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EDITORIAL- It’s Honiara city council again!

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IT is clear as daylight.

Since they came into power more than a year ago, the current bunch of elected Honiara City Councillors have no plan and vision for the city.

From day, they came up with self-serving decisions that benefit no one but themselves.

This is happening while Honiara is in chaos – uncontrollable public transport service, irregular rubbish collection, dirty streets and the list goes on.

Less than two years time, the city will host the Pacific Games. This event will bring in thousands of visitors from the region and abroad.

We are yet to see a plan from the current council executive as to how they are going to prepare Honiara for this big event.

What we are seeing instead are mismanagement of council funds, spending money on unnecessary projects such as the controversial Fire Extinguisher procurement, and purchasing expensive vehicles while the council does not have the funds to pay rubbish collectors.

Last year, the Auditor General found widespread abuse of power, mismanagement of funds, conflict of interest and outright failure to adhere to legal administrative procedures.

A report the former treasurer produced into how the current leadership spends money and allocate resources is even damning.

This year, the Pacific Accounts Committee (PAC) decided to conduct an inquiry into how the council manages its affairs.

PAC is yet to release its report, but what transpired during the inquiry was telling enough that the current councilors are not there to serve the city and its residents.

What’s revealing from the inquiry is the fact that despite the existence of established financial management procedures, the council leadership opted to do things their own way.

They have treated the council as their personal business.

It was relief for Honiara residents to see the city clerk Rence Sore go.

And it’s interesting to see Sore produced a report just before he left office.

Whilst the report may have no legal standing, it is a true exposure of what went on in there over the last year or so.

In fact, it was just a confirmation of what the auditors have uncovered.

Question now is why do we allow the current bunch to remain as councilors in the face of all these overwhelming evidence?

Why does it take so long to take action and dissolve the council?

A new mayor was recently elected. He has appointed his executive.

But they are the same old bunch. It’s just the leadership that has changed.

What do we expect from them?

Nothing!

So why are we still allowing them to run our affairs when they have absolutely nothing to offer this city?

Is this how we tackle corruption head-on?

The Government talked so much about fighting corruption. But we have seen little or no action when it comes to doing it.

Enough is enough!

This current bunch must go!

VIEWPOINT- SEZs can drive transformational economic development in SI

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IF you are like me, observing with mortification, the languid state of our economic development, then I hope this article can ignite excitement that this state of affairs can actually change, literally overnight- well maybe over a matter of months to be exact. 

However considering the time we have been languishing, on average, in economic decline, maybe the above is a candid statement.    

What is the basis for this genuine claim?  

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) of course!

In fact Government has been pushing the establishment of SEZs but hasn’t actually succeeded. 

An attempt in 2017 to get a Bill into Parliament didn’t materialize and there is currently a push within Government to implement SEZs as part of its policy redirection but lack of funding may have scuttled this effort. 

May I suggest that Cabinet makes a declaration that all Provincial urban centres will be SEZs and start developing these SEZs using PPP.

The Provincial urban centres are on crown land so the difficulty of land access will be skirted and Government will be dealing with far fewer problems than seeking to develop SEZs elsewhere.   

Making a start with the Provincial Centres will build momentum for development of special economic zones and set the platform for driving meaningful economic development in our country.

Given that the current models are not working, maybe SEZs will be the engines of growth that will stimulate employment, export production, and harness the potential in rural areas for economic growth.   

Managing the process for developing SEZs is not that difficult, I suggest.

First things first, Government meets with all Premiers to obtain their support for the proposal and then Cabinet makes the declaration. 

The lead ministry, the MCILI establishes a taskforce to spearhead the process. 

After the declaration the taskforce meets to draw-up tender documents for investors to invest under PPP to develop the SEZs. 

Hoping that there will be several interested investors/operators, a number of SEZs can be developed simultaneously until all the SEZs have been developed in the Provincial Centres.

To ensure investor funds risked to develop the SEZs are recovered, a number of businesses in the SEZs will be reserved for the investors/operators to manage. 

Overtime these business ventures will be transferred to the respective Provinces at no recourse.

We are optimistic that our economy will rebound from 2022 with the ADB and CBSI projecting growth to be around 3+% .

