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PELE S.O.S CALL

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Manuopo mini hospital

MHMS to ‘send contractor tomorrow’

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

PEOPLE of Pele in the Reef Islands, Temotu Province are said to be desperately in need of health services following incomplete work on the Manuopo mini hospital.

And, they are calling for the government to intervene and see to the ‘quick completion of Manuopo mini hospital’.

The ministry of health (MHMS) says it will send the contractor to the site tomorrow (Thursday) to complete the work.

“Pele people in the Reef Islands of Temotu Province are calling on the contractor and the responsible ministry to quickly complete the outstanding works that are yet to be done at Manuopo mini hospital. It took the contractor almost three years now. 

“There are some patients admitted that need good medical services but are being denied because of the poor facilities. There are also some deaths that could be avoided if the hospital is operational,” a media statement by community leaders of Pele this week said.

“We call all upon the government to quickly intervene; if the current contractor cannot live up to the anticipated timeline better still cancel their contract and get a new one. People of Pele cannot tolerate the delay.

“We asked those involve in the project not to politise it for their own political gains rather work together to ensure the hospital is complete and ready to operate to serve the people of Pele.”

The MHMS in response to Island Sun enquiries admits that the Monuopo Area Health Centre in the Reef Islands is incomplete, which is caused by a lot of factors which include bad weather, poor road access, and the November riots.

“This Thursday 23rd February, the contractor will return to the site to complete the remaining work, which includes the tiling of a few rooms in the clinic house and the varnishing of the reception area with few plumbing tasks.

“Remaining work for staff house is the internal tiling inside the shower and a little plumbing work.

“As per the progress report from the contractor, the Ministry is mobilising a team from its infrastructure department to conduct an inspection of the Monuopu health centre in the next two weeks for verification purposes and once all requirements and takes are fulfilled a date will be set for the official opening of the health facility.

“The project encountered some delays along the way, that is caused by

-Very poor road access to the construction site- from Nyialo to Monuopo causing difficulties in moving materials from the wharf area to the site. The contractor had to use excavators and boats to transport materials to the construction site.

-Bad weather for most parts of 2020 in the Reef Islands also contributed to the delay. At one stage, workers could not work for two and half months straight due to very bad weather.

-The COVID-19 community transmission in 2022 with the movement restrictions, to and fro the province, imposed by the provincial government had also contributed to the delay. For four months workers were not able to proceed with construction.

-In Late 2021 and 2022 riot and looting, contractor’s commitment was affected due to the burning down of its assets at Henderson and Ranadi,” the MHMS said.

SITESA yet to give scholarship awards: CEO Nasi

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority (SITESA) is still to give award letters to new scholarship recipients for tertiary education this year.

This after the selected students are still to submit their police clearance, medical report and final semester transcripts of Form 7 last year.

SITESA Chief Executive Officer, Constance Nasi confirmed this during the press conference last Friday.

Mrs Nasi said at this stage, the process reaches conditional offer.

“Students still to upload final requirement, police clearance, medical clearance and final recent transcripts.

“Since assessment in November, they use Semester 1 transcript, so need to submit final transcript for recent,” she added.

Furthermore, Mrs Nasi said the results will be free after the Board approves it.

Unlike in the past, the results were posted on the website.

Apart from that, Nasi said scholarships are allocated to students based on labour market needs of this country.

She said this was agreed through consultation with Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination and Ministry of Public Service and private sectors like Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce.

Further to that, she said allocation of scholarships are based on the budget of the ministry.

Mrs Nasi said if student reach Grade Point Average of 3.0, it means you are academically competent.

However, the second thing is allocation of programmes base on the budget.

SITASA, also a regulator, was established through that SITESA Bill passed in Parliament in 2017.

The Act commenced by Government Gazette on 23 September 2019. 

The objective of the Authority is to ensure that tertiary education and skills development drives the Solomon Islands future needs for a highly skilled and productive workforce which will make a strong contribution to the country’s economic and social development.

The strategic role of the Authority is providing the leadership and governance to set national tertiary skills strategy; national policy development and implementation; engaging and partnering with the private sector; promoting tertiary and vocational skills development; national tertiary and skills planning, regulating and funding and grants; capacity development of the sector for all facets of tertiary and vocational skills development including higher education in the Solomon Islands.

SITESA’s governance Board will have strong representation from the private sector who are the employers of graduates from tertiary providers.

We will publish the scholarship list: Nasi

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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BY NED GAGAHE

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority (SITESA) Constance Nasi has assured that the scholarship list will be published once it is ready and approved by SITESA’s Board.

SITESA recently faced wide criticism from public for their silence on the SIG scholarship list.

