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Investigations of nurses selling drug launched: Larui

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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National Director of Nursing, MHMS Michael Larui. Photo by M Larui.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

INVESTIGATIONS on nurses selling drugs is in progress, says National Director of Nursing, Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), Michael Larui.

Mr Larui said the investigation was launched soon after a nurse advisory group met two weeks ago.

This is because this matter was also one topics of discussion, they have exchanged words about.

“So what they initiated is, number one we prepared a memo /circular to go to all the rural health clinics and the health centers about this and investigations is now started.

“So, we have begun our investigations, at this time I don’t have any update of the investigation,” he said.

Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Health and Medical Services Pauline McNeil has said selling of drugs procured and donated by the government and other donors is illegal.

“The selling o it is illegal because we actually distribute those drugs equally and equitably across all health facilities.

“Now the challenge with us, is that we don’t have the evidence, people don’t come forward with the evidence so it is difficult for us to take actions, not until we have those evidence to say that person XYZ is doing this then we can have some established facts around it but we don’t have. Probably people are scared to come forward.

“So, am also urging the public that if you have information about this selling of drugs, please come forward too so that we have other documentation and the establishment of the fact, so that we can also follow through,” McNeil said.    

MV Marina Sea fare increases

Written by
Ben Bilua
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MV Marine. Photo supplied.

BY BEN BILUA

THE Management of Easy Line Shipping Services has announced that sea fare for MV Marina will increase as of its next trip to Western Province.

One of the crew made the announcement during M.V Marina’s recent trip this week.

The crew said MV Marine will charge passenger $555 as of next week.

The crew was unable to give reasons as to why Easy Line Shipping Service Management has decided to increase its sea fare.

MV Marina’s sea fare was SBD455 and the passenger cargo boat is one among other ships that provides shipping services to Western Province.

MV Marina normally leave Honiara on Saturday and return on Monday every week.

SINA taskforce works closely with Trade Union to lift suspension

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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National Director of Nursing, MHMS Michael Larui. Photo by M Larui.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO 

THE suspended Solomon Islands Nurses Association (SINA) is currently working closely with the registrar of Trade Union to lift the suspension.

This is according to the National Director of Nursing, Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Michael Larui.

Larui said the taskforce Chairperson and Secretary met with registry of Trade Union last week and came to an understanding where the requirements of Trade Union is to submit certain reports and returns to allow the Registry of Trade Union to consider lifting of the suspension and eventually reinstate the association.

He said prior to this they also had a meeting with Health’s permanent secretary and have submitted a request to the Attorney General through the permanent secretary.

Larui said the Attorney General advised them to submit an application to the registry of Trade union.

“In which we did, our taskforce Chair and General Secretary make submission to the registry of Trade Union and so, there was a follow-up meeting in that meeting we found that there is currently now a progress, progress in the sense that we are working very closely in the registry of Trade Union on how to address it because apart from State of Public Emergency there are also administrative issues affecting the association,” he said.

Larui adds, SINA is a professional association for nurses of the country.

During the period of the pandemic under the SOPE the association was suspended due to the action they made which was contrary to government regulations.

Cyclone Judy upgrades to category-two storm

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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BY NED GAGAHE


Tropical Cyclone Judy has been upgraded to category two storm as it gains momentum and moving slowly towards northern waters of Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands Meteorological Services (SIMS) confirmed in Tropical cyclone warning number-five issued at 1.30pm yesterday.


SIMS also warned that the tropical low-pressure system in the Coral Sea is also approximately 410 nautical miles (761 km) west-southwest of Rennell and Bellona province.


At 1.30pm yesterday (Tuesday 28th February 2023) Tropical Cyclone Judy was located approximately 101 nautical miles (187 km) south of Tikopia Island.


“Cyclone Judy is moving southwest at 06 knots towards northern waters of Vanuatu and intensifying. Whilst the tropical low in the Coral Seas is moving northeast at 22 knots towards Rennell and Bellona province.


As such, SIMS warned that a tropical cyclone warning is still current for Temotu province and tropical disturbance is enforced for the remaining provinces.