This projected rate can be increased if the SEZs are developed from now so that by next year, some will already be in business and producing for exports. 

Concurrently, the SEZs will modernize the Provincial Centres, turning them into growth centres, and through creation of aggregate demand in those centres, a multiplier effect could be fashioned that will generate multiple knock-on effects cross the provinces therefore consolidating economic development in the Provinces, with greater combined impact on our overall economic performance which in finality can lift our standard of living and state of economic prosperity.

With these possibilities, it would pay for our country for SEZs to be established.

And, any responsible Government will certainly seize the opportunity to act decisively and take action to advance the establishment of SEZs in our Provincial urban Centres.   

PETER FORAU

Honiara

PRIVATE VIEW- Is SIPA a monopoly in the International shipping cargo tariff haul?

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Solomon Islands Ports Authority

I TAKE it upon myself to contribute viewpoints to ongoing discussions on matters I spend a lifetime carrier labouring to make contributions towards. 

We all have a duty of care to guard and protect the Maker’s creation, but also to leave it in a better state than when we found it. 

This I am trying to do, conscious of the grave responsibility to be fair, selfless and justified; and in exercise only of what I consider to be well-founded and knowledge-based pointers.  

While so engaged, I endeavour to keep within my areas of competence so that I am ever prepared to backup those pointers, which may become contentious. 

Friends of mine have nagged about my communication skills and that my writings can scarcely be understood by the average reader. 

I concede but, at the same time, I have this conviction that the language and style of written communication must bear importance and dignity to the subject matters of discussion and must be tailored to translate concepts in succinct and direct form. 

This way, it is easy to discern countering pointers and so to engage in constructive exchanges for optimal consensuses (or agreeing to disagree or even, disagreeing without being disagreeable). 

This is provided, of course, countering pointers emanate from open-minded and likewise discerning individuals. 

Otherwise battles of rhetoric and incessant tirades is uneconomic use of time.

The current case in point is whether international cargo handling the sole and restricted domain of Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA). 

Is SIPA a monopoly?  Are other international cargo handlers stealing, competing or complimenting SIPA when it boils down to revenue levying and collection. 

Definitively, there is no stealing. 

There is only competition and complimenting.  This is a challenge to SIPA but good for the country’s economy and best for the consumer.

The current CEO of SIPA prides himself as proponent of re-engineering but recently he has been in the radio and newspapers complaining that Leroy Wharf Port has been taking away business from the port of his tenure. 

Maybe his best move right now is to reverse engineer the thought process and go back to basics. 

Stop crying foul and engage the grey matter for industry market retention, fulfilment and satisfaction. 

Stem the market haemorrhage by reinvention not by vocals and media jockeying.  Deeds make a bigger bang!  Stop the top dressing and concentrate on core business. 

Stop intimidating, suspending and sacking the workforce without following the proper procedures. 

Build bonds and a cohesive team encompassing management and rank and file workforce.

Stop running to town with vain issues and learn that compliance to mandatory maritime rules and procedures will land SIPA a ‘favoured-port’ positioning for market gain and retention of international cargo traffic; and, but also for international favours in terms of bilateral and multilateral partnering in development projects procurement ambitions.

The international community is conscious of our ‘Least Developed Country’ status and are very open to assist. 

But for this, you have to learn to appraise, propose, solicit, and even coerce target Development Partners in the manner compliant to the checklist of their grant-in-aid protocols. 

As an SOE, SIPA has the moral duty to go with the flow with the rest of the country in financing its operations and infrastructure development.

As it is, SIPA has been basking in the innuendo of previous CEO Colin Yaw’s unreasonable jacking up of tariffs.  

In the short period of two years (2015/2016, 2016/2017 Financial Years) SIPA’s Bank Account had swollen in excess of SBD300M, dubbed by Finance Experts as; ‘TOXIC MONEY’.

The temptation for wayward expenditure had been so irresistible that unplanned equipment purchases and unplanned recruitment are now evident in surplus equipment and overmanning. 

The CEO himself may have chalked up more than SBD5M, if not more, in overseas travel.  Anyone can be forgive for calling this a reap-off.