This followed SITESA informing public that successful scholarship recipients will be notified secretly via their online SITESA portal.

However, responding to that in a media conference last week CEO Nasi said at this stage no scholarship has been awarded yet and they are yet to finalise and publish the list of successful recipients.

“At the moment we’ve just reached the conditional offer stages where students need to produce and uploaded their relevant documents such as police clearance, medical results and latest student’s academic transcripts before there are awarded their scholarships.”

Nasi said they are obligated under act of parliament to release and publish the list of recipients.

She said once the list is finalised and approved by the board it will be published via their website.

Also speaking during the media conference SITESA Director Quality Assurance Gibson Philip explained that SITESA also received feedbacks from government stakeholders such as government ministries of the training needs of the country.

He also clarified why some students with GPA 4 were not selected.

“If you have one programme for example agriculture, spaces are there and the allocation is two spaces as well. We have the other one maybe public health allocation is two spaces as well.

“Let’s assume 10 people with GPA-4, only two applied for agriculture and eight applied for public health. How do we actually select. Now the public think that those with GPA-4 will get selected and awarded a scholarship. If there are only four spaces, (two each for sectors). Those two who have applied agriculture will be automatically selected whilst for the public health only two students will be awarded scholarship.” He explained.

He also further explained that they also looked at how students developed their training plan and whether it is in line with the government priorities when applied for the scholarship.

“In order to be selected you need to develop a training plan and how it is in line with government priorities.

“We also received from stakeholders in terms of the training needs of the country. What jobs will be needed in the future or sectors which the government priorities.” Philip explained.

Meanwhile, CEO Nasi also revealed that for this year government only allocated $250 million compared to past years $413 million.

MHMS documentation management was inconsistent: OAG Report

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Released audited reports from the Office of the Auditor General ( OAG).

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

AUDIT report of the Office of the Auditor General has found that the Ministry of Health and Medical Services documentation management was inconsistent with covid-19 funds between April and December, 2020.

“Documentation management was inconsistent with some documents not able to be found, signatures of authorising officers varying from document to document and handwritten changes to documents after signature,” the OAG report states.

Office of the Auditor General says where significant errors are made in documentation MHMS should ensure that documentation should is recreated and reauthorised rather than being changed by hand and copies of all key documents which support payments are maintained in the Ministry.

“MMHS should ensure that key signatures have been verified before documentation is sent to Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) for payment,” OAG report says.

In response the Ministry of Health said management had agreed to the recommendations and had proposed to do the following:

“· The MHMS will comply by taking a sample of all key signatures of the accountable officers in the ministry.

· The ministry will through the offices of the HODs, Accounts and Procurement, will address this. Where major errors are noted, the request will be cancelled and instruction will be given to recreate and re submit proposal.

· The ministry through workshops and conferences and supervisory tours and on a one to one basis with officers will remind officers of this recommendation,” Ministry of Health said.

ZERO RECORD

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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The audit report released by the Office of the Auditor General.

$7.3 million spent, 32 charters, MID without documentation: OAG Report

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Infrastructure Development could not produce any documentation of a quotation of the 32 ship charters to repatriate people in Honiara to their home provinces during the covid 19 pandemic.

The total cost of the 32 individual voyages was $7.3 million.

The Office of the Auditor General reveals this in its thematic compliance audit report released last week.

Solomon Islands Government Procurement and Contract Manual [PCAM] allows that single ship charters may be done on the basis of a single quotation as an exemption from the normal procurement rules.

However, the audit report found that the Ministry did not appear to have any documentation of a quotation for any of these voyages although MID had sought bid waivers which were approved through the CTB.

“The written waiver approvals were granted by the CTB only long after the Government was already committed to pay the vendors for the voyage.

“All other available procurement documentation was dated after the voyages had occurred,” audit report revealed.

Furthermore, the audit report found that for the vendor who provided the most trips, for expenditure of $2.5 million, neither the Ministry (MID) nor Ministry of Finance and Treasury was able provide any documentation, not even a Payment Voucher.

The audit report states the proclamation of a State of Public Emergency creates a situation where ministries may apply to the CTB for a Bid Waiver.

“The reason for each Bid Waiver request still has to be justified and the granting of such a waiver cannot be taken for granted.

“For a public officer to engage a contractor without competing bids before a bid waiver has been granted is in contravention of the Financial Instructions and according to those Instructions will be ‘dealt with in accordance with the “Non-compliance, Misconduct and Penalties” section of Chapter 1 of the Financial Instructions.’,” audit report states.

As such, the audit report states the failure to document reasons for selecting a single supplier meant that decision-making before work started or goods were delivered was invisible, so one-one may be held accountable for those decisions.

