THE Oversight Committee and Ministry of Public Service is being advised to conduct an assessment on the vaccination coverage for the public service and state-owned enterprises in areas where vaccination has been rolled out.
This follows the mandatory vaccination memo agreed to by Cabinet during its sitting on Friday, July 30, 2021.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his national address this week said the assessment will be carried out in areas where vaccination has been rolled out including “Honiara, Guadalcanal province, Choiseul province, Western province, and Malaita Outer Islands, up to August 31 and advice Cabinet by September 16 on these results.
“The Cabinet will deliberate on this report and its recommendations at its meeting on 16th September 2021. Cabinet will then decide on the best way forward to ensure we still achieve maximum vaccination for employees of the Central and Provincial Governments, State-Owned Enterprises, and Frontline Agencies.
“So, until the Cabinet has this detailed information and decides on the best way forward, the Government will allow, on an exceptional basis, those public servants that had not yet been vaccinated to continue to go to work,” Sogavare said.
He said by taking this decision, the Government is not going back on its word.
“Rather it is taking time to conduct a detailed analysis of the situation, to make an informed decision on the best way forward that will ensure we will still achieve maximum immunisation not only for employees of the Central and Provincial Governments, State-Owned Enterprises, and Frontline Agencies but for all eligible citizens in the country.
“I will advise you all on the next steps as soon as the Oversight Committee provides its report and recommendation to Cabinet and the Cabinet has deliberated on it,” Sogavare said.
APTC's Abigail Chung introducing the Australian High Commissioner H.E Dr Lachlan Strahan to the principals of APSD and Afutara RTC upon his arrival at the APSD school yesterday.
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
AUSTRALIAN High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency, Dr Lachlan Strahan says education in Solomon Islands is one of many sectors Australia is supporting for the development of the country.
Strahan said this as he delivered a hilux and 40 laptops plus accessories to APSD and Afutara vocational schools at APSD School in the suburb of Auki town yesterday.
He said as part of their support towards the education sector of Solomon Islands, they assist the national government to keep schools in the country open this year.
“Our education activity in Solomon Islands starts at the elementary level.
“We have for instances just provided grants to make sure every elementary school in Solomon Islands remain open this year,” Strahan said.
He said Australia came in to support because government budget doesn’t have enough funds to keep all the schools open.
“So Australia has stepped forth especially during this covid time to make sure that we provide funding for pikinini (children) can go to school.
“We also provide funding for secondary schools, for tertiary education and scholarship, and some Solomon Islanders went to Australia to study in our universities,” Strahan said.
Australian High Commissioner, H.E Dr Strahan Lachlan delivering his speech on Malaita.
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
Australia is sticking with the Bina Harbour project.
High Commissioner Dr Lachlan Strahan made the reassurance yesterday during a handover of a hilux and 40 laptops along with their accessories to the Afutara and APSD technical institutes.
Dr Strahan said on Tuesday this week his team visited Bina Harbour – the site of the national project which has taken many years to materialise.
He said a lot of work needs to be done to make that project become a reality.
Strahan adds that if the project kicks off it will create hundreds of job not just in the Tuna factory, but in many other businesses which would be associated with the factory.
“To be very frank, many know in Solomon Islands today there is not enough jobs.
“More has to be done in the productive sectors of the economy to create more jobs, and primarily this is the job of the private sectors.”
Strahan said because in the end, companies here have to generate more economic activity which will create more jobs.
He said that would create a circle where people will have more jobs and in turn creates more economic activity. And that leads to more people being employed,
However, Strahan said government has a role to play; they must create a right framework to allow the private sectors to create jobs for everyone especially for young people.
“So I must say that over the coming years I see a major challenge for the country is to expand the formal economy.
“Formal economy is where people have proper jobs, wage and condition.
“So it’s important that over the coming years many different partners to do everything we can to make the private economy work better and expand,” he said.
Strahan said Australia, New Zealand, the United State are very committed to working with the national and the provincial governments to make this critical game changing nation building project of Bina harbor works.
