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RECOVERY TO COST MORE THAN 200 MILLION

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Fire officers trying to put off fire at the kukum area during the riot. PHOTO: Mavis N Podokolo

The recovery for businesses looted and burned in last week’s unrest are estimated to cost more than SBD200 million with a loss of more than one thousand jobs.

These figures are likely to increase as assessments are continuing to determine the exact cost of damages.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the carriage experienced in the past few days have already cost more than $200 million in damages and more than 1000 jobs.

Sogavare said the global pandemic has made our country vulnerable but the recent events have made us even more vulnerable.

The government is already working on a recovery package for those businesses that have been damaged and destroyed by the carriage as a means of minimizing the impact on our already struggling economy. 

Sogavare said the businesses that suffered were contributors to the Government revenue in the form of taxes.

“These are the people who pay taxes to the government to finance the essential services that the very people who are engaged in these destructions and their master-minders enjoyed,” Sogavare.

“It is for this reason that the Government will not let our business community down, and will do all we can, to rebuild their lives,” the Prime Minister added.

West motion successful with 17 votes

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Ben Bilua
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WPG MPAs and Clerk far left who attended the meeting yesterday

“Assembly meeting challenged again”

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

WESTERN Provincial Government has successfully tabled the motion of no confidence against Premier David Gina yesterday.

The motion received a total of 17 votes in favor of the motion, one abstain and 8 members recorded as absent for not turning up for the meeting.

Western province has a total of 26 Members of Provincial Government.

Presenting the motion, Mover of the Motion, Brisbane Amatore listed five reasons which he believed there is a need to change the leadership of Western province.

Reasons listed includes conflict of interest and lack of transparency and accountability.

According to Presiding Speaker, Ramrakha Talasasa, the assembly meeting was held to satisfy the court order given by the High Court.

He said majority of members of provincial government turned up in response to the call by the court.

“We are here today to satisfy the court order which scheduled the assembly to meet today.

“Furthermore, we have completed the motion of confidence against the Premier in response to the agenda set forth by the court order,” Talasasa said.

Island Sun understand that there is a notice of adjournment coming from the office the Speaker of Western Province last week informing provincial members that there will be no meeting yesterday.

However, 17 members turned up for the meeting and assembly was resumed only to be presented by a court case presented to the High Court for an interim order to be made in response to failure to adhere the “Adjournment Notice” given out by the Speaker’s office last week.

A copy of the case was presented to members of provincial assembly who attended the meeting during their lunch break yesterday.

It is unclear where the decision is heading to at the moment and it is likely that the Ministry of Provincial Government will step in again to clear the air.

From the meeting yesterday, members uttered that the motion has been moved and successful in the floor of assembly with plans to establish the new provincial executive in the coming days.

This paper was not able to get comments from Premier and his party. Opportunity will be given to make sure they respond to this article.

HCC schools close early

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Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MORE than twenty schools under the Honiara City Council Education Authority have agreed to close down schools early due to the unrest and the current unstable situation.

Elision Mane Honiara City Council Education Authority Chief Education Officer said the decision will be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development. 

Mane said school leaders have come up this decision based on some key points. This include transport issue as most teachers have reside far from their schools and also the danger of having COVID-19 virus the country as students were not vaccinated.

He also echoed that students and teachers have been traumatised with the recent unrest.

The meeting was held at St John School yesterday in Honiara.

Anglican clergies urged to strengthen pastoral mission.

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CLERGIES of the Anglican Church of Melanesian have been urged to strengthen pastoral mission.

The advise was made following reports from Correctional Service of Solomon Islands (CSSI) which states that 97 percent of those imprisoned are members of Anglican Church.

According to CSSI, the rate has increased this year compared to a 2016 report which indicated that 90 percent of prisoners are members of the church.

This report stunned clergies who attended the recent Synod held at Selwyn College which summoned Anglican Church clergies and also church leaders nationwide.

Serious discussions have been made for possible interventions that would pave a way forward for the church to address the issue.

On the same token, members of the Anglican Church have been urged to adhere to the church’s Christian values, principles and traditions while helping the country to grow economically and spiritually.

According to World Population Review, Solomon Islands has 92 percent of Christian population and 35 percent of the total Christian population are member of Anglican Church of Melanesia.

