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Ward 30 celebrate Malaita Day in style

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Supervising Premier of Malaita Province, Randol Sifoni cutting the ceremonial cake with a fellow guest in signifying the importance of the Malaita Provincial day in Ward 30.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

COMMUNITIES in ward 30 of Aoke Langa Langa came in their hundreds to celebrate the Malaita 38th Second Appointed Day on Monday at Lalana village in the Langa Langa lagoon.

The gathering assembled chiefs, church leaders and community stakeholders as well as traditional dancing groups and sports clubs from Kona near Auki to Ailau/Buma – border with ward 28 in west Kwaio.

Women dancers from Langa Langa lagoon in their traditional dancing outfits.

The heavy rains on Monday did not dampen spirits as the participants enjoyed the speeches, entertainment, interactions and sharing of culture and tradition.

Similar weather situation was also encountered in celebrations in nearby wards.

The huge crowd that turned out to witness the occassion.

Sun Auki understands that few wards had cancelled official celebrations due to the rain, but for others such as ward-30, Malaita Day meant more than the rain.

The highlight of the day was the Pathfinder’s show, traditional dancing and the performance by Langa Langa female artist Ms Apollonia that rocked the crowd. 

Traditional dancers during the entertainment segment of the program.

Social activities of the celebration was called off around 7pm on Monday to allow the muddy condition of Lalana field where the programme was held to be dried for the completion of ward 30 Malaita Day sports competition today.

MPA for ward 30, deputy premier who is the supervising premier, Randol Sifoni thanked his people for the overwhelming support and cooperation shown towards and during the celebration.

A canoe procession carrying the Supervising Premier, Randal Sifoni

He said being their provincial leader for the past 15 years; lots of challenges had been encountered, but their working together contributed to small developments in ward 30.

Sifoni urged them for further cooperation with both their MPA and MP for the development of ward 30 in Aoke Langa Langa constituency.

Suidani clarifies what Auki Communique is

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Premier of Malaita province Daniel Suidani

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MALAITA Premier Daniel Suidani has clarified what he described as “mis-conceptions” towards the Auki Communique launched in 2019.

This was in response to claims the Communique aims to “stop development” on Malaita.

But speaking from Brisbane, Australia, to mark the province’s 38th Second Appointed Day on 15th August, Suidani said the thinking is not right.

He said the Communique is not to stop development but acts as a guide for the province.

“It is a principal statement that provides the guide to how we should develop Malaita and about things where we must not forget to avoid when development comes to us,” Suidani said in a recorded voice distributed to his people.

“The communique is very clear on why the province has not been developed. And it was because our leaders do not work together,” he added.

Suidani said often the leaders used the offices to take things not belong to them.

He said the communique spells out quite strongly that anyone coming to invest in Malaita must be a credible developer.

Suidani said investors must also respect the culture of the people, as well as work with them.

“This is what the communique is about.

“The MARA government will not make any amendments on the communique as requested by the national government recently,” he insisted.

At the same time, Suidani encourages Malaitans to stand for what is right and not follow the “sweetness” of money.

He said it is enough to run after the money and not after principles, good values and integrity.

‘LEAVE IT TO US’

Written by
Charles Kadamana
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Special Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Albert Kabui (second from left) receives the petition from Lawrence Makili (with glasses) as other representatives from the Malaitans in Honiara looks on.

Advise from Honiara based Malaita group

BY CHARLES KADAMANA

Honiara-based Malaita group spokesman Lawrence Makili has advised all Malaitans to allow his group deal with the petition that is being resubmitted to the government on Friday.

He said they have no interest on violence and will continue to have dialogue with the office of the Prime Minister to ensure they take onboard their request.

The group has requested the Prime Minister to

  1. Honour and respects the Auki Communique and ceases its attempts to extinguish or curtail the right of the self-determination by the people of Malaita as represented through their MARA government in the said communique
  2. Keeps the Chinese community party, its companies or agents our of Malaita province a made blatantly clear in the Auki Communique
  3. Refrain from weaponing infrastructure development in Malaita and specifically keep the World Bank SIIRAP Project on Malaita province alive according to the World Bank procurement guidelines
  4. Immediately ceases all contracts granted to entities owned, endorsed or associated with Member of Parliament or their agents in the building of infrastructure in Malaita as sign of good faith and an important step to eradication corruption from the machinery of government in Solomon Islands.
  5. Focuses on good, honest and transparent governance and stop petty politicking and disadvantaging the Malaita population
  6. Puts a halt on the influx of cheap Asian labour into Solomon Islands who are systematically taking away economic opportunities from Solomon islanders
  7. Fulfils it commitment and mandate to support Malaita province including commitment made in the Townsville peace agreement of the year 2000
  8. Affords Malaita the opportunity to explore and exercise rights and freedoms of democratic states as enshrined in the Solomon Island constitution
  9. The DCGA to lift total ban of sea cucumber harvesting for our Malaita outer islander’s livelihood
  10. DCGA to immediately address mitigating measures to counter the desperate climate change situation affection our Malaita Outer islanders.

