Chairman of the Oversight Committee Dr Jimmie Rodgers
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
COVID-19 risk for Solomon Islands is greater than ever before since the delta variant of the virus is just next door, says Dr Jimmie Rodger, secretary to the Prime Minister.
Rodgers highlighted this at the recent radio talkback on COVID-19 updates.
“The new delta variant of COVID-19is just looking next door to us meaning the risk in Solomon Islands is greater than ever before.
“I said this because I see it with my own eyes on how the pandemic is actually going like a wild fire in Fiji, am saying this because am currently living here in Fiji.
“It is very difficult to stop the virus, if it reaches our communities.
“Our second intention of course is whenever it comes into the country it must be stopped and contained at the quarantine facilities and eliminate it there.
“We also push on vaccination and also on corporation of people to make sure the under 18 years are protected from the virus as well,” he said.
Rodgers said the delta variant is affecting many countries and that is why the government is very careful.
“The key message here is those who are eligible to vaccinate, please get vaccinated and reduce movement.
“Non vaccinated people are the ones that are dying early,” he said.
WHILE the country is preparing for a 36-hour lockdown, 19 people are serving their mandatory quarantine at government funded stations.
Jonathan Taufiariki, deputy director to National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in a radio talkback confirmed this.
“We have 19 quarantiners serving their mandatory quarantine periods. Of the 19, seven are serving their mandatory quarantine period in Nila, Shortlands Islands, Western Province.
“Eight are Olympians who have returned back from Japan and other four coming from Papua New Guinea who are all quarantined in Honiara,” Taufiariki said.
He said at the moment, Camp Management, the body looking after quarantine stations, is managing five quarantine facilities declared by the national government.
“These quarantines stations are GBR, SA apartment these two are located in the Henderson area. The other three quarantine facilities are hotels these include Heritage Park Hotel, Pacific Casino Hotel and King Solomon Hotel. So in total we have five quarantine stations in Honiara,” Taufiariki said.
He adds, in Western Province there are three and one in Choiseul province.
THE issue of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) is an ugly legacy of World War 2 Solomon Islands is still experiencing its effects to this day.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare highlighted during the launching of the UXO package support from the Australian Government at the Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, Friday last week.
Sogavare said Solomon Islands like all other Pacific Island countries which have had this war fought on their shores, remains heavily contaminated with UXO, both on land and sea.
“We are amongst one of the worst affected countries in the Pacific and this terrible legacy continues to have a devastating impact on people’s lives up to this day,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said it is sad to highlight that in the past years alone Solomon Islands continued to experience loss of lives.
He said earlier this year an UXO took the life of two young Solomon Islanders. Prior to that two foreign nationals who were tasked to work with this UXOs also lost their lives.
The Prime Minister said the Government sees this as an ever-present danger to the well-being and safety of our people.
“Though we are limited in our capacity, we continue to strive to provide the best training possible to our disciplined force to deal with this legacy of a conflict that was not of our own making,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team (EOD) is the only specialized Unit mandated to deal with UXOs.
He said though they are limited with resources, they continue to do a great job under challenging circumstances.
“They have at times continued to bring high repute to their expert field amongst their pacific peers, and for this I wish to salute them for the work they do each day to keep our people safe,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said conducting explosive clearances operation and awareness activities to our communities is an important but dangerous job.
“These men and women continue to put their lives at risk to ensure that we enjoy a safe and secure environment free from UXOs,” the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said as a Government, they are tasked with ensuring the security of the people, and will continue to accept any support that aims to protect and keep everyone safe.
27 lives were lost on the MV Taimareho in April 2020 when the ship sailed through rough weather.
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE case against the directors, General Manager, captains and the West Are’are Constituency shipping company has adjourned to October 5 due to technical issues.
The case was mentioned yesterday at the High Court for plea but since the defence raised some issues regarding the charges against the defendants, the case adjourned.
12 defendants are charged in relation to the sea tragedy involving MV Taimareho causing the death of 27 people at sea in April 2020.
The defendants are charged under the shipping Act 1998, which includes sending an unsafe vessel to sea, Vessel going to sea without a valid certificate, taking an unsafe vessel to sea, disciplinary offence, failing to keep an official log book, failing to notify the principal surveyor of change in condition of a vessel and not complying with the convention international on standards of training certification and watch keeping for seafarers.
They are Michael Roy Galo (ship master) Joe Malepa and Stephen Waina’a (captains) Shipping Directors are Esther Hoasihere, John Bosco Houanihunu, Lawrence Hunumeme, Stephen Maahanua, Aaron Oritaimae, William Parairato and Aloysius Poiohia and the General Manager Cypriano Taamora.
ATTORNEY General Muria John (Jnr) calls on the public and especially people residing inside the Honiara Declared Emergency Zone to respect and adhere to the lockdown orders, which will come into effect next Sunday, 29th at 6:00 pm and cease on Tuesday, 31st at 6:00 am.