Foreign intervention personnel fully vaccinated

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Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

Minister of Health and Medical Service, Dr Culwick Togamana has defended the intervention force of Australia and Papua New Guinea who arrived last Thursday to help restore law and order in Honiara following the peaceful protest that turned violent against Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

Former Prime Minister Rick Hou has questioned the government in Parliament yesterday whether the intervention force personnel have gone through covid-19 protocols as they were seen on the streets upon arrival.

However, Togamana said he has been thoroughly briefed that all the personnel coming are fully vaccinated and tested before they came in the country.

He said they were tested negative.

“Tests done at medical lab, and all negative and I am pleased for personels arrive in the country.

“The Standard Operation Procedures are strictly followed especially for defence force, they must put on their masks and live separately,” he said.

In addition, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said they required to be double vaccinated, and some go for triple vaccination.

“They have to have negative PCR test before boarding plane, all observed them.

“Then within 48 hours they have tests, then they test every two days on rapid anti-gen testing and must wear masks and limited contact,” he said.

Australia has sent about 100 Defence Force personels following request from Sogavare to quell the protests and riot.

This was based on the bilateral security treaty signed by Australia and the Solomon Islands in Canberra in 2017.

The bilateral security treaty that allows Australian police, defence and associated civilian personnel to be deployed rapidly to the Solomon Islands in the event of an emergency.

While PNG sent 37 Police personnel under a Police-to-Police arrangement to assist in the country’s civil unrest.

Hon Tausinga joins United Party

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UP leader, Hon Peter Kenilorea Jr, centre, new member of UP Hon Tausinga, right, and MP for Central Honiara, Hon. Efona.

The MP for West New Georgia and Vona Vona Silas Vangara Tausinga who resigned from Our Party and the Government last week has joined United Party,

Tausinga was the first of the 5 MPs to leave the government in wake of the riots and looting last week.

On his decision to join UP, Tausinga said: “I am happy to join UP because I believe in its ideals and its practical focus on the strength of a united Solomon Islands, it’s focus on peace and security, sustainable development, more focus on infrastructure, the need to rethink CDF, the importance of good governance, and the need to work closely with our development partners.”

Parliamentary Wing of UP, Peter Kenilorea Junior said: “I am honoured to have Hon. Vangara join our ranks in parliament.”

**He said Vangara shares the common vision and values that UP stands for. **

“He has great ideas on how we can move our nation forward and we welcome his contribution to the UP, the parliament and the nation as a whole. UP did not offer him any incentives, monetary or otherwise to join the party. Hon. Vangara came on his own volition under his own conviction. And I recognize and thank him for that,” Kenilorea said.

The latest addition now increases the number of UP MPs in Parliament to three. The other is the MP for Central Honiara, Alfred Efona.

Huge Turn Out following Mayor’s Clean-Up Call

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Lord Mayor Eddie Siapu, third from right with his colleague councillors before setting out for the clean-up.

Mayor of Honiara City Eddie Siapu thanked business houses, NGOs, community and youth groups for responding to the call for a major voluntary clean in the City.

As the Head of Honiara City Council Governance, he said he is profoundly grateful for the overwhelming turn out.

“I highly appreciate your support in positively responding to my call for voluntary clean-up of our City. Honiara is our home. We live and work in Honiara so we must keep it clean.

“Despite of what happened in the past days, I am indeed grateful that hundreds of residents took part in the clean-up. There are so many of you so that I cannot mention names.”

“However, I give my big thank you to church leaders, community leaders, women leaders, youth leaders, government agencies, private sector companies and NGOs who mobilized your members to come out in numbers for the voluntary clean up. Tagio Tumas oketa wantoks.”


West Honiara youths take part in the clean-up.

“I must again register my appreciation to groups who did clean-up of Honiara City with their own initiative. I understand some groups cleaned up the City, especially China Town, on Sunday.”

“A big thank you to Fijian community, BSP Staff and others who came out voluntarily for this noble task. In addition, I must say thank you to EMCO and SRML company for cleaning the main highway in East Honiara of debris and wreckages on Saturday.”

“Thank you to the Koloale Youths for cleaning Koloale road and other groups who I do not mention. You know who you are so Tagio thank you,” he said.

HCC Media

Maringe leaders call on MP to resign from DCGA

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Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana

LEADERS from the Maringe District House of Chiefs are calling on their Member of Parliament, Dr Culwick Togamana to leave the current government as a form of action and responsibility.

