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CSSI officer ordained priest

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CSSI Deputy Commissioner Michael Nagu and Staff pose for a group photo with newly ordained Priest and Bishop after the service

THE Correctional Service Solomon Islands (CSSI) has further strengthened its link with the church through the ordination of one of its officers Sergeant Steven Rukale as Priesthood in the Church of Melanesia in North Guadalcanal on 24 June 2021.

The ordination service coincided with Saint John the Baptist Day at Koli Village in Ghaobata Parish.

Diocesan Bishop of Guadalcanal Rev.Benedict Loe, Bishop’s Chaplain Dr Atkin Zaku and clergies of the parish officiated in the ordination service.

Zaku in his sermon reminds ordained priest Sgt Rukale and congregations that “a priest must be without fault, a priest must be a serious believer, a priest must not be a drunker, a priest not be an arrogant and quick temper and a priest should not be greedy when it comes to money.

Instead, he said a priest should be hospitable, loving, holy and self-control to uphold the truth about the gospel

“The sermon speaks well for today’s celebrations of St John the Baptist and the ordination of Priest Sergeant Steven Rukale,” Zaku said.

Newly ordained priest, Sergeant Steven Rukale says he was humbled and gave thanks and praise to the Almighty God for the gift of faith and for the gift of ordination.

“The gift I received this morning is not for myself, but for serving the people of God and beloved Solomon Islands to help spread the message of peace in the church of God,” Rukale said.

“The church is the people that officers of the CSSI serve,” he added.

“Being a priesthood and correctional officer make no difference as both the church and Corrections work for peace.

“Yet my ordination as a priest will further strengthen the bonds between the Anglican Church of Melanesia and the CSSI.

“It will certainly broaden my interaction with the church congregation to be law abiding citizens when they serve God.”

Sergeant Rukale holds a graduate Diploma in Theology and Sociology from the Bishop Patteson Theological College (BPTC) Extension.

He joined the CSSI in 2014 and promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2019 and currently posted at Tetere Correctional Centre as Coordinator for Commercial Enterprise.

Meanwhile, CSSI Deputy Commissioner Michael Nagu thanked Bishop Loe, clergies, traditional leaders, elders, women and youth of Ghaobata Parish for their support to Sergeant Rukale. – CSSI Press

NSO conducts training for CPI staff

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The CPI officers. From left back to front; Esther Paraerae, Hilda Angota, Velma Rosa, Janina Pitaka, Joseph Jio, Hicks Maára, John Tuke, Fisher Makasi and Marvin Hokotatu.

THE Consumer Price Index Unit within the National Statistics Office, Ministry of Finance and Treasury has held a five day workshop for its staff last week.

Facilitated by Senior Statistician Anna Luvu, the training involved core elements of maintenance and quality Adjustments to respond to missing prices and related challenges, especially during the current new normal, and post Covid-19 era.

Senior Statistician, Anna Luvu

The training is expected to improve staff technical capability in producing and maintaining the leading inflation measure for the Solomon Islands, and ensuring it is fit for purpose, representative and is an accurate statistic and continues to support evidence based policy and planning purposes.

It is also expected to improve CPI field operations and regional compilation. 

This will lead to increased capability development in analytical skills, outlier identification, best practice data collection techniques and quality adjustments techniques.

Meanwhile, the participants expressed their appreciation.

Velma Rosa said the training was timely as it helps them to identify problems in how they conduct their responsibilities.

“Now that we have identified those problems we can carry out our duties more effectively. We can improve on our data collection in the future.”

George Tuke pointed out that other stakeholders in the country also use the data they collect.

“What we collect is not only for our work and the Statistics Office but for other stakeholders too. They make decisions based on our data, so it’s important that we do it right.

“There have also been changes made as to how we should carry out the work.

“Overall the training was good.”  

NSO’s CPI officers from Honiara, Noro and Gizo in the Western Province, Taro in Choiseul Province and Auki Malaita Province attended the program.

—NSO

Pacific leaders to review fishing agreement

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

Pacific ministers will be looking at the return of fisheries resources during the Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting next week.

