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3,692 fully vaccinated against covid-19: PM

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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First Member of Parliament to receive complete doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Congratulations Hon. Lanelle Olandrea Tanangada.

 BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

A total of 3,692 individuals have been “fully vaccinated”, says prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.

These vaccinations are from both AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines.

Sogavare yesterday said a total of 21,742 covid doses have been administered as of Friday last week

He said of the 21,742 doses 16,437 doses are AstraZeneca vaccines of which 14,357 administered on first dose and 2,073 second dose. And for Sinopharm, 5,305 doses have been administered, 3686 on first dose and 1619 on second dose.

“Based on these figures, a total of 3,692 people have now been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 from two vaccines the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm used in the country,” Sogavare said.

He adds by reiterating that both approved vaccines are safe for use and preventing severe illness, hospitalisation and even death from covid-19.

“Covid-19 vaccination is the only effective and efficient way in which we can protect ourselves, our families, our communities and our country from the global covid-19 pandemic,” Sogavare said.

He encouraged those who yet to be vaccinated to go forward to any vaccination centre as soon as possible get your first covid-19 vaccination.

No payment from One Link since Dec 2019: Witness

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

More damning allegations against the One Link money scheme have surfaced in court.

A prosecution witness who claim to be one of the mentors of the One Link Pacifica money scheme revealed in court yesterday that from nine deposits he made from December 24, 2019 to February 20, 2020 no payments or refunds have been made.

Prosecution witness Thomas Anitau was giving evidence in court on the case against Gerard Tauohu who was charged with five counts of simple larceny relating to One Link.

Anitau said he was introduced to the scheme in September 2019 by a teacher from Tamlan and joined One Link scheme as a customer.

“When I joined one-link I also introduced the scheme to others in which many people followed me and registered to join one-link, the teacher who is my mentor then suggested to me, I can register as a mentor since I have many clients.

“Therefore, on December 19 2019 I registered and started to register clients under me,” Anitau said.

He said he started collecting money from December 20 to 23 and then went to Rifle Range area and deposited the money there.

“I collected the monies and recorded how many people who came and registered under my link and on December 23 2019 I closed the forms for that day and the next day December 24 I went to Rifle Range with the form containing the names of those people joined and the monies and deposited to Isom Dora,” Anitau said.

He said the person who received the monies from him was Isom Dora and the accused, Gerard, was one of the staff who worked with the scheme.

He told the court, since joining One Link as one of the mentors he had made nine deposits, all of which had not received any returns by way of refund or payment.

Prosecution also questioned him whether any follow-up was made; Anitau said they made follow-ups with One Link almost every day but were told continuously that the monies were not ready.

Tauohu was arrested in relation to this case by police after receiving complaints from One Link mentors and customers who had not received their payments from the director as promised.

Allegation said that Tauohu obtained more than $400,000 from six mentors between December 2019 and February 2020 and failed to pay them their promised interests.

He then allegedly escaped to Malaita and was arrested after police received complaints from the scheme’s mentors and customers who had invested in the scheme last year but were yet to receive their payments.

The Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown while Ronald Dive represents the accused.

Trial continues before Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea.

One Link and Dora case returns today

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case against the owner of One Link Pacifica Charles Dora will appear again in court today for plea.  

His case was mentioned in court yesterday for plea but since the defence lawyer was on leave, the court adjourned the case to today for plea and possible bail application.

Mr Dora is facing two charges under the financial institution act 1998.

Prosecution said on July 4, 2019, One-link Pacifica was formally registered at the company Haus under the name of Mr Charles Dora as Director. There is a business certificate in file as it appears, Mr Charles Dora is a Director of OLP, registered under business name one link Pacifica Business number 20191217 issued by Company Haus. Mr Dora is the proprietor and sole trader of the OLP, he is also a manager for online mentors.

One link Pacifica scheme was described as sharing resource; however, it is a Ponzi scheme, the essence of the scheme is that investors give money towards the company, on promise there will be a higher return after 30 days of investment, the creator of the scheme then used recruiting agents (mentors) for people to come along and invest their money through them.

