PROSECUTION and defence lawyers will make sentencing and mitigation submissions today regarding the case of a man convicted of stealing foreign and local currencies in 2020.
Sentencing and mitigation submission has to be filed to the court before court can decide on the sentencing.
This is the case of Ian Pias Walelabua who was convicted on the last occasion for stealing a cash box or safe box containing SBD300,000, AUD20,000 and 5000 British Pounds at a dwelling house in the Henderson area.
Walelabua was convicted of one count of Burglary in relation to an incident which occurred on August 28, 2020 at the Henderson area.
Police alleged that he and another male entered into the complainant’s house by climbing the wall, and removed the security camera.
The allegation said it was when they were inside the house, they removed a cash box that contained the amount of $300,000 SBD, $20,000AUD and 5,000 pounds.
It was also alleged that Walelabua before committing the offence had called another employee, who also works for the complainant to find out the couple’s movement on that night.
The phone conversations were made by the accused and his phone call was to check on the couple whether they were out of their residence.
Police also said Walelabua had worked as an electronic officer for the complainant.
Students of Toroiwango Primary School during the recent engagement with World Vision.
FOUR communities and four schools in Makira Ulawa Province were trained on Child Protection and Safeguarding and Disability Inclusiveness and equality.
The communities are Tadahadi, Wango, Manita and Manihuki Community while the schools were Etemarore Primary School, Toroiwango Primary School, Taripara Community High School and Primary School and Manama Primary School.
The Training was conducted by World Vision Solomon Islands Champions of Tomorrow Project Community Development Facilitator Donnis Ramogetea from May 24th –June 8th 2021.
Mr Ramogetea said the topics covered during the training included understanding child needs and rights, value child participation, safe school and disability inclusiveness and equality.
“For the disability inclusiveness and equality, the project engage Community Based Rehabilitation Officer from Kirakira Kidrone Tauni to facilitate the topic,” he explained.
He highlighted the main aim for the training was to advocate for inclusiveness and equality in school and community disaster plans so that they able to address the needs of People with Disabilities (PWD) and children in the communities.
Meanwhile, speaking during the training, Tadahadi Community Elder Thomas thanked World Vision for the training.
“I stand here today on behalf of Tadahadi Community to thank World Vision for this training, indeed my community is one step ahead in terms of understanding Child Protection and Safeguarding compared to other communities in the Province who haven’t have a chance to learn about it,” Mr Thomas emphasized.
He further said, Tadahadi Community was great to learn about inclusiveness especially for people with disabilities to ensure equality is enhanced in their community.
Champions of Tomorrow Project is funded by Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) and is aimed to raise disaster preparedness especially to Schools.
Warriors waiting to escort official Guests to the stage
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Auki
MANAWAI Communities in East Are Are hosted partners and communities to the celebration of the World Environment Day 2021, recently held at the Manawai Community High School.
The international day was celebrated with the theme: “Ecosystem Restoration” relying key message of taking “a step to heal what we have broken.”
In a statement from General Secretary of Solomon Islands Rangers Association and Coordinator of Ahetaha Water Conservation Association (AWCA), Eddie Huitarau World Environment Day is a global event observed on 5th June every year to raise awareness on the environment and the damages caused by human activities to it.
“More importantly, it is a day that makes us feel more accountable for the environmental harm we do. A day we seek to generate a sense of responsibility towards the environment.
“The theme for the celebration serves to mean: preventing, halting and retreating the damage caused by human activities and finally healing our nature.
Officials from the MECCDM, SI Rangers and SICAN on the stage
“So, in our small ways as stakeholders and partners let’s take steps to heal what we have broken in order to celebrate the day meaningfully with the theme.
“This is very important because a lot of human activities taking place in the rural communities are very destructive and causes threat to the ecosystems including the forest, mangrove, ocean, reef, freshwater that provide services to our communities.
“It is a well-known fact that the unsustainable consumption of natural resources by our human activities have significantly damaged the environment and the degradation is still going on at a fast pace,” he said.