“Situation: at 11:00 am (Tuesday), tropical cyclone Judy (category two) with a central pressure of 980 hectopascals was located near 14.0 degrees latitude south and 168.7 degrees longitude east. This is located approximately 101 nautical miles (187 km) south of Tikopia Island, Temotu province.


“At 11:00am (Tuesday), the tropical low in the Coral Sea with a central pressure of 1003 hectopascals was located near 12.6 degrees latitude south and 153.1 longitude east. This is located approximately 410 nautical miles (761 km) west-southwest of Rennell & Bellona province.


“Cyclone Judy is moving southwest at 06 knots towards northern waters of Vanuatu and intensifying. Whilst the tropical low in the coral seas is moving northeast at 22 knots towards Rennell and Bellona province.


“Expect gales force winds of 34 to 47 knots (63- 87 kilometers per hour) near and over whole of Temotu province and over Rennel and Bellona within in the next 24 hours with very rough seas and moderate to heavy swells (3.5 – 5.0 meters) and potential coastal flooding.
“Elsewhere (other provinces), expect winds of 20 to 30 knots (37- 56 kilometers per hour) increasing to 33 knots (61 kilometers per hour) with moderate to rough seas and moderate swells.


“Rain and thunderstorms, heavy at times is expected over most provinces.
“Such bad weather may lead to possible landslide and flooding over communities living near hill slopes, close to large rivers, streams and low-lying areas.


“Sea travelers are urged to consider safety actions as such heavy rain can reduce visibility.
“Motorists are also advised to use extreme caution when travelling on road. Do not attempt to cross rivers and large streams of unknown depth.


“People should take precautionary measures as bad weather associated with the tropical cyclone poses threats to lives and properties.
“Please share this information to people with disabilities.
“Please listen to SIBC and all media outlets for further updates. SIMS said

MHMS seeking funds for mental health facility work: PS McNeil

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Pauline McNeil.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services is looking at locating funds to improve the mental health facility at National Referral Hospital this year.

This was after the contractor could not start work on the facility due to delay of payment after the Central Tender Board had awarded the tender already.

Permanent secretary of MHMS, Pauline McNeil said they are picking up on it this year so they can locate funds and allow construction to start.

Furthermore, McNeil said they have finalised the Mental Health policy last year and should go to Cabinet early next month, so they can have legal regulation around mental health in the country.

She said once get out of way, they can move on to legislate mental health issues.

According to Ashok N. Singh and Paul Orotaloa, mental health has been attracting increasing attention in the Solomon Islands, with growing support for the adoption of a broad national mental health policy.

Following agreement between the Ministry of Health and medical services, and the World Health Organization, a short-term consultant was mobilised from October 2008 to January 2009 to assist with the development of this policy.

As part of the intensive consultation process, over 120 individuals were interviewed, including senior national and provincial staff of the Ministry of Health, non-governmental organisations, church leaders and relatives and carers for people with mental disorders.

The feedback from a workshop and the consultation process was then incorporated into the national mental health policy.

The Mental Treatment Act 1970 consolidated the law relating to people of unsound mind and makes better provision for the care of persons suffering from mental disorders and for their custody, as well as governing the management and control of mental hospitals.

There is now an attempt to include community and primary care facilities within the remit of the Act.

The Act was amended in 1995 by two external consultants and attempts are now being made for its revision and passage through Parliament.

The country’s sole consultant psychiatrist (the second author) is responsible for the assessment of persons suffering from mental disorder under the Act. Formal mental health services in the Solomon Islands date back to 1950, when an asylum was established in Honiara, the capital.

It was principally a place for custody of anyone considered a danger to society or unable to care for themselves. In 1977, the government built a new 15-bed mental hospital on the grounds of Kilu’ufi Hospital in Auki, Malaita Province.

In 1984, 12 new beds were added to accommodate female patients.

Like its predecessor, the facility lacked qualified mental health staff and adequate resources.

