Nursing students from the Solomon Islands National University’s School of Nursing have reportedly been stopped from attending further training attachments at the Kira Kira Hospital, the Provincial Hospital of the Makira Ulawa Province.
The School of Nursing Faculty of SINU had reportedly taken the action after receiving highly confidential reports from Kira Kira Hospital that the nursing students attached to the hospital last year were harassed and often were taken out for alcohol drinking sprees.
Verbal reports say staff of SINU School of Nursing Faculty had decided to blacklist Kira Kira Hospital as a practical training arena because they feel their students’ learning had been disturbed.
A number of Kira Kira Hospital staff spoken to, confirm the claims have elements of truth, adding they damage the province’s reputable good name.
THE arrival of the new Guardian Class Patrol Boat, the Royal Solomon Island Police Vessel (RSIPV) 06 Taro will enhance maritime surveillance at the border.
This boost is crucial with the increasing number of covid-19 cases in neighbouring Bougainville.
This sentiment was echoed by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare during the official lunch and welcome of RSIPV 06 Taro yesterday.
“With the increase of COVID-19 cases on neighbouring Bougainville – the RSIPV Gizo and four fast boats – have stepped up their maritime surveillances at the border. RSIPV Taro has arrived at the right time. It will reinforce the RSIPF’s fast response capabilities – in the hard-to-reach areas of our western and north western border.
Therefore, having such capability to prepare for disasters in order to reduce or eliminate long-term effects to people and their property from hazards and to respond to and recover from major incidents is a blessing,” Sogavare said.
“It marks another significant milestone in our deep and enduring partnership – founded on our shared values – and commitment to a sovereign – safe – and prosperous Pacific.”
The new Guardian Class Patrol Boat departed Darwin for Honiara on June 8, 2021. Upon arrival the crews were quarantined and on June 22, the crews graduated and came alongside Aola base Wharf in preparation for the event yesterday.
History is being created as 18 Solomon Islanders will today be awarded a Micro-qualification in Establishing and Operating a Small Seafood Business.
The 18 graduates are scholarship recipients of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership Programme (PEUMP) with the University of the South Pacific (USP).
According to information obtained by Island Sun, the scholarship recipients are ocean artisans, seafood entrepreneurs and informal food vendors.
Eleven of the awardees are women.
“The USP is one of four key implementing partners of the PEUMP Programme, a EUR 45M programme funded by the EU and the Government of Sweden.
The USP, through the PEUMP Programme, is focusing on building the capacity for Pacific islanders through education, training, research and development in fisheries and marine resources management.
PEUMP overall objective is to improve the economic, social and environmental benefits for 15 Pacific ACP states (PACPs) arising from stronger regional economic integration and the sustainable management of natural resources and the environment.
The specific objective outcome is to support sustainable management and development of fisheries for food security and economic growth, while addressing climate change resilience and conservation of marine biodiversity.
The four implementing partners of PEUMP are the Pacific Community (SPC), which is the lead agency for the programme and is responsible for its overall management, 2) the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), 3) the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and 4) USP.
Henry Deva during South Choiseul By election as the Returning Officer.
BY BEN BILUA Gizo
SCHOOL principals, head teachers and chairpersons in Choiseul Province will meet to discuss a safety strategy towards COVID-19.
A total of 60 participants are expected to arrive at the provincial capital, Taro, today to be part of the discussions.
Speaking to Island Sun, Senior Education Officer of Choiseul Province, Henry Deva said the meeting provides an opportunity for leaders to discuss how best schools can better prepare for COVID-19 in the event of an outbreak.
“As we know, numbers of COVID-19 cases is very high in our neighboring country, Papua New Guinea, especially on Bougainville, and the risks are higher for us as we are located very close to the western border,” Deve said.
“Preparation is very important to decrease the risk of this deadly virus transmitting to our province,” he added.
“This is the first of series of meetings that will lead to the production of an effective mechanism and practices for the safety of our students so as our people.”
Deva adds that COVID-19 response plan is a requirement that schools within Choiseul must have in order to emphasis safety practices.
He said the meeting will start off the intervention to draw a suitable response plan for schools and also students to follow when returning to schools next semester.
Deva acknowledges the Ministry of Education and Human Resources with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for funding the training.
He said invitations have been sent to school leaders within the province and he hopes teachers will come in numbers.
Some public transport owners and drivers at the forum.