Prosecution alleged that Dora collected deposits from mentors by way of online deposits. Huge number of public members invested their money through his agencies, which totaled up to $56,440,475 went missing and has not been recovered since.

The monies were from people who invested their money into One link Pacifica, the company owned by the accused.

Prosecution also said that between the period of December 2019 to March 2020, investors did not receive their money as promised. Within the period, CBSI warned public members about the operation of the schemed, that one-link Director Mr Charles Dora did not apply for a licence under the FIA to engage in the business of banking in Solomon Islands.

On March 4, 2020, CBSI wrote to Charles Dora as Director of One-Link to make available to CBSI record, books or accounts relating to the business for examination within 7 working days pursuant to section 3(3) of the FIA. However, Mr Dora did not provide detail documents or failed to comply such their bank account details, receipt books and accounts books.

Later on, March 27, 2020, CBSI informed Police that One-link Pacifica seem to be operating as a banking business, and does not comply with the Financial Institution Act.

Prosecution alleged that Dora knowing his co-accused was arrested on April 4, 2020, went and hid at Russel Islands, Central Islands Province up until his arrest on June 1, 2021.

Wale calls for action to save Lata airport runway

Written by
Press Release
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Leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale

Leader of Opposition Matthew Wale has called on the Commissioner of Forests to suspend Xian Ling Timber (SI) Ltd’s logging licence for the damage the company is causing to the Lata airstrip runway; and to direct the company to repair the damage immediately.

The Opposition Leader’s call follows a recent report that the company’s ongoing use of the runway as a logging road is destroying the condition of the runway making it unsafe for planes to land.

“This is just not on and I am surprised that no action has been taken earlier to stop this reckless attitude resulting in Solomon Airlines raising safety concerns over the company’s activities.  

“It is mandatory under our laws for logging companies to build their own operation related roads and to respect public and private property.  

“This is clearly not the case here and this does not reflect well on the responsible authorities,” says Mr Wale.

Lata Airport provides a vital link between Temotu province and the rest of the country, and this link is vital for medical and economic reasons amongst others and so any activities interfering with these important needs should not be tolerated and must be dealt with severely.

“I therefore call on the Commissioner of Forests to quickly suspend this company’s operations, to call on it to rectify the damage done and to ensure that it does not use the runaway again,” he adds.

—OPPOSITION PRESS

Mobile phone owner arrested over death of alleged robber

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A 23-year-old man has been arrested over the death of another man who reportedly stole a mobile phone belonging to the arrestee.

A police statement yesterday said the 23-year-old gave himself up to police following discussions with them.

He was formally arrested at his home and charged on June 18. He is being remanded awaiting court.

Police say he is being charged with murder ‘contrary to section 200 of the penal code. The suspect has remanded at the Rove Correctional Centre on June 19, 2021. He will appear before the Honiara Central Magistrates Court on 2 July 2021’.

The suspect was arrested in relation to an incident which occurred on the morning of June 12, behind the Kwaimani building, Kukum area.

Information gathered by police said an argument broke out over a mobile phone that was taken from the now murder-suspect and the deceased’s group at Kukum area.

The deceased was among five others who stole a mobile phone from the suspect and his cousin brother. It was during that time a fight broke out between them.

Police said: “The deceased and his group attacked the suspect and fell on the ground since he was out numbered.

“The suspect stood up and continued to fight the deceased and his group. It was alleged at that time the suspect punched the deceased head, and he fell on the road unconsciously. The suspect escaped while the deceased group chased him.

“The deceased later assisted by his friends back to Bua valley area after the incident, and they left him at a market stall with injuries at the back of his head.

“The deceased friends asked him to eat and go to the hospital for a medical treatment, but he refused.

“About 1pm on 14 June 2021, the deceased was rushed to the National Referral Hospital and was pronounced death.”

‘Unsworn’ Makira chiefs cautioned

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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The Commissioner for Oaths in Makira Ulawa Province, Jack Faga has reminded people who have been performing Chiefs’ roles and functions in three Wards of Central Makira Constituency without being sworn in on oath that they could be abusing and misusing chiefly authority.

