By Alfred Pagepitu
COUNCILLOR for Rove/Lengakiki ward, Edward Siapu has been elected the new Mayor of the Honiara City Council this morning.
The election run-off for the mayor post was between Siapu and Vura ward councillor, Reginald Ngati after councilor for Kukum ward, Robert Oge withdraw his candidacy prior to the elections.
The results from the vote count was Councillor Siapu 14 votes to Ngati’s six votes.
More in our next issue:
THE death of a Chinese businesswoman in her Point Cruz shop on Tuesday morning was not only saddening, but also so disturbing.
Details of the incident are still sketchy.
But in all likeliness, she was killed when she went into her shop for another day of business.
The most fascinating aspect of this case was the timing of its committal.
According to police, this mother of two went to her shop after she dropped off her twin sons at school.
This may be around 8am or thereafter when people are commuting to work.
For sure, outside the shop at the White Angel Building, there must be people already out there.
There must be pedestrians walking on both directions of the nearby road.
Yet no one heard or knew of the killing inside the shop until the woman’s husband arrived later to seek help from nearby shops.
So this is a killing that took place in broad-daylight.
And no one heard any commotions until the body was found in a pool of blood.
The killing brings back memories of the Town Ground Easter murder four years ago, during which a Chinese couple was killed in their shop.
The couple’s security guard and an accomplice were now serving life-time sentences.
Police have committed resources to investigating the current case.
We hope the killer or killers are identified soon.
But for now, public speculations and assumptions must be discouraged.
Let the police investigate the matter. The culprits will be eventually identified.
: The second highest CDF allocation
TRANSPARENCY Solomon Islands (TSI) concerned to see the again increase of the Constituency Development Fund to $6.8 million.
This is the second highest CDF allocation for the Constituencies through their Members of Parliament (MPs).
To allocate this amount of money for the Constituencies at a time when the country is going through an economic crisis and health crisis is but very irresponsible of the MPs, regardless of which side of the house they are in.
And to allocate such an amount to go through this failed and very corrupt scheme at a time when the country needs to address the health crisis by way of doing something about the dilapidated state of health and medical infrastructures is beyond understanding, common sense and is not a sign of good and strong leadership that the Minister of Finance and Treasury is being supported for by the Leader of the Opposition.
Transparency Solomon Islands agrees with Harry Kuma who said, “if Solomon Islands is to grow and develop into a society that is economically vibrant, sustainable and prosperous then we must ensure there is political and economic stability and strong ethical leadership”.
The allocation or commitment of $330 million for CDF is most certainly not a sign of strong ethical political leadership nor will it bring about a society that is economically vibrant, sustainable, and prosperous. This is especially so when our debt stands at $1.5billion as government borrows.
Did the Executive Government borrow so as to increase each constituency’s allocation? The Constituency Development Fund Scheme is the most corrupt funding scheme there is.
It corrupts elections, it corrupts public officials, it corrupt people, it corrupts government systems, it hijacks the constitutionally assigned roles of the provincial governments and the Ministries.
For all these millions nothing much happens for the majority of Solomon Islanders.
They are crying out for the repair of their hospital [Choiseul Taro Hospital, Wagina Clinic etc.] decent school infrastructures, water supply, sanitation and the list goes on but their representatives in parliament who make decisions on their behalf are not listening.
Instead, they continue to pour funds through a failed and very corrupt CDF Scheme.
It is not strong political ethical leadership that Malaita Provinces PCDF (Provincial Capacity Development Fund) is cut and CDF is increased.
To recap, from year 2000 to 2018 a total amount of $54,300,000.00 was channeled through each Member of Parliament for each Constituency in the budget.
In the 9th and 10th Parliament an amount of $45,800,000.00 was the actual paid out under the CDF budget to each member of parliament for their Constituencies.
This is an injustice and violations of the human rights of the people whose power they exercise.
TSI in its outreach program empowering citizens with key and critical knowledge about their political, legal, and civil rights agrees with a Guadalcanal Chief when he made this comment following a heated argument with another chief and TSI quotes “Yes what you said is true and indeed we the supporters of the Member of Parliament receive the CDF, but the projects we receive is nowhere near the amounts allocated to this constituency.”
CDF has failed to bring about any of the intended outcomes.
Why not pour this fund through the PCDF Scheme a very successful scheme where tangible results can be seen throughout the constituencies?
The provincial governments are the ones that are showing strong ethical political leadership and listening to their people.
For example, in Choiseul Province, the Ward Grants is no longer handled by the Provincial Member but by the ward committees elected by the ward who then under the watchful eye of their provincial member, the Ministry of Provincial Government & Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) working together successfully complete the projects and account for the funds.