According to them they observed that the treatment of MARA government by DCGA is a grave concern.

This is evident with the DCGA government through its Minister of Communication and Aviation intends to bring or already brought to Cabinet a paper seeking to withdraw SIRAP World Bank project from the province, lack of consultation to secure diplomatic relation with PRC, facilitate influx of Chinese labour under PRC funded project instead of ensuring jobs for Solomon Islanders, not honouring Auki Communiques and negligence to address food shortage and climate change in Malaita Outer Islands.

Special Secretary to Prime Minister Albert Kabui when receiving the petition on Friday acknowledges the important of dialogue and assured the government will respond after looking through the petition to determine how these issues raised can be addressed.

Last week a rowdy crowd almost took a peaceful march without the knowledge of the group.

Representing the Honiara-based Malaita group are Lawrence Makili, Vincent S Gae, Saxon Ofata, Knoxy Atue, Jeffery Aruhe and Martin Maeaba.

Premier Maka’a’s government will support National Gov’t’s moves

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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PM-and-Premier-Makaa

The Premier of Makira Ulawa Province, Julian Maka’a has assured the Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare of his Government’s support for whatever programs his National Government will launch to address problems being faced in Solomon Islands.

He made the assurance at a dinner being hosted at Seaview Guest House for Prime Minister Sogavare who was the Province’s Guest of Honour on its 38th Second Appointed Day celebrations on August 5, 2021 in Kira Kira.

Mr Maka’a said Solomon Islands is “our beautiful and peaceful country, so together we must revisit our problems and support government programs to improve them”.

Prime Minister Sogavare earlier addressed the guests who included his Minister of Lands and Housing, Ishmael Avui; Minister of Mines and Energy, Bradley Tovosia; Minister of Provincial Governments and Institutional Strengthening, Rollen Seleso; Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources and Central Makira MP, Nestor Ghiro; their Permanent Secretaries and the Commissioner of Lands; two MP backbenchers and officials of the Prime Minister’s Office; the Deputy Premier of Malaita Province; Executive Members of the Makira Ulawa Provincial Assembly and some Province’s Traditional Chiefs.

In his address, Mr Sogavare said since the Ethnic Tension decades ago, Solomon Islands including Makira Ulawa Province continued to be facing difficult years and as things were just improving, the Corona Virus – COVID-19 Pandemic hit “us in 2019 and not only us but the whole World including our international traditional donor partners organizations that have been supporting us with both technical and financial assistance”.

But he said public servants including those serving the Provincial Governments must ensure they are committed with their jobs to ensure services are delivered, adding people too must show commitment with whatever they do so that “our country can get up again”.

Mr Sogavare said as Provincial Governments are agents of the National Government, “I call on the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government to support the Re-Direction and Revitalization Programs the Government has launched in our efforts to resurrect the National Economy”.

He said the call applies to seconded public servants and direct employees of the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government.

By George Atkin – Kira Kira Correspondent

AstraZeneca vaccines to be used on Malaita, but no politics involved: Dr Danitofea

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Deputy Premier, Hon Randol Sifoni (left) and Supervising provincial health director, Dr David Danitofea (right) are cutting the launching ribbon to officially open the roll-out of

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

SUPERVISING Director of Malaita provincial health, Dr David Danitofea says that only AstraZeneca vaccine will be used in the vaccination roll-out program for Malaita province.

He confirmed this during the launching of the vaccination program in Auki on Friday.

Dr Danitofea said there are two vaccines; sinopharm and AstraZeneca which are administered on the current covid-19 vaccination roll-out program in the country.

He said AstraZeneca will be used in the roll out program for Malaita province and this is the vaccine health workers will go around with during the course of the program.

Dr Danitofea said reason for vaccine is not because Malaita province saying no to China, they had been given with the vaccine, so “no, it’s not politics.”

He explained that there is no political rationale associated to the use of AstraZeneca in the province; rather it’s basically due to logistic reason.

Dr Danitofea furthered that the two vaccines have different timeframe of picking-up the second doze and that must be clear.

He said for Sinopharm; if a person vaccinates today, it will take only a few weeks to take his/her second doze unlike AstraZeneca where it can take longer period before their second doze.

Dr Danitofea said considering that they have decided on AstraZeneca so that it gives a thorough time for the successful roll-out of the vaccination program.