Mr Faga said in a public notice displayed on Notice Boards in Kira Kira, the Provincial Capital on June 7, 2021 that there are people in the three wards who have been performing and exercising roles and functions of Chiefs without being sworn in on oath.

He said such people could be abusing and misusing Chiefly Authority when they indulged in “Un-chiefly” conducts and compromising one’s performances in conflicts of interest situations.

Faga sounded out the warnings as the Commissioner for Oaths for Solomon Islands who commissioned the Swearing-In of a huge number of Chiefs in “our Province on August 2007 under the 2006 Makira Ulawa Province Council of Chiefs Ordinance.

“I wish to sound out these warnings as a matter of awareness in a very clear and precise manner to persons performing and exercising roles and functions as Chiefs in   Wards 9, 10 and 11 in Central Makra Constituency”.

He reminds people who engage themselves in Customary Land Disputes Settlement Hearings who have not been sworn in and commissioned either by him or any other Commissioner for Oaths lack the legal capacity and authority to perform and carry out such roles and functions.

And any involvement of such persons in Customary Land Dispute Settlement hearings automatically renders the entire hearing process including the judgment itself and orders to be void.

But Faga says Chiefs who have taken the Oath and have been commissioned must be mindful and cautious of how they use their authority in performing and exercising their roles and functions, because any act or omission that constitutes an abuse or misuse of chiefly authority is a serious matter that could result in:

a)            The nullification of their work; b) tarnishing their credibility and integrity and c) destroying the trust and confidence the public has of them.

He also wants Chiefs that have been sworn in and commissioned to be always conscious of their conducts in the public and private domains because any behavior and conduct that brings disrepute, mockery and contempt to their chiefly status and esteem and respect accorded to them by society is a valid and compelling ground for revoking the Oath and removing the Authority bestowed on them.

Faga also wants chiefs who have been sworn in and commissioned must at all times avoid and refrain themselves from situations where the performance of their roles is compromised because of personal interests.

He adds occurrences of such situations not only subject their work to public ridicule and criticisms but leaves very poor moral judgment on their neutrality and impartiality which can often lead to disrespectful attitude towards them by members of the public.

“I, therefore strongly urge people who are currently performing and exercising roles and functions as Chiefs in the three Wards of Central Makira Constituency to take heed of the warnings and to comply accordingly,” says Faga.

In his closing remarks, he says the awareness is not intended to pass judgment or condemnation on anyone in particular, rather it is purposely aimed at helping Chiefs to undertake personal reflections and self-examinations of their conducts and the manner in which they have been discharging their responsibilities over the years, so as to enable them to cause necessary adjustments in order to keep and maintain public trust and confidence on them.

By George Atkin

Kira Kira

CEMA seeking land in Kirakira

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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Kirakira station, in Makira/Ulawa Province

THE Commodities Export Marketing Authority’s Revitalisation and Recapitalisation Strategy 2021-2027 says it wants a piece of land in Kira Kira, the Provincial Capital, to build its Buying Centre.

The Director of CEMA Cabinet Sub-Committee of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Housanau relayed the request to the Makira Ulawa Premier, Julian Maka’a and his Executive Ministers at a meeting he had with them in Kira Kira June 16, 2021.

He also relayed the same appeal to the Heads of Department of the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government when he met them after meeting with Premier Maka’a and his Executive.

Mr Housanau who led a CEMA Technical Working Team to Kira Kira said CEMA under the Revitalisation and Recapitalisation Strategy Programme, would want to build the Buying Centre in Kira Kira because the landowners of the land it had its old Buying Centre at Kaonasugu in West Bauro of Central Makira, have been disputing over it.

He said CEMA would not build Buying Centres on disputed sites. CEMA built the Kaonasugu Copra Buying Centre in the 80s, but stopped buying copra from producers when the National Parliament amended the CEMA Act to become a regulatory body.

Housanau said the amendment had impacted badly on both rural village and national economies as copra production thus copra export had halted.