“Lockdown orders are valid and constitutionally sound,” Muria said.
“This has also been confirmed by the High Court of Solomon Islands in Mitoro v Regina Criminal Case No. 1 of 2021,” he added.
“Failure to follow the lockdown orders is a breach of the law and you will be arrested and charged,” Muria said in a radio talkback show.
Director of the National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates, also explained during a media briefing over the weekend that the simulated lockdown will be inconvenient for our communities but heightening our preparation and response capabilities for COVID-19 and especially the Delta-variant is paramount is at this stage.
He kindly urge Honiara residents to accept and listen out to media outlets for the simulated lockdown as frontline agencies conduct case scenarios to test their response mechanisms.
The revised COVID-19 Lockdown Plan was updated to provide guidance to emergency responders attending to suspected covid-19 cases in the communities, and limit public movement to restrain transmission of the virus.
The plan provides the overarching framework for managing lockdowns in a location of interest.
It specifies the governance arrangements, the roles and responsibilities of responding agencies as well as the continuation of specific essential services during the lockdown period.
The lockdown plan is supported by a series of Terms of References and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for frontline agencies.
Any person breaking the Lockdown Order will be liable to a maximum penalty of SBD$15,000 or face imprisonment for 5 years, or both, under the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No.2) Regulations 2021.
The lockdown is only for the Honiara Declared Emergency Zone from Aligator Creek to Poha.
Police teams will set up 10 checkpoints inside the emergency zone and mount surveillance operation.
More than 500 police officers will be deployed during the lockdown exercise operation next week.
COVID-19 Police Operation Commander Simpson Pogeava says the lockdown will start at 6pm on August 29, finishing at 6am on August 31.
Mr Pogeava says police are supporting the Ministry of Health and Medical Services as the leading agency to test their response capabilities should there be any community transmission when borders reopen.
Pogeava says from the police operational perspective, there will be six sub-zone boundaries from Poha Bridge in North West Guadalcanal to Alligator Creek in the Eastern side of Honiara International Airport. Within those sub-zones, there are 10 checkpoints within Honiara and part of Guadalcanal policing jurisdiction.
He says police are working on other essential services to be exempted during the lockdown.
“I kindly ask everyone to prepare ahead for this lockdown. Stock up your homes with food and other necessities to keep you for that period.
“Be mindful, though it is a lockdown exercise but police will arrest and charge those who breach 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,” says Pogeava.
A yacht anchoring off Selwyn Bay, Ugi island, Makira-Ulawa province is causing a scare.
Kirakira police yesterday told the paper the principal of nearby Pawa school had raised to them concerns of this yacht and the scare it is causing on surrounding coastal communities as well as staff and students of Pawa.
Kirakira police say they have alerted authorities in Honiara, and are standing by for any order from the capital.
Community rumours reaching Kirakira police say the yacht had run into some mechanical problem, thereby forcing it to drop anchor.
Provincial Police Commander advises surrounding communities not to go near the yacht as the country is currently in State of Public Emergency.
The yacht carries two male foreigners; the description of the yacht is white in colour with the name Vivre, and one mast.
Peter Kenilorea Junior with members of the Paehusi landholding with their certificate
THREE customary landholding groups in Masupa Village in the East ‘Are’are region of Malaita Province received their certificates of land recording completion in a hand-over ceremony yesterday,
The Customary Recording was carried out under the Customary Land Act and preceded by public awareness dialogues and consultations, boundary mapping and reconciliation between customary landholding groups’ members.
Minister Avui and East Are’Are MP with delegates on arrival at Masupa village
The main purpose of the Customary Recording Programme was to record the land rights of customary landholding groups.
It also allowed recording their genealogy which is now officially recognized and subsequently will be registered in the Repository of the Central Land Records Office of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey.
Minister Avui with members of the Huniharu landholding group with their certificates
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS), Ishmael Avui, congratulated three landholding groups, including the Rarirahuta, Paehusi and Huniharu of East Are’ Are, for receiving their certificates of completion of the Customary Land Recording process under the Customary Land Recording Act.
“I strongly believe that the recording of customary land will spread throughout Malaita and other provinces and communities. The fire has started here in East Are’ Are, and the DCGA Government will help to fan the flame so that it will spread throughout other parts of Malaita and other Islands in the country,” Minister Avui said.
Minister Avui speaking at the Masupa handover ceremony
“Thank you to the East Are’ Are House of Chiefs and other tribal elders for supporting my Ministry in successfully rolling out the programme,” he added.
“On that same note, I would like to thank our development Partner UNDP for their financial and technical support to this great and historical achievement.
UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands Mr Berdi Berdiyev with members of the Raroasi landholding group members
“Such assistance is never easy to get, but I can assure you it will go a long way to drive development in the rural areas of Solomon Islands.”