He said the other main motive was due to logistic challenges that the provincial health face as they will be slow to catch-up with the second doze if they are to apply sinopharm.

Dr Danitofea clarified that there is no politics or whatsoever behind the use of AstraZeneca in the province if queries are raised on that.

Solomon Islands and Australia join together to promote women in business

Written by
Press Release
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The event allowed women in business and supporters of women in business to network

Solomon Islands Government Ministers joined Australian High Commission officials to promote women in business at a Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA) networking breakfast on Friday.

The businesswomen’s networking breakfast celebrated the Australian Government’s partnership with SIWIBA, via its initiative, Strongim Bisnis.

This Australian-funded partnership aims to improve SIWIBA’s capacity to deliver business development services for women and increase SIWIBA’s membership of women entrepreneurs.

The Minister for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Hon. Freda Rotutafi Rangirei gave the keynote address at the networking breakfast.

Among the guests attending the event are Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Hon. Lanelle Tanangada and Australian High Commissioner, Dr Lachlan Strahan.

The breakfast was attended by women leaders in business

Dr Strahan said, “Empowering women to take leadership roles in business and participate fully in the workforce is not only the right thing to do, it is also good for the economy.

“Around the world, including in Solomon Islands, women remain under-represented in the workforce and leadership roles.

“The Australian Government is supporting SIWIBA to help shift this reality, by developing female businesswomen to deliver change in Solomon Islands.

“The Australian High Commission looks forward to continuing to support women’s economic empowerment, through Strongim Bisnis and directly through the gender program.

Minister for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Hon. Freda Rotutafi Rangirei gave the keynote address.

“The private sector is an important driver of change, but we also strongly encourage government to play its role creating the right enabling environment to allow women take the lead. Men also have to be prepared to give ground. Events like this networking breakfast allow us to do this”, he said.

SIWIBA President, Pamela Zoleveke, opened the breakfast and said “As a non-profit organisation, we exist to serve the interests of businesswomen throughout Solomon Islands. We have over 900 members and encourage all women in business, be it formal or informal, to contact us and benefit from the training and business services we can provide to help their businesses grow.”

Strongim Bisnis partnered with SIWIBA as part of its focus on creating better economic opportunities for women, youth and people living with disabilities. Strongim Bisnis works in the cocoa, coconut, tourism, financial services, timber, horticulture and waste management sectors.

Australia supports SIWIBA to create better economic opportunities for women

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Australian High Commissioner, Dr Lachlan Strahan delivers his speech.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE Australian government through the Strongim Bisnis program has established a partnership with the Solomon Islands Women in Business Association to support women create better economic opportunities.

Speaking at a breakfast on Friday, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Dr Lachlan Strahan said Australian Government is proud to support SIWIBA in achieving its goal to help women in business.

He said the Australian High Commission remains committed to women’s economic empowerment.

“We have a Gender Team specifically focused on this task, our team along with Strongim Bisnis, continue to champion inclusive workplaces, we know that improved economic opportunities for Solomon Islands women help support a strong Solomon Islands economy”, High Commissioner Strahan said.

Meanwhile SIWIBA President Pamela Zoleveke said SIWIBA exist to serve the interests of business women throughout the Solomon Islands and currently they have a total of 900 registered members.

Mrs Zoleveke also encourage women informal or formal to always contact them for training and other business activities to help them in growing their business forward.

The businesswomen’s networking breakfast celebrated the Australian Government’s partnership with SIWIBA, via its initiative, Strongim Bisnis. This Australian-funded partnership aims to improve SIWIBA’s capacity to deliver business development services for women and increase SIWIBA’s membership of women entrepreneurs.

Solomon Islands celebrates World Youth Day

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Three female youths from HCC

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

YOUTHS residing in Honiara this week gathered to celebrate the International Youth Day with the theme “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.”

Speaking at the occasion Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs Dr Cendrick Alependava said this year’s them is relevant to all global communities and citizens.

New Zealand High Commission youth Ambassador chatting with PS Dr Alependava

“Healthy Youth, Health Population needs a good food system –with availability healthy food.

Because processed food, sugary food, tin foods are full of additives colouring, flavours, and preservatives and as such second hand and not good for our body.

What our Youths need are fresh fruits, nuts vegetables from our own garden to make them healthier,” Alependava said.

He said the above mentioned statements are in line with the Solomon Islands Youth Policy on six priority areas education empowerment, Economic empowerment, health and well-being Sustainable Development , Leadership, Governance, peace building , Social inclusion and Citizen, Evidence base approaches, access to information and Provincial implementations strategies.

On the same note City Mayor Eddie Siapu said “Young people have always been a group that have the energy, creativity and talent to be more proactive citizens of Honiara and our country when it comes to development.

