Home Blog Page 935

MAL conducts coconut rhinoceros beetle awareness at St Martins

Written by
Press Release
-
0
Freda Mudu Research Officer (left) and Norman field Technician (right) demonstrating the release of fungal pathogen in the artificial breeding site at St Martin RTC.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through its Research Department has successfully delivered a one-day awareness on the management control of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) for St Martins Rural Training Centre (RTC) Agriculture students at Tenaru in Guadalcanal Province.

Held on April 20, the awareness was conducted upon request by the centre’s Principal Valeriano Kwany with the aim for the Agriculture students to learn about the long term management control option of the pest (CRB) using fungal pathogen, a biological agent to control the pest population.

“CRB is now here to stay with us and MAL is now looking at long term management control options,” Director of MAL Research Department, Mrs Helen Tsatsia said.

“MAL Research plays an important role in the long term management options for pests and diseases through its plant protection team. Support in terms of finance, more qualified officers and other resources is critical for the implementation of long management control strategies,” Tsatsia said.


Research Officers Freda Mudu (left) and Joe Keniratoa (right) giving awareness talk to St Martin RTC Agriculture Students in the Classroom.

Tsatsia said long term management options include the combination of more than one control method called Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and she said IPM strategies to manage the population of CRB are Sanitation, Chemical and Biological Control.

“All the methods require the support of farmers and other relevant stakeholders.”

The Director explained that biological control of CRB can be done using virus called Oryctes Nudivirus and a fungus species, Mertarhizium anisopliae.

“It is commonly known as green muscardine fungus (GMF).The biological agents have to be imported from overseas.

“Commercial GMF is very expensive and MAL Research has gone into producing its own supply of the fungal spores locally,” she said.

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros, was discovered in Honiara in January 2015.


Signs of recovery of palms in the area where the fungal pathogen was released in the past at St. Martin RTC.

The ministry (MAL) has carried out active campaigns to eradicate and contain it within outbreak area but was not able to do so.

To date it is now confirmed that the CRB has spread to some parts of the provinces except for Choiseul province and the worst infected provinces are Malaita, Guadalcanal, Makira (mostly Ulawa), Central Province especially Russell Islands and Ngella and Rennell and Bellona and Malaita Outer Islands (MOI).

Coconut industry and other palms are vulnerable to the invasive pest attack.

–MAL PRESS

NO POLITICS IN PARADISE

Written by
Peter Zoleveke II
-
1

China has no part in Mamara project: Ling

BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II

The Metropolis Mamara Development Limited has no link with the Chinese government and is a ‘private company’, says General Manager William Ling this week.

Ling was responding to criticisms raised especially through the social media that the company was funded by the Chinese government.

“Our company here is locally registered. From outside, a lot of people said the project is China funded which is not true! I want to clarify here that we are a private company,” Ling reiterated.

He revealed that there are five investors funding the groundbreaking project.

“The investors for this project funding are from various countries and are private investors not affiliated to any government or politically influenced. We are purely private.

“The owners of MMDL are from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. We have five investors from these countries,” he said.

“Only the workers are from China. Why we get workers from China is because of the technology and materials they are bringing in. Only Chinese people know how to use such materials for the project.”

Ling also highlighted that as the project develops through various stages more locals will get direct employment.

“Not only are we bringing in people from China, currently working on the project are 66 expatriates consisting those from China, Malaysia and also the Philippines.

“But on the ground, we employed more than 110 locals and the numbers are increasing.”

“So, the manpower for this project is to get 180 expatriates together with 800 locals, this is the whole idea.”

The MTMD project was a long-established agreement 25 years ago with the national government.

“The company developing this area is under the company’s agreement with the Solomon Islands government, namely the Mamara- Tasivarongo- Mavo Development (MTMD) Act signed by the government in 1995.

“The question is why in the past years we did not do any development, because during then we hardly got interest and genuine investors,” Ling admitted.