NEW RULE,NEW RUE

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0

MFAET warns public not to make use of seasonal work application for financial gains

BY NED GAGAHE

Some people are charging seasonal work applicants money in exchange for helping them upload their applications online, it is reported.

And, the ministry of foreign affairs (MFAET) is warning those involved in this opportunistic activity to stop.

In a media statement yesterday MFAET warned public ‘not to capitalise on the current Labour Mobility Unit recruitment drive for financial gains’.

This new development has popped up following MFAET’s new requirement that applications for seasonal work in Australia and New Zealand under the labour mobility scheme must be submitted electronically.

MFAET has disallowed submission of applications by hand.

This entails that applicants either apply through the MFAET online application portal, or email their application documents to the MFAET labour mobility email address.

This new requirement has reportedly disadvantaged people who do not have emails, or do not access the internet, or are without savvy on the internet, computer or smart phones.

People who find themselves in such situations are forced to seek out people who can help them email their applications, or apply online.

Hence, some people are reportedly helping out but not without a fee.

“Internet is not free too!” one commentator on facebook defends this action, adding that it is only a small cash incentive in exchange for helping someone who would have otherwise not be able to launch his or her application to MFAET, since the ministry is no longer accepting delivery by hand.

MFAET yesterday said it is aware that certain individuals are going around using the process to charge people financial fees to upload their application documents in light of the two-week window which is currently open for submission from February 27 to March 10.

As such, MFAET is urging public not to capitalise on the current LMU recruitment process for financial gains.

MFAET said only registered businesses are allowed to provide such services to the public and anyone capitalising for their own benefit is breaking the law.

“Those found to be involved in such activity will be reported to the Police.” MFAET said.

Meanwhile, online and email submissions for the Labour Mobility Unit Work Ready Pool opened on Monday, February 27 and will close on March 10.

Honiara road work to begin after PG23

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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MID Permanent Secretary (PS) Stephen Maesiola

By EDDIE OSIFELO

WORK on the improving and extending the existing four-lane road, from the central market through to White River (approximately 5km) will start after the Pacific Games.

The Pacific Games will be held in Honiara from November 19 and December 2.

Ministry of Infrastructure Development permanent secretary, Stephen Maesiola confirmed to media last Friday that work cannot start this year because ‘during the Games it will be very busy and the work will disturb traffic flow’.

The works include improvements to road drainage, longer lasting asphalt surfacing, together with road signs, markings, bus-shelters & street lighting.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation or CCECC was awarded the contract to upgrade the road by Asian Development Bank through an international tender process.

This for the first phase of the Land and Maritime Connectivity Project (LMCP).

Maesiola said CCECC has started work on the 2-lane road from the Honiara International Airport to Mberande, which is a 30 km road.

During the signing of the contracting agreement between Government and CCECC in May last year, Minister of National Planning and Development Coordinate and Supervising Minister of Finance and Treasury, Rex Ramofafia revealed that the DCGA Government has recognises the provision and improvement of National transport infrastructure is crucial in promoting corresponding improvements to the social and economic development of the Solomon Islands and identified the need for action to be taken in respect of major roads, wharves & port facilities within both the main urban centres and outlying rural areas.

The minister further revealed that to facilitate this comment the Government have arranged financing amounting to approximately USD 170 million, with assistance from the ADB, for improvements to selected infrastructure, that include roads & wharves in and around Honiara as well as in the provinces of Makira and Rennell & Bellona.

The second phase of the LMCP project will include 2 domestic wharfs in these provinces and the rehabilitation of the international Wharf in Honiara.

Minister Rex finally expressed his gratitude and confirm that the impact of the project, once complete, will be to contribute to a more efficient, safer and sustainable transport system that will improve access to education, health and social service facilities as well as offering increased opportunities to local businesses and general improvement in the overall wellbeing of the people of the Solomon Islands.

ESP report to be tabled in parl

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE report of the Economic Stimulus Package is ready and will be tabled in Parliament.

Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Florence Joel confirmed this to media in a press conference last Friday.

