Metropolis Pacific PTE LTD has refuted out at a social media post saying the company had laid-off a big number of staff.
It was claimed in the social media that a large number of staff were laid-off as of July 31.
But responding to this, the company’s General Manager William Ling said they are not aware of the lay-off claims in the social media.
“We (The Company) are not aware of the laid-off claims in the social media.
“We do believe that those are purely jealousy, we can’t stop people who are born for jealousy.
“They just cannot accept people are doing well and try their very best to destroy others in the social media because social media is costless and can satisfy them somehow. Pray for them,” he said.
He said the company currently has 68 expatriates and about 120 local workers currently working at the new city at Mamara.
“I hope the media can be responsible for what has been established in newspapers and not create any confusion to the general public as what has been done in the social media,” Mr Ling said.
He said Metropolis Pacific PTE LTD is a Singapore registered company, who signed the Mamara Tasivarongo Mavo Development Agreement with the Solomon Islands Government.
“Metropolis Mamara Development Ltd is a SI registered company, wholly owned by Metropolis Pacific PTE LTD,” Ling adds.
Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, Dr Franco Rodie.
BY JARED KOLI
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) Dr Franco Rodie assures Solomon Islands students in Papua New Guinea and Fiji that the Government is “almost there” on facilitating their special covid-19 allowance.
“I cannot tell you the date in which we might be able to pay the money. But what I can assure you is that we almost there,” Mr Rodie told a covid-19 radio talkback show hosted by the national broadcaster – SIBC, yesterday.
Rodie said they received requests for this from Fiji-based students as well as students from Papua New Guinea
“It has taken us a bit of time because we got to find the money, and there has been some good discussion between MEHRD and the Ministry of Finance,” he said.
He said last year they send students special COVID-19 allowance package. Island Sun understands that for Fiji students, this was around April 2020 when the first Covid-19 outbreak in Fiji.
“…that is what we are organising now. So we are trying to process what we need to do before we can make the payment,” he said.
Rodie said they should be able to provide that top up allowance soon for students, so that they can buy whatever they need to buy.
Meanwhile, the Education permanent Secretary said beside this normal allowances paid each month should last them until December.
A former covid-19 patient has expressed his experience with the disease as “unimaginable”.
In a radio talkback show yesterday on SIBC, Ambrose Malefoasi detailed his experience in contracting the virus.
Malefoasi was one of the 40- 50 Solomon Islands students recorded as covid-19 positive in Fiji.
“I am one of the students who contracted the virus,” he said.
Malefoasi said it was unfortunate because it affected their health and their studies.
“It was also fortunate that the virus confers immunity of the body in one sense.
“I suspected I got infected with the virus around the 3rd of July so, on the 17th of July 2021, I was swabbed and results returned by the Fiji Ministry of Health was covid-19 positive.
“When I contracted the virus, I had mild symptoms and it is very interesting that the mild is more like contracting malaria. I felt back ache, joint pain, my muscles getting weak. These experiences came in like waves,” he said.
Malefoasi stressed the symptoms come two days after the other, so, “it sort of aggravates until on the 17th of July I decided to get swabbed”.
He said the good thing is that it took him only three days to recover from the deadly virus.
“So, within three days after swabbing, I no longer feel any fever, headache, dizziness and all the COVID-19 symptoms,” Malefoasi said.
He said in it took about 10 days for a full recovery.
“I want to highlight one point here and that is I am encouraging all citizens to get vaccinated. I know people have been taking their first jabs and very close to getting their second jabs.
“So the symptoms and experiences are unimaginable. Take COVID-19 seriously. Let’s be serious about the government machineries. Let us be serious to look after our families and our nation.
“I still feel that there is opportunity for the virus to break through but let us be proactive as citizens in Solomon Islands who have concern for the people,” Malefoasi said.
Dr Elizabeth Rogers, meanwhile, during the talkback, urged Solomon Islands students who have covid-19 to stay in their homes.
“I have kept in touch with all the Solomon Islands students who contracted the virus monitor and help them get through the virus,” Rodgers said.
A Fisheries Ordinance is being drafted for Guadalcanal Province which is expected to give way to increased activity in fishery/aquaculture undertakings in the province.
Guadalcanal Province Premier Francis Sade echoed this during the recent Guadalcanal Day Anniversary celebration at Marau in east Guadalcanal.
“Fishery is another major industry with potential for Guadalcanal province but one that is yet to be harnessed. Consequently, a Fisheries Ordinance is being drafted and we expect that this will give way to increased activity in fishery/aquaculture undertakings in the province,” Premier Sade said.
