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Why gov’t imposed new travel restrictions

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THE threat of the delta variant has forced the Government to impose new travel restrictions, Health Minister Dr Culwick Togamana has revealed.

Health Minister Togamana in his nationwide address on Monday said the Government has imposed new travel restrictions for incoming passengers by both sea and air.

“We are not allowing any incoming passenger services whether by air or by sea from countries reporting community transmission of the delta variant,” he said.

Togamana said these restrictions will be reviewed and updated regularly.

As of now, the Health Minister said all incoming flights will only be strictly for cargo and no passengers will be allowed to enter the country until further advice.

“We will only lift the travel restrictions when our experts tell us it is safe to bring people into the country again. During this period, we will review and upgrade our SOPs and prepare our quarantine stations to be able to cope with this new variant should it enter the country,” he said.

Nevertheless, Togamana said with efforts to keep the economy afloat at this difficult time, we cannot simply isolate ourselves from the rest of the world.

He said our engagements in international trade need to continue thus, the ongoing entry of cargo flights and foreign commercial vessels to our ports.

“These however continue to pose serious risk and concern of COVID-19 entry and community transmission,” he said.

Health Minister Togamana said that while we are controlling possible transmission by air, authorities are now focused on ensuring our protocols dealing with vessels are sharpened, so we do not allow COVDI-19 infections to enter the country through our ports.

“As a result of the increasing incidence of finding COVID-19 positive crew members on foreign vessels, the Oversight Committee’s Vessel exemption committee will be tightening up requirements for foreign vessels to adhere to when travelling to Solomon Islands,” he said.

Togamana however, has acknowledged that in the past 18 months, because of the efforts of the Vessels Exemption Committee and the protocols applied, we have continued to protect the country from community transmission.

—PMO

Guadalcanal announces plans for province

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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BY JAREDKOLI

GUADALCANAL will establish its headquarters at Mamara, west of Honiara, and build three other townships around the province.

Premier Francis Sade announced this during the province’s 37th Second Appointed Day celebration at Marau, Monday.

Premier Sade said the township project is the government top priority project policy.

Guadalcanal Premier Francis Sade delivering his speech yesterday

“It has been a dream of many people to have a town that hosts a provincial headquarter,” he said.

“This government is committed to making this a reality with the support of the national government, and has now established a township project office with qualified officers manning it,” Sade added.

Guadalcanal Premier Francis Sade being escorted to the podium during yesterday’s ceremony

“We have identified Mamara for the construction of the provincial headquarter, Henderson, Marau and Verana are our township project.”

He said the Guadalcanal Provincial Government is also planning to establish township for people in the inland areas of Guadalcanal.

The site for this is yet to be determined and planning is underway.

“By establishing these townships, Guadalcanal people would and should able to take advantage of the economic activities that they persuade.

To show our commitment to establish township for Guadalcanal province, today we witness the signing of the Henderson Local Planning Scheme

(LPS) for the Henderson Township, the signing of the LPS by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey and Provincial Secretary is a dream come true for people of Guadalcanal Province,” the premier said.

He said this legal framework will control the development in Henderson Township.

“The gazetting of LPS for Henderson will continue to broaden the province’s local revenue. This is a long-awaited legal document and I wish to thank the GP township office and GP Lands division for this outcome to continue work with the Ministry of Lands,” he said.

Premier Sade yesterday unveiled the Marau Township Master Plan in the presence of the Prime Minister, Member of Parliament and invited guests that attended the Second Appointed Day ceremony.

Guadalcanal Premier Francis Sade shakes hand with Western Province premier as he present him a chupu

He also unveiled the first proposed Guadalcanal province three story office complex for Marau

“The township master plan will control the development of the township. The proposed three storey office complex will commence this year under the Guadalcanal Provincial Government Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF).

“My good people of Birao and east Guadalcanal constituency, a township project will start here in our home

Thank you for allow us the land and resource for the province and National Government to undertake these development activities.