He said this is the kind of project all of you need to work because it will create jobs in substantial numbers.
“I can reassure you that Australia will continue to support Solomon Islands in the education, infrastructure sectors and in the economy.
“So that in the end it will give you people skills but ultimately and hopefully will give you jobs.”
THE case of the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Robson Djokovic has again adjourned to October 6 pending his appeal before the Court of Appeal.
Djokovic’s case was mentioned before Deputy Chief Ricky Iomea yesterday and prosecution sought another 28-day adjournment awaiting the outcome of appeal, as the case before the Magistrate’s court will depend very much on the outcome of his appeal at the High Court.
His appearance in court was also excused.
Djokovic is facing three counts under the Electoral Act 2018 and the political party integrity act.
Police charged him with one count of obtaining registration by false pretense Contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code, count two Fraudulent Voting Contrary to Section 120 (c) of the Electoral Act 2018 and Prohibition of a non-citizen from membership of a Political Party Contrary to section 41 (1) of the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014.
Djokovic is alleged to be the holder of an Australian Passport, a member of ‘Our Party’ that has been registered under the Political Parties integrity Act, and a registered voter of South Choiseul Constituency in the 2019 National General Election (NGE).
Hellen Naqu of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown yesterday.
THE investigation into the case of the Constituency Development Officer for Temotu Nende has been completed and prosecution are prepared to serve disclosures to the defence lawyer.
Public Prosecutor Jonathan Auga confirmed that they have prepared full disclosures; since the accused, Philip Tuplo, has already engaged a lawyer to represent him in court, prosecution will provide the disclosures.
A lawyer from the Whitlam Togamae Law firm Steven Lalase confirmed their legal representation of the accused, therefore since they will be acting for the accused, they want disclosures and seek further time from the court.
Tuplo is facing one count of official corruption Contrary to Section 91(a) of the Penal Code.
This is for them to take instruction with their client for possible plea on the charge against Tuplo.
Meanwhile Principal Magistrate Leonard Chite adjourned the case to September 22 for possible plea.
Magistrate Chite also made directions for the prosecution to serve the disclosures to the defence before close of business yesterday.
Tuplo was arrested following allegation into the incident occurred way back in 2013, regarding payment of the housing material project for a community at Temotu Nende in 2013.
The accused was employed as CDO for Temotu Nende Constituency at the commission of the offence and is a native of Mebialo village in Santa Cruz, Temotu Province.
SOLOMON Water has awarded a $16m contract to Australian based international consultants SMEC International Pty. Ltd. to implement the second phase of the wider Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project (UWSSSP).
The second phase entailed a detailed engineering design project, which is funded by the Solomon Islands Government with its development partners the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank (WB) and European Union (EU).
“Solomon Water’s vision is to provide safe water for a healthy nation and the detailed designs and studies that this contract will produce will advance us towards this vision,” CEO Ian Gooden said.
“Solomon Water welcomes SMEC on board and we look forward to the outcome of the project,” he added.
The second phase of the detailed engineering project covers six critical activities:
Implementation of an Asset Management System.
A new five year action plan.
Identification and design of large pipeline replacement programme to reduce non revenue water losses.
Expansion of Solomon Water’s service in Honiara to areas currently unable to be supplied in the Noah Hill, Nine ridges and Mount Austen area .
Identification and design of pipeline replacements for the wastewater collection system rehabilitation.
Feasibility study and design of the proposed Choiseul Province township water and waste water system.
The project will run for seventeen months and is due to commence shortly.
THE Leader of Independent Group in Parliament, John Dean Kuku yesterday offered some comments on the recent release of additional PRC National Development Fund (NDF) funding to DCCG members of parliament.
Kuku expressed concern that the release of NDF may be unconstitutional and called on the Government to take full responsibility for such gross inept actions.
He noted that even though PRC is a non-member economy of OECD, it had established a working relationship since 1995 and had earned the status as OECD Key Partner.
