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Be cautious with use of rainwater

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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An image of the spread of sulfur dioxide in the region following last weekend's volcanic eruption in Tonga

BY MAVSI N PODOKOLO

SOLOMON Islanders are urged to be cautious when using rain water despite no laboratory tests to ascertain the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere following the Sunday volcano eruption in Tonga.

Satellite images have revealed sulphur dioxide from the recent volcanic eruption has reached a number of Pacific Island countries, including the Solomon Islands.

Yet local experts say there is still no cause for concern as from the concentration levels shown from the satellite images, it is still safe to use.

 Chief Geologist of the Geological Survey Division in the Ministry of Mines, Minerals, Energy and Rural Electrification, Thomas Toba said from the satellite image shared, the volcanic ash cloud covered our region with an estimated concentration of 24.1mg/m2.

“This is in reference to area covered rather than volume but we must take all measures to ensure that our health is not compromised,” he said.

He said comparing this concentration level to the standard Ash- Advisory reference figures from Hawaii, they can say that the value shown in the image shared is comparably low to trigger much concern to our population.

“But prior to laboratory tests, this could be conservative as well.

“So, whilst awaiting results people can take all precautionary measures to avoid serious health issues, especially when using rain water from tanks.

Meanwhile, Mr Toba has advised local authorities to consult standard references from re-known volcano monitoring institutes when conducting laboratory tests on the issue.

“The advice we can render prior to any laboratory quantified tests is to lookup standard references from re-known volcano monitoring institutes in terms of volcanic ash, as a provision to guide and educate us on what to do and also understand what we are looking at in terms of the concentration value we are looking at here (24.1mg/m2).

SULPHUR- DIOXIDE EXPOSURE & SOME HEALTH RISKS

 Sulphur dioxide can affect our Health in specifically in these ways

 – Irritates skin and mucosa membranes of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs

 – High concentration can cause inflammations and irritation of the respiratory system especially during heavy physical activity.

 Resulting Symptoms can include

– Pain when taking a deep breath

– Coughing, throat irritation

 – And breathing difficulties

– High concentrations can affect lung function, worsen asthma attacks and worsen existing heart diseases in sensitive groups. This gas can also react with other chemicals in the air and change to

Opposition probes China bank, airline

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Press Release
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Leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale

LEADER of Opposition Matthew Wale has probed the Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet and the Solomon Islands Chinese Business Council (SICBC) on the proposed plans to establish a Chinese Bank and Airline in the country.

The Leader of Opposition in a statement said he is aware there was a meeting on 3rd November 2021, between the SICBC and the Prime Minister at the OPMC.

Wale said amongst one of the agendas discussed was a proposal to establish a Chinese Bank and Airlines in Solomon Islands.

“It would be in the best interest of the people in this country and for transparency purposes for the OPMC and the SICBC to come clean with the proposed idea for the Chinese Bank and a China Airlines to be established in the country,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition said he is aware that the proposed Chinese bank is to cater for Chinese investors who are keen to invest in the country and the Chinese Airline is to operate direct flights from China to Solomon Islands.

Mr Wale said he is also aware that SICBC is working together to link the private sector here with investors in China.

“These undertakings must be done transparently and the OPMC and SICBC must make sure all due processes must be adhered to and that we should not allow bogus investors to come into the country,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition further adds the Prime Minister and his associates has a history of dealing with scam investors like the Skyline Investment Group, an Asian group that promised to build the Honiara International Airport and road upgrade in 2015.

“The fear of such to happen and the influx of Asian bogus businesses to operate in the country is a major concern and therefore such proposal should be clarified for the sake of transparency,” Mr Wale reiterated.

RSIPF involves in lockdown operations in Honiara

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Press Release
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The roundabout at the Honiara City Council

THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) has activated its operations following the approval of the 60 hours lockdown yesterday evening.

The RSIPF when activating its operations, deployed officers to their strategic locations with the Emergency Zones as of 6PM last night,

Deputy Commissioner Operations, Juanita Matanga said the lockdown started at 6pm last night and will finish at 6am on 22 January 2022.”

DC Matanga said police are providing security in support to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services as the leading agency, following information that a COVID-19 community transmission was recorded here in Honiara.

Ms Matanga said from the police operational perspective, there will be boundaries from Poha Bridge in North West Guadalcanal to Alligator Creek in the Eastern side of Honiara International Airport, within Honiara and part of Guadalcanal policing jurisdiction.

 “I call on all communities in Honiara to adhere to Health protocols and cooperate with each other to protect our family, community and the country as we try to manage the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities.

Police will be out there should you need assistance, do not hesitate to call in at the nearest checkpoints.

“It is a lockdown and police will arrest and charge those who breached it. I ask you, my good people in Honiara, to stay home during the lockdown. Other essential services will be exempted and work during the lockdown period to attend other essential services,” DC Matanga said. 

