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Man who abused child jailed for four months

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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In-court

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A MAN who indecently assaulted a six-year-old child early this year in Honiara was sent to four months in prison, yesterday.

This was after the accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his close connection to the child’s family, pleaded guilty before Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison.

Sending the accused to jail, Magistrate Hillison said:

“Sexual violence and offending is prevalent in the country at a startling rate.

“The courts must not be complacent but to apply the law consistently and fairly at all times to protect everyone from all walks of life from sexual exploitation.”

Hollison pointed out that the amendments to the Penal Code [Cap 26] in 2016 by Parliament through the enactment of the Penal Code Sexual Offences Amendment Act 2016, is a legislative response to the general perception.

“The courts had been issuing very lenient sentences on sexual offences as echoed by various stakeholders and substantiated by data collected by government agencies, such as the Law Reform Commission which was also judicially noted by the appellate courts.

“It is my judicial role to align my sentences to the core objectives of the Penal Code Sexual Offences Amendment Act 2016 in order.

“This is to provide greater protection against sexual violence and exploitation, especially for the vulnerable children such as the victim who is only 6 years old,” Hollison said.

In his sentencing submission, lawyer for the accused asked the court to consider his client’s health status as a mentally unstable person.

Hollison initially imposed a 10-month jail term, but suspended six months for 24 months – meaning the defendant would only serve four months in jail.

WEST SET FOR MORE PRC HELP

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Press Release
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MP for Marovo Chacha Bule Amoi and PRC Counselor Gong Rui officially opened the refurbished Seghe Health Center

Western Province is set to receive more support in Agriculture and Health from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) following the recent launching of the Seghe Rural Health Center Hybrid Solar Project in Marovo over the weekend.

A joint Government and PRC delegation travelled to Marovo constituency over the weekend to visit a number of PRC funded projects through the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) including the Seghe hospital hybrid solar project.

During the visit, the PRC Embassy Counselor, Gong Rui said her Government would assist the Province with Agriculture and Experts to provide support to rural people.

The Counsellor said since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Solomon Islands and PRC many good things have happened and Seghe Rural Health Centre is just one of them.

Counsellor Rui said PRC has assisted other communities in Western Province in the areas of income generation, infrastructure, health and education, women and youth projects.

She further added that to date the big project PRC involves in is the establishments of the Pacific Games infrastructures while at the same time offer scholarships for students to study in China.

“These positive contributions happened within only two years of establishing diplomatic ties between PRC and Solomon Islands government,” she said.

“More projects will come as the relationship between PRC and Solomon Islands continue to grow stronger into the future,” she added.

Meanwhile, the PRC support towards the Seghe Health Center will provide improved health services to more than 30,000 residents from three constituencies in that region

“The PRC has assisted many communities through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) because we want to see rural development and improvement in the livelihood of the people,” Counselor Rui said.

The Seghe Health Centre was built by an organization from Germany known as the EZE and the on land owned by the United Church.

The Centre was officially opened in year 2000 but was without electricity and used solar to power its electricity needs.

The Solomon Power include the centre in its power grid after PRC stepped in to assist in financing the re- wiring of the electricity system within the centre and the eventual connection of electricity to the health facility.

Member of Parliament for Marovo constituency Honourable Chachabule Amoi endorsed the request for assistance.

Stakeholders involved in the electricity project included the PRC, Solomon Islands Government through ministries of Rural Development and Health and Medical Services, United Church, Marovo constituency office and the Committee overseeing Seghe Rural Health Centre,

—GCU

Vaccines can fight covid Delta Variant

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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The Delta variant is keeping countries on edge

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE two COVID-19 vaccines – AstraZeneca and Sinopharm – are effective in fighting against the Delta Variant of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated this on Monday in his national address.

“The vaccines we are using are effective against the Delta variant of COVID-19 that is driving the new surge of infections around the world,” he said.

“They have been shown to reduce hospitalizations by 92% reduce chances of getting infected by almost 70%. Non vaccinated people have no protection at all,” he added.

