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Police chief visits 2 Guale stations

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Commissioner Mangau and team (right), RSPF officer and a village elder (left) in front of the Avu Avu police station

POLICE Commissioner Mostyn Mangau was joined by other officials to visit the new Avu Avu and Aola police stations on Guadalcanal last Friday.

Among officials were Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Bradley Tovosia; Minister and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services and the Commander of Solomon Islands Police Development Program (SIPDP).

A police statement said the team took the opportunity to inspect the police stations and monitor their progress towards completion.

“It also provided an opportunity to visit RSIPF officers manning those police stations and thanked the building contractors and local communities who have been working at the sites since March this year,” the statement said.

“The building projects are part of a larger SIPDP project that was also building a police station at Wagina in Choiseul province and police barracks at Tetere police station,” it added.

“The buildings have been designed by the SIPDP in consultation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development and the RSIPF. 

“They have been constructed using local materials provided by local contractors and designed to be self-sufficient using solar power and on-site water storage.”

During the visit, Police minister Anthony Veke says the design of these buildings was impressive and the local materials being used will ensure these structures will last for a long period of time.

“With careful and regular maintenance, we can maintain an effective long term police presence in those communities,” Veke said.

Mangau said the police stations at Avu Avu and Aola and the police barracks at the Tetere police station will be completed in August this year and ready to support police operations.

The police station at Wagina is expected to be completed in September this year.    

The SIPDP program intends to provide further infrastructure support to the RSIPF over the next four years, building more police stations and other specialist structures based upon a capability gap analysis, which has been undertaken in close consultation with the RSIPF and Ministry of Police National Security and Correctional Services.   

China lights up Seghe hospital

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A Chinese Official with locals at Marovo

CHINA’S funding support to Solomon Islands through the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) is making impact in rural Marovo in the Western Province following the successful installation and launching of a hybrid solar power system at the Seghe Rural Health Center (RHC) over the weekend.

This support now enables Seghe health workers to perform lifesaving delivery operations on pregnant mothers and other general medical operations at night after many years of working with lanterns or battery powered torchlights.

A joint delegation from the People’s Republic of China’s Embassy and the Government travelled to Seghe over the weekend to launch the Solar Hybrid system and other solar projects installed at a number of schools.

Member of Parliament for Marovo Constituency Chacha Bule Amoi spearheaded the project through the PRC assistance under the RCDF programme to fix the long time need of the Seghe Rural Health Center.

The funding included the re- wiring of the Center’s electrical system and the eventual supply of power by the Solomon Power Hybrid Solar system.

Amoi also financed other components of the Center’s refurbishment work through funding support from the RCDF programme.

Head Nurse at Seghe RHC, Oleander Haro was relieved with the lighting improvement, which will ease the burden of attending to patients, especially, pregnant mothers at night.

“Our mini operating theater is now functional with this power system and this is a huge relief for us to attend to patients at night,” she said.

Previously, the hospital’s operating theater was powered by a generator, which most times is unreliable.

“On behalf of the staff members of the center I thank the PRC for funding the power supply under its component of the RCDF,” Haro said.

China Embassy Counsellor Gong Rui said PRC is glad to support the project and that it appreciates Honorable Chacha for endorsing the request for assistance, which materializes in the connection of the power supply to the health center.

Counsellor Rui and other PRC officials also visited other RCDF- related- funded projects.

They visited Nazareth village and other schools to see the impact of solar lights, which were funded by PRC through the RCDF.

Counsellor Rui was impressed with the positive impacts of the projects on the lifes of the people.

Counsellor Rui’s recent visit to Western Province makes it the fifth time for any PRC officials.

Power to hospital, boats to constituents

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Community in Seghe in front of the hospital during the launching

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

CONSTITUENTS of Marovo in Western Province last week saw the launch of the Seghe Hospital Electrification Project and the delivery of 20 boats for fishermen.

These, according to Constituency Development Officer Tyson Ghera, were funded by China through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Hon Chachabule with officials from PRC at the boat manufactoring site

Ghera said another 100 boats under the same project will be delivered later this year, to be followed by the distribution of outboard motor engines.