PUBLIC Transport owners and drivers have agreed to take initial steps to address Women and Girls’ safety on public transport in Honiara in a forum organized by Safer Cities for Girls, a project under Plan International Solomon Islands funded by the ANCP of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Australian Government.
The forum was held following findings in a 2017 Baseline Survey which showed that 95 percent of girls and women do not feel safe using public transports, such as buses and taxis in Honiara.
The main perceived safety risks for girls on public transport were drunk and intoxicated bus drivers and conductors, drunkard passengers, verbal harassment, rape and undesirable touching.
At the forum, it was agreed that each taxi of the taxi fleets, display, in front of the passenger’s seat, their fares and charges and taxi base phone contact numbers for reporting in the event of sexual harassment or abuse is committed by any of the drivers.
Club member of Safer Cities for Girls explaining the findings of a 2017 Baseline survey
Other initiatives will be implemented later to educate women and girls of actions to take as precautionary measures before boarding any taxi and for quick response and actions if their safety is at risk.
This may include the identification of the driver, the vehicles plate number, the taxi fleets base telephone number before boarding any taxi in Honiara.
Other recommendation includes the provision of uniform to each taxi fleet for quick identification.
During the forum, public transport owners and drivers raised challenges they face each day in terms of fares, freights, waiting times and distances.
“We charge our fares according to distances, hours engaged, freights and waiting times, of which many people accused us of overcharging,” one taxi driver said.
They have also suggested that all taxis operating in Honiara must affiliate to established fleets for quick identification and reporting when it comes to women and girls’ safety.
They said, in some instances, women and girls engage our vehicles for many hours only to say that they don’t have money to pay the fares, giving rise to selling themselves to the drivers instead.
The only female taxi driver working amongst all the male drivers said that at no time had she been treated indifferently by men or failed to pay up their taxi fares although she had her own challenges because of the poor road conditions in Honiara.
The forum had brought to light some of the challenges public transport owners and drivers face each day and said they are trying their best to provide the safest taxi services to the public as far as possible.
A taxi driver at the forum said that although concerns raised and anecdote in the survey are true, only a few people are involved in such activities, the rest are trying their best to properly serve the public and earn a living.
He said these safety concerns were raised because few drivers who don’t have the respect for others and have cultured bad attitudes towards women and girls.
Twelve taxi fleet owners and drivers and nearly thirty members of the YWCA Safer Cities for Girls project attended the forum.
Safer Cities for Girls Project is supported by funding from Australia Non-Government Cooperation Program and implemented by Plan International Solomon Islands in Partnership with Honiara City Council and YWCA
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele is urging World Trade Organisation (WTO) members to establish new rules on harmful subsidies.
Speaking during the WTO fisheries negotiations last week, Manele stressed that the proposed set of rules would support global effort to eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing activities (IUU), and reduce overcapacity and overfishing as well as other exploitive and destructive fishing practices.
Manele adds that the prohibition of fisheries subsidies would in turn ensure the health and resilience of oceans and the sustainability of global fish stocks.
He said African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) members key interest in any fishing agreement is to promote national economic development aspirations.
“It is in our interest to push for the exemption of access fees, the exclusion of small-scale and artisanal fisheries, and for the removal of the unduly onerous and unfair reporting obligations on developing States, among others,” Manele said.
Manele was the lead spokesperson of Pacific Ministers during the meeting.
He presented the Pacific statement and outlined their interests in the negotiations many of which are shared with the ACP group.
These include the preservation of small-scale artisanal fishing, meaningful special and differential treatment that provides policy space to develop their fishing capacity, the importance of access fees and the exclusion of differential licensing fees.
Minister of Trade of Fiji Faiyaz Koya, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Papua New Guinea Soroi Eoe and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Samoa Peseta Simi delivered national statements in support of the Pacific interests.
WTO fisheries negotiations is part of series of meetings leading up to the two important regional meetings this week.
The two meetings are in preparation for the WTO Ministerial Meeting that will be held on 15 July 2021 which will assess the state of play of the negotiations of the fisheries subsidies agreement and try to narrow the existing differences amongst the WTO members.
The fisheries subsidies agreement is expected to be adopted at the WTO Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) that will be held from 30 November to 3 December 2021.