Spending power of people’s money was constricted because port users and business houses are passing the effects of the high tariffs to the end user. 

The ultimate beneficiary is SIPA because by legal due process, mass polarisation of money is stashing away in their Bank Account. 

The two alternative balancing act in this scenario are to rationalise and right-size the tariff or introduce competition. 

The latter has happened and will continue to happen.  SIPA’s Point Cruz Port is bottlenecked and choked by Honiara city growth.

Revisit the Corporate Plan and Business Plan and if there is a need to re-engineer then; so be it, only be sure to make them better than when you first found them. 

And Oh; while so engaged, remember to keep within ethics, laid down procedures and guidelines.

SIPA is owned by Solomon Islands Government and as such is subject to political directives. 

It is not completely free to operate 100% entrepreneurship. 

Although SIPA is popularly perceived to be a monopoly, general reading of the Ports Act reveals all its duties and mandates, but that legal framework falls short of encasing those mandates within an exclusive domain. 

The Ports Act is also silent on the issue of private commercial ports; neither debarring them nor stating a protection clause on the operations of SIPA. 

Under the nuance of a free enterprise country, any individual or corporation desirous of conducting business as receiver and forwarder of international cargo can thus do so by virtue only of an appropriate compliant Business Licence.

This country is a democracy and as such the society herein is capitalistic – driven by supply and demand. 

There is freedom of association which also means anyone can conduct business with anyone else they choose, and not because they are forced to. 

The choice by purchasers to move to cheaper sellers is completely their own prerogative. 

And so it is with international cargo vessels.  As so it is with the earning of tariff money from international cargo handling.  The bottom line is Leroy Wharf Port is not unduly taking business away from SIPA.

Having arrived at this juncture in this storyline, I am beside myself; I cannot help but reminisce on an analogy I read in a lessons story book years ago. 

There was this cunning and woolly canine creature in the Arizona desert on a clear but cold night.

It was perched atop a rounded mountain spur; hind legs horizontally extended frontwards on the ground and forelegs stiffly vertical; head, jaw and open mouth upturn to the starry sky above, howling its heart out at the fully blown silver moon sailing proudly from one end of the firmament dome to the other. 

The canine creature (wolf) howled and howled and howled, – awhoo – yahoo – awhoo – but the moon kept on shinning and sailing ostentatiously across the firmament. 

As with all ‘Lessons Books’ stories, there is a moral to this story.

WILLIAM BARILE

Former CEO, SIPA

MASI marks World Press Freedom Day

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Mavis Podokolo
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The Hon Prime Minister who is also the patron of MASI delivering the MASI night’s keynote address

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MEDIA Association of Solomon Islands in Partnership with the school of Media and Journalism under the Solomon Islands National University Commemorated World Press Freedom Day under the theme “Information as a Public Good.”

The event provided an avenue where journalists are recognized for their role as a fourth Estate and at the same time were reminded and encourage to report responsibly.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare who was the guest speaker of the event said as the patron of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) and as the Prime Minister he believes the government has done extremely good work in making sure information is accessible especially since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

From left to right, Dr Maebuta, PM Sogavare, Peter Shannel and UNDP country manager to Solomon Islands Berdi Berdiyev

Sogavare on the same note acknowledges the role of the media in supporting the government to disseminate information to the people

“I must also say that the government is grateful to the media outlets who find the time and space to publish these updates in their papers.

Barava FM staff Ursula Nongebatu with her friend from Australian High Commission to Solomon Islands

“I want to encourage our press and media to do your duty with the utmost professionalism. Your credibility depends very much on the confidence and the trust that the public has in you.

Island Sun dancers

“The government will always support you, and we expect the press and media to discharge their duties in a professional and ethical manner. At the end of the day, it is the people that we serve. As we mark this day, I call on everyone to ensure the information continues to remain a public good,” he said.

Lynda Wate Seni Director to Isles Media with some of the female media workers in the country

Acting Vice Chancellor, Solomon Islands National University Dr Jack Maebuta said on behalf of the university he is honored to have the presence of the PM Sogavare as the father of the nation.