“The interesting part of this fisheries project is that the boats were built by locals of Marovo, which is an additional benefit to constituents,” Ghera said.

Hon Chachabule and official from PRC cut the ribbon to officially hand over the facilities to Seghe community

“Seghe Hospital is now connected to 24-hour electricity from Solomon Power,” he added.

Ghera said Marovo MP Chachabule Amoi is looking into other assistance to boost economic activities that would bring tangible benefits to his people.

Boats ready to be distributed to fishermen of Marovo

New ambulance for clinics in West Makira

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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New ambulance that was handed over to Wango and Aringana clinics in Arosi One, West Makira. Photo. SUPPLIED

BY JARED KOLI

A brand new ambulance has been officially handed over to Wango and Aringana clinics in Arosi One, West Makira thanks to the West Makira Constituency Office for recognising the much-needed life saving land transport. 

The constituency office handed over the keys of the new ambulance to the nurses and committee members of the two clinics on Friday July 16, witnessed by police officers, World Vision CVA Team, and people of the surrounding communities.

Member of Parliament for West Makira Constituency Derick Manu’ari told Island Sun that the ambulance costs $600,000, and was funded through the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF).

“The two clinics are situated close to each other, and the ambulance is purposely to provide easy access for emergency cases from these clinics to be taken to Kirakira Hospital,” Mr Manu’ari told Island Sun in an interview from his constituency over the weekend.

He said the ambulance is an original version equipped with inbuilt life saving devices ordered directly from the manufacturer.

He said sick patients from the Weathercoast side of Makira where there is no access to roads can be transported by boat to Arosi one, and the ambulance can pick them from there to Kirakira hospital. 

“At the moment, it is difficult and very expensive by boat from Haununu and Arosi 2 in the weather coast side of Makira to Kirakira hospital, many sick patients have died along the way by boat.

“With the ambulance, boat can transport the sick patients to Arosi One and ambulance can pick them there to Kirakira where road is accessible.

“It can transport emergency cases from Arosi to Kirakira at any time,” said the West Makira MP. 

Mr Manu’ari said this is part of their plan to improve health services in the constituency.

“This is part of our plan to improve health services in the constituency. It is also our vision to build a mini hospital at the Weathercoast side of constituency. But this is something that will require further consultations with relevant authorities.”

In the meantime, we are currently improving existing clinics and clinics that are not accessible to roads will soon be given Outboard Motors to boost their services to our people.”

The constituency office had also already purchased wheel chairs and is ready to dispatch them to clinics and people living with physical disabilities within the constituency,” Mr Manu’ari said.

NO MORE POLITICAL GAMES

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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The office of the Registrar of Political Parties.

Political parties warned to comply with PPIA

BY JARED KOLI

POLITICAL parties eyeing to contest for future national elections have been warned to comply with the Political Party Integrity Act (PPIA) 2014 or face prosecution.

Registrar of the Political Parties Commission Jasper Highwood Anisi issued this stern warning as United Party (UP) and Solomon Islands People First Party (SIPFP) are facing possible criminal charges for breaching Section 59 and Section 65 of the Act.

This is because the two parties have breached these sections of the PPIA after failing to produce financial statements and audit reports following the National By-election of Central Honiara in November 18, 2020.

“The commission wants to warn political parties that will be contesting future elections that this is one of the important aspects of compliance with the Act,” Mr Anisi said in a recent interview with Island Sun. 

He said the commission is serious with the PPIA and wants to see the audit reports of parties contesting in the National General Elections.

“If political parties are non-compliance with the Act, we will prosecute them, we will take them to court because the provisions have been set there,” Mr Anisi said.

The commission is finalising evidences and will shortly advise the Director of Public Prosecution and National Criminal Investigation Department to lay formal charges on UP and SIPFP who have breached the Act.

However, the two political parties are bracing to defend themselves.