Deputy Principal of Manawai CHS, Slade Ririmae said the celebration is a history in the making and the first of its kind to gather neighbouring communities from Foulofo to Maroupaina and communities within Manawai to be part of the celebration.
He said Manawai School is also venturing into new networks apart from its usually educational program and its participation in the celebration indicates a sign of growth in understanding the importance of the environment.
Ririmae said the celebration is important for the communities since community conservation initiatives have been established by tribal groups within Manawai Harbour.
Female teachers dancing to the stage with the traditional gift to be presented to the officials
He said the celebration will make people understand the importance of their relationships with the environment and see environment as everyone’s responsibility.
Huitarau highlighted that the day provided the school and participating communities an opportunity to grasp new insights and be part of a global event for the first time.
He said the school has involved its students to plant mangrove trees to contribute to marking the day.
Ririmae again said the school’s participation in the program has shown the initiative they took in partnership with AWCA, and TTLCA, SIRA, and SICAN.
“As custodians, we all aware that the biodiversity within our locality is continuously under pressure from habitat destruction, overexploitation, waste pollution, invasive species and climate change.
ECE class performing their cultural dance
“Therefore, as a network we face these threats with common concern to keep our natural environment intact to equally benefit our current and future generations and all the organisms that live in these areas,” he said.
On that note, School Principal of Manawai CHS, Sonny Sipora acknowledged all donor partners, stakeholders, and surrounding communities and the Oxfam’s DFAT funded PACCIL project as the major sponsor of the event.
(L-R) Chief Education Authority for Malaita Provincial Education Authority, Mr Andy Siarani and Deputy Premier who also the provincial Minister for Education, Hon Randol Sifoni sign the MOU in Auki.
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
SOLOMON Islands National University recently signed a MOU with Malaita Provincial Government to expand tertiary education to the province.
Similar MOUs have been signed with other provincial governments through their education authorities.
Under the MOU, a partnership was established for mutual cooperation to deliver Distance Flexible Learning (DFL) programme at Auki Community High School in Auki and Anorn Atomea PSS in North Malaita.
Areas of cooperation for both parties include; MPEA to provide resources like classrooms, identify teachers for tutorials and other requirements under the agreement.
SINU on the other hand will provide course materials, tutorial, technical supports, management support and other areas to deliver the DFL programme.
The MOU was also to officially affirm the establishment of the DFL programme which has been piloted in the province over the past years.
Chief Education Officer, Mr Andy Siarani said the MOU establishes a pathway for delivery of similar programmes in other regions of the province in future.
Meanwhile, DFL Manager under SINU, Mr Martin Otto said the aim of the MOU is to take the university closer to people because it’s very expensive to provide learning services only in Honiara.
Officials from MPG and its education authority, SINU and Anorn Atomea provincial secondary school after signing of the MOU recently held in Auki.
Adding that under the MOU, tuition fees and other expenses will be less for students since university courses will be provided through distance learning in provinces.
“This is one of the strategies SINU has took onboard to try as much as possible to take its programs back to the rural areas where people can easily access them rather than coming only to Honiara that is costly,” he said.
Otto said SINU will do a lot of things for the people and the MOU is one of them that try to bring university programmes or education services to people in the provinces.
He said under the DFL programme for provinces, SINU will offer upgrading programme for high school dropouts; forms three, five and six.
Adding that eight courses will be provided under the programme; certificate in primary teaching, certificate in tropical agriculture, certificate in business entrepreneurship, diploma in business entrepreneurship, degree in business entrepreneurship and diploma in youth development.
Deputy Director (supervising) Extension, Lily Wame hands over the seeds and farming tools to PM’s Chief of Staff Robson Tana Djokivic as MAL officers and a rep from PMO looks on. From behind is a vehicle with loads of farming equipments/tools to go along with the seeds distribution.
THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through its Extension Department has delivered dozens of vegetable seeds and farming tools to remote communities in Tikopia and Anuta Island, Temotu Province.
The consignment was delivered through the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Friday 4th June and will be distributed to eight (8) identified communities or recipients in Tikopia and two (2) communities in Anuta by the Prime Minister’s (PM’s) delegation during the PM’s visit to the two remote Islands this week.
PM and his delegation left for Tikopia and Anuta today (Monday 7th June) while a patrol boat transporting part of the delegation departed Honiara yesterday (Sunday 6Th.
Receiving the donation from Deputy Director (supervising), Extension, and her team was PM’s Chief of Staff Robson Tana Djokivic.
While acknowledging MAL for the generous support, Mr. Djokovic said the seeds, tools and equipment made available by MAL will assist the remote communities of Tikopia and Anuta to establish nurseries, promote income generating opportunities, further enhance agricultural developments and support their rural livelihood activities.
Deputy Director (supervising) Extension, Lily Wame said MAL is pleased to assist the communities and also thanked PMO for making the trip possible to guarantee such important support reached the remote islands.
She said the assistance was part of the ongoing support programme of the ministry under Livelihood and also part of the Government Livelihood Sector initiative under Covid-19 Strategy for the Agriculture Sector to ensure farming groups, communities and institutions establish and expand their food gardens with early maturing vegetable seeds and basic farming tools to increase food production capability and also subsidize food cost as aligned to the national government food security programme to counter the impacts of Covid-19.
The support was co-funded by the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) through MAL and the British High Commission Office in Honiara.
Catherine Kere of St.John receiving her award from CEO Eranda Kotelawala
SOLOMON Ports yesterday held an Arts and Speech Contest to mark this year’s World Environment Day.
Six schools who are part of SIPA’s Green Port initiative and 3-Rs Campaign took part in the contest.
Students delivered inspiring and informative speeches about saving the environment and displayed artworks depicting the plight of Climate Change in the Solomon Islands.
Awards were also given out to the winning students, with parents, fellow students, and teachers in attendance.
This was the first ever for SIPA to conduct such a school competition.
Awars winners group photo. PICTURE: EVAN WASUKA
Over two hundred paintings and speeches were submitted by the students of mainly, St John, St Nicholas, Woodford International school, Tamlan, Coronation and Florence Young Christian School.
Staff from the Ministry of Environment, BJS, and Solomon Islands Climate Action Network also gave information sessions during the event to the students on how they can play their part at their level to save the environment.
SIPA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Eranda Kotelawala as the guest of honour for the event, took time to thank schools and students for responding to the Port’s request to take part in the contest and to spread the message of protecting the environment.
He said SIPA as a port is championing the green port initiative in the region and country, is also pleased to extend this initiative to schools, and to ensure children take part in protecting the environment.
“The Message we want to send to all our kids and schools is about how we can play our part and role in saving the environment,” he said.
“It is encouraging to see young kids and students already have good ideas on what is Climate Change and what activities are harming the environment, and I would also encourage all of you to start practicing good waste management techniques at home and in your schools.”
Kotelawala said SIPA is currently working on spreading the message of saving the environment and proper waste management in Honiara and will be extending this to schools in the provinces next.
Garden sites at West Rennell are dug up by Bauxite Mining companies. What left are holes filled with water.
New application for prospecting licence in Rennell
BY JARED KOLI
A new mining company has lodged an application for prospecting licence for bauxite mining in Rennell Island, Renbel Province.
Director of Mines Nicholas Biliki confirmed this toIsland Sun yesterday.
Mr Biliki said the mining company, Nickel Exploration SI Limited lodged its application on Thursday last week, June 3, 2021.
He said the company is a locally incorporated mining company registered in the Solomon Islands Company Haus.
Mr Biliki said the Mines and Mineral Board will meet soon to look into the new application and decide on it.
“Depending on a due diligence process undertaken now, the application will be deliberated on maybe in the third quarter board meeting which is three months away,” Biliki said.