Leaders will review a document which was compiled over the last six to 12 months on the independent returns of fisheries resources in the Pacific region.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday this week, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary, Director of Programmes and Initiatives, Zarak Khan said the piece of work was mandated by Pacific leaders back in 2015-2016 as part of the framework for Pacific regionalism to look at fisheries resource economic returns.

“So this is one of the five initial priorities that was articulated and agreed to values, and then asked that after a five year timeframe review be done.

“And the results of that review be conveyed to them with recommendations on how certain specific issues can be addressed, and in a better look through by the regional agencies, but also by the member states themselves.

“So the study has been completed, it’s been presented to the Forum Fisheries Committee Ministers, the fisheries ministers of the region, who have the mandate on fisheries issues and it will also be discussed at the regional fisheries ministers meeting,” he said.

Khan said the economic issues are very much entangled and tied together with fisheries and that the process is part of series of interventions to address the issue.

He explained that the involvement of economic minister in the process is because the of the recommendation highlighted on the reviewed document which required economic ministers so as fisheries ministers to work closely in the future.

Khan said the reviewed document so as the involvement of economic ministers and fisheries ministers in the process is paramount as close to 50 to 60 percent of pacific islands national budgets are financed through fisheries sector (tuna industry).

MALA CLAWS LAWS

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Guests cut the ribbon to officially launch the Ambu community bylaw on Friday.

Revolution as communities strengthen themselves

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

Malaita is witnessing a revolution as communities across the province establish bylaws to strengthen and empower themselves.

More than 30 communities have passed their laws; about the same number are having theirs at the draft-stage, and many more are trailing this same path.

Ambu community, near Malaita capital, Auki, is the latest to enter the fold of law-empowered societies with the launch of their community bylaw held Friday last week.

Both the national government DCGA and the provincial government of Malaita put aside their political differences to witness this historic step in Ambu.

Guest speaker during the launching ceremony, Permanent Secretary of the national ministry of provincial governance (MPGIS), Mr Stanley Dick Pirione thanked Ambu community and its bylaw committee and all stakeholders for inputs and contributions answered in the launching of the bylaw.

He said Ambu like other communities has been governed by certain rules, norms and regulations that existed since the establishment of the community.

“These rules are based on teachings of biblical-Christian principles and also on custom practices based on our traditional beliefs and livelihoods.

“By enforcing these set of regulations and common beliefs, we may have a sense of authority and control in the manner we govern our affairs. That is what bylaw is all about.

“It is about rules, control and management of the community and even church affairs so that we can live and participate in socio-economic development in a manner that is peaceful and more beneficial to us the community,” Pirione said.

He explained that ‘bylaw’ has significant contributions or benefits to the communities which include; maintaining consistency in the management of community affairs and helping church and community leaders manage affairs of the community.

“Communicate purposes and resolving of internal disputes, discipline community members and facilitate development of young people, assist in community governance, enforcement and avoids potential conflicts.

“Restore peace, harmony, friendship and improve livelihood of people within community, paves way for development and delivery of government services and confidence for nation building,” Pirione said.

He called on Ambu community to encompass commitment and enforce regulations within the bylaw document “though it could be challenge”.

“Teach our kids and ensure they know the consequences that may come about when breaking our community rules.

“The launching of the bylaw elevates the significant of the bylaw framework for us community to improve on our laws and enforcement management capabilities as we venture into the future,” Pirione said.

The establishment of community bylaws in Malaita is the fruit of the Community Governance and Grievance Management Project (CGGMP) of the MPGIS.

CGGMP is being run in other provinces, but none as vibrantly as what is being seen in Malaita.

Accomplishment for the project in the province and credit must be given back to the CGGMP office in Auki through MPGIS, all contributing stakeholders and World Bank for the achievement.

So far, community bylaws that were launched and enforced are: a “ward bylaw” governing

Ambu joins 34 other communities in Malaita that are with bylaws: 27 communities in ward five, three in ward 28, two in ward 29 and one each for ward 10 and nine in the province. More community bylaws are on draft stage.

Two doses before entering Solomon Islands: Gov’t

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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BY JARED KOLI

People from high-risk countries will have to take two doses of covid-19 vaccine before they can travel to Solomon Islands.

This is according to senior advisor to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Dr Yogesh Choudhri when answering a question during a talkback show yesterday.

