will be good to have face to face with Japanese Prime Minister to give to him the earnest and humbly plea from the Pacific Region, that this has the potential impacts to damage our livelihoods, our fishery livelihood, our livelihood as people that depend very much and well connected to the ocean in both our cultures and identity,” he added.

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