“While I thank you for your generosity, I wish to strongly advice our people to prepare for the township development.

“Let’s ensure that our House of Chiefs and our traditional governance structures are in order and ready to mitigate the pressing issues that will come with this township development,” He said.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said his government is fully committed to support Guadalcanal Province in its plan to build the township.

No jab, no work for public servants

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana

GOV’T GETS

TOUGHER

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

PUBLIC servants working for both the national and provincial governments risk losing their jobs if they choose not to get vaccinated.

Members of their families are also required to get their jabs as the Government takes new and tougher measures to protect the country from COVID-19.

Health minister Dr Culwick Togamana announced these new measures yesterday after Cabinet approved them last Friday.

Togamana said the mandatory administration of COVID vaccines will apply to:

  • 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 under the mandatory COVID-19 administration, those who choose not to get vaccinated will not be allowed to access their place of employment and will also be chosen as “self-terminated”.

He said persons coming under these three groups in the provinces where there is COVID-19 vaccination rollout, had already commenced.

This includes Honiara, Western, Choiseul, Guadalcanal and Malaita Outer Islands.

“They must now receive their first doses of COVID-19 vaccination by 31st August 2021 and their second dose by 30 November 2021,” Togamana stated.

“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,” he added.

“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.”

For provinces where vaccination rollout has not yet commenced, Togamana said all employees under the above three 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.”

Togamana said Cabinet has also agreed to set a national vaccination mark to attain 80 percent 1st dose vaccination coverage nationally by 30th November 2021, and an 80percent 2nd dose vaccination coverage nationally by 28 February 2022.

“The government respects people’s individual choices.

“However, the government has a duty of care to protect the total population of Solomon Islands.

“During this pandemic the only thing that has been effective in preventing or altering the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic is full and effective vaccination coverage of the total eligible population.

“As a responsible government, we will not wait for community transmission to occur before making vaccination mandatory.

“We must ensure our total eligible population is vaccinated before COVID-19 has a chance to reach our communities.

“We need to learn from the lessons of other countries around us to do the right thing.

“We are in this fight together.

“We must vaccinate together to protect those that rely on us to protect them because they cannot be vaccinated themselves – our children below 18 years of age.”

Togamana said it will be totally irresponsible on responsible eligible citizens’ part not to protect them (children below 18 years of age), by not getting vaccinated.

“For those employees in the above three categories that choose not to be vaccinated, we will not stand in your way, but accept that the choices you make will also have its own consequences.

“I call on all eligible Solomon Islanders to think about how best you can protect the unprotected members of your families, your provinces and our country from COVID-19 and be vaccinated instead of sitting on the fence or spreading false information about COVID-19 vaccines.

“We can only protect our people and our country if we work together – and the only proven way to fight COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.

“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.

Togamana said appropriate legal instruments are being put in place to ensure this mandatory requirement to protect the nation is implemented within the framework of the law.    

Gizo tests negative

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Western Provincial capital Gizo

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

COVID-19 tests on front line workers who were under quarantine in Western Province all came back negative.

Reports reaching this paper states that the front line workers along with their family members were graduated and released after completing their 14 days quarantine last week.

Source close to the issue stated that the front line workers were checked twice and results determined were all negative.

“There should be three tests but the ones supposed to do the testing were the ones under quarantine.

“The decision to graduate the front line workers from quarantine after two tests were based on the facts that the front line workers were fully dressed with PPE when conducting testing on the foreign vessel and also these front line workers were fully vaccinated.

“By the look at the situation, there have been shortage of staff to handle the situation from the quarantine sites as those officers who supposed to carry testing are the ones in quarantine,” the source said.

The source further stated that the public should not be afraid and also stop spreading false information that would cause panic to the general public.

Island Sun understands that there has been misinformation circulating after the positive case was found.

Information reaching Island Sun Gizo office states that there has been a breached on COVID-19 Procedures and Protocol of Swabbing and handling of samples from the foreign vessel to Gizo Medical Lab.

