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DEATH ON WHEELS

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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0
The vehicle that was involved in the incident at the Tenaru bridge. PHOTO BENJAMIN AFUGA

Man running from police mows down crowd killing 5

BY JARED KOLI

Five people are dead and three others injured after they were run over by a person being chased by police at the old Tenaru bridge, east of Honiara.

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

Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Guadalcanal Province, Superintendent Edwin Sevoa confirmed that the land cruiser was chased by police vehicle for careless driving from the Burns Creek area.

“On their way up to Tenaru Bridge, the driver of the land cruiser saw an incoming vehicle on the Bridge and parked vehicle at the western end of the Bridge, so the driver decided to drive through the old Tenaru Bridge where a fundraising was happening,” he said.

Sevoa said the vehicle drove straight towards the crowd, hit several of them and later stopped.

“The driver of the land cruiser had escaped after the fatal accident and was later arrested with his associate. Some unknown person later burnt down the land cruiser into ashes.”

Sevoa said a traffic case was established and investigation is currently on going.

“I call on parties involved in this sad incident to refrain from taking the laws in to your hands and allow police to deal with the matter so that those responsible could face justice.

“Our condolences to the family and relatives of the deceased for the loss of their loved ones,” said Sevoa.

Island Sun was informed that the fatalities included Malaitans, Temotuans and North Guadalcanal citizens.

Gizo celebrates Independence Day

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Church Leaders and Officials who orgainsed the event

BY BEN BILUA

GIZO

GIZO residents took time out to celebrate the country’s 43rd Independence Day on Wednesday at the John F Kennedy stadium.

The event was organised by a newly established church association which represents all denominations in Gizo with the support of the Western Province Ministry of Peace.

SDA youth sing for the crowd during the celebration

The celebration began with a combined dawn service followed by kids’ games and soccer knock-out for women and girls.

In an interview, Deputy Director of Western Province Peace Office, Bruno Manele said the programme where churches came together and organise events to mark the country’s national day is a first of its kind in Western Province, especially Gizo.

“I see that when the government or provincial leaders put churches and traditional leaders to work, implementation of expected objectives and goals are progressing.

Striker of Pandani 2 FC receives her consolation prize from Ben Bilua, Island Sun Reporter based at Gizo who is also part of the organising committee

“We pull together church leaders, church members also follow. We understand that we have active religious backgrounds, most of us belong to church groups, so when we all on churches, more people will participate,” he said.

Manele said the successful hosting and organising of the independent celebration by church leaders set a benchmark that should be encouraged across the country.

He said Gizo’s combined religious committee made an outstanding commitment and partnership in driving not only the event but also the effort to improve religious stewardship in communities.

Youths enjoying the day

“We have overlooked our churches to be part in social and economic development of our country for the past 43 years. We need to change our approach when we look at this, our churches are here before we got our independent status from our colony, and so change in approach and engaging our churches must begin now. Enough of rhetoric on our churches, put them at work and we will all move forward,” Manele said.

He said Western Province Peace office sees Gizo Religious Association as an entity that can be actively engaged to complement the province’s programmes and activities in addressing social issues.

Manele stressed that his ministry will strengthen its partnership with the newly established Gizo Religious Association to carry out needed programmes and activities in the future.

SHHH!!!……..Miner warns landowner against going to media

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

WIN Win mining company Ltd is demanding the outspoken landowner of Turarana, Joel Jackson, to refrain from going to the media and to apologise to the company.

In a letter issued by the company’s lawyer Whitlam Togamae to Jackson on July 2, it states:

  1. That you and your associates always published unnecessary news on media about our client Win Win investment limited mining operation.
  2. That you and your associates or group have manipulated the landowners to sign papers influencing them with untrue information causing problems among landowners with out client, as well as headline on media within Solomon Islands nation as a whole.
  3. That you and your associate or group always trying to sabotage Win Win Investment Limited good mining operation and existence.

Togamae said there were and are rightful land trustees and executive from landowners and their client representative to deal with any issue arising.

He said “your (Jackson’s) actions seem illegal and deems to defamation where you hereby noted and advised as follows;

  1. You and your associate or group must cease and refrain from publishing on media any article relates or regarding our clients mining operation.
  2. You and your associates or group must quit influencing the landowners with untrue information or initiating the landowners within or surrounding communities to sign papers that surely will cause harm and destablise Win Win Investment Limited.
  3. That you also advised to cease any intention to sabotage the lawful existence of Win Win Investment Limited mining operation, doing so is illegal.