“During testing of transactions OAG also found that not all relevant documentation could be located for all transactions.

“These ranged from the directives from the Oversight Committee which may have prompted the Ministry to initiate some of these procurements, to supporting documentation for some transactions,” audit report states.

Furthermore, audit report states many Bid Waivers were approved by the CTB but only a few of the Bid Waiver submissions were located.

“The quality of documentation to support ship charters was variable.

“Some companies provided copies of ship logs and passenger manifests, others merely provided a one-line invoice,” audit report reveals.

“In one case, a procurement of repatriation charters for $2,455,269.50, the Ministry was not even able to provide a Payment Voucher.

“The original document is missing from MoFT and the Ministry did not have a copy, even an electronic one,” audit report states.

The OAG conducted this audit in accordance with International Standards for Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI) namely the ISSAI 400: Compliance Audit Principles and ISSAI 4000: Compliance Audit Standard issued by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the Ministry managed COVID-19Procurement in accordance with relevant laws, policies and regulations of Solomon Islands Government. These include the Public Financial Management Act 2013, the Interim Financial Instructions currently in force and the Solomon Islands Government Procurement and Contract Manual (PCAM).

Rented quarantine accommodation lacked documentation to verify selection

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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The audit report released by the Office of the Auditor General.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services have no supporting documentation to verify why particular properties had been selected as quarantine centres.

The audit report released by the Office of the Auditor General stated this.  

“In the case of properties rented for quarantine accommodation there is a lack of supporting documentation to verify why particular properties had been selected as quarantine centres which met the ‘liveable condition’ requirement as designated by the World Health Organisation,” the OAG report said.

Additionally the Office of the Auditor General could not verify if suppliers were selected because they have established accounts with them as described in the Procurement & Contract Administration Manual 2013 (PCAM), or for some other reason.

The report says Ministry responses and information in bid waiver applications indicate that officers have asserted that suppliers or contractors have the technical and financial capacity to carry out required task in the short period of time, but the OAG was not provided with any supporting documentation to justify this assessment, or analysis of their financial and technical capacity.

In many cases, vendors appeared to be selected by a single officer with no documentation of the reason for the decision. There was generally no supporting documentation provided to know if the Ministry had enquired with other suppliers or contractors before picking the preferred one the report stated.

Further to that OAG said the health Ministry also advised that procurement related to COVID19 activities was informed by the procurement guidelines issued by Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) and that financial matter are informed by the Public Financial Management Act 2013 (PFMA) and the Financial Instructions. Instead of a competitive selection process, the key control in the procurement process became consideration of the bid waiver application by Central Tender Board.

“Other controls are the authorities and delegation of duties to the PS, Accountant General and other accounting officers that are involved in the process. OAG notes that in many cases these authorities and delegations were exercised after the fact of the procurement.

The failure to document reasons for selecting a single supplier meant that decision-making before work started or goods were delivered was invisible, so one-one may be held accountable for those decisions,” the OAG report said.

Ministry of environment describes OAG Report as ‘fair’

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology (MECCDM), Dr Melchior Mataki.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

PERMANENT Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology (MECCDM), Dr Melchior Mataki has described the ‘thematic compliance audit report’ as very fair.

The Office of the Auditor General conducted this audit in accordance with International Standards for Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI) namely the ISSAI 400: Compliance Audit Principles and ISSAI 4000: Compliance Audit Standard issued by the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

The objective of this audit was to assess whether the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in MECCDM managed COVID-19 Procurement in accordance with relevant laws, policies and regulations of Solomon Islands Government.

These include the Public Financial Management Act 2013, The National Disaster Council Act 1989, Emergency Powers Acts for COVID-19, the Interim Financial Instructions currently in force and the Solomon Islands Government Procurement and Contract Manual (PCAM).

In the report, it was found that bloated prices of goods and services popped up which ate away the covid-19 funds.

For example, $400 for one pillow and $130 for one blanket, provided to the national referral hospital (NRH), seen in an invoice of $99,500 dated May 25, 2020.

Documents were missing, which would have provided information to prove that public funds were well spent.

Mataki said it’s a fair report that point areas and certain gaps they have need to address.

However, he said a lot of procurement and management in place, they are conducive for normal type of situation they have.

“When comes to emergency, sometimes bit difficult.

“I do not want to say that those areas we don’t follow process, I think the situation cause this. If you are to have a flight, ensure to get quarantine station up and running for people go inside,” he said.

Mataki said if suppliers have not been paid, what do you do in that kind of situation?

“We have come to breach.

“We have to deal with suppliers willing to provide goods and suppliers upfront on credit,” he added.

