SEVEN passengers from the Fiji-repatriation flight who remained in quarantine stations with inconclusive test results have graduated from quarantine stations.
This was confirmed to Island Sun Newspaper by Dr Yogesh Choudhri, technical advisor for Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
“All of them have tested negative and were released on Sunday,” Choudhri said.
A total of 132 people arrived from Fiji on October 28th 2021.
After serving their mandatory quarantine period at the quarantine stations, only 125 were first released from quarantine, whilst seven people from the flight remained due to inconclusive test results.
As of Sunday all passengers from that flight have graduated from quarantine facilities and have had their test results returned negative.
SCALE-NRM Development Organizational Coordinator Junior Wale explains river catchment management and protection to villagers
Winrock International Solomon Islands’ Community Engagement Team have reached out to Bina and Kwaibala communities and surrounding areas in preparation for the roll-out of river catchment management and forest protection activities.
Protection of fresh waters through forest management and conservation at these catchment areas are crucial to ensure clean and sufficient water supply to the growing Auki township and proposed developments at Bina Harbour.
Subsequent proposed project activities in those catchment areas will involve assessment of degraded forest areas, reforestation of those areas and other livelihood activities.
With the agreement of the tribes who are responsible for the lands within the Bina and Kwaibala catchment areas, Winrock will work on the development of a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) initiative, also known as Carbon trading.
Any such initiative would be a partnership with the resource owners and would aim to provide benefits to the resource owners.
The team visited catchment communities in wards 1, 28 and 29 over the period from Thursday 11th to Tuesday 16th November, together with the local MPAs Felix Bosokuru and Claudio Tei’ifi.
The SCALE-NRM team will also meet with Nakau members this week to discuss initial activities for commencement of work with two tribal groups in East Fataleka to progress initial key PES required activities.
Nakau, an international group that specializes in PES project and forest carbon feasibility assessment and development in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji, will work with SCALE-NRM to ensure tribes are able to meet the key requirements for a PES scheme and associated standards.
The work on PES in Bina/ Kwaibala and East Fataleka follows on from last week’s signature of a partnership agreement with Mai Ma’asina Greenbelt, a community-based conservation network that currently works with various other 30 tribal groups in Malaita, to progress PES activities over the coming years.
Implemented by Winrock International, Strengthening Competitiveness, Agriculture and Livelihoods – Natural Resource Management SCALE-NRM initially targets Malaita, and is made possible by the generous support of the American people to develop and implement sustainable models for improved natural resource governance in Malaita Province and throughout Solomon Islands.
WINWIN Investment Solomon Limited has exported a total of 3,258.47 ounce of gold from its last 6th shipment from January to June 2021.
This is worth around $48 million (USD$6million) base on the market price of US$1,853 per ounce.
The export of gold shipment came from its operation at Turarana in Central Guadalcanal.
However, the company could not make any gold shipment from July 2019 to December 2020 as stated in the monthly report released on July 10, 2021.
According to the report, the trial mining period commenced at the start of July 2019.
The trial mining commenced at the Mamasa alluvial flat deposit but was later shifted upstream to the Turarana Area (Kavahambe) after very low gold recoveries (0.15g/cubic metre(cu.m)) were experienced at the Mamasa alluvial flats deposit which is well below break even levels.
After heavy floods that left the Turarana wash plant inundated in October 2019; alluvial mining operations were shifted back to the Mamasa area in November, 2019 while reconstruction of the Turarana wash plant was progressing.
Mining operations were shifted back again to the Turarana wash plant in December 2019 due to improved gold recoveries experienced there.
Up to present time only the Turarana wash plant is currently being worked.
The first export consignment was made through the Government arranged direct flight to China at the end of January.
This sixth consignment was again sent to its arranged buyer in Hong Kong who will assay the gold for its purity before its final value is paid to Win Win company.
In the previous months and even up to now, export of gold overseas has been extremely difficult due to the restrictions on overseas flights to and from Honiara due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The current gold export consignment arrangement is being made through the arranged weekly airline freight services from Honiara.
