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Accident victims discharged from hospital

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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The vehicle that was involved in the incident at the Tenaru bridge. PHOTO BENJAMIN AFUGA

BY JARED KOLI

Two people who were injured in the recent accident near Tenaru bridge in far east Honiara last week have been discharged from the National Referral Hospital.

Doctors at NRH confirmed that the two had been admitted and treated at the NRH Emergency department following the accident which had claimed five lives on Wednesday night last week.

One of the doctors said they have not been admitted at any major wards within NRH, and one of them was discharged the next day after the victim was rushed in at NRH.

It was reported that three people have sustained injuries and taken to the hospital following the accident, but the doctor at NRH said they were two that have been discharged.

Police in a statement said the fatal accident occurred after a land cruiser chased by police vehicle for careless driving drove through a group of people who were doing a fundraising in front the old Tenaru Bridge.  

While on the chase, the driver of the land cruiser saw an incoming vehicle on the Bridge and parked vehicle at the western end of the Bridge, he then decided to drive through the old Tenaru Bridge where a fundraising was happening.

Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Guadalcanal Province, Superintendent Edwin Sevoa said the vehicle drove straight towards the crowd, hit several of them and later stopped.

Police at the Henderson Police Station have charged the suspect with careless. He has been charged for causing death by reckless and careless driving, contrary to section 38(1) of the Road and Transport Act after he was arrested yesterday 8 July 2021.

Man gets 11 years for rape

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A teacher has landed himself 11 years in jail for raping his daughter.

Court found the man guilty of committing the crimes twice on his daughter at a school in Isabel in 2016.

The victim was 17 years old and her father 44 years old at the time of offending.

Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer in his sentence said the maximum sentence for rape is life imprisonment and is reflective of the view that Parliament takes in relation to this type of offence and the need to protect young girls from this type of unlawful activity by some men.

“The courts have a duty to respond to this widespread public concern in the community by ensuring that fair and just penalties are imposed that will send a clear message of both general and specific deterrence to the community that those who offend will expect an immediate and lengthy custodial sentence if convicted.”

He also revealed that there has been an unprecedented increase in the commission of sexual offences against young girls and children and numerous concerns have been expressed about this abnormal increase in this type of offending in our society.

Sir Albert said such offence robs the child of her innocence and the defendant’s actions were both selfish and disgraceful.

“One of the aggravating features of this case is breach of trust and accountability he held towards the victim as her biological father. He was in a position of power, authority and trust, and had a duty of care towards the victim. The victim in turn is entitled to rely on him for her safety, protection, wellbeing, love and affection as a father.

“In fact, the evidence adduced showed that she was raped at the times when she had gone to her father’s for food as she was hungry. She was at boarding school where her father was a teacher and during her break times on those two occasions she had decided to go to her father’s house for food. The first incident occurred during morning break from school, while the second incident occurred after her prep (study) time in the evening. On both occasions he took advantage of her vulnerability and abused his position of power and authority and raped her.”

The court after considering the circumstances and actions of the defendant impose 14 years jail term however, taking all his mitigating factors into account, the court deduct three years from the sentence of 14 years, leaving a total sentence of 11 years to be served.

Therefore, the man is to serve 11 years in jail.

This is the case of a man accused of raping his own daughter at a school in Isabel province on unknown dates in 2016.

The man is charged with two counts of rape contrary to section 136F (1) (a) and (b) of the Penal Code [cap. 26], as amended by the Penal Code (Amendment) (Sexual Offences) Act 2016 (“the Sexual Offences Act, 2016”) and has been convicted after a trial.

According to the facts before the defendant had made special arrangements to have his daughter stay with him and his family to enable her to attend school. She was his child born from a relationship he had with the mother of the victim in his early years while working as an Agriculture Officer at the village where the mother was.

Police confirm arson related arrests

Written by
Press Release
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POLICE in Western Province have arrested 72 people including six females in relation to an arson incident on 7 July 2021.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Western Province Chief Superintendent Mathias Lenialu says:

“There are three dwelling houses burnt down and other three permanent houses were looted and completely destroyed.