UP Secretary Abraham Namokari told Island Sun that they will be filing a defence to clear possible charges that will be laid against the party in regard to breaching Sections of the Act.

“The executive will meet and look at the defence in regard to the Sections of the Act. It depends on the Act and how we interpret it, so we will consider all of our grounds of defence and proceed on with it once the commission take it to court,” UP Secretary Abraham Namokari said.

President of SIPFP Joyce Konofilia said she will reserve her comment and will consult with UP before issuing any statement on this.

However, she said they have their own reasons why they did not submit their financial statements.

According to Section 59 (1) of the Act: “A political party shall, within 90 days after the close of the polling in an election, lodge with the Commission in the prescribed form a financial statement of donations received, including their sources, and election expenses.”

Subsection (2) said: “For the purpose of subsection (1), the financial statement of the political party must also include the donations received, their sources and election expense by the political party for each candidate.”

Section 65 states: “A political party that contravenes section 59 (financial statement of income and election expenses), commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $15,000 penalty units.”

However, Mr Anisi said in the event the two parties pleaded guilty in court, they are liable to pay a fine. A none payment of the fine imposed by the court will see the two parties deregistered. 

“On the basis that they did not pay the fine, we will deregister them – this is an administration penalty where we penalise them,” Mr Anisi said.

He said the decision of the commission can only be challenged in court through Judicial review, if parties were not happy with the decision of the commission.

“The decision of the commission can be appeal against in the court, the commission made the decision based on the section 59 of the Act that is why we will proceed on it,” he further explained.

Mr Anisi said the Commission have the discretion to give a grace period, and the power to extend it but they have exhausted all channels so they have to follow what the Political Party Integrity Act (PPIA) stated as per section 59 to proceed on with the case of the two parties.

Meanwhile, on June 29 Chief Electoral Officer and Commissioner, Mrs Jane Waetara has urged candidates contesting South Choiseul National By-Election on May 19, 2021 to submit their Election Campaign expenditures accounts before 15th of September 2021. 

Mrs Waetara said that this is to comply with Section 125 of the Solomon Islands Electoral Act (SIEA) 2018.

Island Sun has booked an interview with Mrs Waetara for this week to get the current status of individual or independent candidates that have contested the past national elections and have failed to submit their Election Campaign expenditures as required by the SIEA 2018.

According to Section 125 of the SIEA, a candidate whose election campaign expenses exceed $500,000 commits an offence, and a maximum penalty for this is $50,000 or five years imprisonment, or both. 

Both the PPIA and the SIEA work parallel to each other. However, PPIA is responsible for political parties while SIEA deals with individual contesting candidates.

This means if a candidate is contesting under the banner of a certain political party, the party to which the candidate is affiliated with will be prosecuted by the Political Parties Commission.

However, if the candidate is contesting as an independent candidate, he or she will be prosecuted by the Electoral Office under the SIEA 2018.

Choviri community launch its by-law

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Choviri Taskforce members and community elders

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

CHOVIRI community in Central Honiara yesterday launch its community by-law that legally binding rules to build strong community against crime.

Among the guests witnessing the launching ceremony are Member of Parliament for Central Honiara Alfred Efona and Councillor for Vavae ward Billy Abae.

The by-law governs Choviri community to creating a peaceful community that promote respect, unity and prosperity for both residents and community visitors.

Speaking at the launching event Chair lady for Choviri community Anna Vota said the by-laws were based on Community rules formed by the committee in October 2016.

Cutting of the cake to mark the launch of the community by-law

She said formulating by-law in the community is not an easy task but that does not stop her committee commitment to successfully launched their by-law.

“The aim of our by-law is to create a community that promote respect, unity and prosperity to both residents and visitors of our community,” she said.

Vota said there are 27 rules set out in the by-law that will govern the community.

She advice the community members that there is nothing to fear regarding these by-laws unless they love to see or do wrong behaviours and practices.

She said the by-law is a guide for their community to do what is right and respectful and not to cause problem to another person, or most importantly to protect when they are victimized by another person.

