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Mamara incident must be resolved quickly

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POLICE reported a disturbing incident that occurred last Friday at the Metropolis Development site at Mamara, west Guadalcanal.

It involved a group of men who entered the site and caused damages to properties there.

Some police officers were involved, according to Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Guadalcanal Province, Chief Superintendent Alfred Uiga.

“The group of men have entered the Mamara site on three vehicles fully armed with weapons,” Uiga said.

“They moved in aggressively and chased the Chinese workers, shouting abusive words at them,” he added.

Uiga said the men went there to demand compensation following allegations a Chinese worker harassed two female local workers employed in the kitchen.

First, the alleged involvement of police officers in such incident is not only unlawful, but also unethical.

Of all people, police officers are the ones who should to be upholding the law in every circumstance.

This is why they are called disciplinary officers.

No matter how big the challenge is, police officers must at all time learn to be disciplined and law abiding.

Officers allegedly involved in this incident must be investigated and disciplined.

The alleged harassment of the two local girls by their Chinese boss, which sparked Friday’s incident, must be investigated too.

If the girls have not reported the matter yet, they should do so with the police and other bodies like the Family Support Centre.

This is a serious allegation and one that must be promptly dealt with.

No girl should be subjected to sexual harassment in their place of work.

Foreigners coming in to work need to understand they have no right to mistreat or harass their local workers, irrespective of their gender.

It is wrong both in law and custom to do that.

Metropolis Development and the police need to sort this matter out quickly to avoid further hostility and resentment.

This is important for the progress of the proposed township development.

Water supply soon to be flowing from Tina

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THE Community Benefit Sharing Project (CBSP) team are out in the community this week initiating preparations for the construction of water supply systems under component 2a of the program.

It is the final preparation work required before actual construction begins on this element of the Community Benefit Sharing Project worth an estimated $6 million.

“This month several days will be spent in the communities updating residents on the agreed water designs and discussing any final community input,” a statement Tina Hydro office issued yesterday said.

“The team, including the CBSP community water engineer, a water consultant from the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) specialising in boreholes and an environmental person covering the CBSP Environmental and social management framework (ESMF) will conduct the field work to make a final assessment of where the bore hole sites will be located and to ensure the construction aligns with the prescribed ESMF,” it added.

“Where necessary, they will also hold further community and household consultations specific to the work.”

The statement said the Water Supply and Sanitation Project, which is a subcomponent to Component 2a of the Community Benefit Sharing Program is set to positively impact more than 60 communities and 5000 residents with the improvement of the community water infrastructure.

In 2016, a preliminary survey was conducted over 88 villages in the Bahomea and Malango areas to study the water supply and sanitation status of the communities and make recommendations for possible investments under the CBSP.

A total of 16 packages were identified referred to as the ‘WASH Investment Priority List” covering densely populated communities, schools and clinics for water and sanitation installations, which the CBSP team have been reviewing since 2019.

“Work will also be completed in the coming weeks to produce a specific Environmental and Social Management Plan for the water construction,” the statement said.

“This plan will align to the World Bank CBSP Environment and Social Framework Screening as part of the upcoming activity to be presented to the communities in a pre-construction workshop.

“The sessions will be held sometime in May and before actual constructions on the water project begins.

“The CBSP team are working closely with the Water Division of the MMERE, who are conducting the final surveys, before borehole drilling commences towards the end of May.

“The full construction of the water transmission systems to communities is also scheduled to start mid-year.

“With construction of the Water Supply Systems Project now on the near horizon, procurement and tender documents for construction will be developed and distributed over the coming weeks.”

Gov’t may engage local to review federal constitution

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Eddie Osifelo
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PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the government cannot engage an eminent consultant to look into the proposed Federal Constitution report due to the corona virus.

As such, Sogavare said the government is thinking of engaging a local consultant to look at it.

Initially, the Government has engaged eminent constitutional scholar, Professor Yash Ghai to review the draft Federal Constitution.

Former Prime Minister, Rick Hou said he supported the idea to look at the report to see whether this system fits the country.

However, he was worried to see the report took 10 years to complete and costs about $200 million.

Hou said the people involved in the formulation of the report have outstanding claims of $30 million as well.