“Police have responded to the arson incident, stabilized the situation and rushed casualties to Munda hospital for further treatment.

“One of them sustained serious wound and currently admitted at the Helena Goldie Hospital.

“Families were left homeless, with no food and shelter.

“A group of men burnt some of their valuable properties.

“It is alleged that the motive behind the arson incident is an ongoing tension between Christian Fellowship Church (CFC) members who split in to group A and B.

“Police managed to control and calm the tense situation.

“Community chiefs were reached to assist police on the matter and during the meeting the community allow the police to carry out their duties that led to successful arrest.”

Investigation into this matter continues and I appeal to anyone with information regarding this arson to come forward and assist police.

“You can contact Gizo police on phone 60999 or Munda police on phone 62189 or police free toll line on phone 999.”

Seven people still missing at sea

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

SEVEN people including an Anglican Priest are still missing at sea.

They were reported lost between Isabel and Buenivesta in the Central Islands province on the afternoon of July 10, 2021.

Reports said about 20 boats left Sepi on the morning of July 10 around 11am and travelled to Nagotano Buenavesta in Ngella for the Chiefs Convention that is underway this week.

One of the boat drivers who transported the chiefs told this paper that they were all travelling together when they left Sepi village on Saturday, however on their way out in the ocean that particular boat took a different route away from the rest of the boats.

“The sea was rough and everyone of us are travelling together but I don’t know why that boat travelled further out from our direction.

“It was at our arrival and the day started getting dark we realized that the boat hasn’t arrived and it was at that time, every one started to do the search, but unfortunately not managed to locate them”, the driver said.

He also said it was a sad scenario for such to happen to one of the boats and the people inside are also the chiefs and elders of the community.

Reports also said the boat carried seven people, one woman, an Anglican priest and four other chiefs and the boat driver all elderly people.

Some chiefs from the village that the missing people were from returned yesterday to Isabel to be with their community and families of those missing.

Meanwhile police in Isabel Province are investigating this matter.

Tangirongo is new envoy to NZ

Written by
Press Release
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PM Sogavare and High Commissioner Tangirongo at the Commissioning Ceremony

GOVERNMENT has reappointed the country’s former High Commissioner to Britain, Eliam Tangirongo, to head the New Zealand mission.

Tangirongo returned home after the Government closed the London office last year.

He was commissioned for his new posting yesterday.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare administered the commissioning ceremony at the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in the presence of senior government officials and family members.

A Government statement said Sogavare reminded High Commissioner Tangirongo that his tasks as the new High Commissioner to New Zealand is first to represent and promote the interests of the Government of Solomon Islands in New Zealand.

“These tasks could be political, economic, social and cultural,” Sogavare said.

He further advised the High Commissioner not to compromise his official duties with personal interests and other forms of persuasions during his term in Office.

Sogavare also reminded the high commissioner that he is the link between Solomon Islands Government and the Government of the country to which he is accredited and that his office and home will be the safe haven for Solomon Islanders in times of need.  

During his term in Office, High Commissioner Tangirongo was reminded that his instructions on all occasions during his mission will come from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade and that he must avoid extravagance at all costs.

Prime Minister Sogavare is confident that Tangirongo is eminently fit in his personal qualities and experience in the affairs of State for the charge the Government of Solomon Islands has entrusted on him.

Prior to his appointment to the London Mission, he served as one of the chairperson’s of the Public Service Commission.

Tangirongo is a highly experienced Public Servant.

He replaces Joy Kere, whose term at the Wellington mission ended last year.

Winwin and landowners resolve dispute

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Turarana river, where the WinWin mining company is operating.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

WIN Win Investment Ltd and Turarana Landowners Taskforce and other leaders have resolved their dispute following a meet at Henderson Police post yesterday.

