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Murder accused without lawyer

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A man facing murder charge is without a lawyer, more than a month after being placed in custody.

Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi yesterday made direction for the Public Solicitor’s Office to allocate a defence lawyer for the murder accused, who has been remanded since April 4, 2021.

The accused on the previous occasion told court that he had already made request to the PSO for a lawyer.

Ms Taeburi said the charge against the accused is serious and PSO should prioritise the matter and allocate a lawyer to assist the accused.

Meanwhile prosecution told court that investigations have already completed, once a lawyer has been allocated to represent the accused then disclosures will be served.

Taeburi then adjourned the case for May 26 for mention and made directions for PSO to allocate a lawyer for the accused.

This is the case of Mathew Kosa Manebona who is facing one count of murder in relation to the alleged murder incident of a 25-year-old male person at Halavo on April 5, 2021.

It is alleged that the deceased and the suspect were having an argument and was out of control, as a result the suspect grabbed a knife and cut the victim on the left side of his head and stabbed him on the right side of his stomach.

Police in Tulagi were alerted and officers attended to that report in which he was arrested and charged for the offence committed.

The body of the deceased was then transported to the Tulagi Hospital but later referred to the National Referral Hospital (NRH), where medical authorities confirmed the death of the victim.

Makira-Ulawa farmers trained on cocoa and copra for export

Written by
Press Release
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Practical students at a Rural Training Centre (TRC) at a farm close to Kirakira where participants at the workshop visited.

Twenty (20) rural farmers and entrepreneurs in Makira/Ulawa Province are now equipped with the relevant knowledge to produce good and quality Copra and Cocoa to meet requirement needed in exporting their products.

This was following a Cocoa and Copra Processing Quality Assurance and Marketing training conducted in the provincial capital Kirakira from May 10-13, 2021.

The training was funded by the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA), coordinated by the Export Industry Development Department of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and facilitated by Commodities Export Marketing Authority (CEMA).

It targeted those involved in the export supply chain of Cocoa and Copra to ensure consistent supply of quantity and quality production is achieved.

The training also covered the preparatory tasks farmers should be aware of in preparation for the implementation of the Registration of Cocoa Processing Facilities which includes drying facilities, fermenting boxes and storage sheds as stated in the CEMA Act 2013.

This is also in line with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s 10-year Strategic Plan detailing all processing facilities to be registered so that good quality copra and cocoa can be effectively monitored, tracked and traced back to its original processing facilities while ensuring the quality of copra and cocoa production supply in the Solomon Islands.

SICCI’S Export Industry Development Officer (EIDO), Mr Ronnie Golopitu said the Cocoa and Copra Processing Quality Assurance and Marketing training was the first of its kind to be jointly conducted with the aim of providing basic information on the practices of producing and processing good quality and marketing of cocoa beans and copra to those in the supply end.

“Noting that, it is of paramount importance that only top-quality copra and cocoa will determine the quality of these products and ensure good overseas market preferences,” he said.

Golopitu said cocoa and copra are the longest standing commercial smallholder income generating activity in our provinces which of importance to the national economy and to rural households.

He further acknowledges the fact that Makira/Ulawa Province has been recently identified as a cocoa hub with an increased provincial production of around 2.3% in 2020 and an increase by 6% in copra production in the same year.

Overall, the training was described as a success as evident from feedbacks received from participants as they have now identified their weaknesses in the cocoa and copra value chain.

Participants are looking forward to utilise the skills and knowledge gained from the five-day training in producing good quality copra and cocoa to meet export standards and requirements as a way forward.

The partnership between PHAMA, CEMA and SICCI continues to be key in reaching out to businesses of the export sector that are based in the provinces.

–SICCI MEDIA

Mani calls on CoL to grant FTE to Chengs

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

CHENG’s Construction Limited wants Commissioner of Lands, Allan McNeil to grant the Fixed Term Estate title over the land at Aligator Creek, east Honiara.

This after the company paid $450,000 to Levers Solomons Ltd in 2018.

According to the letter produced by Robert Mani, Levers Solomons Ltd Board Director, Patrick Wong reportedly requested former Commissioner of Lands (COL), Nelson No’oapu to give consent to transfer FTE to Chengs on November 30, 2018.

As a result, No’oapu granted LSL to transfer FTE to Chengs.

Mani, who owns a consulting firm and engaged by Chengs to follow up on the FTE transfer.

He said the company do not want its money back but for the Commissioner to grant the land to it because it paid LSL already.

Mani said the company welcomes the call by Transparency Solomon Islands for reporting the forgery allegation to police and refusing to grant the Fixed Term Estate (FTE) to Chengs Constructions Ltd.

