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Beche-de-mer harvest reopens

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Press Release
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THE Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has lifted the beche-der-mer ban, reopening the harvest period for a year, starting today.

And the ministry advised interested Beche-de-mer (BDM) operators, exporters, fishermen, fisherwomen and the general public that the BDM Fishery ban will be revoked and effective on 1st September 2021 to 1st September 2022.

The Cabinet, through its special meeting on Thursday 26th August 2021, resolved that due to the Corona Virus Pandemic (COVID -19) and its impacts on the economy and livelihoods of our people, the opening of the BDM Fishery has been confirmed.

“All interested BDM operators, exporters, fishermen, fisherwomen are allowed to fish, in possession of, buying and selling and exporting of BDM as of 1stSeptember 2021 until 1st September 2022,” a statement from the ministry said.

“You are also further advised that two species of sea cucumbers, white teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva) and black teatfish (Holothuria nobilis) had been listed as endangered under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) which is adopted under theWildlife Protection and Management (Amendment) Act 2016,” it added.

“However, Solomon Islands as a party to the CITES can only trade these endangered listed species under CITES Trading and Management requirements.

“This means that the white teatfish and black teatfish will only be harvested and exported pursuant to CITES trading and management requirements and Wildlife Protection and Management (Amendment) Act 2016.

“All interested BDM operators, exporters, fishermen, fisherwomen and the general public are requested to take note of this notice. MFMR would like to further advice that harvesting, processing and selling of sea cucumbers and beche-de-mer before the 1st of September 2021 is illegal.

“Any perpetrators found in possession of, selling or export of beche-de-mer before 1st of September 2021 will be prosecuted with severe penalties according to the laws of Solomon Islands.

“Should you have any queries on the subject matter, please do not hesitate to contact the Director of Fisheries, Mr. Edward Honiwala on Phone 39151 or Email: [email protected]”

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MARA SPLIT

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Premier of Malaita province Daniel Suidani

Nine plan to leave Suidani

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

NINE MPAs of the Malaita provincial government are planning to resign, Island Sun was reliably informed yesterday.

These nine MPAs are reportedly in Honiara at the moment, preparing to tender in their resignation from the MARA government.

This would leave Premier Daniel Suidani’s Malaita Alliance for Rural Advancement (MARA) government with a minority of just seven members in the 33-member assembly.

This mass walkout is reportedly linked to the recent sacking of deputy premier Randol Sifoni following his activities, which premier Suidani saw as compromising the MARA government in light of ongoing hostilities between MARA and the national DCGA government.

MARA had governed with a 18-member majority before it kicked out Mr Sifoni.

If the nine MPAs group with the 16 non-executives, they will have a vast majority of 25 MPAs.

This is according to a source (MPA) who is on the executive side.

He told Sun Auki yesterday that the nine MPAs are currently in Honiara as they are mobilising themselves.

The source said names of the nine MPAs are already known and MARA government is just waiting for the official handing in of their resignations.

Meanwhile, he said MARA government sees the current move as politically motivated.

The source said MARA government is however, stable and any plan to oust them will not succeed.

The source said that MARA government has already identified MPAs to replace any executive member who resigns.

He said MARA government has an overwhelming number on their side and they are confident despite this commotion.

The source called for working together amongst provincial leaders as any plan to oust MARA government will not succeed.

An email sent to MARA Government for comments has not been responded to.

Malaita MPAs urged to abort plan to leave MARA

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Members of public of Auki showing banners in support of MARA government in a photo after the meeting yesterday in Auki.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

The Malaita for Democracy (M4D) is calling on the nine MPAs who are planning to leave the MARA government to ‘rethink and reconsider’ their decision.

This follows reports that nine provincial members (MPA) of MARA are in Honiara, ready to tender in their resignations.

M4D made this call after a meeting held in Auki yesterday on the matter.

President of M4D, Knoxly Atu told media the purpose of the meeting was to call on the nine MPAs to reconsider their decision to tender their resignation from MARA government.

“We the voters and people of Malaita province have call on them to review their decision to resign from MARA government.

“If their move is centered on money they must rethink their plan and not to split Malaita provincial government just because of that,” he said.

Atu said people support the principles of the current Malaita Alliance for Rural Advancement (MARA) government and will not likely support any new government with new agendas.

He said the people still support MARA government as it stands for what they believe and what they want for Malaita province.