“Because of the land issue and luck of support from the past government for water and power supply the project was delayed.

“This time we are different. We have our partners and investors coming on board and as of today the government is supportive towards the development.

“We are now in the first phase of development where we are going to build 1,184 houses mainly for government’s public servants. Also we will open up to the general public for interested buyers. We will build three different types of houses

There are three different designs of residential building planned for the project; 368 units of Type A, each unit covers an approximate land area of 255 square meter. 310 units of Type, each unit covers an approximate land area of 202.5 square meter and 506 units of Type C, each unit covers an approximate land area of 150 square meters.

Ling also revealed that 15 Type B houses have reached its completion and will double the number in the next phase.

Meanwhile, the ground-breaking ceremony of the Mamara City project is scheduled for Friday April 29  to be attended by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare as the guest of honour.

Airlines airbus sold for $20M

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
1

By EDDIE OSIFELO

SOLOMON Airlines Limited has sold its old Airbus aircraft for $20 million (USD$2.5 million) to an American buyer on 10th March 2020.

Initially, the aircraft costs around $40 million (USD$5 million).

Chief Executive Officer, Brett Gebers revealed this to the media through a zoom interview from Australia on Tuesday.

He said the reason for the sale was because of the damage to the engines and the Board saw what was going to happen with COVID-19.

“We signed all the paper works and aircraft was transferred to the new owner on 10th March.

“On 11 March, USA closed its borders to international travels. And the moment that happens, all the old airplanes in the world were grounded.

“The moment they were grounded, there was no more demands for the old engines or the old parts,” he said.

Gebers said the result of that was they lost USD$2.5 million on the sale of the aircraft.

“However, we managed to walk away from the problem that we would have to manage for a long time to come.

“I saw the new purchaser a couple of months ago and he told me that to date they managed to sell USD$500,000 worth of parts and they are stalled with USD$2.5 million for the engines that they cannot sell,” he said.

Gebers said and they are hoping in due course the COVID-19 pandemic will come to an end eventually get their money back.

He said the loss of USD$2.5 million was reflected in 2019 accounts.

Prior to the sale, Gebers said they reached an agreement with an organisation in England to buy the aircraft but they wanted it immediately, and this was towards the end of 2019

“We could not find any aircraft that were available to cover our services between Brisbane and Honiara and Fiji etc.

“So, we elected to keep the aircraft and to take another offer for the aircraft on a lower prize,” he said.

Lever’s Russell Islands FTE forfeited

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
1

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Fixed Term Estates title held by Lever Solomons Limited over the Russell Islands in Central Islands Province was legally ‘forfeited’.

This was confirmed by Sevev Land Trust Board (Incorporated) in a notice issued to Island Sun yesterday.

The forfeiture follows an accumulation of annual rentals due to the trust board and two legal notices being served to the company on January 2015 and 16th October 2020.

Alex Bartlett, Secretary to Sevev Land Trust Board (Incorporated) said on 16th November, 2020, the Sevev Land Trust Board (Incorporated) issued a Notice of Forfeiture to Lever Solomons Limited, to pay Annual Rent due to them.

He said Lever Solomons failed to lodge a response.

Furthermore, Bartlett said on 7th December, 2020, Sevev Land TrustBoard (Incorporated) issued a Notice of Re-Entry to Lever Solomons Limited, for having failed to comply with the terms of the Notice Before Forfeiture dated 16th November, 2020, made pursuant to Section 100 Sub-section I of part VII of the Lands and Titles Act (Cap133).

He said by Instrument dated 24th March, 2021, the Registrar of Titles issued a Notice of Registration of Sevev Land Trust Board (Incorporated) Re-Entry of all of Lever Solomons Limited Properties forfeiting all Fixed-Term-Estates previously owned by Lever Solomons Limited.

“On 26th April, 2021, being 30 days after the issuance of the Registrar’s Notice, Lever Solomons Limited failed to lodge an appeal.