The allegation [forgery] by the Commissioner of Lands that the signature of the Levers [RIPEL?] Solomons Ltd Board Director, Mr. Patrick Wong was forged is a serious allegation requiring the police and other responsible institutions [JANUS] to step in, investigate and arrest the person or persons or firms hired or engaged by Chengs Company implicated in this corrupt dealing.

Mani said Chengs has followed all the process to pay the land from LSL.

He urges Police to arrest the person who breached the law.

Gov’t visits SITCO factory

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Press Release
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Finance Minister, Hon Harry Kuma during a recent visit to Solomon Islands Tobacco Company

THE Minister of Commerce, Trade, Labour and Immigration, Fredrick Kologeto has congratulated Solomon Islands Tobacco Company for their economic contributions to the local economy when marking the launch of the EY independent report.

Minister Kologeto made the commendation during a government visit to the SITCo factory recently.

He praised SITCO for the great work on building its talent base, building a good working culture as well as the ESG (Environment, Society, Governance) initiatives.

“It reassures our Government its views that businesses need to support investments locally in the Solomon Islands and in doing so, it is very important to encourage more role models”, Hon Fredrick said.

“Multinationals like SITCo bring world-class best practices to our country. This helps develop local standards and local talent as well

He said the people whom SITCo developed over the years go on to work for other companies in Solomons or even with Government and their experiences help us uplift the wider communities.  

SITCo has invested more than $25m in capital projects in their factory over the last five years. This is on top of more than one billion dollars of taxes paid to the Solomon Islands Government. Some of these investments it hopes will help Government widen the tax net by offering taxed alternatives to cottage tobacco consumers.

Minister of Finance, Harry Kuma in acknowledging the health risks further added, “We know tobacco products can have health implications and it our responsibility toensure smokers understand the risk. As such we the Government have implemented laws to ensure all packaging has health warnings on it amongst other strict requirements whilst understanding that smoking remains a legal choice for adults.

He said Solomon Islands has not been immune to the economic hardships being faced around the world because of COVID crisis. 

“Our 2021 Development Budget targets sectors that aims to drive economic activity, address food security, support the provision of basic essential services, and support job retention and employment,” said Harry Kuma in his opening remarks.

“The economic returns from these targeted sectors will continue to finance activities in other equally important sectors such as the social sector going into the long term. As such, we fully recognize and appreciate the role Private Sector will need to play in our road to recovery and prosperity”.

–SITCO

EDITORIAL- Yes, we attended that zoom session

Written by
Admin
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ISLAND Sun wishes to respond to a report the Adviser to Malaita Provincial Government, Celsius Talifilu, produced and circulated on social media this week.

Firstly, we can confirm that our representatives attended a zoom session the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Solomon Islands organized on 8 April 2021.

We attended in good faith because we were invited. In fact, we always attend to invitations from the diplomatic missions in Honiara.

For instance, just recently we attended an invitation the New Zealand High Commission sent us for evening drinks. So, there’s nothing sinister about our acceptance to attend the PRC Embassy’s invitation to the zoom session with media groups from Quandong Province.

Secondly, we can confirm that during the zoom session we made a five-minute presentation about who we are.

Again, the presentation was made on request from the PRC Embassy.

In fact, all local media houses that attended made five-minute presentations about themselves during the session. The media houses from Quandong Province did the same.

Thirdly, we can also confirm that Nanfang Media Group from Quandong sent us a letter after the zoom session enquiring about possible collaboration and partnership.

We are currently looking into this request. One thing we can say is media houses in China have a lot to offer in terms of technical assistance, as well as other areas of media development.

Fourthly, we can also confirm that the PRC Embassy has offered to assist us with our office equipment needs. The past year has not been easy for us financially.

With significant drop in revenue due to COVID-19, we are barely struggling to survive above the waters.

So, when this offer of assistance to meet our office needs came, we accepted it in good faith and with open arms.

We wish to state that there were no conditions or strings attached to this assistance.

It was a genuine assistance from a development partner to an organization that is struggling in the face of the pandemic.

We’ve received similar assistance in the past from the Australian Government immediately after the ethnic tension.

This was channelled through a media strengthening programme called SOLMAS, set up to assist the local media get back to its feet after the tensions. In fact, all media houses benefitted from the SOLMAS assistance.

Fifthly, and finally, we wish to assure our readers that our independence as a private news organization remains intact.

We have a very vibrant and dynamic newsroom managed by an experienced Editor, who is not giving away the independence of our news coverage to any external forces, just yet.

We continue to pursue stories of national interests within all sectors of the country, and we’ll remain at the forefront of independent journalism in our beloved country.

PPC Eria calls for good behavior

Written by
Ben Bilua
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PPC Vincent Eria

BY BEN BILUA
Choiseul

PROVINCIAL Police Commander of Choiseul is calling on the general public to behave and respect the counting process to continue peacefully.

Vincent Eria made the call as voter numbers at the counting center continues to increase since today morning.