He said it is important to give timeline to people engage in the work.

However, Sogavare said the idea for the state government was stated in the Mamaloni report.

This was after the Peoples Alliance Party won a landslide victory and promised to establish Federal Government.

“We need to come up with solutions to address these costs.
“We need to think for other ways under existing system and structures,” he said.

Member of Parliament for East Are Are, Peter Kenilorea Junior asked if the idea to extend Parliament is to consider the Federal System.

Sogavare said there are issues that he is not prepared to discuss as consultation is still ongoing.

Island Sun understand to pass the Federal System, it will need two thirds of Parliamentary support.

The development of the draft Federal constitution started in 2004 with support from UNDP but the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands resisted it the grounds of cost.

Consultation started again in 2009 but could not reach any resolution.

The Constitutional Reform Unit in the Office of Prime Minister continued the work on the draft Federal report in 2011 and 2014.

The push for the change of governing system came about after bigger provinces like Western Province and Guadalcanal argued that most of the revenues in the National budget derived from their resources.

However, there were fears that smaller provinces like Rennell and Bellona and Temotu outer islands maybe victims if the country changes from this unitary system to proposed Federal system of governance because they have limited resources.

PM: 3479 vaccinated so far with no serious side effects

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AstraZeneca vaccine. Photo by NDTV.

A TOTAL of 3479 people have been vaccinated so far with no serious side effects experienced.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated this during his nationwide address yesterday.

The Prime Minister said only two cases out of the 3,479 that were vaccinated, were referred to NRH outpatient department.

However, he said both cases were unrelated to the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Prime Minister Sogavare said he was informed that it was related to other causes including anxiety and panic attacks.

“As of 16th April a total of 3479 within the prioritized groups for vaccination in Honiara have received their dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.

This is only 49 percent completion rate, which leaves 3522 doses yet to be administered,” Prime Minister Sogavare said.

He said the breakdown of those who have taken their vaccinations are as follows:

  • Health workers – 1012
  • RSIPF/CSSI – 740
  • Airport staff 214
  • Seaport staff including stevedores – 167
  • Immigration 29
  • Customs 66
  • Hotel Staff – 202
  • Teachers 24
  • Banks 20
  • Students 22
  • Bilateral and multilateral personals 57
  • Other essential workers 336
  • Others 589

The Prime Minister also announced that the Ministry of Health and Medical Services are now inviting the following groups of people to get their vaccinations at the Central Field Hospital.

  1. Everyone above 18 years of age that have co-existing sickness such as diabetes or high blood pressure or asthma
  2. All adults above 40 years old that do not have any co-existing illness
  3. Family members of front-liners that are above 18 years of age
  4. Members of national sporting teams that will travel to represent the country in overseas sporting events such as the 2021 Olympics, Regional Futsal competitions
  5. All staff of shipping agents that board foreign vessels when clearing vessels
  6. All stevedores in Honiara and especially in Western province
  7. All staff in government ministries that serve on counters and interact with members of the public including staff of:
    a. the Ministry of Finance and treasury,
    b. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External trade,
    c. Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development
    d. Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, and
    e. All teachers in Honiara based schools
    f. Staff from the Fisheries sector
  8. All staff that serve on counters and interact with members of the public in Banks, the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund, SOEs including SIWA, SIEA, Post Office, Solomon Airlines, Solomon Islands Ports Authority, and members of the Boards for these SOEs
  9. Members of the Clergy and Church Leaders
  10. Staff of Multilateral, international, regional organisations
  11. Staff of diplomatic missions

Prime Minister Sogavare said it is advisable that those with existing medical conditions, to bring their medical cards with them.

“This first roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination in Honiara will close on Friday 30 April 2021.

“This is to allow the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to focus on the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination in Choiseul province, Western province, and Malaita Outer Islands,” he said.

Prime Minister Sogavare said this will also allow the Health Ministry to finalize its plans for the rollout of the Sinopharm vaccines.

“Vaccination remains the most effective way in which we can combat the COVID-19 global pandemic,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the Chair of the National Coordinating Committee on COVID-19 Vaccines will provide further information on scheduling of vaccinations by groups in the coming days.