“By virtue of the above legal executions, the Fixed-Term-Estates previously owned by Lever Solomons Limited in the Russell Islands had been forfeited forth with,” he said.

“Consequently, by operation of law, Sevev Land Trust Board (Incorporated) had Re-Entered and taken possession and gained ownership of all of Russell Islands,” Bartlett said.

However, when the issue came to light in 2018, Russell Islands Plantation Estates Ltd (RIPEL) Chairman, Patrick Wong denied that FTEs in the Russell Islands were surrendered in 2011.

“…these FTE titles remain in the name of Lever Solomons Limited,” he said in an email.

“The documents you have located, looks like the surrender document, formed as an attachment to the Sale Agreement, which the Company had with SIG in 2011.

“This Sale Agreement was executed by the then Prime Minister, Danny Philip, and this was witnessed by about 50 people in the Cabinet room plus this signing ceremony was also witnessed by 50 people and recorded on One TV.

“If you look closer at page one, the words written and signed by a Notary Public, was signed by Dennis McGuire of Sol-Law,” Wong said.

“Why are the FTE still with LSL? – simple … because SIG never paid the Purchase Price. The Originals would still be with Sol-Law and were never ever released to SIG; to be filed with the Commissioner of Lands – Registrar of Titles.

“Therefore, any call or notation that LSL has already surrendered the FTE back in 2011 is only a dream,” Wong said.

Commissioner of Lands, Allan McNeil said he was not aware of this issue.

CAASI allows Over-aged pilot to fly

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
0

By EDDIE OSIFELO

CIVIL Aviation Authority of Solomon Islands (CAASI) has allowed the Solomon Airlines chief pilot who is over 65 years old to fly, but not as chief command.

This fact was revealed after a heated debate on social media over the decision by the Airlines management and Board to allow the Chief Pilot to fly the aircraft despite his age.

Chief Executive Officer of SAL, Brett Gebers speaking to the media on Tuesday from Australia said he has approached the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to demonstrate to the satisfaction of CAASI and IATA that this guy was medically fit and able to do the job.

He said this was all done correctly, as at the same time CAASI was supposed to file a difference with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) basically stating that “we, Solomon Islands and our people can fly over the age of 65.”

“It wasn’t done for whatever reasons,” he said.

Gebers said in Australia you cannot fire people for being over the age of 65 and Qantas is in trouble at the moment as they tried to fire a pilot over the age of 65, and who is taking them to court and in this he seems to have won.

He said Civil Aviation Authority of Australia (CASA) basically told them that “because CAASI has not filed a difference, they would not allow the manager of a flight operation to fly as a crew member in and out of Australia”.

“So, we just put another pilot on.

“But the manager of flight operations has indicated to me earlier this year that he wanted to retire in June anyway,” he said.

Gebers said it is not a problem as they are in the process of replacing him.

Airline’s $57M credit balance

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
0
Solomon Airlines airbus

By EDDIE OSIFELO

SOLOMON Airlines Limited has a credit balance of $57 million with a bigger chunk of it going towards Government departure tax and spare parts for its aircrafts.

Finance Manager, Peter Soqoilo revealed this to the media in a press conference on Tuesday.

Soqoilo said of the $57 million, around $34 million relates to Government use.

“So, the actuals we owed to the Government is around $22 million.

“Of the $22 million, the bigger component is around our leasing,” he said.

Soqoilo said the Airlines currently leased two aircrafts A320 and one of the twin outers.

“The twin outer we actually subleased that to Air Kiribati, but we still owe the less of some big substantial amount from when we are holding it up here from March 2020 to around November.

“The other bigger chunk of the $22 million is owed Pacific Turbine, those are the suppliers of spare parts for the aircraft,” he said.

Soqoilo said basically, those few suppliers accounts for bigger portion of the $22 million.

Furthermore, Soqoilo said the operation costs for the airlines in one year is $280 million to $330 million.

He said last year, airlines had made a loss of around $31 million.