But Housanau told the meeting that under the new programme, CEMA would build a new Buying Centre on a piece of land with more space as it would not buy only copra as had been the case in the past, but would also buy other agriculture products like cocoa, chilies, gingers, root crops like taro, yam and pana and of course, Makira people’s famous food, banana.

And in the long run, he said, CEMA would operate the Buying Centre under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) joint venture agreement with the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government.

Housanau said under such agreement, the Buying Centre would build a factory which would buy coconut oil products produced by coconut crushing mills around the Province for downstream processing to add value to the products and for export.

Meanwhile, Premier Maka’a welcomed the new approach by CEMA, because Makira Ulawa Province as an agriculture potential province, it would enable its resource owners and landowners to return to farming.

He agreed many coconut plantation owners had stopped producing copra and as a result their income earnings and livelihoods had been greatly affected.

But Provincial Finance Minister and MPA for Arosi Ward 8, Douglas Kuper while speaking on the land issue for the Buying Centre said if Kira Kira could not provide the site, the Provincial Government could consider moving the Buying Centre to Arosi in West Makira.

And Provincial Lands Minister, Jimmy Riunga said a site to build the Buying Centre in Kira Kira could be identified.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Government Land Reform Commission who was a member of the touring team of the CEMA Cabinet Sub-Committee of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Andrew Manepora’a said the land for the Buying Centre must be secured because if there is no land, then there will be no development.

While in Makira, the team members also visited the Pakera Development Centre and Kokana Village along the West Makira Road.

By George Atkin

Kira Kira

21 thousand covid doses administered so far: PM

Written by
Press Release
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AstraZeneca vaccine. Photo by NDTV.

A total of 21,742 doses of covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the country as of Friday last week.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced in his nationwide address yesterday that of that total;

  • 16,437 doses are AstraZeneca Vaccines, [14,364 first doses and 2,073 second doses], and
  • 5,305 doses are Sinopharm [3,686 first doses and 1,619 second doses]

“Based on these figures, a total of 3,692 people have now been fully vaccinated against covid-19 from the two vaccines used in the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister also reaffirmed that so far, only one case of anaphylaxis and three reactions were experienced due to the AstraZeneca vaccine; all of which had been treated with good outcome.

Meanwhile, he said as part of the plan to increase the country’s vaccination coverage, the health team have expanded the vaccination platform to provide covid-19 vaccination using mobile outreach vaccination centres to augment the fixed vaccination centres.

–OPMC PRESS

EDITORIAL- A health care crisis is upon us

Written by
Admin
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PICTURES of patients lying helplessly on the floor of the National Referral Hospital (NRH) in Honiara have gone viral on social media.

The scene was not only sad, but also provocative.

NRH is the nation’s top hospital. It’s where all the provinces referred medical cases that they could not dealt with.

It should be our priority. It should have the best of facilities and be able to cater for our health needs.

What appeared in those photos does not reflect well on the NRH as our top health facility.

The photos instead conveyed a failing health service and a facility that was not able to cope with the needs of its population.

They also portrayed a health facility that is overcrowded and neglected.

Patients are lying and treated on the hospital floor due to lack of beds.

This brings us to the question: is health still our priority?

If so, where is the new hospital that the Government has been talking about in the last 10 years?

And why are provincial hospitals ill-equipped to deal with cases that should have been dealt with at that level?

Here’s the thing.

The NRH is still in the same state 20 years ago while our population continues to increase?

So you expect more and more people to visit the same hospital with almost the same facilities that was built some 20 years ago.

It is not surprising then that the NRH has run out of space and beds. This is not rocket science. It is common sense.

Sadly, our elected leaders failed to see this.

They keep on talking about building a new hospital, while they terribly failed to allocate the necessary funding.

Don’t tell the people of this nation we don’t have the funds. Millions of our development funds are being allocated to MPs each with little or no tangible results.

Those millions of dollars could best be used to build another hospital, with more space and beds.

Those millions of dollars could also be best used to improve and upgrade our provincial hospitals to lessen the number of referrals to Honiara.