“China being an OECD Key Partner had always recognized and participated in global policy discourse to promote transparency, accountability, budget discipline and management, public governance and trade and investment policies,” Kuku said.
“These field of works are so important for our country and that which we should put some efforts to learn from the experiences of China and some member economies resident in our country,” he added.
“China is a donor country and had always adhered to specific principles and practices in transparency and public governance.
“We must not abuse their status as a diplomatic partner.
“PRC aid policies should be respected therefore must not be treated the same way as ROC, therefore the NDF scheme previously concocted under ROC must be abandoned and a new transparent and enhanced program of development assistance engagement with PRC should be developed and adopted.”
Kuku emphasized that all development funds from PRC should be properly appropriated pursuant to the provisions of the constitution.
“I am recommending that PRC development assistance should be captured under section 100 of the constitution.
“This should include any funds held in any ESCROW Account other than Special Funds established under the Public Finance and Management Act,” he said.
Kuku further noted that the funds in the ESCROW Account were meant for CDF.
He questioned why was the fund not fully disbursed in the 2020 financial year.
“Furthermore, the prime minister had authorized the conversions of the funds held with ESCOW Account from being CDF funds to NDF funds.
“If the ESCOW Account funds are held under section 100 of the constitution or other special funds established under the Public Funds and Management Act, then funds held in the ESCROW Account can only be released upon conditions on requests being fully satisfied.
“On this note, I would like to call on the Minister of Finance and Governor of CBSI to fully explain the conditions of the ESCROW Account.”
Kuku said he’d noted that the Economic Recovery justification as stated in the PM’s Minute may be misleading as the amount released will have insignificant impact on the proposed recovery.
He called on the DCCG and Prime Minister to take effective responsibility in managing the diplomatic relations and development partnership with PRC for the good of economic and social prosperity of our country, and avoid putting PRC between a rock and a hard place for the sake of political expediency.
Participants from the various forest sector organisations and institutions at the 8th FSTWG meeting.
We will have to work on alternative commodities from our forests, either to add from the current reliance or fill in the gap that round log export will create as we continue to reduce round logs export due to its descending supply from our forests.”
Ministry of Forestry and Research Permanent Secretary, Dr Vaeno Vigulu told this to participants at the 8th Forest Sector Technical Working Group (FSTWG) meeting held at the Heritage Park recently.
FSTWG is being organised and coordinated by the JICA Sustainable Forest Resource Management Project with the Ministry of Forestry and Research.
“Over decades and till today, our country depends heavily on forest timber resources for revenue generation, housing materials, furniture makings and ecosystem services.
NRM Team Leader, Ms Lorenza Cordeiro who works under USAID SCALE, Winrock International shares her thoughts.
“And this will continue to do so into the next decade and beyond, as the demand for revenue increases with increasing reliance on our forest resources for increasing population and increasing dynamic demands.”
He adds forestry is an important sector that generated much of the government and resource owners’ revenues, materials and ecosystem services in the past decades until recently.
The Permanent Secretary explains that for “over last 5 years, an average of 2.5 million m3 of round logs were exported, this represents approximately SBD $540 million annually over the period, which represents approximately 20% of the government revenues and around 60% of export.
“That showed, forestry sector is one of the major drivers of the national economy of our country.”
Development Programme Coordinator, Mr Joe McCarterfrom the NZ High Commission giving ideas into discussion.
Dr Vigulu then urges for a quick turn to alternative forest products as a means to sustain the many uses of the forest going forward;
The government in particularly the Democractic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) through the Ministry of Forestry and Research is driving this swift and would like to see all other relevant groups within the forestry sector to follow suit.
Especially in promoting non-timber forest products and aesthetic values of the island rainforests to support livelihoods through eco-tourism, to reduce and moving away from reliance on timber products.
This would indeed help to reduce further degradation of rainforests and promote sustainable forest resources management, to progressively support the economy and with national collaborative attempt in addressing climate change in the long term, further explains the Forestry Permanent Secretary.