Both parties agreed to work together to iron any issues relating to the mining operation of the company at Turarana.

The so-called Taskforce called the meeting for the company to clarify outstanding issues and due payment need to be settled relating to the mining operation on Turarana tenement.

The taskforce said failure to meet with them, the company expect to see all four tribes would stage a road block on 13th July, which is the deadline of the 14 days’ notice issued on 29th June to Win Win.

Win Win does not recognize the existence of Taskforce as it was set up outside the 24 trustees of Turarana where Win Win signed the Surface Access Agreement and Surface Access Rights Agreement with them.

In a letter sent to the Managing Director of Win Win mining Company Ltd on 1st July, the four landowning tribes (Garavu, Lasi, Koe’naho and Manuki) tribes who owns the Turarana tenement where the company is operating, agreed on this during their extra ordinary meeting held at Turarana village on Wednesday 30th June.

Some of the log of claims which are dued payments are:

1.            Premium – $26,000 (Surface Access Agreement)

2.            Access fee – $250,000 (SAA)

3.            Rental payments – $1,000/square kilometer multiply 12 square kilometer – (2018-2021)

4.            Campsite payment – $3,000 per month from 2018-2021

5.            Pits

6.            Damages

However, the Taskforce was happy when they heard that the company had paid the $250,000 access fees to the taskforce already.

Also the taskforce was informed by Elemelek Vamule, mines officer in the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification that the royalty payments of the landowners are still with Central Bank of Solomon Islands.

Vamule said CBSI can only release the payments once the landowners sorted out their land boundaries and open a bank account.

He said other payments like rentals and campsite will be part and parcel of the land acquisition and opening of bank accounts as well.

As such, the taskforce assured the company that there will be no road blocks and they are willing to work together with their trustees during the span of the operation.

Island Sun understand there were 19 shipments of the minerals made so far and the company overseas has already paid eight shipments to CBSI.

Vamule said this is in accordance with Mines and Mineral Act that payments must be made within three

Win Win has extracted alluvial deposits on the stream beds of Mamasa and Turarana to get the minerals, especially gold.

The company started operations on Mamasa in October 2019, however the company discovered the tenement had low alluvial deposits on its stream beds.

Win Win is now operating on Turarana which is believed to have high alluvial deposits.

Makira/Ulawa vaccine rollout set for August

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MAKIRA/Ulawa province vaccination roll-out is set for the first week of August.

Dr Yogesh Choudhri senior advisor to Ministry of Health and Medical Services announced this recently.

“Plan to roll out vaccine to Makira/Ulawa is on first week of August to roll it out. Right now they are doing the trainings and then advocacy meetings,” Choudhri said.

He said for provincial level rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination it is often led provincially and managed provincially.

The national government is only there to support them to run the vaccination roll-out.

Choudhri said each province has specific clinics and multiple technologies to reach out.

“Some of the multiple approaches including Fix clinics, mobile, outreach, going to business houses.

“So it’s a mixture of approach that we are taking. This because we want to make sure the vaccine reaches the people.

“I think people also must start to take little responsibility and effort to get vaccinated,” he said.

GP vax roll-out faces manpower challenge

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

GUADALCANAL province’s vaccination roll-out is facing manpower challenges.

This was confirmed by Dr Joel Denty, Guadalcanal Province Health Director in a radio talkback show on SIBC.

“We have been facing challenges with number of teams and Human Resources at this time. Ones we get a bit more support we will increase number of vaccination teams to be deployed to target sites.

“Also we prefer mobile teams because most villages are far from the fix site,” Denty said.

He said since the launch of the vaccine on June 18, community rollout is still ongoing at the moment.

“On Monday 5th July we at the Guadalcanal Health team started vaccination at Good Shepherd area at Foxwood. We started the vaccination at two wards that have a lot of people, Malango and Gaobata, so that is our current focus at the moment.

“Numbers of people who come forward to get their jab have started slow but is it slowly picking up. As of Monday, only 61 individuals received their first vaccine shot, by Tuesday this went up to 104, and by Friday we reached 202 people receiving their vaccine.