But the source said the procedures and protocols have been respected and followed that there is nothing to be afraid of.

Foreign sailors tested positive with COVID-19

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THREE foreign sailors who called in at Honiara port over the weekend have been tested positive for COVID-19.

Health minister Dr Culwick Togamana announced this yesterday.

The sailors came on board commercial vessel, MV Run Fu 6.

But Togamana said front line workers who boarded the vessel for swabbing were in their Personal Protective Equipment and also fully vaccinated  

“With the test results, the vessel was immediately put under quarantine with no unauthorized persons to board,” he said.

“Further testing is being conducted for these crews and depending on the results, the next course of action will be determined,” he added.

Togamana then said whilst they are controlling possible transmission by air, they are now focused on ensuring the country’s protocols dealing with vessels are sharpened.

“This is to ensure we do not allow COVDI-19 infections enter the country through our ports,” he said.

Further to that he said over the past 18 months, through the efforts of the Vessels Exemption Committee they have applied protocols to be able to protect the country.

“This is the 4th Foreign Vessel (MV Run Fu 6) we have picked up COVID-19 positive crew members when the vessel is in port and before it was cleared.

“As a result of the increasing incidence of finding COVID-19 positive crew members on foreign vessels, the Oversight Committee’s Vessel exemption committee will be tightening up requirements for foreign vessels to adhere to when travelling to Solomon Islands,” Togamana said.

He said the increase in numbers of crew members testing positive is a function of possibly previously infected people boarding vessels despite testing negative for CVID-19.

“In some cases, these people continue to release the virus for longer period as they have seen in cases across the World and in Solomon Islands too.

“Hence, we are picking up most of those cases in Solomon Islands.

“They are presumed to be negative but we do all the necessary investigations and take prudent action to prevent entry of the virus.

“Thank you to the frontliners and your families who supported the detailed investigations.

These incidents and increasing trend of foreign ship crews positive with COVID-19 is one of the reasons our total eligible population must get vaccinated as soon as possible,” Togamana said.

‘Vaccine intake disappointing’

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Covid-19 Vaccine. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

ONLY 47,921 doses of COVID-19 vaccines – AstraZeneca and Sinopharm have been administered for 1st and 2nd doses.

And Health minister Dr Culwick Togamana said this is worrying and disappointing.

“This has happened despite the continued push to increase our vaccination coverage since the March 2021 launch,” he said in his nation-wide address.

“It is extremely disappointing and worrying to note that to date only 47,921 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm, 1st and 2nd dose had been administered,” he added.

“Only 12,183 people had been fully vaccinated, with 1st and 2nd doses.

“This represents only 2.9 percent of the national target population of 414,327 people.

“Only 23, 555 people having received their first dose at this point.”

Togamana said in Honiara and Guadalcanal province combined, 10,000 plus people have completed their 2nd doses which translate to only 6.9 percent of the target population.

For the Choiseul and Western provinces, about 3.3 percent and 1.2 percent of target population respectively had received full vaccination.

The 2nd dose roll out for Malaita Outer Islands was also conducted last week he stated.

Togamana said compared to many of our neighboring Pacific Islands countries, the country’s uptake is slow and this is very concerning to the government.

He said for instance, Fiji commenced their roll out after Solomon Islands, yet they manage to administer more than 440,000 first doses that is more than 75 percent of target population with 104,000 people fully vaccinated, almost 20 percent of target population.

However, uncontrolled community transmission of Delta variant in Fiji is also helping drive the vaccination rates.

Togamana said Other Smaller Pacific countries such as Nauru and Palau have achieved 100 percent 1st does coverage of their total targe population and are approaching 100 percent, 2nd dose coverage.

“The government is extremely concerned about the terribly slow uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in the country to a level that would protect our population from COVID-19 in the event the virus breaches our borders and reach our communities.”

Gizo public urged to get vaccinated

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE Director of Health and Medical Service for Western Province has called on the public in Gizo to get their first jab.