Mr Choudhri said once they complete the two doses then they can travel to Solomon Islands, but after one month.

“We have divided the countries into different groups, that is, countries with no case, low risk countries, moderate risk countries, high risk countries and extremely high-risk countries.

“The requirements for entry into the country are two or three tests negative before you can board a flight to Solomon Islands.

“For extremely high-risk countries – we are encouraged that they should be vaccinated before they come to Solomon Islands and have 21 days of quarantine upon arrival in Solomon Islands.

“Two doses of vaccine will be required of them before they can come to Solomon Islands,” Choudhri said.

He said the entry is guarded, and will only be for the citizens who are in those countries and people who are considered important to SIG projects.

“Otherwise we are not allowing anyone to come from an extremely high risk country into the Solomon Islands right now,” he said.

Choudhri said MHMS is watching the situation globally as new covid-19 strains emerge.

“We want to prevent those strains from entering the Solomon Islands,” he said.

National Health Emergency Operation Centre (NHEOC) Incident Controller Dr Nemia Bainivalu said the government also issues travel advisories for travellers who wish to travel to Solomon Islands.

“We also categorised nationals and non-nationals. One of the standard requirements is the number of tests you have to take, and we based on our analysis of the different categories of the countries that you are in,” he said.

Mr Bainivalu said MHMS wants Solomon Islands citizens to vaccinate before they travel back home.

“We issue travel advisories through the Solomon Airlines, High Commission offices in the countries through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Education also issue travel advisories to students studying abroad such as in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

“We also issue a code of conduct form which specifies the protocols, rules and procedures one has to follow when entering the country,” Bainivalu said.

Remaining provinces to start vaccination in July

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Recent vaccination roll-out in the Western Province

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

REMAINING provinces in the country are scheduled to start vaccination roll out between the second and third weeks of July.

This was confirmed by Dr Yogesh Choudhri yesterday during the radio talkback show for covid-19 vaccine update on Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).

“Most of the provinces start to roll out vaccination between second and third week of July,” Choudhri said.

He said they have met with the provincial health directors and have finalised the roll-out plans of the vaccine to the remaining provinces.

“And also health ministry have done training of trainers for provincial health officers were done last week.”

Choudhri said these equipped people will be going out to the provinces and start training the provincial health teams to prepare for the vaccination roll-out.

“Roll out for continuing provinces we will first start with front liners and essential workers and within a week or so if we get more vaccinations we will be vaccinating  all 18 years and above. Please listen out for provincial announcement,” he said.

Dr Nemia Bainivalu, interim chair for Vaccine Technical working group and Incident Controller National Health Emergency Operator, said two meetings have been held in preparation towards vaccination rollout for outstanding provinces.

Bainivalu said one of the two meetings is the training of provincial health staff to equip them to shoulder the vaccination roll-out.

“We have also met with provincial health directors and director of nursing in provinces to emphasise the importance of why we have to roll out the covid-19 vaccine.”

$3.3million up for grabs

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

SMALL to medium size businesses in the Solomon Islands are eligible to apply for the adaptation grant through the Business Link Pacific.

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) have invested NZD3.3 million to Business Link Pacific as partner to facilitate the grant to recipients.

Speaking during the launching of the partnership, Director of Business Link Pacific, Steve Knapp said the impact of covid-19 has financially hurt small to medium business in the Pacific and that adaptation grant is a strategy to crack opportunity for businesses to recover.

He said the grants will help affected businesses with funding to support new products and services, as well as projects to adapt to the changing environment.

This paper understands that the Adaptation Grants will be available to eligible businesses in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and for the first time in Vanuatu.

The grant is open for applicants until 27th next month on website; finance.businesslinkpacific.com/adaptationgrants

3 cases of severe reaction to vaccine

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THREE individuals have been reported to have severe reactions to the covid-19 vaccination.

This was echoed by Dr Yogesh Choudhri yesterday during a covid -19 vaccine radio talkback show on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation.

“For adverse event we have seen three one was allergic reaction to the vaccine, the case was managed immediately because we have a team of Doctors and Nurses who can immediately provide treatment in terms of allergy until the person is fully recovered.