Our leaders failed to do what they are supposed to do. Now the problem is catching up on us and getting out of control.

The NRH is in a crisis situation. It can no longer cater for our increasing population.

Strangely enough, the silence coming from the Government and responsible health authorities has been deafening.

Why there’s so much silence over a crisis situation? may we ask.

Solomon Islanders need assurance, not the kind of silence we are hearing loudly from the Government at this time.

VIEWPOINT- Service delivery worthy of public acknowledgement

Written by
Brian Lezutuni
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IT’S not often that public servants get acknowledged for services they provide every day for the benefit of Solomon Islanders. 

They work under stressful conditions, often struggling with equipment that don’t work. 

And, they get paid peanuts.  Yet they are the first to be criticised for a slip in service delivery, just because the phone didn’t work or it was so hot to do any work.  

Anyway, if it’s worth anything, I wish to share this experience I had with an IRD officer and an FID officer. 

On Thursday 17th June, 2021 I was sent an email by the Ministry of Commerce asking me to complete the vendor form and revert to them. 

Because I had another preoccupation to attend to I didn’t see the email until later in the evening.

I opened the email, completed the vendor form and send it back to the officer who had emailed me. 

In the email I said I had completed a similar form previously so I thought my TIN number would be at the Treasury Division. 

Next day which was Friday 18th June, sensing that something was not quite right I opened my email and there was a reply to my email. 

The officer had insisted that their accounts has to have a copy of the TIN letter to be attached to the requisition for payment of my fees which they were sending down to MOFT. 

That definitely was a problem for me as I had misplaced my copy of the TIN letter.

Anyway knowing exactly where I can get a replacement I rushed down to the IRD not bothering to check the time. 

At the gate I was told its lunch time but the officers sometimes work during lunch so I can go in and tried my luck.

I went in and sure enough the officers had left for lunch.  Counter 4 was the right counter to get assistance from.

Seeing it empty I gave an audible sigh of disappointment and sat down to take a rest on the benches provided. 

As I was resting, the person who had been served at Counter 3 (manned by another IRD Officer) walked by clearly satisfied at the service he received. 

I looked at the good lady officer as she was setting off for lunch. 

She looked back at me and respectfully asked, can I help you?

I nodded hopefully, she waved me over and I quickly beckoned across to Counter 3.

“Sorry wantok”,  “I need a TIN letter but I see you are heading off for lunch.” I said. 

“Oh”, she said “woman na hem save but hem go for lunch na”.

“Write come name blo U” she asked.

I reached for a slip of cut paper left there at the counter for that purpose and wrote out my name.

She took the paper, typed on her computer and she read something from her screen. 

“Yea that one” I said.  I heard her printer humming and discerned she was printing.  The next minute she handed me the very letter I was after.

I took it happily, and thanked her graciously.  As I was heading back to my vehicle I couldn’t help appreciate the wonderful attendance I just witnessed. 

A great change in customer service and a commitment to service delivery! I looked up to the skies and silently said “Thank you Lord”.  I know these were small steps in what could be a broad domino effect that can improve service delivery in the public service.

I got into my car and drove off to the FID, the agent that needed the letter. 

I went to the FID office and looked in at the counter. 

I saw the officer I wanted to see was not there so I turned to go back when at the corner of my eyes I saw another officer approaching the counter. 

He opened the window and confirmed to me that Sially had gone to do an errand at the school where her kids attended. 

He saw I had papers with me and asked if he can help.  I told him what I wanted and he took the papers. 

He tried to photocopy something for me but their machine didn’t work.  He asked me to wait as he hurried to another room.

He returned with the photocopy and apologized. I thanked him and left really touched that I had been served during lunch time. 

This was a huge turn around. 

Before, lunchtime is lunch time, no work and one had to come back at 1pm, sometimes much later. 

This is really different, I was smiling as I left.

Whoever is helping to change customer service delivery in both offices has my full support and best wishes. 

I say bravo, well done and Good luck! 

Continue the good work for our nation…..

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