The export of any gold related commodities must be approved and signed off by the Director of Mines Department.
“Effective climate services facilitate decisions that will reduce the impacts of climate related disasters, improved food security, health outcome and water resource management.”
This statement was made by Dr Melchior Mataki, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology in his remarks to open a National Climate Outlook Forum on November 16, 2021 in Honiara.
Currently Solomon Islands is trying to address the challenges of understanding climate predictions and the use of climate information to improve its own capabilities to better serve the needs of its people.
Today Climate Change plays an important role on informing decision makers about how to reduce the impact of climate related hazards, and it is essential for adaptation to climate variability and change.
“Effective climate services facilitate climate-smart decisions that will reduce the impact of climate change-related disasters, improve food security, outcome and water resource management,” said Mr Mataki.
Realizing these needs the World Meteorological Organization initiated the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) for four sectors that include Agriculture, Health, Disaster Risk Reduction, water Resources and the recent inclusion of Energy.
This framework is important for Solomon Islands given our crops, fish and water that we depend on also depend on weather and climate.
In line with MECDMs corporate plan and the DCCG policy to “strengthen and support the national meteorological service” the Ministry is continuing to expand its weather and climate observation network through support from UNDP.
The workshop was attended by various stake holders from fisheries, water resources, agriculture, health, forestry and representatives media, NGOs and People with Disabilities.
High Commissioner Eliam Tangirongo and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the Prime Minister’s Office, New Zealand Parliament.
Solomon Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand, Eliam Tangirongo presented his Letter of Introduction to Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern on Monday, November 15, 2021.
Upon receiving Tangirongo’ s Letter of Introduction, Prime Minister Ardern congratulated him on his new appointment.
In response, Tangirongo thanked Prime Minister Ardern for accepting his credentials and endeavours to work in close collaboration with the New Zealand Government.
Prime Minister Ardern conveyed New Zealand’s ongoing strong bilateral support to the Solomon Islands Government and looks forward to work closely with the Solomon Islands High Commission to New Zealand.
Some of the issues discussed during their brief dialogue during the ceremony were on New Zealand’s support in terms of the Covid19 Vaccination roll out and its management in the Solomon Islands, New Zealand’s infrastructure and development support to the Solomon Islands, New Zealand’s support in Education and Climates change, and Solomon Island’s participation in the Recognised Seasonal Employee (RSE) scheme as one of the pressing issues that requires some urgent attention.
Tangirongo informed Ardern on the current State of Public Emergency (SoPE) situation in the Solomon Islands and looks forward to work collaboratively with the New Zealand Government in strengthening and deepening the long standing mutual bilateral relations between the two countries.
High Commissioner Eliam Tangirongo replaces Joy Kere whose term ended in February 2020.
From left to right: Jerry Siota, Dean of Faculty of Business and Tourism Studies shaking hand with Andrew Nihopara, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism with the signed MoU document.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) and the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in the tourism human development, on Friday November 12.
Permanent Secretary of MCT, Andrew Nihopara and Dean of the SINU Faculty of Business and Tourism Studies, Jerry Siota signed the MoU at SINU School of Tourism and Hospitality Management.
Nihopara highlighted that the MoU is critical at a time when fostering partnerships is important for meaningful engagements and collaborations between Government ministries and other agencies representing key development sectors of Solomon Islands.
“The Ministry is fully committed to undertake and translate the obligations and commitments that are stipulated in the MoU we are signing today into meaningful areas of collaboration, to commence as early as 2022.”
Senior management team of the Solomon Islands National University, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Tourism Solomons officials posing for a photograph with the signed MoU of collaboration documents.