Chairman of SAL, Frank Wickham said they are under discussion with the government in regards to the Economic Stimulus package.

He said this is for government to give them some relief and convert some of the outstanding dues to equity.

“The government indicated that they want to see the loan attended to as it is a concessional loan, they have given us three years grace period, interest free,” he said.

However, he said they are hoping to get more revenue from upcoming charters.

Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Brett Gebers said they are in much better position with outstanding creditors compared to Fiji airwars and Air Nuigini because their scale of their problem is much smaller.

‘Iumi Tugeda’ holiday package gains momentum: says Airline

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
0

By EDDIE OSIFELO

ABOUT 79 people have so travelled under the ‘Iumi Tugeda Holidays’ initiative to various tourism destinations around the country.

Solomon Airlines Commercial Manager, Colling Sigamanu told the media in a press conference on Tuesday.

Sigamanu said future bookings are looking good as every weekends people are traveling out on those packages.

He said there are 38 operators around the country who participate in this initiative.

“We would have put in huge discounts to make it attractive.

“And it is targeted at locals as well because of the absence of international tourists coming in, it was also an idea to try and create an avenue to attract local tourists, so they appreciate other parts of the country that our international visitors were so fascinated about,” he said.

Furthermore, he said about 24 passengers have spent 20 nights stay in various destinations in the country.

The Government through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is trying to keep the ailing tourism industry in the country afloat following travel restrictions by COVID-19. This has propelled Solomon Airlines, the Public Service Ministry, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism along with other tourism stakeholders who launched what

Victim in rape case shares story in court

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
-
0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE alleged victim in a rape case has told court that she did not report the matter to anyone because she was ashamed and sad at what her biological father (accused) had done to her.

The incident reportedly occurred in 2016 at a school in Isabel province.

She revealed her story when questioned by prosecution in a trial that is currently ongoing at the High Court before Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer.

This is the case of a man who was accused of raping his daughter in August and September of 2016.

Prosecution said the victim is the daughter of the accused with another woman. The victim, after finding out he was her father, went and resided with him when she was in high school.

The victim said in the first incident; it was during a break period, and she went to her father’s house to have some food, that was when her father asked her to have sex.

“I told him that I don’t want to, but he insisted to have sex with me, and forced me to follow him into his room, and because I was afraid of him, I just follow what he wanted,” the victim said.

The victim said that her father used to assault and talk harshly towards her that is why when he insisted, she followed him.

Prosecution also questioned the victim on whether or not she told anybody about what happened between her and her father; the victim said she did not tell anybody because she was ashamed because if the students in the school heard about such, they will gossip about her.

Regarding the second incident it happened during the night after class-prep, the victim said she came back to the house to eat that is when her father asked her again to have sex.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer Lazarus Waroka questioned the victim; that she did not tell anybody about the incidents happened because she agreed to what her father told her.

But the victim said that she did not tell anybody because she was afraid of her father.

Waroka also told the victim as to why she did not escape or shout for help when her father asked her to have sex, the victim repeated that she was afraid of her father. The trial continues today

Gender hostility remains a setback to Women Economic Empowerment

Written by
Ben Bilua
-
0
Female participants listening to speeches

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

THE 14th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women highlights that the progress of the Beijing Platform for Action on Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) has been outweighed by political, cultural and administrative challenges.

Some of the issues highlighted by panelists include; missing gaps between education systems and access to employment, lack of policy at both managerial level and political level and bulk of issues pointed back to culture and traditional stereotypes.

Sharing her thoughts on the theme ‘Solutions to end Violence Against Women and Girls Where We Play, Pray and Engage’ during the side event yesterday, Reverend Sereima Lomaloma said there is a need for balance of power within family.

She adds that community values need to speak the same language when it comes to gender issues.

Rev Lomaloma said social and cultural transformation of belief, values and attitude is key to achieve gender equality ambitions and that it is time redirect approaches toward aligning social and cultural norms towards gender issues.