“In order for us to protect our youth and children below 18 years of age, everyone about 18 years of age must be vaccinated if the whole 414,500 adults in our country are vaccinated, this constitutes about 64 percent of our population, which would offer some level of protection to the other 56 percent of our population that cannot be sectioning.”

Sogavare said those that cannot be vaccinated bank on those that can be vaccinated for their protection for their lives.

“If we do not vaccinate, we put at risk not only our lives but also the lives of our families.

“Please, I urge all of you 18 years and over, take COVID-19 vaccination seriously.

“Do not wait until there is an outbreak.

“Do it now. Visit the vaccination centers right now.

“Or go to the vaccination centers when our vaccination teams come to your area.

“Do not wait for community spread to be to come before you decide, ” Sogavare said.

Trapping the beetle at Luaniua

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Press Release
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CRB pamphlets were distributed to villagers for information sharing after ABS work was done.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) has established artificial breeding sites (ABS) for the management of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) at Luaniua Island in Malaita Outer Island (MOI).

Establishment of the artificial sites were conducted this week by a team of two officers Wilson Ninivai, Chief Field Officer (CFO) from the Extension Department and Joe Keniratoa from the Research Department of MAL.

Mr Ninivai said establishment of the sites was part of the ministry’s effort to manage and control the spread of CRB in the island as well as in the country.

“Luaniua has reported the presence of CRB lately and it is important that ABS’s is established and we apply Metarhizium anisopliae fungus into the ABS to control its spread. The fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae) is a biological control agent that is effective against all the different life stages of the beetle,” he said.


Chief Field Officer, Wilson Ninivai from the Extension Department and Joe Keniratoa from the Research Department of MAL at work during the establishment of the ABS.
 

He said apart from the establishment of ABS, they were able to collect adult CRB samples for dissection and larvae for rearing and also do damage assessment.

The trip was funded by SIG/MAL through its Extension Department under the Livelihood Sector.

Meanwhile, the fight to control the spread of the deadly beetle, CRB that continue to threaten the country’s coconut industry and other palms is not yet over as MAL through its Biosecurity department is preparing to roll out another cleanup campaign (second phase) in some parts of the country this year with funding support from the New Zealand Government.


Joe Keniratoa from the Research Department of MAL assisted by Luaniua Island community members to set up the ABS.

The beetle (CRB) has spread to most parts of the provinces and the worst infected provinces are Malaita, Guadalcanal, Makira (mostly Ulawa), Central Province especially Russell Islands and Ngella and Rennell and Bellona and Malaita Outer Islands (MOI).

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros, was discovered in Honiara in January 2015.

Coconut industry and other palms are vulnerable to the invasive pest attack.

—MAL

UNDP praised for funding customary land recording

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Press Release
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UNDP Project Manager, Vardon Hoca at Petunia last week

THE Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey, Ishmael Avui has applauded the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its support towards implementing the Customary Land Recording Programme in the country.

The Customary Land Recording programmes was carried out in accordance with the Customary Land Act, which allowed customary landholding groups to record their primary right of ownership and usage of their land.

Avui led a joint Government and UNDP delegation to Western Province on 15 July to handover a certificate of completion to the Patubasioto Customary Landholding group in the Vona Vona Lagoon after the successful recording of their customary land in accordance to the Customary Land Recording Act.

The minister expressed his gratitude to the UNDP for the ongoing support and encouraged customary landholding group members to support the Government in the implementation of land reform programmes,

“A great thanks and appreciation to our development partner UNDP’s Inclusive Governance for Natural Resources Project for your great support towards achieving this journey,” Avui said.

“It means so much with your support in engaging your time towards our national development,” he added.

“It is also our national joy and pride in marking this great achievement.

“I believe that with all our conviction and support, it changes the perception of how we view challenges on customary land. The purpose of recording land under the Customary Land Records Act derives from the challenges and long history of land administration and management under the Torrens Land Registration System that Solomon Islands adopted since 1978.”

Meanwhile, UNDP Project Manager, Vardon Hoca who traveled with Minister Avui to Western Province, acknowledged that addressing land issues in many places is not easy but emphasized the addressing land issues is essential for peacebuilding.