He pointed the main areas in that collaboration signed in the MoU;
Research collaboration, by encouraging meaningful research to serve the mutual interest of those from government and the Solomon Islands National University’s academic needs;
Entrepreneurship award scheme to the final year tourism and hospitality students’ best proposals, as the incentives to the students at the highest level;
Adopt a notion of becoming job creators than job seekers;
Jointly promoting symposiums, conferences, talk stories, and seminars of issues of importance for tourism;
Participation of the students in trade fairs;
And active engagements and dialogues for the development of the students.
Dean Siota commended the collaboration, as guided by the MoU, for the next three years, is proper for comprehensive partnership for strategic as well for academic engagements for the period of 2022 to 2024.
He thanked the Permanent Secretary Nihopara for recognising the importance of collaboration.
On the same note, he congratulated the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management for that initiative and liaising with MCT for the MoU signing happened.
Jerry Siota, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Tourism Studies, SINU acknowledging the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s recognition of the collaboration between SINU and Ministry of Culture to develop the tourism human resources at SINU.
“This MoU is not in silo. But it is continuing to link the SINU strategic plan,” said Siota. “Which is to link with stakeholders such as the government ministries, private sector, regional and international universities.”
Thus, the Faculty of Business and Tourism Management was embarking on series of MoUs. And that MoU signing was a start.
Nihopara elaborated that the timing of that collaboration could be renewable and extendable upon its review.
“I can emphasis the fact that translating the signed MoU into practical results for our students is the key,” he added.
The MoU signing was witnessed by SINU senior management, SINU tourism students, Tourism Solomons Head of Sales and Marketing, and MCT officials.
Corruption remains an issue, says TSI deputy chair Kingmele
By EDDIE OSIFELO
CORRUPTION remains a big problem in the Government and business sector.
Vice Chairman of Transparency Solomon Islands, Rodney Kingmele stated this during the launch of the Global Corruption Barometer 2021 Pacific in Honiara yesterday.
It is a snapshot of the views of over 6000 people across the 10 countries and territories in the Pacific.
Kingmele said the results are worrying.
For Solomon Islands based on people who have used relevant public service in the last two months:
60 percent think that companies frequently use money or connection to secure government contracts
33 percent have experienced sextortion or know someone who has used sex to access public service
25 percent were offered bribes in exchange for vote
21 percent paid a bribes for public service
He said only 18 percent of respondents thought that officials who engaged in corruption frequently faced consequences.
“Unfortunately, this is a reflection of the lack of faith and trust that our people currently have in our laws and integrity institutions to be able to adequately deal with corruption,” Kingmele, a lawyer by profession said.
In addition, he said 97 percent of those interviewed said that corruption exist within the government, whilst 90 percent stated that corruption was also present in business sector.
Kingmele said in terms of bribery and personal connections, overall, 21 percent of the respondents say that they have in the past witnessed bribery whilst 36 percent stated that they had witnessed the use of personal connections to access public service.
He said it is also a matter of concern that 17 percent said that they have come across bribery involving the police whilst a further 30 percent stated that they had come across the use of personal connections in dealing with police.
Likewise, Kingmele said 13 percent stated that bribes had been involved in receiving government documents whilst 27 percent stated that personal connections had been involved to obtain such document.
A leading academic Dr Transform Aqorau has offered some advice on how to screen so-called mining companies applying for licences.
This came after Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification is screening the application of Nickel Enterprise SI Limited (NESI) showing interest to do bauxite mining on West Rennell.
Dr Aqorau, CEO, iTuna Intel and Founding Director, Pacific Catalyst and a legal adviser to Marshall Islands posted on Facebook that it is not rocket science.
“Ask for their profit and loss accounts; any financial statements if they are listed on a stock exchange somewhere, and ask them to produce evidence of prior mining overseas,” he said.
“Many of these so-called mining companies we are seeing are bogus companies with no history of mining, but because the governance arrangement surrounding mining has become so politically charged, it is a mess,” he said.
Aqorau, who was the former CEO of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office said it happens when politicians and ministers allow themselves to be controlled by these Asians (no insult and harm meant).
He said the last genuine mining company that would have set the standard was Sumitomo but they gave up and left.