Policy on G-vehicles

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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THE Ministry of Infrastructure Development has passed a policy last year to control Government vehicles.

Deputy Prime Minister and also Minister of MID, Manasseh Maelanga confirmed this when asked during the Committee of Supply in Parliament yesterday.

Member of Parliament for West Are Are, John Maneniaru raised this issue following a number of traffic accidents involving government vehicles in recent weeks.

Maelanga said the ministry has a policy to purchase vehicle and allocate to the ministries.

He said his Permanent Secretary had already gave advice to the ministries on the new policy.

Furthermore, MP for Aoke Langalanga, Mathew Wale asked how many G-plate vehicles the ministry will purchase this year.

Maelanga said the amount provided in the budget will cater for purchase of vehicles this year.

About $8.4 million was allocated under the Ministry’s budget to purchase new vehicles.

In the meantime, the public has raised concern on social media after two G-plated vehicles were involved in road accidents over the weekend.

Scholarship budget reduced by half

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Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

Scholarships for in-country students has been hit hard this year following a half reduction in its budgetary allocation.

Minister of Education and Human Resources, Lannelle Tanangada said a reduction from the 2020 revised budget of $105,250,466 to $50,000,000 in 2021, sees 52.5 percent cut. 

She said the actual expenditure in 2020 was $98,387,932. 

“It needs to be highlighted that this will have significant impact on the new 1,000 in-country scholarships allocated for this year. 

“There is reduction in the budget by $108,053,581 which is 26.96%,” she said.

“I need to state that SITESA is likely to experience challenges to fund for both ongoing scholarships and new 1,000 scholarship in 2021. 

“It is estimated that a budget of $107 million would be adequate to fund the in-country scholarship – an increase of $57 million is needed,” she said.

“Again my Ministry will need to come up with cost-cutting measures and to respond to the short-falls in the scholarship budget,” she said.

Minister Tanangada said the primary education grant has been sliced from $94 million in 2020 to $69 million this year.

This is a drop by $25 million, while the actual expenditure for 2020 was $101,730,347, which was over the estimated budget by $5,483,745. 

She said this is the largest sector in education, accounting for approximately 65 % of students annually. 

“It is important to restore this budget cut for this critical sector and as such a bid is proposed to be done,” she said.

Further to that, she said her Ministry has also asked DFAT to top-up the school grant budget by $24 million and they have agreed. 

“I would like to thank the continued generosity of the Australian Government in its support of our education sector,” she said.

Loggers into shipping means trouble’

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

Loggers moving into an already struggling shipping industry spells trouble, warns shipping Industry leader, Charles Welchman Rubaha.

Mr Rubaha is reinforcing Opposition Leader Matthew Wale’s call for government to act on this invasion by loggers into the shipping business.

Mr Wale had voiced his concerns during the parliament debate of the 2021 budget last week. Government has not responded to his call.

In a letter to the ministry of infrastructure development, chairman of the country’s maritime transportation association, Rubaha, said “shipping industry in the country faced problems and once loggers involved and run shipping it will affect the local shipping companies in the country.

“Locals running shipping services in country, are running at a huge risk as operation costs for shipping services are way too high and what the government should do to help the industry, they should provide some subsidies to support the local shipping industry in the country.

“Shipping industry in country now crippled due to the inundation of logging vessels entering the domestic shipping business.

“The loop hole that has allowed landing crafts, tugs and other vessels registered under the logging companies must be stopped and reversed.”

In the letter the association adds that logging industry enjoy a few tax and duty exemptions which include but is not limited to spare parts, machineries and even fuel and with those exemptions allows logging companies to lower their overheads and operating budgets, and as such they have much cheaper freight charges and low fares and when backed with their own workshops for maintenance, they make their profits on the other hand, locally owned and domestically operated shipping cannot compete with them.

DETAILS OF ‘BRUTAL KILLING’

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Jennifer Kusapa
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The scene of the crime: PHOTO CHARLES KADAMANA

–Dead Chinese mother had made phone call to husband for help: Police

–Several stab wounds

–Broken kitchen knife blade embedded in wound

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

Police have disclosed disturbing details into Tuesday’s killing of a Chinese woman, an incident which police have described as a “brutal killing”.