“The other two cases were reported following the vaccination. They have assessed the cases and both of them were now well. Based on assessment the weakness is not caused by the vaccine but due to other existing diseases that is causing the weakness,” Choudhri said.

Dr Nemia Bainivalu when speaking on the same matter stressed that severe reactions have happened “but with the trainings conducted for nurses and doctors they know how to treat the people who have these reactions”.

Fiu river bridge procurement outcome

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The Fiu River Bridge

A proposal for the design and construction of Fiu River Bridge on Malaita Province has been rejected.

Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project (SIRAP) under the Ministry of Communication and Aviation (MCA) and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) has issued a rejection letter to the proposer earlier this week. The issue of the rejection letter completes the procurement process.

Despite receiving only one proposal during the tender process, the proposal was evaluated and found to be technically responsive and fully qualified, in accordance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations. The proposal was accompanied by a bid validity statement which expires in July 2021.

SIRAP’s National Steering Committee (NSC), following careful consideration of funding sources to meet the proposed price, recommended to MCA and MID to reject the proposal.

The Solomon Islands Government has allocated SB$30m under the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) towards the Fiu River Bridge. The total estimated cost of the Fiu River Bridge is SB$42m with the difference to be funded through the MID 2021 Development Budget.

Contributions from the ESP, the MID 2021 Development Budget and the World Bank Grant and Credit agreements were all considered.

World Bank Procurement Regulations were followed in an open and transparent process. These same procurement regulations are used all over the world to deliver infrastructure projects.

During its deliberations, the NSC noted that under the World Bank Procurement Regulations the budget cost estimate is not an upper limit for the contract amount and so proposals are not automatically rejected if they are higher than the budget cost estimate.

A survey of international contractors who did not bid showed a reluctance to participate due to a heavy construction workload from a number of infrastructure projects leading up to South Pacific Games 2023 and the impacts of COVID19 restrictions.

Australian-based company SMEC was supporting SIRAP in the procurement of Fiu River Bridge.

The NSC is continuing to consider options for the future replacement of this very importance piece of infrastructure.

–SIRAP PRESS

Good number of students in Fiji vaccinated against covid-19

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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USP main campus in Laucala, Fiji.

BY JARED KOLI

A good number of Solomon Islands students in tertiary institutions in Fiji have taken their vaccination against covid-19 as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

This is according to an executive member of the Solomon Islands Students Association (SISA) in Suva, Fiji.

The SISA executive member who wants his name withheld, said a good number of students have taken their first jab for covid-19 vaccination.

He said other Solomon Islands nationals who have taken their first jab during the first vaccination role out at the Vodafone arena have also taken their second jab.

“I am not quite sure of the actual number because details of those that have taken their vaccination were sent directly to the Education Attaché. But what happens now is that vaccination is conducted by mobile team and students just listen out for host Government’s notice.

“Once a mobile team set up close to places where students accommodated then they will go there for vaccination.”

He said some students at Fiji National University (FNU) vaccinate at Samabula Primary School which is closer to where they were residing.  Others including some USP students go to a primary school at Brown Street which is also closer to USP Laucala campus.

“Last week the mobile team set up at a hospital at Nasese, close to one of the USP gates so many students go there for vaccination,” the student leader said.

It has been reported that two Solomon Islands students studying at the USP’s Laucala campus have been tested positive for Covid-19. They are currently on home isolation and are asymptomatic, meaning they are infected but never develop any symptoms of the virus.

The Solomon Island Government (SIG) encouraged that Solomon Islands students in Fiji to get Covid-19 vaccine provided by Fiji.

The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) and Solomon Island Tertiary Education and Skills Authority (SITESA) have called on all SIG students in Fiji to actively seek for and be vaccinated for Covid-19.

“It would prevent students from the development of serious COVID-19 infection or fatality.

“We are concerned that a good number of Solomon Islands students in Fiji based institutions are reported to have not taken their vaccination against the covid-19 for reasons that the students could only explain, despite the service being offered free.

“We encourage all students that have not taken the vaccines to do so, in order to be protected from the deadly coronavirus. It is better to act now – do not wait and regret later,” MEHRD and SITESA in a recent advisory, said. 

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