“The land in Solomon Islands is so closely tied to people’s identity, culture, and traditions. Investing in the land recording is a tool for conflict resolution and social cohesion,” Hoca said.

With the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding thread, UNDP works to promote peace and inclusive societies by supporting and collaborating with governments, civil society organizations and people to participate in processes to prevent conflict and sustain peace.

The customary land recording process is being implemented by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey under the Inclusive Governance of Natural Resources (IGNR) Project implemented by UNDP Solomon Islands and UN Women with the financial support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.

‘NO’ TO BAUXITE MINING

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Honiara based Santa Cruz landowners say no to mining on their land

Santa Cruz landowners declare stance

By EDDIE OSIFELO

HONIARA based landowners from Santa Cruz in Temotu province have signaled a ‘No’ to bauxite mining on their land.

The landowners made their stand clear when they met with Director of Foreign Investment Division (FID) in the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration, Lynette Dawheya yesterday.

They warned the government not to accept Santa Mining Limited by giving it a Prospecting Licence as it could lead to another dispute or uprising as seen with Australian mining company, Pacific Bauxite and Malaysian logging company Xiang Lin SI Limited in 2017.

Spokesperson, John Lee Bade said one of the reasons is because the logging dispute case between landowners and Xiang Lin SI Ltd is currently before the court.

Bade said the landowners also found out the application by the interest company, Santa Mining Limited, was submitted through Office of Prime Minister instead of FID.

Further to that, he said Director of Mines is still to give a letter of cancellation to Pacific Bauxite, while opting to select a new company.

Director of Mines, Nicholas Biliki said his office has received an application from Santa Mining Ltd and it is going through the vetting process.

Santa Cruz has become a center of international attention in 2017 due to community protest against Pacific Bauxite mining company at Nendo and burning of machineries belonging to Malaysian company, Xiang Lin SI Ltd by the activists called “Nende Five”.

The landowners of Nendo protested against Pacific Bauxite by blocking roads with stones and allegedly confronting miners with bows and arrows to stop the operation.

Information at that time suggested Pacific Bauxite owned 50 percent of AU Capital Mining, the entity which in 2015 won a licence to prospect for bauxite at Nende.

The Temotu Provincial government granted a license to the mining company after they voted in Premier David Maina to replace Nelson Omar in late March 2017.

The landowners opposed mining because of the environmental destruction it would cause to their ground for future generations.

On the other hand, the “Nende Five”, were arrested by Police for burning logging machinery of Xiang Lin SI Ltd in 2018.

In 2020, two of the accused were sentenced to prison while the other three were acquitted of the charges.

According to Mongabay, Jerry Meioko was convicted on charges of larceny and unlawful damage while Clement Tauto became the only defendant to be convicted of arson, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

“The activists were part of a long-running campaign to stop logging on their island, which began in 2017.

“They claim the operations are illegal because the provincial government of the time had allowed Xiang Lin a logging permit, known as a grant of profit, without consulting local landowners by holding timber rights hearings, a legally enshrined process for constituting timber agreements,” Mongabay says.

“In protest, they had written to Xiang Lin and the provincial government, and obtained a stop-work order against the company for breaching the logging code.

“But the logging continued, and Godfrey Meoblir’s crops were destroyed to make logging roads. When burnt-out excavators and bulldozers were found at the logging site in May 2018, the five activists were taken into custody,” Mongabay says.

Mongabay said the legitimacy of Xiang Lin’s grant of profit was challenged by representatives of landowners on Nende in the High Court last year, but the judge ruled in the company’s favor.

Meanwhile, the three former Temotu provincial government leaders who approved the license were charged with accepting corrupt payments for the grant of profit and are awaiting trial.

“Now, the company is using its permit to expand operations beyond the two blocks of land in its original concession to an area northeast of the island, said activist Oti,” Mongabay said.

As such, the landowners repeated their call to the Government with “No to Mining”.

Police: no directive to arrest Suidani

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Premier of Malaita province Daniel Suidani

By EDDIE OSIFELO

POLICE have not received any reports or directions from the Government to arrest Malaita Premier, Daniel Suidani, upon arrival from Brisbane, Australia.