President to MASI Georgina Kekea escorting the Hon Prime Minister who is also the patron of MASI

“To MASI president our sincere gratitude for choosing Lokol Fusion Café as a fitting venue to host this year’s World Media Day. It is a fitting venue madam President because it also gives SINU’s the opportunity to engage and expose its certificate in Journalism and Media students to such event that will be an eye opener for them to the World of media and journalism,” Maebuta said.  

Georgina Kekea President to MASI in response said World Press Freedom Day is a very important day for MASI and its members.

“We the members of MASI are happy to be here to celebrate this day here with you. Thank you to the UN agencies for making this possible for all of us tonight, Thank you.

Some of many females witnessing the event

“This year we have changed our style of celebration to mark World Press Freedom Day. We have extended our invites to those who have been supportive of MASI and what we believe in,” Kekea said.

She said MASI strives to strengthen the media industry in the country amidst great challenges.

The event was supported by United Nation Agencies.

Governor General visits Kukum United Church

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The Governor General Sir David Vunagi speaking to the Kukum United Church congregation

The Governor General paid a visit to the Kukum United Church on Sunday.

Governor General Sir David Vunagi, his wife Lady Mary and their party arrived just before the morning church programme where he was greeted by Ministers Reverend Smith Chacha and his wife Yonna, Reverend Simon Ngatu, Reverend David Lampio, Pastor Melvin Uzziala and his wife Lyncia, Pastor Brian Soma and the congregation chairman Solomon Sammy.

There was much anticipation when the congregation heard of his proposed visit, and the church was fully packed with not only Kukum congregation members but also members from Gilbert Camp, their sister church.

Since it was the first Sunday of a new month, it was a Holy Communion Sunday.

Girls greeting His Excellency Right Reverend Sir David Vunagi with flowers

After welcoming the Head of State, Reverend Ngatu read from the Gospels of Mathew 5:14-16 and John 8:12.

Reverend Chacha then delivered a strong sermon, highlighting Jesus as the light of the world and encouraging the congregation to also be the light like Jesus.   

Later, Sir David spoke to the Church. His message was short and simple; he wants all the churches in the country including Kukum United Church to work together.

The Head of State meets the Kukum United Church elders

Making the appeal, he said it is his prayer for all the churches to work together.

“We seem to work in parallel lines, Catholic, SSEC, the United Church. I pray for the churches to meet somewhere so we can share our resources. We all have our own resources and we need to share them.”

The Governor General highlighted an example during the days of the Methodist founder Reverend John Francis Goldie and the Bishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia Bishop Cecil Wilson.

“Reverend Goldie was going to Lord Howe to establish the Methodist Church but he didn’t have a ship. Bishop Wilson had a ship. So, they made an agreement for Bishop Wilson to establish the Anglican Church at Lord Howe and for Reverend Goldie to establish a Church at Aola, since the area was accessible to him.

“That is working together. There was no competition, only mutual agreement.

“I appeal to you Ministers, we must work together, recognise each other’s strengths and help each other. Let us follow the example of our founding fathers.”

The Head of State also told the congregation at Kukum to support the National Government in light of the Corona Virus pandemic.

His Excellency Right Reverend Sir David Vunagi walks with the Kukum United Church Minister Reverend Smith Chacha

Then he had them laughing as he recalled his days studying in New Zealand where he was with former United Church Moderator Reverend Philemon Riti.

“Lunch was apples and pears. That is normal for white people. But you know us Solomon Islanders. Who would be satisfied with just apples and pears for lunch? So Reverend Riti would say to his wife “Okay Nancy you cook some rice.”

A heavy lunch in Solomon style soon followed after the service, where more speeches and stories were shared.

Honourable Dean Kuku who nominated Sir David in June 2019 as Governor General was present with his wife and recalled the event.

“No person from Isabel province has held the office of Governor General. We felt at the time it was fitting for a person from Isabel Province and a person of a high calibre like Sir David himself to be accorded the position.”

Sir David Vunagi’s election at the time was unopposed.

The current head of State was Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia from 2009 until his retirement in 2016.