City Mayor Eddie Siapu

The celebration of the International Youth Day 2021 is to acknowledge the contributions of young people to our families, communities and our city’s economy as a whole.”

Siapu said the International Youth day 2021 is time for all stakeholders in the Youth space to reflect on our respective approaches towards involving our said populations the youths in our work.   

Lio Creek youths with NZ High commissioner

Harry James on behalf of the Youths said the theme of the occasion “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health” with the aim of highlighting that the success of such a global effort not be achieved without the meaningful participation g young people.”

PROTECT MALAITA

Written by
Samie Waikori
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An overwhelmng turn-out for the vaccination launch in Auki.

Deputy premier urges Malaitans to get their jabs

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

SUPERVISING Premier of Malaita Province Randol Sifoni has appealed to Malaitans both in the province and outside to get their jabs.

Sifoni made the call yesterday during the launche of covid-19 vaccination roll-out program for Malaita.

He acknowledged the support and commitment of national government for recognizing Malaita as one of the priority provinces to run the vaccination roll-out program.

Deputy Premier of Malaita province, Hon Randol Sifoni thumps up as he took his first covid-19 jab on Friday during the vaccination roll-out in Malaita.

Sifoni said Malaita has a maritime border with PNG that indicate the importance of the vaccination program to the province. Also the province is one of the largest and highly populated.

“That means the entry of corona virus through ports of entries could mean a very high risk to the people of Malaita,” Sifoni said.

“We all know that health system in our country and in this province is very weak and the only possible way to prevent you and your family from being killed by the virus is through vaccination,” he added.

“My good people of Malaita province, I would like to inform you that there is no cure for covid-19. However, getting a vaccine will protect us and our families.

NDMO provincial branch officer, Mr Pearson Simi is going through some checks before taking his jab.

“The impact of covid-19 in our neighboring countries like Fiji and PNG is overwhelming. It is beyond the capacity of their health system even though they have a lot stronger health system than ours.

“Therefore, we must get our jabs,” he said.

Sifoni said the delta variant is more severe and can be easily transferrable that capable of infecting mass population in a very small time.

“Because of the extreme danger of this virus to our people, the government in its wisdom had seen the significance of bringing the vaccination program to the province.

“You will not be travelling across the ocean to get your jab in Honiara. You’ll have it right here.

“I call on all Malaitans to come forward.”

Catholic Dominicans Celebrate Feast Day

Written by
Press Release
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Priests presiding over the service

The Dominican order of the Catholic Church, with church communities from three different parishes have celebrated Saint Dominic’s Day at the Mass center Henderson East Honiara.

The feast day which falls on Sunday 8th of August was held on Saturday 7th with the attendance of over 300 people from local churches under the Holy Cross, Kukum and Good Shepherd Parish, including guests from various religious orders.

Dominican Father, Peter Lalaiagalo who led the feast day’s service was assisted by Vicar General Fr John Galvin representing the Archbishop Chris Cardone and 10 other priests from the Diocesan and Marist religious order. 

The Dominican Sisters, Brothers, Mass center’s youth ministry and the Rurete Gilbertese community brought life into the service with their beautiful lively singing.

Young girl dancing to a Tuvaluan song during the Dominican Feast Day [photo by Indy]

During the sermon Fr Carter Tanaboe reminded the congregation that despite their different walks of life, all are called to preach the Gospel just like Saint Dominic who founded the order 800 years ago.

He also encouraged everyone that though “we live in a world where the Gospel values are continuously challenged, we should not be afraid to preach the Gospel.

Representing the Dominicans Fr Superior, Stephen Kamoa acknowledged the presence of other orders and communities and those who were part of the feast’s preparation

Fr Superior Stephen Kamoa delivering his speech. [photo by Indy Maelasia]

“Congratulations to those who worked so hard for many weeks to prepare the liturgy. My dear People without you, we are nothing the feast will have no meaning so I would like to say thank you very much everyone who come from different places and different communities to come and join us in this day of Joy”

Chairman of the Mass Center Community, Stanley Maealasia also shared his appreciation for the efforts the Mass Center community has put in prior to the feast day.

Fr Lalaiagalo during the Mass

“I also would like to thank the mass center community, it has been a difficult year this year but nevertheless we have tried our very best to work along with the Dominicans and we are very pleased indeed to have this society with us to help us in our journey as laities” he said

Mass Center women swaying to the beat

Mr Maealasia also thanked the different orders and the communities to come as a universal family to mark this special day.

The celebration continued with a feast and entertainments from the order, various youth groups, Sunday school groups, men and women groups.

The Dominican Order is made up of priests, brothers and nuns and is one of the many religious order within the Roman Catholic Church.

By: CATHOLIC COMMUNICATION

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