This was after rumous that Suidani will be arrested on treason charges for breaching the diplomatic relationship with Peoples Republic of China (PRC) after he went to Taiwan to seek medical treatment.

Police media told Island Sun verbally that they are not aware of any decision or directive to arrest Suidani.

They denied the rumours filtered in the local and international media.

According to ABC, Suidani arrived in Australia from Taiwan this week and is now completing hotel quarantine in Brisbane, before he can return home.

Suidani, who rise up against government’s decision to switch because he is representing the wish of Malaitans, said he is not sure which part of the law in the country was breached to get treatment in Taiwan.

“They have the idea and going to newspaper that I will be arrested,” he told Chris Chappeli of China Uncensored.

“We are still yet to find out if the information is true from the government but we will see what will happen when I got back to my country,” he stated.

China Uncensored is a YouTube commentary channel that focuses on sensitive political issues in China with elements of humor and irony.

Suidani said he heard there are people in China attending medical in Taiwan, and wondered if they are also charged for treason.

“I am the first person from Solomon Islands that I am here for medical treatment after the switch.

“We will see what their charges are because they are promising to arrest me,” he said.

Suidani said he is prepared to see anything that come his way.

“I am not here for any political business but on medical treatment,” he added.

The Solomon Islands has switched to PRC in, ending her 36-year ties with Taiwan.

Good news for SI seasonal workers

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Pacific Seasonal workers

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

AUSTRALIA is committed to keeping the doors open for Pacific seasonal workers and to ensuring conditions for workers arriving from Asia on new visa schemes match those of Pacific workers.

Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific Zed Seselja made the announcement yesterday when speaking to journalists during a press conference.

Seselja said labour shortages in Australia meant there is room for both Pacific and Asian workers with no loss of places for the Pacific.

“It (the labour shortage) has been exacerbated obviously, with the inability of people from places like Europe and other, other places to easily come to Australia.

“And so that has meant, you know, a pretty significant shortage, particularly in agriculture. So, yes, there will be absolutely room for both schemes,” he said.

Last week experts warned the ASEAN Agriculture Visa announced by Agriculture Minister David Littleproud was a threat to Pacific seasonal workers as it would be easier and cheaper for employers to participate.

But Seselja said any visa for workers from ASEAN would have the same conditions as schemes for Pacific workers.

Since COVID-19 record numbers of Pacific workers have been travelling to Austtralia under the Seasonal Worker Program and the Pacific Labour Scheme.

Seselja said over 9,000 seasonal workers from the Pacific had arrived in Australia since COVID related border restrictions were imposed, adding to around 8000 who stayed on after COVID hit.

Regulations governing the agricultural visa for ASEAN workers have yet to be drawn up.

“The first thing I would say is that Mr. Littleproud himself has made it clear and I reiterate that any Agriculture visa would mirror the conditions, would mirror the conditions that we have with the Pacific labour scheme.

“So, it would not be in any way. And the Seasonal Worker programme will not be in any way looking to undercut that.

“In fact, I’ll go further than that and say, what this Agriculture visa would be seeking to do is to complement and enhance what we have with, with our Pacific schemes.

“Because this scheme, is this specific scheme is very, very important to Australia. We, we value those workers,” Seselja said.

He said the Pacific Labour Scheme provides a two way benefits for Australia and countries in the pacific through remittances and filling shortage of labour in Australia.

Seselja said Australia understand that the Pacific Labour Scheme has and will continue to leverage challenging caused by COVID-19 to Pacific island economy.

“We know that remittances are important in many countries across the region.

“We know that the economic hit of COVID. This has been an important part of dealing with very challenging economic times to see those remittances going back into the region.

“So, we get how important it is to our Pacific neighbours,” he said.

“There’s no way at the moment that I mean, notwithstanding our best efforts, and even with a ramp up with the worker ready pool, we know that we will need more workers from the Pacific and other places that there is a significant worker shortage in Australia at the moment,” Seselja said.

Gov’t to support students in Fiji

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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USP main campus in Laucala, Fiji.