Atu said the people’s call is simple and clear and it’s up to the nine MPAs to make wise decisions and rejoin the MARA government.

Fake facebook account angers Premier Gina

Written by
Ben Bilua
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David Gina

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE Office of Western Provincial Premier has condemned a fake Facebook account which has the picture of the Premier and a popular businessman at Gizo.

The fake account is a member of the Gizo Forum Facebook page with the name Jimson Kokole. It has reportedly been tarnishing the reputation of the premier.

In a statement to this paper, the Office of the Premier condemned the action in the strongest form.

“The practice by some people making faked names gained no benefit from anyone. People using fake profile should never be accepted by social media face book,” the statement says.

It states that investigation to find the owner of the account is underway with further action expected to be made when the owner of the fake account is found.

The office of the premier is calling on social media users to stop using other people’s image as it amounts to defamation.

It encourages users to use their own image with real name and at the same time post discussion that would lure development so as bringing greater benefits to the province.

Gov’t defends NDF money

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Press Release
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An example of the NDF achieving its purpose is the recently refurbished and electrification of the Seghe Area Health Center in Marovo Constituency

THE Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement has denied accusations that the Prime Minister’s $200,000 National Development Fund (NDF) is for political expediency and NOT for development.

This after Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale described the continued funding of the so-called National Development Funds (NDF) by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) directly to support the Prime Minister and MPs in his government as “shameful”.

Documents show the PRC Embassy in Honiara has pumped in $7.8 million to support the 39 Members of Parliament in the Government.

Each member received $200,000 from the total funding.

However, the Prime Minister Press Secretariate has responded that this is not true.

“The NDF was first established by the ROC when they provided these funds for discretionary use by the Prime Minister,” it said in a statement.

“Previous Prime Ministers have exercised their discretion in allocating these funds. However, when ROC gave these funds they did not require that these funds be used for development projects,” the statement added.

“This has now changed under the Peoples Republic China but only until 2022.

“This arrangement is to ensure a transitionary period after we switched diplomatic relations and will end in 2022.

“However, under PRC, the NDF will only be used for development projects upon application.”

It says Opposition MPs may wish to submit their proposals to the Prime Minister’s Office if they wish to.

“Wale’s false ignorance is shameful.

“It is NOT the PRC’s intention to interfere with national politics nor an egregious breach of Solomon Islands sovereignty as Wale erroneously claimed,” PMO said.

“PRC does not even intend this to undermine the government’s ability to maintain semblance of independence in its foreign policy, far from it.  

“These funds are for developing the constituencies through projects. For example, these NDF was used in the Marovo Constituency to connect the hospital to the main power grid, repainting of the full hospital, electrical rewiring and refitting, purchase and installation of ceiling fans and air cons,” it said.

“Wale was there last week during the inquiry into the Public Health Emergency Bill, yet he has accused the Government of using the funds for political purposes when these funds were actually used to benefit the sick people of Marovo Constituency.

“The politicization of the diplomatic switch to PRC overt and covert by some of our politicians is becoming childish and tedious,” it said.

“We should all be focusing on development and not on politicking,” it said.

The Embassy of China in Honiara has not responded emails Island Sun sent them for comments.

ENDS///

Public thanked for support during lockdown

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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A-male-officer-controlling-vehicle-at-the-White-River-checkpoint

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO 

AUTHORITIES have lauded the Honiara public for their cooperation during the 36-hour lockdown that ended 6am yesterday.

Incident Controller, Ministry of Health and Medical Services Dr Nemia Bainivalu thanked people for their cooperation in making the lock-down a success.

“I thank members of the public within the Honiara Emergency Zones for cooperation and adhering to lock-down regulations,” Bainivalu told reporters.

“And also for assisting us in the various emergencies that happened and for their cooperation during our simulation exercises with health teams that went into communities,” he added.

He said the Health ministry appreciated its partner ministries and stakeholders for making the lockdown a success.

Police to deal with detained logging craft

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE says they are waiting on the Director of Public Prosecution for advice before they can deal with the detained logging craft intercepted during the lockdown.

Assistant Commissioner Simpson Pogeava stated this yesterday.

He said currently police are dealing with the 32 people arrested while the issue of the detained vessel awaits the DPP’s advice.

He said they are working with stakeholders and the ship owner on paper works that need to be forwarded to the DPP’s office.