“To my good people of Choviri, children and especially the youths, on behalf of our committee and the community taskforce, we acknowledge your cooperation and the fine contribution rendered to make our launching day a successful one.

“Please continue with the good spirit of working together as has been displayed over the years in our community despite the small challenges we encounter at times,” she said.

Aimela community disassociate themselves from protest

Written by
Samie Waikori
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The protest last week in Auki

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

Community members from ward (2) Aimela in the Central Kwara’ae constituency have disassociated themselves from the peaceful protest staged in Auki, Tuesday last week.

They came out to clear themselves following implications that three leaders from wards two, three and four are behind the protest.

Some members from communities in ward two told Sun Auki they knew nothing about the claims made over the protest.

A community member said they have community leaders who should be representing their views when it comes to issues concerning their communities.

“For instance, there was a meeting leading up to the protest and it claimed that leaders in ward two joined other leaders from ward three and four in the meeting.

“We asked our leaders and they didn’t know anything about the meeting.

“It seems their names were used to gain strength for the protest or some unknown people in the communities did that without informing our leaders,” he said.

He said while they accepted peaceful protest, they had no idea of the process leading up to the protest so they were not part of it.

“We are with MARA government and the claims presented in the petition saying ward two leaders are not true and such fabrication will not be tolerated.

“If you want to do something, do it yourself and stop referring to wards as only few might do it on behalf of the communities that weren’t come from the leaders, the man said.

He said they are persuading their MPA for ward (two) to know whether he involved or not in the issue and his stand on it.

PRF needs inclusive governance mechanism: CSO

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Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

Officials of Civil Society Organisation (CSO) present during the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) say that the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) needs inclusive governance mechanism to achieve its objectives.

Speaking to the media last week, Lavetanalagi Seru of Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) said the Pacific Resilience Facility is an important establishment but the worry is how the implementation of the facility.

“With respect to the Pacific Resilience Facility, we congratulated the Forum on its launch and civil society has reiterated a strong call for effective and also an inclusive governance mechanism.

“And we’ve urged for the full engagement of civil society in all stages of the implementation and also ensure that the Facility is a truly Pacific owned initiative that promotes equitable sharing and caring for each other,” he said.

Seru said the establishment came in the right time not only because of COVID-19 but also the ongoing battle against climate change in Pacific Islands.

He said CSO is pleased with leaders respond on CSO’s document presented during the meeting.

The Pacific Resilience Facility is a center point where funding towards resilience development and also natural disaster support will be kept and distributed.

The initiative has been launched with fund worth US$1.5 billion earlier this year.

SOSA clean up Honiara city

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Selwyn College Old Scholars Association (SOSA) and current students have successfully carried out a three-hour Clean Up Honiara on Saturday as part of their contribution to keeping the Capital City clean and green.

A huge number of SOSA and current students of Selwyn College joined in the campaign that covered most of the Central Business District (CBD) ranging from St Barnabas in the east to Rove in the west, picking rubbish from drains, walkways and the road-sides.

MASI Girls

SOSA members were divided into four groups according to their popular divisions, with Masi and Kirio in the east and Noabu and Tahula in the west side.

The clean-up campaign ended at the SMI Area with meet and greet and a barbeque.

Vice-Chairperson of SOSA Shalom Akao Waita in lauding former and current Selwyn College students underscored the importance of SOSA’s role as responsible citizens of the city.

She said as residents of the city it is their duty to look after Honiara and today’s (Saturday) effort was part of that social obligation to “pick rubbish and put it in the right place”.

This year Selwyn College, which is the premier school of the Anglican Church of Melanesia will also celebrate its 50th Golden Jubilee in September.

TAHULA SOSA

And chairman of the Golden Jubilee Committee Robert Iroga said the high turn up demonstrates SOSA and Selwyn College’s readiness to participate in nation building.

He said SOSA has a responsibility to Honiara and one of them is to make sure it is clean as it is good for “our health and the health of the city environment.”

Iroga said given the success of Saturday’s event he’s suggesting if the clean-Honiara campaign can be an annual event on the SOSA calendar.