RSIPV 06 Taro as she ready to berth at the SI Ports wharf for her Commissioning
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE country’s second Guardian Class Patrol Boat was commissioned in Honiara yesterday.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare officiated in the commissioning of Australian Government-donated Patrol Boat Taro at the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) international port.
“I wish to take this opportunity to warmly welcome our new Guardian Class Patrol Boat the RSIPV Taro 06 and our hardworking RSIPF Maritime Officers who had sailed the boat through the high seas from Australia to our shores here,” Sogavare said.
“I know that you had undergone intensive technical trainings in Perth for over three months and I must take this time to sincerely congratulate you all for your fine achievements in completing your trainings,” he added.
“Our country looks forward to your commitment and dedication to serve our country in the new RSIPV Patrol Boat Taro.
“The event today, creates a significant milestone achievement for us.
“It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our maritime security capability and capacity that is bigger and classic for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Maritime than before.
“We are therefore happy to be here today to celebrate the commissioning and naming of the RSIPV Taro.
“It marks another significant milestone in our deep and enduring partnership – founded on our shared values – and commitment to a sovereign – safe – and prosperous Pacific.”
Sogavare thanked the Australian Government for its support to RSIPF Maritime Division through the Defence Cooperation Program.
“Indeed, Australia recognized our maritime security needs and the importance of enhancing our maritime capabilities, for which we are,” Sogavare said.
Commanding Officer for RSIPV 06 Taro Timothy Doidoke also thanked Australia for its support during their six weeks of training in Perth.
“Despite having two of our crews down due to illness, we still managed to maintain and complete our training,” Doidoke said.
Newspaper readers from Makira say they are missing the papers, Solomon Star and Island Sun because their papers are no longer sold in Kira Kira.
Many readers have told our Kira Kira Correspondent that they miss the papers because they have depended on them to know what have been going on in the Makira Ulawa Province, Solomon Islands, and in the World.
They claim they cannot totally depend on the State-Owned-Broadcaster, the SIBC to hear the news because its reception is poor in many parts of the Province, even in Kira Kira, the Provincial Capital.
Readers spoken to say they appreciate that since our Correspondent started filling up the media with news from the Province nearly two years ago, they know what is going on, the good and the bad actions of the National Government and their Provincial Government, adding they now realize the media can stimulate their thinking.
Youth community project leaders in White River (left) with Cedric Alependava, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs, Berdi Berdiyev, UNDP Solomon Islands Country manager, Vardon Hoca, UNDP Project Manager and Jennifer Wate, General Secretary, Development Services Exchange. Photo credit: Anastasiia Tiurmenko/UNDP
THE United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP) and International Labor Organization (ILO), in partnership with the national government, are empowering youth and promoting their role as agents of peace and resilience through community-based projects within the Empowering Youth as Agents for Peace and Social Cohesion in the Solomon Islands Project’s framework.
From brickmaking and piggery to vegetable garden and landscaping, UNDP supported five Honiara-based initiatives, which are part of 26 social entrepreneurship / community projects facilitated by the local partner Development Service Exchange (DSE), implemented by young leaders in three provinces.
These projects aimed to support building social cohesion and sustaining peace in the targeted communities.
The overarching impact goes beyond transforming the individual participants – it contributes to the community’s social and economic development.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Cedric Alependava, the Permanent Secretary, took note of the support provided by UNDP through the Youth Empowerment Project.
“I welcome today’s handover of these youth-led community projects, which has affirmed itself as one of the great achievements of the partnership between the Government and UNDP,” Alependava said.
“While supporting youth initiatives like this drives growth and change in Solomon Islands’ communities, it also contributes to conflict reduction and promoting peaceful co-existence,” he added.
Alependava further encouraged partners to ensure strong and continuous support for youth-led peacebuilding efforts as “young people are a powerful force for change”.
“Investing in today’s youth means investing in our future. They are the future leaders of their communities,” Berdi Berdiyev, UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands, pointed out.
“In close partnership with the Government, we are bridging gaps between communities and laying strong foundations for harmonious and peaceful relations and social cohesion,” he added.
With the 2030 Agenda as a guiding thread, UNDP works to advance young people’s civic and political life, economic empowerment, and role as peace- and resilience-builders.
Empowering youth through community-based initiatives is part of the Empowering Youth as Agents for Peace and Social Cohesion in the Solomon Islands Project which is being implemented by UNDP Solomon Islands and International Labor Organization with the financial support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change.
Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, it helps nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
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