In his welcoming remarks, UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands Berdi Berdiyev expressed his appreciation to members of three customary landholding groups in East ‘Are’are for their partnership with the Government over last 10 months to complete the recording.
UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands Mr Berdi Berdiyev speaking at Masupa
“Having land rights recorded grants the landowners the right to utilize land for development that will benefit not just one person or family or a group of individuals, but everyone in your communities in years to come,” he said.
Berdiyev further emphasized that the customary recording process supported by UNDP is an important initiative which contributes to development and peace of Solomon Islands.
“The development and implementation of the customary land recording in Solomon Islands is a critical pillar of the National Development Strategy, and with the approach to leave-no-one-behind, I am positive that the recording will play a pivotal role in building and sustaining peace and reducing land-related conflicts and disputes in Solomon Islands,” he added.
Children and women joined the celeberation
With the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding thread, UNDP works to promote peace and inclusive societies by supporting and partnering with governments, civil society organizations and people to participate in processes to prevent conflict and sustain peace.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
Government has come out defending its allocation of $1.8 million for the lock-down planned for next week.
The 36-hour exercise will begin at 6pm Sunday, August 29, ending at 6am Tuesday, Aug 31.
Taxpayers over the weekend had questioned this rather large sum especially when government is in a financially tight spot.
Speaking at a radio talkback yesterday, deputy director for the national disaster management office (NDMO) Johnathan Taufiariki said the $1.8million will be used by six sectors of government: Police, Agriculture, Health, Infrastructure, Education and Camp Management.
Mr Taufiariki explains the first three:
Police will be carrying out safety and security for the general public.
Ministry of Agriculture (MAL) will ensure food security and livelihood during those 36 hours. For who exactly, Taufiariki does not elaborate.
Ministry of Health (MHMS) will ensure health and medical services continue throughout the lockdown.
It is still not clear what the roles of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Infrastructure and Camp Management are.
“We have six sectors that will be engaged in this exercise. When all these sectors put together their budget, the total cost is $1.8million.”
Taufiariki adds that $1.8 million is necessary to ensure preparation, which would help the government avoid costs that would be in the ‘ten-fold’ if disaster strikes due to non-preparation.
“If we are not prepared, we will expect to spend 10-fold of this $1.8milliion just to answer and to deal with any community transmission.
“In order for us to test our preparedness and response effort some resources have to be put to use so that to prepare us.
“Preparedness is usually one important area but sometimes people do not take it into considerations because they said that amount should be saved for response purposes.
“But when the response part comes it will be a very expensive cost to pay for.”
Dr Jimmie Rodgers, secretary to the Prime Minister, said there will be a huge number of people involved to implement this lock-down exercise – to ensure it works.
Rodgers said the bulk of the $1.8million will be for Police and Health – “Between these two parties is $1.3million.”
“This is because they are the ones that will do most of work during this period.
“The other sectors that are coming in are for support areas to help the lock down exercise successfully.
“If we are not prepared when the virus hit the cost for us in Solomon Islands on a community transmission even in one day will be using more than $1.8million.
“We are using this money to sharpen our skills, so that we will and can know what to do and what not to do if the virus happens to be in our communities,” Rodgers said.
Primary aim of the simulated lockdown is to test and assess the response capabilities of frontline agencies to protect us from the deadly coronavirus delta strain.
Senior technical advisor to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Dr Yogesh Choudhri, in a media briefing yesterday said “COVID-19 keeps changing thus we have to tighten our procedures.
“We ensure to be a step ahead of the virus in our preparation plans.
“This lockdown will put to test the health scenarios such as contact tracing in the event a surge of virus cases in the city, our connection with the wider Guadalcanal Province, the extra facilities identified to cater for a surge of positive cases and other factors at play.”
National Disaster Council Chair Dr Melchoir Mataki explained that lockdown is part and partial of government measures to protect the country from covid-19 such as the nationwide vaccination campaign and the border restriction.
Mataki emphasised though the lockdown is simulation in nature, it is real and the public must take note of the consequences of any breach.
Director of the National Disaster Council Loti Yates also highlighted the need to conduct a trial lockdown to test out certain function of the response mechanisms.
“This will prepare our frontline agencies to relook into their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
“The role National Disaster Operation Sector Committees played during a lockdown period is important and it will be put to test again after its revision since last year.
“Acceptance from those in the emergency zone is needed though it will cause inconvenience,” Loti said.
From the outset of this global crisis, the goal of the Government has always been to safeguard the health, social and economic security of Solomon Islanders by:
a) Minimising the risk of importation on any new strain of COVID-19 including the Delta Strain in Solomon Islands;
b) Minimising the spread, reducing morbidity and mortality; and
c) Minimising societal disruption, and psychosocial and economic impacts of COVID-19
The lockdown will start next Sunday 29th at 6pm and cease Tuesday 31st at 6am.
The lockdown is only for the Declared Emergency Zone from Aligator Creek to Poha.