SICA AND SIFGA HOLDS FIRST ECUMENICAL YOUTH FELLOWSHIP

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Brothers from our SSEC church before presenting their song

CLOSE to three thousand youth members under the Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) Churches and Solomon Islands Full Gospel Association (SIFGA) Churches packed the Anglican Provincial Cathedral of Saint Barnabas for the first ever Ecumenical Youth Fellowship on Sunday.

It was truly a day to remember for a lot of these young people as they came together to worship and share messages through songs and listen to the inspiring and encouraging words from the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) the Most Rev Leonard Dawea and Reverend Alfred Akwai also from the (ACOM), the host church for this first ecumenical gathering.

“Indeed, it is wonderful to see youths of Honiara and nearby parishes in Guadalcanal coming together in this Spirit, the Spirit of oneness, the Spirit of ecumenism and the Spirit of peace” the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia said as he welcomed youth leaders and members from sister churches.

Archbishop Leonard

‘It is a spirit filled fellowship, a fellowship indicating new dawn that will bring positive changes in our nation Solomon Islands,’ Archbishop Leonard added.

‘YOUTHS FOR CHANGE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS AS CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS” (slogan: “Christ Ambassadors”)’ is the theme for the fellowship which was preceded by a clean-up from White River to King George area on Saturday morning.

Under the theme, the youth leaders who organized the gathering said,’ for youths to make a difference in this nation, we need to allow JESUS CHRIST to change us from the inside out – to become His ambassadors – His representatives on earth – before we can become instruments of change in this nation.  You cannot give to others what you yourself don’t have’.

Youth members at the ecumenical service on Sunday afternoon

Referring to the theme; Archbishop Leonard urged the youths and their leaders to uphold the virtues of Christ Ambassador and walk hand in hand in unity in order to achieve the mission of ecumenism by promoting the gospel for a common purpose.

Members of United Church holding the banner as the next host of this Ecumenical Youth Fellowship

“Such coming together of young people in fellowship despite our denominational differences is a right way to bring about effective and efficient mission in all our families, ministry groups, schools and our churches. This ecumenical fellowship calls for understanding and unity among us as leaders of our denominations to come together and design common ecumenical mission for our youths,” he concluded.

Youths during praise and worship

‘Be proud of yourself because you are the Ambassadors of Christ here on earth,’ Rev. Alfred Akwai said in his very encouraging sharing.

Rev Alfred Akwai

General Secretary of SICA, Rev. Dr. Edward Kolohai and Mr. Fox Henry Qwaina from the Honiara City Council and other elders came to witness this beautiful ecumenical youth fellowship.

United Church of Solomon Islands is the next host for this ecumenical gathering.

—ACOM PRESS

MISSING HCC HILUX

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Charles Kadamana
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Disgraced former clerk, Sore, spills beans on alleged misconduct by current mayor

BY CHARLES KADAMANA

A VEHICLE worth $274,000 that auditors were unable to locate during a special auditor of the City Council in 2020 has been privately used and kept by city mayor Eddie Siapu.

That’s according to the sacked city clerk Rence Sore in a report he submitted to various government authorities before he was kicked out from the job.

At the time the audit was undertaken, Siapu, the councilor for Rove/Lengakiki who was elected last month to the mayor’s position, was part of the city council executive under the leadership of Wilson Mamae.

The special audit, undertaken by the Office of the Auditor General, was initiated after the media exposed cases of alleged corruption and mismanagement within the council.

The audit found that in 2020, the council spent $1.6 million on six vehicles.

But further checks found that only five vehicles were in the possession of the council.

The sixth, a hilux worth $274,000, could not be located.

In his report, the disgraced Sore revealed Siapu kept that missing sixth vehicle and was using it as his private property.

Island Sun is seeking explanations from Siapu, who got the top job after Mamae was deposed in a vote of no confidence in March this year.

Sore said conflict of interest was evidently exposed in the procurement of motor vehicles by the audit.

However, he said despite the exposure, mitigation measures to minimise occurrence of conflict of interest was not assessed.

“Needless to say that procurement and custody of the missing vehicle was not referred to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and appropriate action.

“The missing vehicle is being privately used by Siapu,” Sore, who was sacked for alleged failure to properly manage the council, stated.