In an interview with Island Sun Gizo, Dr Dickson Boara said people above 18 years must get their vaccinations.

He also urges people to stop spreading false information about the vaccines.

“I want to make it clear that vaccination is very important going forward towards our resilience building on COVID-19,” Boara said.

Asked about why people complained of fever after vaccination, Boara said such experience is normal.

“It is normal for few people to experience fever after vaccination as it shows the vaccine is stimulating our immune system.

“This is similar to babies when they get their injection. Babies normally have fever after injection meaning that is how the body reacts to the vaccines,” he said.

Boara said community vaccination program will kick off as soon as Gizo vaccination is completed.

He said those who are vaccinated will increase their ability to be protected from COVID-19.

Rove launches new by-laws

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A group photo during the by-law launching at Rove community in Central Province

THE only way forward for us to address anti-social issues in our communities is through partnership or working together.

That was the message Operation Manger, Tulagi police, Inspector George Mouli echoed during the launching of Rove community by-law in Central Province on 30 July 2021.

“Today marks a history for Rove community to launch its community by-law,” Mouli stated.

“Your by-law is for the good and betterment of your community when it comes to law and order,” he added.

“Law and order in the community to prevent crime is the responsibilities of everyone.

“And I believe the only way forward for us to address anti-social issues in our community is through partnership or working together.  

“Let us not work in isolation but let us work together to build a strong and consistent network to address issues in our community.

“I would try my best to provide you with policing support. 

“Let us continue to work together to support each other to prevent crime and address crime related issues in our communities for a better community for the future of our children”

Chairperson of the Crime Prevention Committee (CPC) at Rove community Fr. Rev. James Riasi in his speech said the by-laws are not new kinds of rules or laws.

“Those are the once that already exist in our communities binding the church, customs and laws for the good of our communities,” Riasi said.

 “I acknowledge the Royal Solomon Island Police Force for the partnership and working together with community leading to the successful launching of the by-law and that will enable us to learn the important concept of living with law,” he added.

Operations manager Mouli said community by-laws will relieve the people by protecting them from unlawful practices and illegal activities.

A good number of people in the community together with chiefs, Crime Prevention Committees (CPCs) and church elders witnessed the launching program.

CEMA to set up buying Centre at Manekalaku

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Marau sound. Picture: Conflict Bay lodge

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has revealed that the Commodities Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) will set up its main buying center at Manekalaku substation in East Guadalcanal next year.

The Prime Minister announced in his keynote address during the Guadalcanal Province’s 37th Second Appointed Day held at Marau Sound, East Guadalcanal.

Sogavare said the buying center would consist of warehouses, administration, staff quarters, processing mill for coconut, cocoa and other commodities.

The Prime Minister said talks would commence soon with the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) to start implementing the project by early 2022.

He said the other buying ports and ports of calls would be opened as a result of the launching of the new main buying center.

Besides revealing the new main buying center, the Prime Minister also spoke highly of Guadalcanal Province’s contribution to other areas of the agriculture sector.

Sogavare stated that Guadalcanal Province is the only Province that export noni and holds the monopoly over the cassava industry.

“Cassava has the potential to contribute immensely to the economy I urge you to take advantage of it and capitalize on it,” he said.

Prime Minister Sogavare also acknowledged the people of Guadalcanal for contributing to the food security for Honiara residents.

He said farmers must be acknowledged for toiling in their gardens in order to provide healthy and balanced diet for Honiara dwellers.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s presence at the Guadalcanal Province’s second appointed was welcomed by the people of East Guadalcanal.

He and his entourage will continue to Kirakira, Makira Province, where he will also be the guest of honor in the Province’s second appointed day.

Training addresses challenges women face in agriculture

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The “Gender mainstreaming in Agriculture and Rural Sector” Participants with the Permanent Secretary of MAL Ms. Ethel Frances (centre, front row), Director Women Development Division Vaela Devesi (third from left, front row), Trainer Pauline Soaki (first on the left, front row) and Director IPAM Solomon Manea (fourth from left, front row) and FAO FIRST rep Nichol Nonga (seventh from left, front row).