Togamae furthers by telling Jackson that he has instructions to file legal proceedings against him and his associates once they do not comply.

“Be informed that we hereby also request you and your associate to must formally apologise to Win Win Investment Ltd within 14 days.

“Failure to comply means we will initiate legal proceeding against you and your associate in the Court of law,” he added.

However, Jackson has denied any untrue or unnecessary news on media because all his information is based on facts.

He said there was no manipulation to influence landowners to sign papers to influence them with untrue information.

Jackson said every landowner agreed to sign the papers because they see there is something wrong with the company since its operation on their land.

Further to that, he said there is no intention to sabotage against Win Win as they want the company to come out clear and explain to landowners demands in the SAA.

As such, Jackson said he will not apologise to the company and his group is ready to secure a service of a lawyer to represent them fight against the company.

Kava opportunities as price spikes in Australia

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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0
Kava is in high demand in Australia now due to the impacts of Covid-19: Photo Supplied.

By Brian Lezutuni

Australians, Pacifika people living in Australia, are being forced to pay as much as SBD $2107 ($350 AUD) for a kilogram of impure kava from black market sales of the product.

With reduced international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supplies usually provided by travelling friends and family have decreased dramatically creating a shortage which has pushed up prices.

Kava farmers had hoped to benefit from a pilot program for commercial importation of kava that was announced in 2019 but may now have to wait until 2022 before they can tap into the Australian market.

Fiji born, Professor Satish Chand from the School of Business at the University of New South Wales, told Pacific Journalists this week that Pacific Islanders in Australia are desperately in need of kava.

An avid kava consumer himself, Professor Chand said where he lives in Canberra, he could buy half a dozen bottles of Scotch Whiskey for the same price as that for 1kg of kava.

“And that is weird. If I really wanted to get drunk, I’d buy whiskey not kava, but you know kava has got a different significance to Pacific islanders here.  We can’t have a prayer session without kava, even amongst Hindus and Muslims, we still need kava,” he adds.

He urged government leaders ahead of the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting next week to give Australia the extra nudge into pushing the pilot project forward.

“There is a market that we can push for and I think that it is high time that we did so,” he added.

Trade and Investment Commissioner of the Pacific Trade Invest Australia, Caleb Jarvis said his organization has been involved in consultation with the Australian Government on kava and there is a demand in Australia.

He said there would be some controls and monitoring around kava imports.

“There will have to be commercial entities, licenced to export as well as licenced importers and distributors in Australia as well,” Commissioner Jarvis said.

“Quality will also be an issue as there is a push to have kava produced and packaged in a HACCP-certified facility.

HACCP is Australia’s food safety certification process.

At the moment, Countries that do not have a HACCP-certified packaging facility may be able to get their Kava packaged in Australia.

Mr Jarvis emphasised that the upcoming Forum Economic and Trade Ministers Meeting would be a great opportunity for members across the Pacific to put pressure on Australia for more discussions on opening up the kava pilot program sooner rather than later.

“They’ve put funding…and allocated funding in the last budget to this,” he added.

ENDS

Mining company to meet opposing landowners

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Turarana river, where the WinWin mining company is operating.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINING company, Win Win Investment Ltd is preparing to meet with the Turarana Landowners Taskforce and other leaders at the Henderson Police Post conference room from 10am to 12 noon today.

This is despite the company not recognizing the existence of Taskforce as it was set up outside the 24 trustees of Turarana area, where Win Win signed the Surface Access Agreement and Surface Access Rights Agreement with them.

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

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

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 claim to own 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 due 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

The Turarana taskforce said the 20 trustees are not chosen or appointed by the four tribes but have been appointed by certain individuals not the tribe.

The taskforce said their appointment should be regard as null and void.

The taskforce said a tribal meeting should be conducted as soon as possible for the four tribes to appoint six new representatives to represent each tribe.

Further to that, the Taskforce want to know the update of the report of gold extracted from 2018-2021, as so far, no report had reached the Koehoto Landowners Association (KLA) Chairman.

Further to that, the taskforce wants to see the financial report for advances received by each tribe from 2018-2021 and other payments.

The taskforce also wants to see company’s representative, Jeremy Rex be terminated from the company once and for all if it wants to continue operation.