In areas of fisheries development, the premier said the Province is proud to host some of the major national fisheries development projects like the Aruligo national tilapia hatchery and Marau sea cucumber hatchery.
“The Guadalcanal Provincial Government will continue to support the national government to lead this country in areas of aquaculture development especially on the development of tilapia fish farming,” he said.
The premier said this year the fisheries division of the province conducted a provincial wide tilapia feasibility assessment.
“This is important to set out our policy priority to develop aquaculture and infrastructure to support small holder commercial fish farming and other potential aquaculture candidate species in the province.
“I wish to thank the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources through Makem Strong Solomon Islands Fisheries (MSSIF) program of the New Zealand Government for supporting Guadalcanal through the provincial fisheries division,” Premier Sade said.
The covid-19 delta variant has been found to be more contagious than the chicken pox, another viral disease which is widely known as highly infectious.
SECRETARY to the Prime Minister Dr Jimmie Rodgers said this information is confirmed by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) a national public health agency of the United States.
“Based on new information the delta variant had been confirmed by CDC and stressed it is as infectious as or more infectious than chicken pox
“For those of you that have chicken pox before you know the way which chickenpox spreads that is how this new variant is spreading,” Rodgers said.
“This virus is more deadly increasing number of people dying from this variant comparing to the number of people died from the previous variant.
“This variant started with the children and no one is exempted from this variant.
“The common thing I want to mention here is all those that have died atleast in Fiji have not been vaccinated. And this is a really important issue for us to take note of,” Rodgers said.
He stressed many countries have stepped up their vaccination coverage seeing that is the only way to combat it.
“If we happen to introduce the delta variant, then we must be prepared to eliminate it in quarantine stations and that has been a policy that worked for us and a policy that we are fine tuning, to make sure we can protect the country and the people from this virus,” Rodgers said.
He uttered, a lot of people in the Solomon Islands still think that COVID-19 can’t hurt them.
“Let me say, there are families torn apart by this disease.
“I just want to make sure all Solomon Islanders to know that this disease is not to be played around with,” Rodgers said.
He said having mandatory vaccination in Solomon Islands is to ensure the population is fully vaccinated and if the virus happens to come in it will not have a disastrous effect in the country and the people.
THE Governor of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, Dr Luke Forau has suggested an upscale of the labour mobility and seasonal workers scheme to entice remittance into the country.
The Governor told local Journalists recently that remittance from our seasonal workers overseas, especially in Australia and New Zealand are still small.
He said currently it is yet to have huge impact on the economy.
“But on an individual level it is beneficial for those workers and their families,” he emphasized.
Dr Forau said it has the potential to increase further, which could become a source of the country’s foreign reserves.
“I would like to encourage the labour mobility scheme to upscale,” he said.
Recently a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation states that Australia is in desperate need for at least 26,000 farm workers right now. And local leaders like, Opposition leader, Matthew Wale has joined the chorus in urging the government to take a more proactive approach to ensure more Solomon Islanders can exploit the opportunities offered by the Australian labour mobility schemes.
The Solomon Islands government said it intends to send up to 2000 workers to Australia by the end of 2021.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand government said Seasonal workers from Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu will be allowed into the country without having to go into managed isolation from September, the government says.
MP Wale said he did not understand why Solomon Islands was not included.
“I wondered what criteria was used in selecting the countries that New Zealand has extended that privilege to, and whether it is any different for Solomon Islands,” he told Radio New Zealand.
Wale said his country also had no community transmission of Covid-19 and their border security had been tightened to no- exemption entry, including the once porous border with neighbouring Bougainville.
He said 70 percent of the population was under 30 years old, and many were unemployed now because tourism, fishing and agriculture had all declined.
“Have mercy, please include us. We are absolutely desperate and the New Zealand RSE programme is a life saver for the Solomon Islands.
“I would ask that the Solomon Islands is included in the first cohort of countries. We’re no different from Vanuatu and Tonga.”
A new jetty that will provide easier access for boats to offload passengers and market vendors will open anytime next week.
The jetty is constructed by the Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement Project (CAUSE) with the help of local employees trained under the CAUSE Project programme.
Speaking to Island Sun last month, Penny Siliako of CAUSE Project said the wharf is one among two that will be built at the Gizo Market.
“This jetty falls under the “Public Space Improvement” category of CAUSE Projects. It will run for 8 meters in the shape of the letter “T.”
“This will last 60 days and will involve a total of 20 CAUSE graduate trainees, both male and female.