“Nicolas Biliki was given early retirement when he tried to follow the law and apply tighter controls on applications etc but these Asians ran to the Prime Minister Office and Nicolas was asked to retire early.
“What about the resource owners, what about those who own the land? What effort is there to protect them?” he asked.
Aqorau, also a visiting Professor at Solomon Islands National University at the newly established Institute of Ocean, Islands, and Sustainable Development, said a mining company that uses a law firm as its address is the first indication when due diligence is done, that it probably does not have a known track record of mining.
“It is simple, ask for their profit and loss account, and ask Interpol to investigate if they have any mining experience where they come from.
“The case of Solfish going into mining is a classic example. It is just a grab. Get a few wantoks from China, form a JV and lets mine the crap out of Solomon Islands,” he said.
“Never mind about their laws. Just give their politicians and Ministers stacks of cash.
“They are always broke and need money, so just pay them to ransack their system,” he said.
Dr Aqorau said it is time people and our younger generation stand up and revolt against this practice.
“Our Ministers, Cabinet and Caucus are taking us to the cleaners on resources that do not belong to them.
“Where are the youths, where are our university students? Can’t you see your future is being stuffed?”
SOLOMON Islands has been listed as one of the beneficiaries of an ADB $3million project.
The project is part of Pacific Island with clean energy and focus will be on technical assistance to strengthen the reliability and sustainability of the energy sector and mobilise private sector investments in clean and renewable energy.
The technical assistance facility will support due diligence, preparation and procurement, and reform recommendations for projects such as the Federated States of Micronesia Climate Resilient Energy and Water Project, the Marshall Islands Electrification Project, and the Solomon Islands Sustainable Solar Development Investment Program.
It will also provide technical expertise to prioritize, plan, and prepare investment projects.
The facility aligns with ADB’s Pacific Approach, 2021–2025, which aims to deliver sustainable services wherein renewable energy-based electricity generation has a key role to play.
ADB recently raised its ambition for 2019–2030 cumulative climate financing to $100 billion and is committed to ensuring that at least 75% of its projects will address climate change mitigation and adaptation by 2030.
Island Sun understand that funding will boost the existing projects that ADB is working with the Government of Solomon Islands and Solomon Power to convert electricity networks in five provinces to solar power as part of a new approach to reduce the need for costly shipments of diesel to the provincial centers.
One of the big project is the Tina Hydro which aim to provide affordable electricity and improved accessibility to cleaner, more reliable energy sources for communities now and in the future.
Female Workers at the Soltuna cannery in Noro. PICTURE: FFA
By Brian Lezutuni and Mavis Podokolo
THE Government believes that the $360 million Economic Stimulus Package funding has helped Solomon Islands and its people avoid the worst economic impacts of COVID-19.
When the pandemic closed international borders, shutting down tourism and disrupting exports, it was widely seen as one of the biggest economic challenges the country has ever faced.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, McKinnie Dentana said it would be foolish to say the country might recover with the funding set aside under the package, however, government’s policy is stabilising the economy.
“This is to ensure the economy would not deteriorate but stabilized… for the people.
“Based on the scenario we have seen; we are not really deteriorating like what we expected.
He emphasized that small projects and businesses needed to have the capacity to continue and people needed to hold cash money in their hands as the COVID economic crisis hit.
“What is important is the government will continue to earn from the taxes spent by the people,” he added.
The country has faced hardships over the past year with a provisional employment data from the National Provident Fund (NPF) showing that the total number of people employed fell 6.0% to 57,028 by end of 2020.
The Economic Stimulus Package was an ambitious fiscal measure to address the negative impacts of the pandemic on the economy
It focused on three key strategic policy objectives:
1) to ensure business continuity and prevent the economy from declining further;
2) to immediately boost economy recovery by encouraging income generating activities and employment.
3) to promote medium to long term growth
Despite a gloomy prediction at the end of last year about the local economy, PS Dentana said our economy was able to cushion the impact of the pandemic and to maintain its stability.