Police Maritime patrols intercepted the landing craft outside of the Solfish area at Lunga at 8:35pm on Sunday night August 29 when the simulated lockdown was already active for Honiara..

From there the landing craft then escorted to the police Maritime at Aola to be kept awaiting further advice from the rightful authorities.

‘No jab no job’ comes into effective today

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

PUBLIC servants and employees of state-owned companies who are yet to take their first COVID jab will not be allowed to enter their offices as of today.

That’s according to a Cabinet resolution designed to ensure employees of government and other state institutions get vaccinated.

In his national address in August, Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana confirmed that  the three groups of employees are as follow:

  • all public servants and employees of the central and provincial governments and eligible members of their families,
  • all staff of state-owned enterprises [SOEs] and other government institutions / subsidiaries and eligible members of their families
  • employees of private companies undertaking work at the front-lines – such as shipping agents, airlines, stevedores, crews of fishing vessels and eligible members of their families.

Togamana said this applies to three mentioned groups in the provinces where COVID-19 vaccination rollout had already commenced including Honiara, Western Province, and Choiseul Province, Guadalcanal Province and Malaita Outer Islands to receive their first doses of COVID-19 vaccination by 31st August 2021 and their second dose by 30 November 2021.

“Any person covered under the above categories who chooses not to get their 1st dose of vaccination by 31st August, will not be allowed to access their place of employment, and any person in the three categories not fully vaccinated by 30th November 2021 will be taken as having chosen to self-terminate their employment,” he said.

Togamana said the Cabinet also agreed that for provinces where vaccination rollout has not yet commenced, all employees under the above 3 categories will have 60 days [2 months] to get their first dose of vaccination and the last date to take their 2nd dose of vaccination will be 12 weeks from the date of the closing day for the 1st dose period.

“Like those in Honiara, Western, Choiseul, Guadalcanal provinces and Malaita Outer Islands, any person under the above categories who chooses not to receive their first dose by the end of the period for taking the first dose, will not be allowed to access their workplaces, and if they still choose not to be vaccinated by the closing date of the 2nd dose period will be taken as having chosen to self-terminate their employment,” he said.

Togamana adds that the mandatory vaccination came about because the cabinet has set a national vaccination target to achieve 80 percent 1st dose vaccination coverage nationally by 30th November 2021, and 80 percent 2nd dose vaccination coverage nationally by 28 February 2022.

“It is not the government’s intention to punish people. Its intention is to protect the total population of this country from COVID-19,” he said.

Meanwhile, the total number of the three groups of people who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is yet to be confirmed.

Ministry yet to release full report of lockdown

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Point-Cruz-road-during-the-lockdown-on-30-August-2021-1

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services is yet to release its outcome response effort for the 36-hour trail lock-down for COVID-19 response inside Honiara Emergency Zones.

“The Ministry will have a more detailed outcome of the 36 hour trail lock-down after finishing our de-brief of each particular area,” Incident Controller Dr Nemia Bainivalu said.

“We will provide you with the more detailed outcome after our meeting in the next few days,” he added.

Meanwhile, in a media briefing yesterday he highlighted few outcomes in terms of communication and logistics challenges faced inside the 36-hour lock-down period.   

32 arrests during lockdown

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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An-officer-checking-a-vehicle-at-the-Ranadi-round-about-checkpoint

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A total of 32 arrests were made during the lockdown.

Assistant Commissioner National Capital and Crime Prevention as well the RSIPF COVID-19 Police Operation Commander Simpson Pogeava confirmed this yesterday during the joint press conference.

Pogeava said 30 of the people arrested breached the restriction of movement while two others were arrested for brewing kwaso.

Pogeava said it is surprising to see people involved in unlawful activities like brewing of kwaso during the lockdown.

He said out of the total arrested one is a female.

He also said the 30 people were expected to appear in court yesterday while the two juveniles were released, their cases to be dealt with later today.

Pogeava also commended police officers for tirelessly carrying out their duties during the 36-hour lockdown as police officers were working 12hours and others more in dealing with the cases.

He said police are always there to support the leading agencies providing security and to make sure the regulations are complied with.

“Despite the arrests, I must commend members of the public; especially those in the emergency zone for their assistance in making the police operation a successful one. On behalf of all the officers who took part in the lockdown operation, I wish to thank you for all the positive feedback received on the work by RSIPF officers during the operation,” Pogeava added.

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