A THREE-DAY training aimed at addressing some of the gender challenges women face in the agriculture and rural sector was held from 27-29 July 2021 at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara.

Focused on gender equality, analysis and mainstreaming, the training provided an opportunity for 12 females and 18 males Solomon Islands Government staff from the ministries of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Public Service (MPS) and Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) to learn more about gender mainstreaming and strengthen their capacities on how to apply a gender perspective when working on policy, planning, programming and budgeting processes within their sectors.

In a joint statement issued by FAO-EU /FIRST, SPC, MPS, MWYCFA and MAL, it said gender mainstreaming is a priority of the Solomon Islands Government especially in the areas of agriculture and food systems where women perform many important but sometimes not-so-visible functions on production, processing and marketing of agricultural products, as well as other connected roles such as the management of natural resources or those related to food and nutrition security.

“Acknowledging the complexity of the food system and the need to address its different elements from a multi-sectoral perspective, the training followed a collaborative approach that explored synergies and shared understanding of the different issues among participants to generate coordinated solutions.

“The workshop was conducted in partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and European Union’s (EU) ‘Food and Nutrition Security Impact, Resilience, Sustainability and Transformation (FIRST) Programme’, the Pacific Community (SPC) together with the Institute of Public Administration Management (IPAM) of the Ministry of Public Service and MWYCFA.

“It was designed with a practical approach that will allow the participants to identify new ways of performing their current duties in a way that acknowledges some challenges that women face in agriculture and the food system, and addresses current gender gaps through women empowerment and the provision of equitable opportunities for all. 

“The gender training modules used in this training were developed by SPC, for IPAM as the training arm of government, and complemented by specific chapters on agriculture and the rural sector designed by FAO-EU/ FIRST.

“To provide the participants with appropriate and relevant examples, the training modules built on the findings and recommendations of the FAO/SPC ‘Country Gender Assessment of Agriculture and the Rural Sector in Solomon Islands’ published in 2019,” the statement said.

Speaking during the opening part of the workshop the PS for Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Dr Cedric Alepedava, during his key note address implies at how important gender equality is for Solomon Islands Government staff and was quoted as saying, “Because we have issues of growing inequalities and high incidence of violence against Women and Girls in Solomon Islands, the government is very supportive of such a gender training workshop as this one.”  

He also said that “Gender equality is not a women’s issue only but should also concern and fully engaged men, women boys and girls”.  

Three SIG staff participants, Rieka Kwalai from Fisheries, McDonnell Hiva and Frank Odona from Agriculture also expressed their appreciation of the workshop.

“We appreciate attending this gender mainstreaming training workshop because it has given us new insights on how to identify vulnerable gender groups, knowledge and understanding of what gender equality, gender analysis and other gender terms mean and how they can be applied at work,” they say.

“It is envisaged that at the completion of the training, staff will have received improved knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable them to address gender mainstreaming, gender awareness and gender equality issues among farmers and the public in Solomon Islands, and will begin implementing the recommendations from the agriculture gender assessment.

“The training is an integral part of the FAO-EU FIRST Programme and Progressing Gender Equality in the Pacific (PGEP II) project implemented by SPC,” the statement said.

Speaking during the closing ceremony before issuing certificates to the participants Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Ethel Frances congratulated everyone for a very successful workshop and quoted from the Bible, “Genesis chapter 1:  as the basis of the gender equality, it is written that since men and women were created from each other they should support and help each other as that’s what God requires from them”. 

The Director of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Vaela Ngai in her closing remarks stated the implication for the productive sector in gender, is quite critical and important – especially the need to be gender sensitized, to ensure that all our recovery efforts do not overlook the most vulnerable groups in our societies – the women, girls, elderly, and people with disabilities.

The training was conducted both virtually and face-to-face with support from the MWYCFA, FAO and SPC technical officers.

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