He said because of Siapu’s action, the council was handicapped to conduct conducive management of its affairs.

He added the non-availability of suitable vehicles would deny enhancement of efficient delivery of services in the city.

* More stories on the Sore Report in tomorrow’s paper

All ESP approvals done: PS Dentana

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Dentana
Permanent Secretary for Finance McKinnie Dentana.

The Government’s Economic Stimulus Package Committee has completed all approvals of applications.

This is according to the Chairperson and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, McKinnie Dentana.

Since the launch of the Economic Stimulus Package, several thousands of applications were submitted from around the nation which went through a vigorous and strict screening and selection process.

“Up to the end of April, 2021, all approvals have been completed and the committee is continuing the execution of agreements and disbursements of funds with the successful recipients. It is the desire of the Committee to complete this process by the end of May, 2021.

“It was also confirmed that all the names of the remaining approved recipients of the Package is expected to be downloaded into the public website in early May so that recipients can confirm their names before they contact the Ministry of Finance and Treasury for the formal requirements to process the payments.”

Meanwhile, the Committee is expected to compile, finalise and produce a report of the ESP initiative soon.

The ESP Oversight Committee also announced that monitoring and evaluation processes in relation to the funds disbursed will also commence this month (May).

The Government through the ESP Committee is fully committed to the accountable implementation of the ESP in the interest of wellbeing of the people, national stability and economic empowerment.

–OPMC PRESS

ESP evaluation to start this month

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The Government’s Economic Stimulus Package implementation has reached its monitoring and evaluation stages this month.

This is to assess the implementation and impact of the ESP to the national economy and the livelihoods of the people.

National evaluation specialists will spearhead the different components of the evaluation alongside an international specialist who will be jointly engaged by the Asia Development Bank (ADB).

The evaluation will be done in three stages.

The first stage will involve the designing of a randomised survey, key interview questionnaires for various targeted subjects. This stage is expected to complete in May, 2021.

The second stage of the evaluation involves conducting the actual evaluation.  It is expected that this stage will cover from June to July, 2021.

The third stage will involve working closely with the evaluation specialists and the monitoring and evaluation team to code and compile the data. This stage will flow through to September, 2021, when a report is expected to be delivered to the Government.

Following compilation of data, a report will be made to the Government.

The Proposed timeline for the monitoring and evaluation period should be from May to mid-September 2021. In partnership with the Government and the ADB, the Committee expected to engage 10 youths to support the two specialists to undertake the task. The Government through the ESP Committee is fully committed to the accountable implementation of the ESP in the interest of wellbeing of the people, national stability and economic empowerment

71-yo jailed for underage rape

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Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

HIGH Court Judge Justice Maelyn Bird has imposed a nine-year sentence on a 71-year-old man for raping a girl under 15 years of age in 2019.

Justice Bird said the offence of having sexual intercourse with a child under 15 years is very serious in nature.

She said to manifest its seriousness, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment could be imposed by the courts; this will bring home the message that the courts frown upon such offending and they are not tolerated.

She said the accused is convicted of his own guilty plea and the accused is a relative of the victim.

Ms Bird said there was a really big difference on the age in which the accused’s action does not speak well of his character towards children.

“I am also told that there is an abuse of position of trust in your case, the family and community at large expect you take responsibility of the welfare of their children and you have breached the trust placed upon you, from you’re your attitude, you are not someone to be trusted with children,” Bird said.

She also told the accused that he is a repeated offender as in 2012 he was convicted of a rape offence and was sentenced to six years.

“I must say that the court is very concerned about the prevalence of offences of a sexual nature especially sexual assault on children, it is obvious that there is total disregard of the life and total wellbeing of a child. Children have the same rights as adults and they ought to be treated with respect and dignity notwithstanding their age.

“I have heard case like yours and time again and the sentences imposed by the courts do not seem to bring home that such actions and behaviours are not tolerated and condoned by the courts. It is my view that apart from the punishments imposed by the courts, there ought to be other facilities or avenues created by our government to try and curd the increase of sexual assault cases, the increase in such case is alarming in the past years,” Bird said.

Therefore, she imposed nine years imprisonment on the accused.

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