Workers doing the last clean up before the jetty opens
“Given the time constraint of 60 days and the technical scope of the work, half of the workers are skilled workers who have previously worked for CAUSE on other projects. The second jetty will be built after the first one is finished and so will be the third.
“The project site is currently being demarcated, and workers are constructing all formwork in preparation for the piling processes,” he said.
Siliako said the project is in response to challenges market vendors faced when arriving at the market with their products.
He said the Jetty which is completed will add value to the services provided by market vendors from other islands.
Chrissa Sisters Band; standing (L) Claudius Samu(R) Isaiah Suru. Sitting (L) Elizabeth Kofae, Stella & Mary Asunta Sufai’a.
By Tahisihaka Andrew Dormans:
Growing up as a child or a teenager in the rural communities of Solomon Islands in the early 1980’s, the most popular medium of information and source of entertainment available is the radio.
At least in some of the households there were radios. Usually, the members of the community would flock around the radio and listen to their favorite programs being broadcasted by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).
For most of the people, Friday afternoons and Saturday nights were the real favorites. On Fridays the popular “Special Requests” segments would come on air in the afternoons.
On Saturday nights after the “Custom Story” with Uncle Luke Susuta, the “String Band Hit Parade” would be the next favorite lineup in the program. I can bet that no one would dare to leave to their houses for the night until the “String Band Hit Parade” was truly over.
The top10 local songs for the week would be played in the order from number 10 to number one on the SIBC top ten hits. Many of the old and local favorite songs were featured on the String Band Hit Parade every weekend. Popular household names like Moses Aru Graciano, Fred Maedola, Maworo String Band, Snow Cover, Fuaga Brothers and numerous other artists from all over Solomon Islands were featured in the popular radio program.
Two of the popular songs at that time were the “Malaita” and “Usugani Le’a Tara’ina” from the little-known group tagged as the “Chrissa Sisters String Band from Kwa’a village, West Kwaio of Malaita Province.
Chrissa Sisters String Band are originally from Kwa’a village in West Kwaio, Malaita Province. The band itself and the great people behind it may not be popular like other local artists in Solomon Islands but certainly their two songs by no means should be discounted and claimed as unpopular on the national airwave, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).
Chrissa Sisters String Band. Right to left Elizabeth Kofa’e, Martina Sufai’a and Mary Asunta Sufai’a, June 2021
The two songs were simple but popular that they captured the hearts of many Solomon Islanders. In a recent interview with Isaiah Suru, one of the band members who actually played the Ukulele, he revealed that they actually recorded ten (10) songs with Late Claudius Horiwapu of Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) at his residence at Kwa’a village in one of the years either in 1978 or 1979 as he recalled.
There were five members in the band at that time and it included Isaiah Suru, Claudius Samu and the three sisters Elizabeth Kofa’e, Mary Asunta Sufai’a and Martina Sufai’a.
Mr Isaiah Suru during the interview took the opportunity to acknowledge the involvement of the Late John Ale who was instrumental in composing the “Malaita” song.
As I interviewed Isaiah Suru about the “Malaita” song, he excitedly confirmed that thesong actually has four verses. Unfortunately, they did not record the other two verses. They only recorded two of the four verses including the chorus with the Late Claudius Horiwapu. I smiled and enquired why? He responded accordingly and stated that that they were in a rush to record the songs.
The Malaita song was not quite completed. Claudius Horiwapu had arrived and they were scheduled to record the 10 songs. It was just a quick decision and they had to setup pretty fast for the recording. Yes, it was a song about Mama Malaita, Isaiah Suru enthusiastically shared the story during the short interview.
The other two verses described the northern and the Southern part of Malaita Island. Unfortunately, the two verses were not recorded.
Naturally all the band members were singers in their village, Kwa’a. But they never really got to imagine singing together as a band and the fact that they were eventually recording their songs.
When they were asked to sing for the recording, the three sisters grouped together with Claudius Samu and Isaiah Suru himself and put on the show, he excitedly recalled.
The only instrument they played was the Ukulele made from the “Taba’a” or Tapa’a tree. There were two ukuleles.
Claudius Samu played the strings whilst Isaiah Suru did the strumming just as they used to do in the evenings at Kwa’a village. That was the simple life then, Isaiah Suru vividly recalled. Elizabeth Kofa’e, Mary Asunta Sufai’a and Martina Sufai’a did the popular vocals heard on the radio.
Elizabeth Kofa’e was the lead vocalist whilst the other two provided the support vocals. It was their natural voices, they were awesome and could naturally sing.
