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‘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.”

Crime prevention meeting with east Makira leaders

Written by
Press Release
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A leader speaking during the meeting

COMMUNITY leaders of East Makira recently attended a crime prevention strategy consultation conducted by police in the province.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Makira-Ulawa Province, Superintendent Peter Sitai and team facilitated the meeting from 8to 9 of July 2021 for leaders of Namah, Pihuru, Nagarawawa, Nahuhu and Karie,

This followed claims that these communities have experienced law and order issues of which leaders were unable to control antisocial behaviours happening in their communities.

The communities have experienced widespread trafficking, selling and smoking marijuana, kwaso brewing, illegal sale of alcohol, damage of properties and going armed in public places.

“The situation has caused community members particularly the women, children and elderly people to live in fear every day,” a statement from the police said.

“The outcome of the meeting has been fruitful as leaders have come to identify various causes that include weak community governance, leadership, impacts of logging and none engagement of youths,” the statement added.

PPC Peter Sitai speaking during the consultation meeting

However, the meeting also identified possible ways forward to address the issues that include reactivating the tasks of Crime Prevention Committee, realignment of existing sectors and regular meetings.

In a closing remarks, Silas Wagatora, Provincial Member for Ward 13, apologised on behalf of all levels of community leadership and called for support for the work of the police, stating there is no time to waste.

“It is about time that leader’s rise and work together towards fighting antisocial activities affecting our people,” Wagatora said.

Japan offers to provide covid-19 vaccines for SI

Written by
Press Release
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Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide of Japan, left, and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during the virtual bilateral meeting held on 1 July 2021.

JAPAN has offered to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Solomon Islands it is current manufacturing once the World Health Organisation (WHO) approves it.

The AstraZeneca vaccines will be provided through the COVAC facility.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide made the offer during a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Sogavare early this month.

The two leaders also reaffirmed their bilateral cooperation during the meeting.

A government statement issued yesterday said the virtual meeting that connected the two leaders from Honiara and Tokyo was held before the Pacific Islands Leader Meeting (PALM 9) with Japan on Friday 2 July.

“At the meeting, the two Leaders discuss common issues of concern and the Prime Minister of Japan outlined the Pacific Bond Kizuna policy to strengthen the linkage and connection between Pacific Island countries and Japan when he announced that the ‘Pacific Island countries are indispensable partners for Japan’,” the statement said.

“On the support towards COVID-19, Japan has reaffirmed its commitment to assist Solomon Islands in its response to COVID-19,” it added.

The statement said Japan also offered to provide AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in Japan through the COVAX facility once approved by WHO. 

“In its ongoing bilateral development assistance, Japan will provide solar powered streetlights with the aim of contributing towards Solomon Islands climate action as well as continuing its support for the upgrading of the Honiara International Airport and the Phase 2 of the Kukum Highway project.”

Prime Minister Sogavare further acknowledge the ongoing support provided by Japan through bilateral and multilateral assistance.

“The relationship between the Pacific Island countries and Japan is very important at this time to advance our development aspirations moving forward, and we look forward to working very closely with Japan,” Sogavare said.

Prime Minister Sogavare reiterates that Solomon Islands will continue to work with Japan on areas of mutual benefit and assured Prime Minister Yoshihide of Solomon Islands support for Japan in international forums.

Stopping deadly Delta variant

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

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

SUSPENDING incoming passengers into the country will minimise the chances of importing the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says.

“Best strategy to protect Solomon Islands from this highly transmissible and most dangerous variant of COVID-19 is to minimise the chances of importing it into our country,” Sogavare said in his weekly COVID-19 national address yesterday.

“The best way to achieve this is to suspend incoming passengers from countries with widespread and uncontrolled community transmission of delta variant of COVID-19,” he added.

He stated the oversight committee has been tasked to assess the next step in the country’s strategy to prevent the introduction of the Delta variant COVID-19 into the country.

Sogavare said in accordance to the World Health Organisation the delta variant of COVID-19 has been described as the most dangerous, fastest strain of Coronavirus that will pick off the most vulnerable people.

He stressed WHO estimated that the Delta variant is 55 percent more transmissible then the original COVID-19 variant first discovered in Wuhan in China.