Moreover, the Taskforce claimed the management of Win Win mining company Ltd is illegally selling the following items:

  1. Brewing of rice wine (alcohol) from 2017-2021
  2. Selling of mobile phones, cigarettes and chicken
  3. Sale of uniform to employee and security torch.

The taskforce also wants to see Charles Meke remove as Director of Win Win Investment Solomon Ltd because he is not a landowner but comes from Gela.

The taskforce wants an indigenous landowner to be the shareholder and not Meke.

Furthermore, the taskforce wants to know why the company issued a machine used for bricks to Member of Parliament for East Guadalcanal, Braddley Tovosia.

The taskforce wants the immediately return of the machine for the beneficiary of landowners.

However, Elemelek Vamule, mines officer in the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification confirmed 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 so far 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 months on the day of shipment.

Further to that, he said regarding information of the company’s operation, no one can access it because of its confidentiality and its property.

Vamule said under the Mines and Mineral Act, the ministry cannot issue the information of the company until it loses its tenement and move out after three months.

One of the Directors of Win Win, Charles Meke said Bred Bank is willing to help open accounts for the company, 24 trustees and the employees.

Meke said work is ongoing to sort out the land boundaries on the tenement as well.

Win Win legal counsel, Whitlam Togamae said under the country’s law, the mineral belongs to the government.

He said the Ministry of Mines controls it through regulations and the royalties goes through CBSI before landowners get their shares.

Togamae said it is not like logging where the landowners own the trees.

Further to that, he said the law only recognize the trustees to deal with the company and no one else.

Togamae said this is because the trustees signed the SAA and SARA with the company to invite it for mining.

Moreover, Guadalcanal Police has warned youths on Turarana not to stage protest because it will be illegal and they could be arrested for their actions.

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.

Best wishes from Israel

Written by
Admin
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0

ISRAEL’S recently elected Prime Minister Naftali Benet and Foreign Affairs minister Yair Lapid yesterday sent their best wishes as the country marked its 43rd independence anniversary.

“We, in Israel, wish and pray for the prosperity, resilience and success of all our friends in Solomon Islands,” they said in a statement sent via their honorary consul in Honiara Leliana Firisua.

Israel is one of Solomon Islands’ development partners.

Many local Christians share an intimate and close relation with the state of Israel.

Although located on the other side of the world, Israel previously shared its expertise in health and agriculture with Solomon Islanders.

Why the delay, police?

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

MEMBERS of the public are raising concern over the delay of police investigation into the missing one-link 300k exhibition money.

A resident George Lei said he supports call made by Transparency Solomon Islands for police to speed up investigations and charge those responsible.

He said the delay in how police are dealing with the case raises more questions on how they are doing their job.

“I have been reading the papers about this and many responses were given by the Commissioner and his executives during the media conference.

 “Why don’t they get out from their desks and approach the investigators who are dealing with the case and enquire as to what is wrong and why is the delay.

“While appreciating the good work police officers are doing, delay in investigating the issue of public interest portrays a bad image on the force”, Lei said.

Meanwhile, the Police media Unit in their response to queries made by Island Sun said investigations are still continuing.

Police said investigating such matter takes time as investigators will properly gather information required by the office of the Director Public Prosecution.

“Investigations into the matter is still continuing. Reports on the investigation is pending to be submitted to the Director Public Prosecution (DPP) due to the delay in gathering critical submissions that will required by the DPP. It takes time in such matter but we will let us know the outcome of this investigation.” Police said.

This is in relation to the missing $300,000 cash money recovered from the Director of One-link Pacifica, during police investigations early last year which went missing under the safe custody of the police.

Previously, the police said it will be a priority investigation for the Professional Standard Internal Investigation (PSII), thus a thorough investigation will be conducted looking at all leads into how the money was stolen from the exhibit facility and that they are also looking at possible recovery of the missing money.

Transparency Solomon Islands recently raised concern that the news of the missing money under police custody is a huge blow to the image and integrity of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF). The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) trained and build the capacity of the RSIPF for more than a decade preparing them to independently perform their work to a much higher professional standard when RAMSI left.

TSI said that actions of few police officers has portrayed an image of an ill-disciplined police force, one the public can no longer have confidence and trust in.