–RSIPF

Person of interest in Noro

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

WESTERN Provincial Health and Medical Authority sent a team to Noro today to carry out a COVID-19 test on a person who was in close contact with the patient who tested positive in Honiara yesterday.

Acting Director of Health and Medical Service Dr Michael Belande said samples will be brought to the Gizo hospital to determine the results.

He also said a contact tracing team was activated to investigate any third-party contact or more from the patient.

“Currently the patient is in isolation.

“Furthermore, our next plan of action will be determined by the test results,” Belande said.

“If the result comes back positive, we will then increase our surveillance so as our procedures,” he added.

Belande said the Western Province’s Health and Medical Service has activated its Covid-19 Response plan.

He adds that the Health team will refine its standard procedure to meet expected outcomes and most of all stop further transmission.

“We will free up staff to undertake needed roles as per our response plan.

“This is a decision we made in our meeting today because we know our Honiara-based front-liners will be busy with cases in Honiara.

“It is our hope that our workforce will cater for the needed services should there be any worst-case scenario,” Belande said. He said the Gizo vaccination center will be relocated to MSG building so that the previous vaccination center will be used as a fast track clinic, where testing of patients with coronavirus like symptom will be done.

Delay in release of school results.

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Press Release
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THE Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development says due to the delay in marking national examinations for Years 9, 11, and 12, official results will be delayed.

The examination results would ensure school placements for Years 10 (Form 4), 12 (Form 6), and 13 (Form 7) students.

In a statement today, the ministry of education said the causes of the delay are beyond their control and they regret what happened.

It said the marking of the National Examination papers has been completed and the National Examination and Assessment Division staff are working around the clock to complete the students’ examination data integration, verification, and validation.

 Upon completion of these – the students’ placement results will be produced and released.

The Ministry, therefore, said the following are the dates that the Senior Secondary Students’ Placement Results will be released.

· Year 13 (Form 7) Students’ Placement Results are expected to be released on Monday 31st January 2022.

· Years 10 (Form 4) and 12 (Form 6) Students’ Placement Results are expected to be released on 2nd February 2022.

Because of the delay in the release of the Years 10, 12, and 13 Students’ Placement Results, all Education Authorities, School Principals, Students, and Parents are advised that senior secondary schools that have these levels of secondary education will commence classes on Monday 7th February 2022.

The rest of the secondary school classes (i.e. years 7 to 9 and year 11) and primary schools (years 1 to 6) should commence their classes on the 24th January 2022 as previously announced.

All HCC clinics to open except Vura and Mbokonavera .

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

ALL Honiara City Council clinics will open and provde health services in Honiara exepct for Vura and Mbokonavera clinics.

This was confirmed by the office of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

“All HCC Health clinics will be open except for Vura and Mbokonavera clinic,” a statement from the Ministry of Health said.

The health statement also said two satellite clinics will be open at SINU Panatina clinic & Burns Creek School.

“If are you sick during the lockdown, do not wait, go to your nearest Clinic. Use your private vehicle and inform the police at a checkpoint of your need to reach the clinic, or call St John Ambulance on phone 111 or 911 or National Referral Hospital 44000 or 44073 or 21068 for any emergency,” Ministry of Health said.

Wale hails increase local recruitment at games project.

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Press Release
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A Chinese worker teaching local workers how to assemble reinforcement.

OPPOSITION leader Mathew Wale has thanked the People’s Republic of China and CCECC for employing and training locals under the National Stadium Project.

This was in response to Ambassador Li Ming’s statement on the progress of the National Stadium Project for next year’s Pacific Games.

According to Ambassador Ming, the project is now employing 370 locals with the intention of also absorbing students and new graduates.

Responding to the press release, Wale said in a statement that this is welcoming news.

“Given these hard times, the jobs provided by PRC and CCECC is a great assistance to Solomon Islanders,” Wale said.

However, Wale calls on the PRC and CCECC to employ more locals than planned.

“Whilst acknowledging the already 370 employed locals, I urge PRC and CCECC to increase the number given the dire state of our economy.

“This increase should be part of their social contribution towards this nation.”

Opposition Press

Oravae resort: An Island to yourself

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Owners of Oravae Cottage, Patterson Baea with his wife Naomi Baea

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

Forgot your mirror? don’t worry, we have a natural mirror; the glassy sea in the lagoon can help you fix your hair.

Want to spend a romantic time on a hideaway in total privacy, not a problem, you can have the whole island to your own.

Or, if you are recently engaged and want to strengthen your friendship, visit Oravae and its magic will do the trick.

Oravae Cottage is the taste of the island way of life in the Western Province.

Oravae interior

Oravae Cottage is less than 15 minutes’ boat drive west of Gizo, the capital of Western Province and for first timers, 15 minutes will be like 300 seconds, your mind will play you up seeing the beautiful shorelines while cruising to Oravae.