The second popular song was written and composed by Isaiah Suru in the Kwaio language, a love song titled “Usugani Le’a Tara’ina.” Literally, the song title means “Good Morning Today”
When I called Mr Suru on the phone at his home village, I was excited when he confirmed that one of the three sisters was present and she was available for the interview. Unfortunately, the other two were not available at that time. As soon as the phone was handed to Elizabeth Kofa’e, I introduced myself and my intention to interview her. I could hear her excitement on the other side. She introduced herself as Elizabeth Kofa’e. I quickly informed her that I have the recent photo of three of them. Where are you in the photo, I asked? She made sure that she was not mistaken. I am on the right with the black hair, she giggled. I immediately recognized her from the picture.
Elizabeth Kofa’e was not a popular person as she was a village girl and could only sing in their village, Kwa’a. She and her two sisters grouped and performed the songs as the songs were familiar to them. Nothing was special or extraordinary for her and the two sisters. After they recorded the 10 songs, that was it, they went on with their lives in the village. Later Martina Sufai’a married to a man from Kwalakwala village in East Kwaio, Malaita.
Mary Asunta Sufai’a was married in to a man from her own village at Kwa’a. I paused and posed to her the next question, are you married? She laughed and told me that she never married. “Mi no marit, mi Sista nao, mi waka lo Siosi” I am not married, I am a Sister and I work for the church. I only nodded in agreement with her.
Would you be able to sing again? You sang beautifully those two songs. Yes, I can, but it was in the younger days when we sang, she laughed. She will sing again if requested, but nowadays she only sing in the church with the little children. I asked her if she also played the ukulele, she only sang and her uncle (Isaiah Suru and relative (Claudius Samu) actually played the ukulele’s for the recording.
The name “Chrissa Sisters String Band”, how did it came about? What was special about it? According to Isaiah Suru, actually it was “GIRISA” and not CHRISSA as it was officially tagged by the recorder, the Late Claudius Horiwapu.
He joked, “Ating hem man lo Are’are so hem nao olsem ia” The recorder had it as Chrissa possibly because he is from Are’are. The slang “girisa” is used to describe a person claiming something that is not quite true about him or her or an exaggerator. As Isaiah Suru puts it, “olsem taem man no kaikai pikpik bata hem talem hem kaikai pikpik tu bae mifala say goheti girisim or sugam”
The name was inspired from the fact that the band was going to record when they were not quite ready or really established as a performing band. It was just raw recording. I would put it like that at least.
But the “Malaita” song and Usugani Le’a Tara’ina would prove their popularity to live on for the last 33 years. Today these two songs had made it to YouTube and they both can be accessed online. A huge appreciation to the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) for their invaluable digital library that kept secure the songs for the enjoyment of today’s listeners.
It is a sincere hope, that the members of this little known band “Chrissa Sisters String Band” are recognized for their work and natural artistic ability for presenting a simple song that is increasingly being referred to as the “Malaita” song today.
In some ways this promotional article is hoping to achieve that as well as recognition for the band members for contributing to the music industry in Solomon Islands by sharing this story with others.
Generally, people think of Malaita Island when they hear this beautiful and simple song performed with the golden and magical strings of the ukulele.
Who knows, but there is contemplation about the possibility of recording the full version of the “Malaita” song sometimes in the near future. With all the members of the band still around chances are high and it is not hard to materialize if all the planning goes on well. Having the full version of the Malaita song is not a bad idea at all.
In the recent weeks’ efforts have been made to regroup the band members to record the “Malaita” song in full which include the other two verses. The two verses actually described the Northern, Southern and Eastern parts of Malaita Island. Fortunately, the recording was made in the last few weeks which now featured Stella, Martina’s Sufai’a’s younger sister. Martina Sufai’a was not available when the latest recording was done.
Whilst trying to get contact with people behind this group, I was also privileged to get the lyrics of the songs “Usugani Le’a Tara’ina” from my good comrades from Malaita. The lyrics for the Malaita song, are provided by Mr Suru
It is my great pleasure to leave you with the lyrics of the two songs from Chrissa Sister’s String Band and hope you will enjoy listening and singing along.
USUGANI LE’A TARA’INA
Usugani le’a tara’ina
Manatalamu no’ona e kotofi’o mola
O iria fagu o eno bole nau
Ma inau na manatalagu ame rugasi’o no’o
Chorus
Ku dau suria labegu lei
E ato maka ato akui esi nau amu
O arisi nau ania nono’oilagu
Ngai lei ato akui laribonosi’o no’o
Fata lamu fagu e kwala’imori no’o
Ma osi masaria manatalamu mai agu.