Furthermore, the audit report found NDMO has purchased two brand new expensive vehicles using the covid-19 fund were not relevant to the purpose of the fund.

“One significant procurement appeared to be unrelated to the pandemic. The NDMO chose to supplement its vehicle fleet with the addition of two new Toyota vehicles at a cost of $677,500.”

However, Mataki said there is a need to run emergency and need for logistic capability.

He said the audit report speaks for itself but they try their best to comply with Public Finance and Management Act and Financial Instructions.

Mataki said timeliness is also an issue in emergency.

“But we are definitely committed to address the gaps and review the process and ensure to repeat that,” he said.

Apart from this, Deputy Commissioner National Security and Operation Support Ian Vaevaso said police is willing to assess the audit report.

He said police can do follow up on the report if there are criminal elements in it.

Therefore, Vaevaso said if the Auditor General sees it fit to come to them, then they are willing to investigate and take it up for further.

PLASTIC BAN

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) Dr Melchior Mataki

Bottles, shopping bags, takeaway packs & cups, straws to be removed for Pacific Games

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology (MECCDM) plan to implement the single use plastic ban before the Pacific Games in November.

However, the implementation will be done in a phase out period for 12 months to 24 months.

Permanent Secretary, Dr Melchior Mataki confirmed this in a press conference last Friday, after the plastic are very detrimental to biophysical environment.

He said the ban will not every plastics goods but focus on plastic bottles of the size 600ML and below.

For example, Shopping plastic bags, Plastic and Styrofoam container takeaways, Styrofoam and plastic cups for drinks, Straws and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.

Mataki said this is in line with part of solid waste management for their post strategy, which they are trying to implement.

“Most of these plastics, they already have alternatives available locally, and they present greatest threat to bio fiscal environment,” he added.

In addition, as Solomon Islands is a member of global community, which is an international obligation to regress and stop plastic pollution.

Mataki said in global level, it is still in the process for the establishment of legally binding plastic instrument.

He said that is currently in discussion, but the process just started last year.

Furthermore, Mataki for the actual banning, they have to be mindful of private sectors and current stocks, for example where inside the country or stocks in the pipeline.

“It could be a phase approach.

“But besides, even before go down the line, we will in process to discuss with relevant line ministries and members of private sectors,” he said.

“We will also be seeking government clearance on this although though Environmental Act provide Minister to make regulation,” he added.

Suspect into Koa-hill stabbing still at large

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE are still looking for the wanted suspect into the stabbing incident on January 20, 2023 inside a public bus along the Mbokonavera area.

Police confirmed that the matter was reported to them and investigation is still ongoing.

Police Media Unit said police are calling on the suspect to surrender himself or the family of the suspect to assist in bringing the suspect to the police.

“Harbouring of criminals is an offence under our law,” Police said.

According to earlier reports the victim boarded the bus from Honiara City Council Skyline bus stop to go back to his house after purchasing cabbage from the Honiara Central Market.

The suspect (beliga) sat next to the boy. The suspect then asked the victim for his phone but he refused.

The suspect then got angry and took out a scissors and stabbed the victim multiple times.

The victim’s father said his son suffered 10 injuries in total, on his back and his hands.

The witness said the beliga then instructed the bus drive to tell the victim to hand over his phone.

“The bus driver followed what the beliga requested and asked the victim to hand over his phone.

“The beliga took the phone and left,” the father said.

Strongim Binis continues to support private sectors

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Strongim Bisnis Business Advisor Zefi Keritina delivering her speech at the opening of the country’s first ever child day care centre in Noro. Photo credit - Ben Bilua.

BY BEN BILUA

AUSTRALIAN funded Strongim Bisnis Programme continues to support private sectors with innovate projects to improve productivity and generate more profit.

This week Strongim Binis witnessed the launching of four projects in Western Province.

In her speech during the launching of the Pallet Plant at Kolombangara Forestry Plantation Limited (KFPL) Strongim Binis Business Advisor, Zefi Keritina said Strongim Bisnis is committed to supporting sustainable development and promoting economic growth in Solomon Islands.

“Our goal is to expand access to market for small-holders plantation timber, and we believe that establishing partnerships with key players in the industry is key to achieving the overall goals.

“That is why we are proud to have partnered with KFPL which is the leading plantation product market actor to support the market of smallholder logs,” she said.

Keritina said Strongim Bisnis is also thrilled to contribute towards the Out-grower schemes in an effort to improve the management of plantation trees.

She said the development of extension program tailored to specific needs of small-holder plantation timber suppliers.

Keritina said the partnership unable programs to train farmers on pruning, thinning and harvesting to ensure small-holder plantation timber is of the highest quality and is competitive in the international market.

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