Island Sun understands Government had engaged the Asian Development Bank to review the ESP.

Government had engaged more than 50 youths who went out to the provinces to conduct interviews in 2021.

However, they could not complete their assignments last year due to Covid-19, but they did follow up with the beneficiaries of the ESP through phone interviews.

According to Solomon Times, a public opinion research by USAID released in August 2021 says there is lack of transparency in the ESP.

The report says widespread lack of awareness about the ESP in particular has led to unrealistic expectations across provinces which, unmet, channel people’s frustration toward the government and those groups or individuals suspected of unfairly benefiting from this program.

In the absence of clear qualification criteria and verification mechanisms, research participants were concerned that the ESP has opened opportunities for preferential allocation and misuse of money, and called on the government to assess allowability of expenditures.

About $118.9 million was allocated for ESP in the 2021 budget.

OPEN FOR APPLY

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0
MFAET Permanent Secretary, Collin Beck

2-week window of opportunity for seasonal work applications begins today, ends Friday March 10

THE new recruitment drive for workers to work in New Zealand and Australia opened 12am this morning (February 27) and closes on March 10.

Solomon Islanders between 21 to 50 years old are eligible to apply for the programme.

However, this year, the Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade has introduced online and email submissions and not hand delivery of applications to the office.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Collin Beck told media recently that they have learnt some lessons from 2021 when LMU received nearly 8000 applicants.

He said when they used the manual approach, it took them nearly two years just to keep interviewing, processing and data and at the same time mobilising workers.

“For this submission, next round of recruitment, we are asking everyone to do digitally to allow data come and go straight to data base,” he said.

Beck said there will be demonstration on this.

There will be a video demonstration on how to make submission.

The online submission can be done online via this link: https://solomon.pacificlabour.org/register

While email submissions can be sent through to this email address: [email protected]

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Have a valid passport.
  2. Applicants must be fit and healthy / not colour blind.
  3. Able to consistently lift 30kg from the floor.
  4. Able to work standing for extended periods of time.
  5. Applicants must be of good character with a strong work ethic.
  6. Have no Criminal Convictions or police records (or any ongoing criminal /court cases)
  7. Not consume alcohol
  8. Must be able to work on Weekends (Saturdays and/or Sundays)
  9. Applicants are encouraged to get vaccinated for Covid-19.

All applications must include:

  1. A cover letter (Expression of interest) outlining why you are interested to join the WRP to work in Australia. (Required)
  2. Applicants must include a CV that includes education and work experience including relevant dates. (required)
  3. Reference letters from previous employer/educational institutions/church leaders/community leaders are accepted. (required)
  4. Academic certificates (optional but encouraged)
  5. A copy of your passport bio-page, copy of receipt from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) is accepted (required)
  6. Valid Driving license (optional but encouraged)
  7. A full body length photo of yourself. (required)
  8. A copy of your Vaccine Card. (required)
  9. Include a recent Police Clearance certificate, copy of receipt from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) is accepted.  (required)

In the meantime, the LMU team will make an outreach to underrepresented provinces to do recruitment in order to spread the wealth from the Labour Mobility nationwide.

The scheduled provinces are:

– Makira: week of 27th February

– Temotu: Week of 6th March

– Isabel: Week of 13th March

MLHS discussions on
grave yard progressing

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MINISTRY of Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS) is discussing road access to the newly identified graveyard site.

This is according to the Permanent Secretary Stanley Walenisia.

“Now we are progressing discussion on access road to go there and will be led by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and of course the Honiara City Council is also one important player. HCC will work to finalise the cemetery plan which will have foot paths and also set aside burial sites for adults and children,” Walenisia said.

He said through the team work of the Ministry of Lands and two three ministries involved, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Prime Minister’s Office on the policy side they have already identified the land and is around 10 hectares

“We have already come up with master plan under the Ministry of Lands. We have already identified where the cemetery will sit.

“As part of the plan a church building is proposed to be built there, to accommodate funeral services near the grave yard. There will also be a cremation facility,” Walenisia said.

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