Man gets 10 for sex with underage girl

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0
The High Court of Solomon Islands. Photo by SIBC.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

CHIEF Justice Sir Albert Palmer has sentenced a man to 10 years imprisonment for having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15 years.

Sir Albert in his sentencing on Tuesday this week, reiterated that the courts have a duty to protect the weak and vulnerable members of the society, a fortiori, children of tender age, by ensuring that an immediate custodial sentence is imposed in this type of offending, and that a clear message is sent out to the community that those who commit this type of offence must expect a lengthy custodial sentence.

“Each case however has to be determined on its own merits and an appropriate sentence imposed that balances the elements of retribution, deterrence, prevention and rehabilitation,” Sir Albert said.

The accused on this case was charged with two counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15 years, in incidents which occurred in 2019.

He entered guilty pleas on both counts when he was asked by the court in March this year.

Sir Albert said the defendant is an elderly man at the age of some 64 years old at the time of commission of the offence and given their age difference between them is 54 years, the accused’s actions were both disgraceful and selfish.

“As an elderly member in the community, he had failed to demonstrate responsibility and trust towards the victim; instead, he took advantage of her vulnerability and abused his position. No doubt his actions would have corrupted her innocence and dignity as a child and would have caused needless distress and trauma. Whatever emotional, psychological and physical harm may have been caused will take a long time to heal,” Sir Albert said.

He also said the offence is repeatedly committed which demonstrates the element of intentional and deliberate behaviour.

“It was not a one off or, spur of the moment incident, committed at a momentary loss of self-control. As an elderly and mature old man, he should have known better. I am satisfied this attracts another one-year increase to 13 years,” Sir Albert said.

Sir Albert also considered the man’s early guilty plea which shows his remorse and faced up to the consequences of his action, the court reduce the sentence by 2 years to I l years.

“Taking all his mitigating factors into account, I deduct a further I year from the sentence, leaving a total of 10 years to be served. I am satisfied taking into account the totality principle, count 2 should be made to run concurrent to count 1,” Sir Albert said.

Former CDL employee to appear in court

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A FORMER employee of the CDL Company accused of stealing from the company in 2017 will appear in court today.

The employee was a former female sales officer.

The case will be heard before Principal Magistrate Tearo Beneteti for continuation of trial.

Allegations said that during the month of June 2019 the company received complaints from some people that the accused usually spent huge amounts of money.

 After receiving the report, the company made some checks and balances on the company’s record which showed that the CDL Company had made huge losses on their account records.

The management then made enquiries and found that around $99, 950.00 were missing.

Police said the CDL company usually purchase mill run bags from the Global Vision Company Limited and the reconciliation done on their accounts showed that 1999 bags of mill run were lost.

The company made further enquiries with Global Vision which revealed that some vehicles went directly to them to collect the mill run as authorized by the accused Elizabeth Tara.

On June 2 2019 a vehicle went to Delite industries to pick up 50 bags of mill run without order forms,

It was at that time that the accused was caught and admitted to the CDL Company that she was stealing from the company since 2017.

The matter was then reported to police,

She was questioned and charged for the alleged offence.

String bands and cultural dances mark country’s 43rd anniversary

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0
Kau Mskonga string band

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

YESTERDAY string bands and cultural groups from the provinces performed cultural songs, music and dances to mark the country’s 43rd independence.

The occasion was held at the National Auditorium Museum. 

Speaking at the opening of the event Permanent Secretary to Ministry of Home Affairs Jeffery Deve said since there is no official celebration of the 43rd independence held in Honiara, this low-key celebration programme was hosted.

Mr Deve said the theme for this year’s 43rd independence reads “Our country, Our city and our future: a resilient, peaceful and united Solomon Islands”.

Loguni string band from Ngella entertaining the crowd yesterday

“The theme reflects a nationwide call to focus on the advancement of or country, the empowerment of our children into the future through peace building and unity.

“Fellow Solomon Islands our country has gone through so much challenges in our economic, social and political developments through its journey, so I put emphasis on positive growth, advancement and prosperity that drives peace and unity.

Pele dancers from Temotu province

“Solomon Islands will remain forever as our country and let’s create an environment that accommodates resilience, peace and unity whether it be politics, sports, religion, education or international relations,” he said.

Avaiki dancers

The programme was full of entertainment where the packed crowd at the venue were able to listen and see the diverse cultural songs and dances performed by different provincial groups.

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