BY JARED KOLI

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the Government will consider ways to provide support to students in Fiji while continually assessing the COVID-19 situation there.  

“The Oversight Committee is discussing the Fiji situation today [yesterday] and will advise me and the cabinet on the situation,” Sogavare said in his COVID-19 nation-wide address yesterday.

 “My government will consider ways to provide support to graduating and continuing students in Fiji while continually assessing the situation,” he added.

He said the situation in Fiji is extremely worrying for students, parents, and the government.

“We are currently having approximately 800 students both government and privately sponsored students remaining in training institutions in Fiji.

“A total of 22 of our students and dependents have been infected by the virus, 13 have now declared inactive by the Fiji Ministry of Health and nine remain active,” said Sogavare.

Sogavare said all 22 cases are asymptomatic, meaning they are showing no signs of symptoms of the virus.

“Our High Commission in Suva, the Education Attaché and other Solomon Islanders living in Suva have been supporting our students that were in isolation that were infected,” the Prime Minister said.

He said timing for repatriation flight for graduating students will be determined by our health team and it will occur when it is safe for our country to repatriate the graduating students.

“Given the highly transmissible nature of the COVID-19 Delta variant which is in Fiji, it is not a good time to undertake any repatriation flight from Fiji to Solomon Islands right now because if we import Delta variant into the country, it can spread very quickly and have a devastating effect on our population,” Pm Sogavare said.

He appeals for citizens to remember Solomon Islands nationals in Fiji in their prayers.

A student leader who is in close contact with the COVID-19 positive student has told Island Sun that currently only the Solomon Islands Students Association (SISA) office reached out to assist the Covid-19 positive cases.

The student leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said if the positive cases keep increasing for Solomon Islands students, and if no help render from the authorities’ SISA savings will not be able to provide assistance to the students.

The source adds that house mates of those that contracted the virus have been swabbed and wait for their results.

Cases of Coronavirus surge daily in Fiji.

It has recorded 1,043 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.

According to Fiji Ministry of Health, Fiji also has 13 new COVID-19 deaths to report for the period of 14th July to 17th July.

There have now been 98 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, with 96 of these deaths during the outbreak that started in April this year.

“We also have recorded 41 COVID-19 positive patients who died from the serious medical conditions that they had before they contracted COVID-19; these are not classified as COVID-19 deaths.

“There have been 388 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 13,610 active cases.

“There have been 17,444 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021. We have recorded a total of 17,514 cases in Fiji since the first case was reported in March 2020, with 3,765 recoveries,” cited the Fiji Ministry of Health website.

Vessel with positive crew quarantined

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

AN overseas ship carrying a crew who was tested positive for covid-19 last week in the Western Province remains under quarantine, pending the outcome of another test result.

That’s according to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his nation-wide COVID-19 address yesterday.

The vessel, MV Vimaru Pearl, is here to pick up logs in the Western Province.

“The vessel is currently on quarantine pending the outcome of another test to be collected today (yesterday),” Sogavare said.

“If the test comes back and result is still positive the vessel will be asked to depart from our country to go back to its base port,” he added.

“However, if the result comes back negative the Oversight Committee will allow the vessel to load its logs for export from one single port under strict health supervision and the vessel will depart after the loading.

“I assure you all that there will be no risk to Stevedores and operators involved in the loading if the test result comes back negative.

“I am also happy to inform you that stevedores that will be used to load the logs have all been fully vaccinated with two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.”

Sogavare said stringent health protocols will be observed during loading if the vessel is cleared to load its cargo before departing later this week.

“In announcing this case I am happy to inform you that cases diagnosed on vessels do not count against our numbers which remained at 20.

“This case like the other four we have previously diagnosed on two vessels will be recorded under a different category,” Sogavare said.

He stressed the crew member that tested positive have tested negative twice before the vessel’s departure to Solomon Islands.

Sogavare said the crew also tested negative on the first of two post arrival tests taken on 6th July 2021.

“He tested positive on the second post arrival test on 13th July 2021.

“In total he tested negative three times before the positive test.”

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