“I hope ones we increase number of teams, the number will slowly be increasing,” Denty said.

“The vaccination teams are stationed on GIPPOL two, this one will involve company employees and also surrounding communities.

“Please those of you who are close to these sites I urge you to come forward and get vaccinated before it ends tomorrow (Wednesday).

“It is also encouraging to see some people are helping out in providing transports for individuals to fix vaccination sites,” said Denty.

Get vaccinated to protect your children: MHMS

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services is calling on family members above 18 years old to get vaccinated to “protect your children against the virus”.

This call was echoed by Dr Yogesh Choudhri, senior advisor to Ministry of Health, during a radio talkback show.

“To protect our children it is important that we take the vaccine because ones we take the vaccine we are less likely to get the infections and we are less likely to pass on the infection to our children.

“So this is one of the reasons that we should take the vaccine because the vaccine may not be available for children less than 18 years old,” Choudhri said.

He stressed, the time to take the vaccine in Solomon Islands is now and if a person do that there is enough for your immune system to create antibodies.

Choudhri said for now there is only one vaccine that is approved by World Health Organisation (WHO) to be use for adolescents 12 years and above, that vaccine is the Pfizer vaccine.

“The AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines we have can only be used for people 18 years and above.”

Dr Nemia Bainavalu, chair to COVID-19 vaccine Technical Working Group (TWG), said:

“When you have the protection for yourself the possibility of transferring the virus to your family will be reduced. But if you have the possibility to spread it to family you affect your family and possible affecting the public as well.

“Hence our theme, protects yourself, protect your family and protect your country,” Bainivalu said

Gizo welcomes Archbishop Dawea to town

Written by
Ben Bilua
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St Luke Gizo Parish Priest Father Eric Kolae right welcomed Archbishop Dawea and delegates at Nusatupe Terminal

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

ANGLICAN church communities in and surrounding Gizo yesterday welcomed the Head of Anglican Church of Melanesian Archbishop Leonard Dawea.

Archbishop Dawea and his delegate touched down at Nusatupe airport at around 9am and were transported to Gizo where he and his delegates were greeted by Provincial Police Commander of Western Province.

He was then escorted by police to St Luke Church where the parishioners gathered to welcome him.

PPC of Western Province welcomes Archbishop and his team upon arrival at Gizo Hotel jetty

A beautiful scenery was staged, where Fishing Village parishioners performed the most popular Malaitan marching band to escort the Archbishop to the church where formal welcome event was made followed by a courtesy visit to the Premier of Western province and other institutions.

Archbishop Dawea said Western Province is part of Isabel Diocese, with minority parishioners as such it is his pastoral duty to visit the minority Anglican churches.

St Luke flower girls ready to garland the visiting delegation

“I choose to visit Anglican minority churches as most visits have been concentrated on diocesan headquarters,” he told parishioners.

“I’ve been here during the 2007 Tsunami and it is an honor to come back and visit the church,” Archbishop Dawea added.

“I want to register my sincere acknowledgement to parishioners and Father Eric Kolae for leading the church here in Gizo and other satellite churches.”

Parishioners of Transfiguration Church Fishing village marching band ready to escort Arcbishop Dawea and his team

Archbishop Dawea said churches are living testimony of Christian values where Christians share responsibilities in the spreading of the gospel.

“When churches meet, there is joy, peace and unity so as questions. I’m happy to discuss with parishioners any issues affecting the church while I’m here,” he added.

Archbishop Dawea greeted by garland girls and MC of the program

Archbishop Dawea said he is looking forward to fellowship with parishioners during his time in Gizo

Speaking during the courtesy visit, Premier of Western Province, David Gina said his government acknowledged the Archbishop’s visit to his province.

He said his government is supportive of church development that would promote peace, social harmony and economic development.

Gina said WPG will continue to support the churches in the province.

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