“I call on our good people of Choiseul to continue with the good behavior displayed since the Election Day and day two of counting.

“Please keep up the good spirit and allow our counting officials to do their job.

“I want all of us to walk around freely while respecting others,” he said.

Eria told journalists that three person has been arrested and put in custody last night on minor public nuisance offences.

He said police will not hesitate to do what is necessary to make sure peace and security of the electoral process is upheld.

Eria said Police Officers are patrolling the station as part of the safety and security protocols during the counting.

Counting continues

FIGHT BACK

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

AN appeal currently before the Court of Appeal will have some impact on current charges against the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Robson Djokovic.

Djokovic’s lawyer Wilson Rano relayed this to deputy chief magistrate Ricky Iomea when his client appeared in court yesterday.

Rano is appealing a High Court ruling that declared Djokovic a non-citizen because he currently holds an Australian passport.

The High Court ruled although Djokovic is an indigenous Solomon Islander by birth, he was not a citizen.

Rano is challenging that ruling, arguing since Djokovic is an indigenous Solomon Islander by birth, he becomes a citizen.

Djokovic’s mother is from Choiseul, while his father is an Australian.

Rano told the Magistrate Court yesterday if the Court of Appeal ruling goes in favour of his client, it will have some impacts on the charges against Djokovic.

He requested a 28-day adjournment while the Court of Appeal deals with the case this week. Iomea granted the adjournment to June 16.

A direction hearing of the appeal case was conducted yesterday, and Rano said he would update the court on the progress of the hearing.

Rano also confirmed receiving the disclosures from prosecution, adding he will advise the crown on their position regarding the charges.

He also requested that his client be excused from appearing in person in court on the next appearance date.

Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Andrew Kelesi informed the court that full disclosures have been served to the defence on Tuesday afternoon.

Djokovic is facing three counts under the Electoral Act 2018 and the Political Party Integrity Act.

They are:

  1. Obtaining registration by false pretense Contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code.
  2. Fraudulent Voting Contrary to Section 120 (c) of the Electoral Act 2018.
  3. Prohibition of a non-citizen from membership of a Political Party Contrary to section 41 (1) of the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014.

Prior to the current case, Djokovic was President of Our Party.

He was accused of having registered to vote, and actually voted in the last election.

LCC clears Irofia, allegations remain

Written by
Charles Kadamana
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By CHARLES KADAMANA

Controversial HCC Councillor, Mrs Dora Huapii Irofia, has complied with the national leadership code.

Chairman to the Leadership Code Commission (LCC), Mr Solomon Kalu, yesterday said Councillor Irofia “had correctly complied with her duties and responsibilities under the Leadership Code”.

In a media statement yesterday, Kalu said:

“Councilor Irofia had duly disclosed to the Commission her interest in DODs General Supplies (BN2014191) in accordance with Part II of the Leadership Code (Further Provisions) Act 1999.

“She is part owner of this private business prior to her becoming a leader.

“Besides the timely disclosure of her private business interest, the Leader had also sought and obtained the Commission’s approval as required of her under section 15 of the Leadership Code (Further Provisions) Act 1999.

“Beside disclosing and obtaining the Commission’s approval, the Leader also sought and obtained permission from the Commission for her business – DODs General Services to enter into a contract with the HCC as required of her under section 14 of the Leadership Code (Further Provisions) Act 1999,” the chairman said.

He said DODs General Services is amongst six other private businesses in Honiara that are listed as preferred suppliers for the HCC.

The Commission granted her applications for approval and permission at its 73rd meeting convened in November 2019.

Meanwhile, while LCC has cleared Irofia of having declared her business with the Commission, questions remain over ethical issues regarding Councillor Irofia’s company being awarded Council contracts as a ‘preferred supplier’.

Another is the allegations of ‘fishy’ payments raised in a report compiled by former HCC deputy treasurer as part of investigations into how the former council executive allegedly mismanaged the affairs of the council.

When spoken to earlier this week, Irofia did not directly address these allegations, rather basing her comments on having satisfied LCC’s requirements.

The report said within just three months in 2020 Councillor Irofia and DODs collected almost $1 million in highly questionable payments for supplying basic furniture, stationeries and office equipment to the council.

It was not just the amount of money paid out within three months that got the attention of the former deputy treasurer, but also the frequency at which it was paid.

For instance, on January 20, 2020, DODs received a cheque for $122,400 in the morning and another cheque for $34,600 in the afternoon.

The following month on February 19, DODs was paid two other separate cheques on the same day – one for $34,460 and another for $53,000.

Five days later on February 25, DODs collected two further payments – the first for $43,900 and the second for $141,600.

And on March 25, DODs received two more cheques for $70,000 and $45,000 to cap off its spoil for the first quarter of 2020.

The report showed for the month of January, DODs collected three payments totaling $231,500.