He said a social media post which was posted in a popular local Facebook forum yesterday was misleading to suggest that the Mines and Mineral Board have accepted the mining company.
“There is still no decision reached yet on this new application. We cannot just accept a company, it has to satisfy all the necessary process and requirements,” he said.
Biliki adds the he is not sure about their particular area of interest (tenement) but the application is for Rennell.
The new application comes seven months after the Mines and Mineral Board cancelled Winning license to prospect bauxite on Rennell Island.
This was due to failure by Winning Mining Limited to meet any of the conditions of its licence. One is making a commercial discovery and publishing data from its findings.
The Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID) has also been de-registered from the West Rennel Land Parcel No. 298-005-1 as the title holder effective as of October 2020.
Currently, all mining operations in Rennell are on hold.
Rennell Island, a largest raised coral atoll in the world is rich in bauxite but over the years, logging and mining operations have torn the rocky atoll apart, placing people’s livelihoods at stake.
Local Environment Activist, Lawrence Makili earlier told Radio Australia that the government should not allow any more mining on Rennell, and all mining applications should be frozen.
ISABEL province has volunteered to have the first provincial anti-corruption office once Solomon Islands Independent Commission against Corruption rolls out to the provincial level.
Premier Leslie Kikolo said Isabel province aspires to be the provincial leader in paving best practices in effective governance.
He said Isabel is the first provincial government to comply with the audit requirement and standard based on the international Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).
“And so, I wish to request to host the first-ever provincial anti-corruption office in Buala once SICCAC begins nation-wide roll-out,” Kikolo said.
Kikolo said he believes in a transparent system and therefore his government strives to uphold good governance, accountability and best public service practice.
He also highlighted that in the last five years regarding the Provincial Capacity Development Fund PCDF performance audits Isabel province has performed above average, and in 2019/20 report Isabel had moved up to 65 points.
Therefore, Kikolo said that they are aspiring to lead the score cards by 2022.
ISABEL province has the highest record of girl-deaths due to cervical cancer.
Leslie Kikolo Premier of Isabel gave the above statement at the second Appointed Day celebration held in Buala recently.
“We have the highest record of girls’ death due to cervical cancer,” he said.
Kikolo said the province also recorded 70 percent of their deaths are Non-communicable Diseases related (NCDs).
“To curb these deaths, the province has managed to improve water supply with 90 percent access provincial wide, however access to improved sanitation remains a challenge and it lags at only six percent access,” he said.
Kikolo said in terms of improving health access, the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) funds has enabled the construction of three new clinics in Hoffi (Maringe district),Valavu (Bugotu district) and Koisisi village (Hograno District) and rehabilitation of existing clinics in Kamaga, Guguha and Kolomola clinics has been carried in these health centres.
“These health facilities are equipped with labour rooms, waiting rooms and small outpatients. Communities in these locations who once used to travel miles to seek medical attention now can access them in a few minutes from home,” he said.
THE Central Bank of Solomon Islands has estimated that 5,300 employees lost their jobs due to covid-19 last year.
Using the proxy indicator on membership contributions to Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF), CBSI found that a total of 61,093 active contributors was recorded in 2020 but this figure decreased to 55,790 in the first quarter of 2021.
In its report released on May 7, CBSI states that the current data compared to last year’s data shows a reduction of 5,300 contributors.
The report believes that people have lost jobs due to the impact of covid-19 to the country economy.
It states that the most affected sectors includes Accommodations (Hotels) Constructions, Transport and Forestry.
The report highlights that the biggest employer in the country is the public service with a total of 20,713 headcount of employees recorded in the first quarter of 2021.
The report states that actual data of unemployment is lacking in Solomon Islands as such identification of actual unemployment is difficult to pinpoint.
“Unfortunately, the country does not have unemployment statistics like in other countries. The Central Bank of Solomon Islands use proxy indicators for EMPLOYMENT data instead, when assessing the labour market,” it states.