To’oru odo mola fa’inia wanemu
Kwaimanga kotokoto lei osi manada’inia.
“GOOD MORNING TODAY”
Good morning today
Your thoughts lie to you
You told you dreamt about me
And I, my mind cannot leave you.
Chorus
I feel my body
It’s hard for me to swear at myself of you.
You woke me up with kissing me
That’s why I cannot forget you.
Your words to me are true.
But don’t spoil your thoughts on me.
Just stay true to your man
Don’t think about this false love and friendship.
Chorus
I feel my body
It’s hard for me to swear at myself of you
You woke me up with a kiss. That’s why it’s hard for me to forget you.
“MALAITA ISLAND”
There’s a home sweet home, where I belong to. The beautiful land that I know. It’s so dear to me, my beautiful island. The beautiful isles of Malaita
Chorus:
Malaita Island so blue against the sky
I am so proud that I belongs to you
Malaita Island so blue against the sky
That’s the wonderful isles of Malaita
If you look to your left, you will see mount Alasa’a. With the clouds surround it like its nest. To your right you’ll see the towering peak of Tolobusu. That’s the wonders of this isles of Malaita.
Isabel government says evidence submitted 2 months ago
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
The director of police’s criminal investigation division (NCID) has come under fire for alleged corruption.
The NCID director reportedly released a Malaysian logger under dubious circumstances. The logger was a suspect held for questioning over illegal tubi felling in Isabel.
Police commissioner Mostyn Mangau has come out to defend the NCID director’s actions. However, information Island Sun has gathered put the NCID director’s action and Commissioner Mangau’s comments under question.
Mr Mangau claims there is no evidence in this particular case to enable police to charge the Malaysian logger.
But, the Isabel provincial government and its lawyer say they had submitted evidence, sworn statements and other documents to the NCID two months ago.
Mangau went on to say that there had been an abuse of process which is why the NCID director released the Malaysian logger. NCID officers say otherwise.
Responding to questions raised during a press conference yesterday, Mangau said police investigations has an operating procedure, “any case reported to the police must be referred to the National Criminal Investigation Division (NCID) through the Deputy Director and then to the Director for viewing.
“Compared to this particular case against the Malaysian suspect, the file was referred from Buala police and then to the NCID officers, without notifying the Director about that case.
“Without the Director’s notice, officers then called the suspect for interview; it is an abuse of process, all investigation has to follow the process,” Mangau said.
He said with this case, investigation is yet to be completed; “there has to be evidence available before investigators call or arrest suspects for questioning.
“Therefore, due to those reasons the Director have to act on this case and release the Malaysian suspect.”
Mangau also denies any outside influence on this case, adding that police are currently investigating the case and once there is evidence they will call in the suspect for questioning.
“As I always emphasise, police force is independent,” Mangau said.
He said it is the duty of the Director in making sure that matters subject to investigation are done properly.
Mangau meanwhile chastised officers of the NCID, saying how they dealt with this particular case was wrong, adding that he has assigned his deputy commissioner to look into this issue.
Information gathered by this paper said the Malaysian suspect works for Mas Solo, a logging company that operated in Isabel province.
Due to Mas Solo’s illegal operation in the province, the Isabel provincial government reported the matter to the police and an investigation was carried out by Buala police.
Isabel’s Provincial Secretary John Lokumana confirmed to Island Sun yesterday that the province confiscated Mas Solo’s machines upon a court order.
He said they had submitted all their documents and evidence to their lawyer regarding that case and are still awaiting an outcome of investigations from police.
This paper also made a follow-up with the law firm representing the Isabel Provincial Government which confirmed that all evidence, sworn statements and other documents had been sent to the NCID some two months ago.
The law firm said it is still waiting for any outcome to the investigation from NCID.
Police commissioner Mostyn Mangau says investigations into the missing $300,000 under police custody is nearing completion.
In a press conference yesterday, Mr Mangau said he has received information from his officers that they only need to interview one person before investigations can be wrapped up.
He adds yesterday that this person is yet to be approached by police.
He said that person is not working with the police but an outsider and officers are yet to get his statement, but once that statement is obtained then investigators will finalise the file and forward it to the DPP for viewing and advice on the charges.
Mangau said once the file is finalised, it will determine how many people were involved in the missing exhibit money; but at the moment only one suspect is identified.
This is the missing $300,000 cash money that was confiscated from the so-called Director of One-link Pacifica during police investigations.
That money was kept under police custody as exhibit money for the case against the One Link Director, but it went missing while under the care of an entrusted officer of the RSIPF.