Sogavare further stated that the Delta variant is now present in more than 100 countries and increasing daily.

It is spread by airborne transmission and can be transmitted without personal contact with infected person.

“I appeal to all citizens who are 18 years old and above that have not yet taken your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to please go to any of the COVID-19 vaccination centres and take your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

“COVID-19 kills make no mistake about that the best way to protect yourself, your family and your communities is to get vaccinated.

“Work together with your government to carry us through this unprecedented time,” he said.

USP launches new BA programme

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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BY JARED KOLI

THE University of the South Pacific (USP) School of Pacific Arts, Communication & Education (SPACE), in collaboration with the School of Business and Management (SBM), has launched a brand-new Bachelor of Arts (BA) Programme.

The new programme, ‘BA in Communication and Media’, will be starting in Semester 2, 2021.

It is a 24-course programme that combines courses from Journalism, Linguistics, Marketing and Management with a specialist subject in a field of your choice.

USP’s Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics Dr Fiona Willans and Journalism Programme Coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh informed Island Sun that the programme also gets students ‘workplace-ready’ with job application training, a workplace attachment, and a range of digital, communication and research skills built in.

“You can use the specialist subject either to target a communications role in a particular field (e.g. Pacific Heritage and Arts, Marine Science, Inclusive Education, Nutrition …), or to target a range of roles in NGOs or civil society organisations (e.g. Politics, Sociology, Governance …), or to pick up additional skills that look good on your CV (e.g. a new language or useful business skills), or simply to follow your love and study a subject that you’re passionate or inquisitive about, safe in the knowledge that a BA in Communication & Media will open doors to a wide range of jobs,” said Dr Willans.

Applications are now open and new students may join the programme in Semester 2 this year.

Continuing students may switch to this programme and cross-credit any courses they have already completed.

The programme requirements for the BA Communication & Media include UU100 -Communications & Information Literacy, UU114-English for Academic Purposes, JN101 – Introduction to Journalism, JN103-Media Law & Ethics, LN111-Introduction to Language Studies, MG101 Introduction to Management and two courses at 100-level from an approved specialist subject.

In the 200-level or year 2, students will undertake UU200 -Ethics & Governance, UU204-Pacific Worlds, JN201-Print & Online Journalism, LN216-Language Use in the 21st Century Pacific, MG206-Marketing Principles & Strategies plus 1 or 2 of: JN202-Radio Broadcasting, JN203-Television Journalism, LN211-Structure of English plus either 1 or 2 courses at 200-level from the specialist subject.

In the 300-level, students will take JN303-Journalism Production, LN317-Qualitative Analysis of Texts, MG303-International Marketing plus 3 or 4 further courses from: JN301-International Journalism, JN302-Journalism Research, LN311-English in the Pacific, LN315-Corpus Linguistics & Language Technologies and MG301 Management of Service Operation plus either 1 or 2 courses at 300-level from the specialist subject.

ACOM to replace MV Southern Cross

Written by
Ben Bilua
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MV Southern Cross. Photo supplied

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) will purchase a new and bigger mission ship for the church.

Speaking to the parishioners at St Luke Anglican Church, Archbishop Leonard Dawea said the church is now in the process of selling MV Southern Cross, the mission vessel that has served the church over many years.

He said the Council of Bishops in their recent meeting agreed to sell Southern Cross while work is in progress to scout and purchase a replacement.

He said the decision was made due to the changing weather pattern and climate, which rendered Southern Cross inadequate to further carry out the church’s mission of spreading the gospel.

Archbishop Dawea said MV Southern Cross has been used mostly for bishop’s missions within Solomon Islands and other ACOM countries like Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and part of New Caledonia.

Often referred to as a “floating church”, the history of MV Southern Cross dates back to 1867, with nine Anglican ships having been named as the Southern Cross.

The early pattern was that the Southern Cross worked out of Auckland and made two trips each year to the New Hebrides and the Solomon Islands, and to Norfolk Island (1867-1920), each lasting three to four months.

The ship visited all of the Melanesian Mission stations, delivered supplies, changed personnel and collected students to take back to Auckland and then Norfolk Island to study.

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