She emphasised that religious organisations must participate in gender equality advocacy and awareness to bring change.

Lomaloma said most people in the Pacific are Christians and as such religious organisations can play a key role in transforming peoples’ attitude.

“All of us have a role to play,” she added.

Sharing his views, Gideon Bare from Papua New Guinea said an effective mechanism that streamline gender advocacy from regional level, national and community level is paramount to effectively implement community-based approaches towards gender issues.

He adds that more men should also join the crusade to eliminate gender issues and at the same time empower women in the pacific.

In her speech during the opening of the conference, Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Hon Marise Payne delivers a strong message saying that empowering women is giving women life.

“If we ensure women’s economic security, we ensure their safety that promote their health and wellbeing that not only benefit to women and girls but their entire community,” she said.

Payne said redirecting visions and missions can address the structure and cultural barriers that exclude and discriminate against women.

Guale women farmers hit hard by covid-19

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
-
0
Solomon Islands Women Leaders at the opening of the 14th Triennial confrence

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

Guadalcanal women market vendors who are the main producers of Honiara Central Market are no exception when COVID-19 (coronavirus) was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

According to Alice Hou, president for Guadalcanal Council of Women (GPCW), women market vendors from Guadalcanal were crippled by COVID-19 and they are still in the process of trying to recover from the impact of the virus.

Mrs Hou said this impact has caused fear, low financial earning to support farmers daily needs and livelihood, farmers escaping the virus back to their villages made market suppliers to decrease.

She said with the above impacts GPCW have stepped in with some their programmes to try and support women farmers to continue engage in economic initiative activities to keep the country’s economy afloat during this uncertain time.

Hou said they have also worked closely with constituency offices within Guadalcanal to assist not only women but men and youths in economic activities like copra, cocoa and kava production.

Permanent Secretary for Minister of Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs Dr Cendrick Alependava during the 14th Triennial conference for women in Pacific, said in recognition of the amplified economic impact of covid-19 particularly on women, ministry is now revising the National Strategy for the Economic Empowerment of Empowerment and Girls in 2021 which they also looking forward to launching it.

Minister for Ministry of Women Youth Children and Family Affairs Freda Rotutafi Rangirei at the recent commemoration of the International Women’s Day 2021 said this national strategy key objective of the strategy is to target financial literacy and inclusion measures towards the 85 percent of women engaged in vulnerable work, who are outside of the protections of formal employment.

“While the majority of women in the Solomon Islands are in vulnerable employments, I strongly believe that these are the women that has ensured the survival of families during these hard times. The strength of the women of Solomon Islands must be applauded, recognized and rewarded,” said Rangirei.

Marise Payne, Minister for Australia Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Australia when speaking during the opening of the 14th Triennial conference of Pacific women this week said the past year has been a very difficult one for the region and those challenges affecting women in the region is not diminishing.

“The pandemic forced us to confront key global health threat, boarder closes, economic insecurity and chronic supply chain interruption,” said Payne.

She said every single one has been impacted one way or another by COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Globally. The industries traditionally employing women, retail, tourism industries and informal markets economy declined and that has distressingly coincided with an increasing both women’s unpaid and very disrobing and increasing gender-based violence.

Payne said the pandemic has compromised both the accessibility and the equality of sexual reproductive health services. Even after we tackle the health threat our social and economic challenges would remain.

She emphasised in some ways the pandemic is providing an opportunity to move ahead on a different course.

“As we know even before the pandemic there were already gender equities between women and men so this moment of inflation and reflection gives us an opportunity to ensure the issues affecting women are addressed and that women played a critical role in decision making and would leading our economic recovery events.

“If we ensure women’s economic insecurity, we ensure there is safety, we promote their health and well-being that not only benefit to women and girls but to their entire communities.

“We will be working with pacific partners to strengthen the region’s economic recovery, its health security and its stability, importantly we are also partnership deliver safe and effective vaccines for our neighbors,” said Payne.

1...934935936...1,662Page 935 of 1,662