He said SOSA as one of the leading alumis in the country has a huge responsibility to utilize its massive base and numbers to participate in activities that benefit the entire population.

Former Gela MP. Gordon Mara was part of the clean up campaign

Iroga said SOSA remains active and will continue to grow and participate in developments that benefit the masses of today’s society.

SOSA would like to thank Chengs and the Honiara City Council for their support towards their Clean Honiara Campaign.

SOSA will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Selwyn College in September this year.

SOSA MEDIA

WESTERN LANDHOLDING TRIBE CELEBRATES HISTORIC CUSTOMARY LAND CERTIFICATION

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Minister Avui with Members of the Patubasioto Landholding Tribe with the Certificate of completion

Hundreds of tribal leaders and people of the Patubasioto Customary Land in the Vona Vona Lagoon in the Western Province have celebrated a historic certification of their customary land on Thursday 15 July at Petunia Village.

The long and exhausting land recording process involved months of public awareness, consultations, public hearings, boundary mapping, genealogy tracing and reconciliation between tribal members that finally culminated into the successful recording and certification of the Patubasioto Customary Land.

The certification, which also recorded the tribe’s genealogy is now legally recognised and will be registered in the Customary Lands Record repository at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey.

A Patubasioto Tribal Leader at the Ceremony

The Customary Recording programme is one of the major policy programmes of the National Government, which is supported by the UNDP’s Inclusive Governance for Natural Resources Project (IGNRP) in Solomon Islands.

The Western Provincial Government and the Agosimaema House of Chiefs of Vona Vona region are also key partners and supporters of the programme during its roll out phase in the province.

Members of the Patubasioto Customary Land Holding group make a presentation

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey, Hon. Ishmael Avui led a joint Government and UNDP delegation on Thursday 15 July to formally handover the certificate to tribal leaders at a historic ceremony at Petunia village in the presence of hundreds of tribal members.

Minister Avui told the gathering that 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.

Minister Avui handsover the Certificate to Chief John Sasabule

The Torrens system was a system that has led to so many land disputes and most importantly the alienation of customary land from customary landowners.  The Torrens system only makes up for 15 percent of the land mass of Solomon Islands whilst the remaining 85 percent is still customary owned.

Minister Avui said the challenges encountered from accessing and making customary land available for sustainable and responsible development has necessitated the government policy of recording customary land and including landholding groups to become partners in economic development.

Patubasioto tribes men and women at the ceremony

“This necessity is fundamentally derived from the wishes and desires of customary landholding groups to secure their customary land rights but still maintain the status quo of their land.

Avui said Land recording enhances land tenure security of tribes, clans and landholding groups by legally recognising customary rights and interests over customary land while at the same time eliminates ownership and boundary disputes.

A Patubasioto Tribesman Warren Paia at the ceremony

Land Recording, according to the Minister also increases landowner potential and ability to emerge and engage into land markets. Similarly, Land recording also serves the purpose of guaranteeing the rights of the tribe to own, use and manage land peacefully to keep civilization and society going.

“We all accomplished a very important milestone, one which is a major step in the journey of our lives. One that should be recognised for its significance. Coming this far shows commitment but also one that we should all be proud of. We have all worked hard to get to this day and all efforts are much appreciated and acknowledged within our government machinery,” Avui said.

Chief Lands Officer Assad Norris at the ceremony

The Minister added that a Certificate issued under the Customary Land Recording Act is an accomplishment that can open many doors of opportunity for landholding groups.

The Patubasioto Customary Land was one of the project sites for customary land recording under the Customary Land Records Act in the Western Province. The recording process began in mid-June 2020 in partnership with the UNDP under its Inclusive Governance for Natural Resource (IGNR).

The Certificate handover ceremony marks the first successfully recorded customary land in the history of Western Province.

The first ever Certificate of Completion for Customary Land Recording was issued in October 2019 to the Barora Fa, Gaghe and Pizuana customary landholding groups in Kia, Isabel Province.

GCU

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