“We did not only pump money to our local economy through the stimulus package but also other Covid-19 funds from the National Government generated from the quarantine centres.
“The donors have praised us for well managing our Economy we are not really deteriorate.
“Business continues, trading continues, especially export and import is continuing….and commodity continues.
Tuna a bright spot, despite some struggles
Companies that have benefited from the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) include SolTuna Limited, the multi-million-dollar company employing more than 2,000 Solomon Islanders.
Soltuna received $5 million from the package.
Marketing Manager, Kenwood Harry told island Sun he understands that the $5 million is the government’ commitment in terms of supporting Soltuna and food security for the country.
He said the money helped with some of the company’s costs, but not its full operation.
“I would say …it is not that sufficient but at least we use it for some of our operation inside the company.
Soltuna Marketing Manager, Kenwood Harry
Mr Harry said despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Soltuna has been able to maintain production at its processing plant.
“Our operation …operated as normal as there is no community transmission recorded here in the Solomons.
Soltuna worker, Sabrina Peli who is employed at the Soltuna’s cannery at the township of Noro is glad that while other industries have suffered adverse impacts as a result of Covid-19, she and her co-workers have been able to retain their jobs.
Ms Peli said people like her are able to find a steady and paid jobs at the company.
“We have many relatives and family who were laid off during the covid-19 crisis, however, we are thankful that despite that, we are able to support our family as we still have our jobs,” she told Island Sun.
Despite the mainly good news, the tuna industry has not escaped problems facing all importers and exporters.
“We are …affected by COVID-19, especially logistics where local supply chain is really affected,” Mr Harry said.
Freight and export challenges
Soltuna has experienced delays in procuring essential materials for its cannery.
“This is we because we only have limited flights coming, due to closure of the (international) border,” Mr Harry said.
Vessels arriving at Noro port have also been delayed, including due to quarantine protocols required before berthing he added.
Soltuna has been quick to respond to new conditions.
Soltuna vessel Solomon Topaz at Noro
“We managed to map out our contingency plan on how we as the company ordered the materials, despite the delay (which) is beyond our control,” Mr Harry explained.
Shipping delays have also affected the volume of tuna exported to neighbouring Pacific Island Countries.
However, within Solomon Islands demand for canned fish is still high.
Mr Harry said local strong demand combined with the absence of COVID-19 in the country, has resulted in Soltuna being able to maintain production, employment and surprising normality.
“The company got through this pandemic and felt the pinch, but it is still surviving,” he concluded.
The future of the ESP
In July last year, a total of $309 million was allocated for the Economic Stimulus Package to help ordinary people and the economy cope with the impact of COVID-19.
Small farmers and business-people were allocated $124 for rural production, forestry, fisheries and tourism businesses. Infrastructure projects, Development Bank of Solomon Islands and companies in essential industries, such as airlines and water supply, also received funding, as did MPs.
Much of the funding was intended as immediate initiatives to be spent within a year.
Back then, few people would have expected that more than a year later borders would still be closed and industries suffering.
After such a huge investment, the Ministry of Treasury and Finance (MoFT) is now assessing the impact of first ESP measures, with the report by its Monitoring and Evaluation Committee expected later this month.
MoFT Permanent Secretary Dentana has said a second economic stimulus package is possible but will depend on the findings of the Committee.
PS Finance Mckinnie Dentana
With borders remaining closed and vaccination rates not yet at levels required for re-opening, it will be some time before business gets back to normal.
And before that there are likely to be new challenges.
Mr Harry says Soltuna is ready for when COVID-19 reaches our shores.
“Should there be any cases recorded we have a plan in place for us to follow so that our work is not disrupted,” Mr Harry said.
“For now our contingency plan is not active ….not until we record any community transmission.
“Then we will activate our plan to not disrupt our production and our economy, as well.
This story is the last of a series supported through funding assistance by PACMAS for its ‘Covering the COVID economy’ Story Grant.