The homestay is equipped with two bungalows suitable for both couples and single travelers; a bar to cool off in the evenings and a beautiful view.

Guests can sit on the balconies and wave to boats cruising past the lagoon or sit on the jetties enjoying their cool beer while watching different colored fish dancing below.

Guests cannot miss boats filled with passengers every morning and evening as market vendors so as people from Vella normally cruise pass the lagoon.

Bar on the Island

Delicious prepared local seafood for lunch, while enjoying a slide in to the sea on an outdoor slide, water-skiing and swimming are the best giveaway guests will never regret.

Glamorous as you can imagine, but what has been happening to Oravae Cottage in the past years are heart breaking.

I met the owners of Oravae Cottage, Patteson Baea and his wife Naomi Baea during the closing of the Western Solomons Surfing Competition.

They are lovely, polite and generous at all levels. They are resilient and hardworking.

I sat down with Mr Baea and half way through our conversation, I know Baea and his wife are hardworking. They put meaning to the word “resilience”.

Baea recalled that he started the business in 1997.

Cottage owners

Three years into the operation the tensions broke out and the family was forced to go and live in Australia.

“When tension broke out in late 1999 to 2000, we decided to leave the country. We went to Australia, which is my wife’s country of origin and stayed there.

“We told our relatives to look after the island for us.

“It was heartbreaking to leave Oravae behind. It’s like leaving a child behind with the care of a nun,” Baea said.

He said his family returned in 2005 and rebuilt what were left after the tension.

WPG Minister of Tourism Hon Ronnie Gemu pose for a photo with participants of the Swimming Competition

This time the homestay is fully furnished with brand new buildings and the setting is beautiful.

As Baea and his wife predict life will return to normal, then the 2007 Tsunami brought the resort to chaos with severe damage to its properties.

“This was another blow to our business. We lost everything, like everything was gone in a matter of minute.

One of the surfers, Simae puts on a spectacular performance

“It was another heart-breaking situation for me and my wife but we stay put and focused on the best response plan,” he said.

Two years later, in 2009 Baea and his hardworking wife picked up the pieces and rebuild from the damages caused by the Tsunami but this time the homestay was nowhere near to where it was after the refurbishment in 2005.

“We built this bungalow first, then we built another one over there, he points to the other bungalow sitting above the sea.

“Before that building, we built the bar and here we are,” he said.

The view from Oravae resort

Like every tourism operators, Baea said COVID-19 is another major blow to Oravae.

“Most of our guests came from outside of the country and the travel restrictions as borders close has been a difficult challenge.

“I think the “Umi tugeda Holiday” initiative had given us a little breathing space to do what we loved to do,” he said.

Baea said the local travel bubble gave local tourism operators, especially Oravae a leverage to continue with operation though the devastating impact of COVID-19 to the economy.

As resilient as they are, Baea and his wife are slowly walking hand in hand together to stay afloat.

“Oravae Cottage welcomes local guests to enjoy their time here. “We sell the Island to our guests not rooms.  Our markets strategy is; Island of your own. We want our guest to feel free while spending their holidays here,” Baea said.

Reach out to Oravae management for more information.

Community transmission here

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0
Ontong Java island of Luaniua from above. Photo: Beni Knight.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE country has recorded its first community transmission cases of Covid-19 after six people tested positive at Pelau Island in the Ontong Java atolls.

The Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare confirmed this in his nation wide address over the last hour.

The six were part of 10 people who illegally crossed the border from Tasman Island in Papua New Guinea on the 10th of January 2022.

The Prime Minister revealed that one of those who made the crossing was a medical doctor.

“The number of positive cases is expected to grow rapidly in the coming weeks, and people will get ill as well as loss of life is expected,” Mr Sogavare said.

He said the government is now focusing on managing transmission on Pelau, and will investigate those that cross the border.

Meanwhile, a lockdown of Ongtong Java is immediate as of today.

Policing awareness continues in Auki

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Police Commander for Malaita province, Lesley Kili

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

COMMANDING officer of the current police operation in Auki, Mr Lesley Kili says they will continue to provide policing awareness to people in and around Auki town.

He said in an interview yesterday that they received requests from eight communities for the awareness program and number of have already completed.

Kili said so far they visited Auki Central Market, Kilusakwalo and Ambu communities on the policing awareness program.

He said today they will be visiting, Lilisiana, Gwounaru and Kwa communities on the program. Adding that the team will go as far as Bina in west Kwaio that scheduled for Saturday 15th.

Kili said the awareness program is part of the current operation in Auki, so that people will interact with police and learn how they should work together.

He said another important area is for communities to clear on the current police operation in Auki.

Kili said so far communities that visited with the policing awareness had appreciated the program and police thanked them for positive feedbacks from received from them.

He said the awareness program is important as people will learn on the work of police and support everyone needed to uphold law and order in the province.

Kili thanked leaders from communities they had already visited and look forwards for partnership with the communities they are yet to visit on the program.

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