“The commitment shown is in the redirection priority policies of DCGA for 2021 encompassed promotion of downstream processing activities and sustainable development of logging programme to ensure and promote principles of sustainable forest management, good practice, monitoring, governance, work on alternative forest timber and non-timber products, ecosystem services through agroforestry systems, reforestation, enrichment and regeneration management on the logged over islands degraded and deforested landscapes.
Live and Learn Solomon Islands rep, Mr Billy Apusae presenting their organisations involvement in the forestry sector.
“The measures taken indicated the seriousness of the DCGA Government in reviewing and developing measures to sustainably manage the forest resources as we continue to harvest and benefit from them.”
The Permanent Secretary further adds that the Ministry had collaborations with donor partners on various strategies and activities, addressing and enhancing the ongoing priority policy area objectives of 2021 and it is proper that we update and discuss with each other, donor partners and stakeholders what Policy areas the Ministry implements using the government budget.
And also, share with us potential supports to Government Policies or your Work Programme areas where we can align to mutually benefit communities and resource owners through Government Policies.
In doing so, your support will assist and support the government initiatives to sustain and reduce the exploitation and reliance on forest timber products, hence, promoting sustainable forest management, says Dr Vigulu.
Dr Janella Solomon, the newly appointed Medical Superintendent of NRH
THE National Referral Hospital (NRH) has its first female Medical Superintendent.
She is Dr Janella Solomon – a medical doctor who has served at the hospital for many years.
Dr Solomon is part Guadalcanal and Western province.
She is not new to the hospital nor the Ministry of Health.
A statement from the ministry said from 2020 to March 2021, she was the Supervising Medical Superintendent of NRH, Clinical Team Leader for COVID-19 Isolation Ward at NRH.
In 2018 she was the NRH paediatrician, and between 2013 to 2017 Senior Paediatric registrar of NRH with her two previous postings in Malaita province as Medical Officer at the Kilufi hospital in 2010 -2013 and Atoifi Adventist Hospital in 2009.
Dr Solomon holds a Masters and Diploma in Child Health, School of Medicines and Science Health, University of Papua New Guinea, International Post Graduate Diploma in Child Health, Westmead Children’s Hospital, University of Sydney, Australia and Bachelor Medicine and Bachelor Surgery, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, UPNG.
The statement said throughout her working career, she participated in numerous professional development trainings and engaged in many undertakings involving skills and knowledge related to her new job.
These include; local tutor for Sydney Child Health Program International Post Graduate Certificate Diploma in Child Health, School of Nursing, Solomon Islands National University and Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital for teaching of Post Graduate Diploma and Masters in Child Health Program for Doctors.
She was the local supervisor for Fiji National University graduates at NRH 2021, School of Medicines and Health Sciences for UPNG students at NRH 2014 -2021 that landed her the Deputy Chair position for the Medical Internship Training Committee of NRH 2019 -2021.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Pauline McNeil congratulated Dr Solomon to her new position stating that the ministry is indeed grateful to have her on board.
“Women comprise an estimated 70 percent of the total workforce in the Ministry of Health yet not too many of them are in key leadership and management positions,” McNeil said.
“Therefore, the appointment of Dr Solomon is a big achievement and a key milestone for women leadership in the health sector,” she added.
McNeil congratulated Dr Solomon in her new role.
“While we welcome Dr Solomon, I wish to also thanked Dr Rooney Jagilly, the Head of NRH Surgical Ward, who has been the acting MS in the past months while recruitment was being carried out.
“Sincere thank you indeed for job well done.”
Dr Solomon said she would strive to serve in her role as the Medical Superintendent to serve the people to the best of her knowledge, skills and ability.
“It won’t be easy but I assure of my determination, commitment and dedication towards this role to continue enhancing the operations of the hospital and continue on from the good work that previous MSs have achieved in improving the quality of patient care at the hospital,” Dr Solomon said.