The dead mother-of-two had made a phone call to her husband pleading help, police said.

It is unclear at this point whether the call was made during the attack or after.

Police adds that there are “several stabs to her body and back”.

In one wound, the broken blade of a kitchen knife was left embedded deep into the flesh, police adds.

Police are yet to come up with any suspect.

Materials from the footage of cctv cameras, as of yesterday, were yet to be viewed by police.

In his weekly media conference yesterday, Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau said, “the deceased’s husband received a call from his wife that she has been attacked.”

Mangau said the husband was at their home in Ranadi when he had a call from his wife that she has been attacked.

“The husband received a call from his wife help me, help me, help me and that is when the husband rushed to their shop only to find that the shop was still locked,” Mangau said.

“Police were alerted to assist and Fire department, Police Response Team together with Forensics and Criminal Investigation Department attended and forced entry from the neighbouring shop and went inside the shop and found the wife laying down inside pool of blood.

“It was a brutal killing with several stabs to her body and back where police also saw that a kitchen knife broke on her back, and from there the body was taken to the National Referral Hospital for a post mortem to be conducted and that was already done on Wednesday and police are currently waiting on the Doctor’s report, and the report will take a week or two before it is ready,” Mangau said.

Honiara woke up to the disturbing news that the body of a Chinese woman had been found in her shop on Tuesday morning this week.

Initial reports said she had dropped off her twins at their school and came to open up the shop when the incident occurred.

Commissioner Mangau said investigation is continuing.

267 in quarantine

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King Solomon quarantine site .

A total of 267 persons are currently undergoing the mandatory quarantine in the Government-managed Quarantine Stations. At present only one person is covid-19 active, and accommodated at the NRH Isolation unit.

National Disaster Council (NDC) in a statement yesterday said these are the latest arrivals on a series of Charter and Cargo flights from the 2nd to 11th of this month. 10 flights were scheduled for this month.

Arrivals consisted of returning nationals whose quarantine costs are fully paid by the government, and dozens of expatriates exempted to enter the country who meet most of their costs of quarantine.

NDC through Camp Management Sector Committee (CMSC) since activated for managing Quarantine Stations has registered and quarantined more than 3,400 returning nationals along with foreigners. CMSC continues its crucial role in managing all Quarantine Stations with a limited number of front liners after its scale-down operation since last month.

In the meantime, the government  has stopped its repatriation flights as of February and all overseas remaining Solomon Islanders will return through normal weekly Friday scheduled cargo flights of Solomon Airlines and other approved flights.

–NDC PRESS

Western border covid-19 response plan endorsed

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Police officers patrolling the Western border with Bougainville. PHOTO ABC

The Oversight Committee has endorsed the Western Border COVID-19 Response Plan 2021.

The plan was developed by National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) with inputs from the National Disaster Operations Committee (N-DOC) which have teams engaged in the joint response at the Western Border.

National Disaster Council briefly highlighted in a statement that the Response Plan was developed in keeping with the Government’s intention to step-up response at the Western Border following the surge of COVID-19 cases in our neighbour Papua New Guinea.

“The plan utilises a series of scenarios to guide responses to be used by the multi-agency response teams stationed at the border.

“Based on the response plan, each agency has prepared their Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for swift response should there be a breach of border travel restrictions and protocols,” the statement said.

NDC said the plan will guide Government agencies such as Health, Police, Customs, Biosecurity, Immigrations, Provincial Emergency Response Team, Western and Choiseul Provincial Governments, with the support of FAMOA Council of Chiefs.

Coordination of the SIG Joint Operations Team (SIG-JOT) at the Western Border will be managed through the On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) at Nila station, Shortlands by a multi-sectoral government team.

Latest figures from our neighbour PNG’s National Pandemic Controller Office shows their total number of COVID-19 cases soared to 8,984 as of this week with 170 new cases and 2 new deaths. Autonomous Region of Bougainville recorded 2 new cases, which brings their total to 149 cases so far.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his nationwide address this week repeated his call on people over 18 years living in border communities to be vaccinated when the Government’s vaccination programme reaches them.

–NDC PRESS

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