For February, it received nine cheques worth $588,960.

And in March, DODs collected $115,000 to bring the total amount it got paid, to $935,460.

The report was critical of two particular payments.

The first was an $85,000 cheque paid to Cruz Women’s Group on February 6, while the second was a $70,000 cheque raised in the name of Cr Irofia on February 14 instead of DODs General Supplier.

The report pointed out that the $85,000 cheque to Cruz Women’s Group was highly suspicious and needs to be investigated.

The $70,000 paid to Cr Irofia, the report added, should be raised in the name of DODs as the supplier and not to a councilor.

The report also questioned the way in which payments are made to suppliers within the Honiara City Council.

“In the financial instruction there are clear guidelines on how procurement process should take its course.

“However, within the Honiara City Council cheque payments that supposed to be raised and paid to suppliers are raised under the name of council officers, cashed by the officers and later paid to suppliers.

“A clear example is on the 13/01/2020 chq payment was raised under the name of Honiara City Council finance Officer June Qae and was cashed and later spend the money for Fuel & lubricants (chq # 101771).

“On another occasion another chq payment was raised on the 30/01/2020 chq # 101862 and paid to Kadiba Alu, Media officer within the Honiara City Council, for printing of finance staff.

“The question again is why can’t these payouts be made straight to the suppliers?

“Honiara City Council adopted all procurement instruction in the Supplier Chain Management under Financial Instruction however, the act of cashing cheques and later procure items conflicted with clear guidelines set out in the Financial Instruction.

“The act of the officers put their integrity at question.”

In his final report before he was sacked from the council, former Clerk, Rence Sore highlighted the poor procurement practices within the council.

He said these include insufficient planning, lack of documentation and non-consideration for value for money.

“These arise mainly because of the confusion that exists between the lines of governance and management of the council,” Sore said in his report.

He added the confusion is evident in the current council on matters like the allocation of market lock up shops, administration of vehicle tenders and the Kukum Market project.

“Good procurement practices will never be achieved in the life of this current house of the city council,” Sore said.

Vaccination trials below 18-yrs ongoing: MHMS

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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AstraZeneca vaccine. Photo by NDTV.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

COMPANIES producing covid-19 vaccines globally are still processing trials to include jabbing of children below 18 years of age.

The only two approved covid-19 vaccines introduced so far in Solomon Islands are Sinopharm, manufactured in China, and AstraZeneca, manufactured in India.

Dr Choudhri Yogesh, advisor to Ministry of Health and Medical Services, said according to clinical guideline, people less below 18 years of age are not included to receive vaccines.

“That is why the safety and efficacy in people and children less than 18 years is not proven.

“However companies dealing with the World Health Organisation approved vaccines are now starting trials to include children. Once the efficacy and safety of these vaccines in terms of data they will get will provide necessary recommendation for children to use,” Yogesh said.

He said the only vaccine that has already been approved under the EU Authorisation the US to be given to children between the age of 12 and 15 years of age is the Pfizer vaccine.

“I would say the things are moving on but we need more data on the efficacy and safety amongst the children for use of these vaccines,” said Choudhri.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has set the official launch of Sinopharm covid-19 vaccine for this Friday.  

“Since we only have 50,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine we can only vaccinate 25000 people because it requires two doses to be administered at an interval of four weeks,” Sogavare said.

Seaport, SI weak link: PS McNeil

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

SOLOMON Islands seaport as point of entry into the country is Solomon Islands’ weakest link when it comes to covid-19.

This was highlighted by Pauline McNeil, permanent secretary to Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

“Basically, the country’s sea port as point of entry is our weakest link when it comes to covid-19,” McNeil said.

She said monitoring on sea port and airport is still ongoing following the covid-19 cases detected amongst a crewmember of the Cargo vessel, MV Chefoo.

McNeil said the vessels exemption committee chaired by Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Jimmy Rodgers have been working hard in analysing and assessing vessels that come in.

“I acknowledge SPM who despite his well-deserved leave that he should have taken, he still doing his job in assessing the vessels that coming into the country.

“Also acknowledging the joint partnership with frontline ministries, Customs , Biosecurity and Immigration and Health team that potential risk from the vessel is quite high and so the teams are working very closely and working hard in ensuring that the risk is minimal or zero potential risk coming into  the country,” she said.

Dr Yogesh Choudhri, advisor to Ministry of Health said necessary measures have been put by the government to detect the cases of covid-19 at Ports and it has been exemplified by the cases detected last week.

“We do take testing of the people base on the risk assessment and if there is an element of doubt of there is a risk we test the people.

“And if it happened a case was detected the ship or cargo will be decontaminated upon off loading,” Choudhri said.

He said necessary precautions have been put in terms of testing, monitoring IPC, social distancing and disinfection of the cargo so there is no risk of covid-19 into Solomon Islands.

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