In a letter sent to the MP and Minister for Health and Medical Services yesterday, Paramount Chief, Clement Rojumana questioned why they have not heard from their Parliamentary representative on the looting and burning of properties in the city.

“The current turmoil has affected Our people in the villages in a way or another.

“Our people of Maringe have look to you to at least appraise us on the latest.

Cbief Rojumana said while they cannot control the individual attitudes resulting in the lawlessness seen, they are asking the MP to save the nation and the people he represents in Parliament.

“We ask you to take this stand and to give your best in this circumstance, If is not possible and what we ask means the Prime Minister will have to step aside, to enable the nations capital to return to normalcy.

“If we must bear the unbearable, and do the unthinkable, we would not want you as our MP to be part of a team that brings this nation to its knees,” Chief Rojumana explained.

The call came as two members of the current government reportedly tendered their resignation to the Prime Minister yesterday evening.

The Prime Minister earlier said the only way to remove him from power is through the rightful process within the floor of Parliament.

Listen to the people first: Suidani

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Road block at the Kukum area yesterday. PHOTO: William Ekotani

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

PREMIER of Malaita province, Daniel Suidani wants the Prime Minister to address the demands of the people before he can make a call for peace.

Speaking to the local media in Auki yesterday, Premier Suidani said the situation in Honiara now needs national leaders of parties involved to come down and talk to the people and not run-away from them

“The people are there with their demand, and they want response from the Prime Minister or cabinet on their demand,” he said.

The Premier said he has been continouously bombarded with calls from leaders in Honiara to help calm the situation, but his question to them remains, “who are you?”

“These people come to you as their representatives on the national level, they voted you, just the same as they voted me to be their representative at the provincial level.

“And the issue is directed at you and not me, so it would be appropriate in my view for national members to address the issue and not to run-away from it,” he said.

Suidani said even if he makes a call to calm the situation it won’t work as people will turn on him, because the peoples’ demand is not directed at him.

He said the situation faced now has risen from the Prime Minister and cabinet’s continues tactic of evading people’s demand which has turned into frustration.

“Like every time they go to meet with the PM about their petitions, he avoided them and directed his staff to meet with the people,” Suidani said.

Suidani said the Prime Minister forgot that he is the leader of this country and of these people, so as a leader he must at all time see to the needs of the people when they want to talk to him.

“Everytime, I make calls the national government didn’t listen, now they come to you and it’s your time to deal with them.

“So I want to see if you can address them and I will call for peace, because even if I make a call now it won’t work unless you address their demand first.

“With that I call on PM that if the people wants you to resign, you resign!

“These are the people you lead and if they no longer have the confidence on you, step-down and people will calm down,” he said.

Suidani said this is the only solution to calm down the situation so that it will allow people to choose a government of their choice.

On that note, he called on Malaitan MPs in the DCGA to come out of their hide-outs and talk to the people they represent, otherwise resign from DCGA.

“And my call is for nine Malaitan MPs in the DCGA to resign now so that it would help in addressing the current situation,” he said.

Sogavare loses two

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THE Prime Minister has reportedly lost two of his political supporters after events of the past two days.

While the alleged resignation of the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Senley Levi Filualea is yet to be confirmed despite doing the rounds on social media. There is confirmation that government backbencher and Member of Parliament for West New Georgia and Vona Vona constituency, Silas Vangara Tausinga has tendered his resignation as a member of Manasseh Sogavare’s “Our Party” and subsequently the ruling government.

He made the confirmation to local media outlet, the Solomon Business Magazine Online this evening.

In confirming his resignation, MP Tausinga said it has been a valuable experience being a member of the party, however, due to personal reasons he can no longer remain with the party when his allegiance is no longer with the Parliamentary wing leader which is the Prime Minister.

The Minister of Agriculture and member of the north Malaita constituency had earlier assured constituents that he would resign from the ruling government, however, Island Sun could not verify this report.

The Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare announced that he would not be forced to give up power, as that right can only be taken from him on the floor of Parliament.

This despite calls by both the leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale and Malaita Premier, Daniel Suidani for him to step down in light of the current destruction of Honiara city.

Sogavare said any moves to remove him can only be done on the floor of Parliament.

Despite the departure of the two political supporters of the government, Sogavare expects to have the upper hand in Parliament with the support of 36 Parliamentarians out of the current 49 filled seats. One seat being that of West Kwaio on Malaita remains vacant following the death of its parliamentarian, Titus Fika last week.

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