Most prefer the decision-making of the implementation of the CDF to go through this similar scheme where the CDF is divided equally among the wards within the constituency.
For this amount the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) must put in place administration and management framework to hold members of parliament accountable for how they use this money in the constituency.
As per the 2013 CDF Act that to date has not come into operation to date, constituency people’s participation in Constituency Development Plan must be a must for the $6.8million to ensure the $6.8 million intended for each constituency will reflect the value for money.
As the country enters another fiscal year, with nearly $4 billion budget currently before parliament for its passage, it is interesting to note that the CDF allocation to be paid to the Members of Parliament (MPs) remain unaffected amid this economic recession as a result of the pandemic.
More than $330 million is committed in the National Budget 2021/2022 for CDF. This fund is channeled towards the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) who in turn will issue payments to each of the 50 MPs.
It would be better and impactful if this huge amount of money is allocated to the PCDF through MPGIS or the Ward Grant through the provincial government, a funding mechanism that has and is making a big difference in the lives of people in the rural areas.
The Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) Honorable Rolland Seleso speech in parliament revealed that PCDF has been hugely cut to give way for CDF.
The government knew very well how PCDF brought about major facelift in the infrastructure development in the rural areas and provincial townships, but it prioritizes CDF than PCDF.
Given the history of CDF accounted mostly for consumable goods, TSI supports the view of the people it meets in its face to face awareness that it is high time CDF is closely monitored and assessed on performance-based, to ascertain if the constituencies are getting the value for public money in the name of their constituency.
TSI in its recent visit last month (March) to the rural areas of South Choiseul and part of North West Choiseul Constituencies.
It is an injustice to the tax payers of these constituencies to eyewitness the dilapidated and very poor state of clinic at Wagina and lack of support for communities that struggles to build their own social cohesion infrastructures.
The building that used to be the clinic at Wagina has been left idle for some years now and relocate to a run-down classroom abandoned by the school because of it was no longer safe for children.
How can such a facility then be safe for the sick and the nurse? Poor infrastructures for health and education were obvious everywhere in the rural communities, let alone the resources needed to keep the clinics and schools operational.
To the people it does not make sense that with the millions channeled through their MP there is no improvement to their services.
TSI hopes that the $6.8 million allocated for each constituency will be spent on improving poor health services in the rural areas.
Had the MPs put the CDF money into the proper mechanism to assist in health, education and other sectors in the constituency definitely nurses and patients, teachers, children, and students would not have to put their lives in a nearly-collapse building when they are sick.
The population of Solomon Islands is increasing according to the recent census; therefore, we must plan ahead for social infrastructures to handle the pressure of our rapidly growing population.
TSI commends Hon Silas Vagara for his recent move to channel CDF through the Provincial Government under ward grant mechanism.
We hope other MPs will do the same. In Choiseul, the people said they are finally seeing the impact of the ward grants under the current arrangement so why not trial it out. TSI commends People’s Republic of China too for locking its contribution to CDF to water supply and sanitation.
It is hoped that these would be proper water supply facilities. Provision of tanks will result in communities not benefiting other than the supporters of the sitting member of parliament. Transparency Solomon Islands intends to monitor the implementation of this component of the CDF for these are desperately needed in the constituencies. The amount TSI understands to be contributed by China is $1.8 million per constituency.
All members of Parliament know that PCDF and Ward Grants are well structured, tested, monitored, and have proved to be the most effective and productive means of disbursing public funds to deliver projects and achieved the desired outcome.
Sadly, the voices of the people MPs represent have not fallen on deaf ears. They hear them, they know what needs to be done, but they choose not to do anything about it other than prioritize their own interest first and if there is any crumb left their constituency might get it.
Former Prime Minister Rick Hou as the Governor of the Central Bank was the most vocal about how corrupt this scheme is. Disappointingly it is business as usual when he became a Member of Parliament.
A TWO-WEEK training for Correctional Service Solomon Islands (CSSI) field officers opened in Honiara, Monday.
Officers from provincial correctional service centres and their colleagues at Rove in Honiara are participating.
“Sound judgment is integral to effective field training officers,” CSSI Commissioner Gabriel Manelusi said when opening the training.
“The field training officer bears the responsibility not only for their own safety, but for the safety of their junior probationary officers,” he added.
“Furthermore, the field training officer is responsible for the decisions of their Commandant and the Coordinator.
“A prospective field training officer must consistently demonstrate they are capable of making good decisions on their own before they can be entrusted with the responsibility of training another officer in the field.
Manelusi said a solid body of Field Training Officers is the core component essential to the future of Governance, Prisoner programs, Visits, Personal and Professional, Regional and official visit, contractors, dynamic security, safety and how to conduct search
The field training officer’s responsibility is to prepare work plan to achieve individual work action plan extract from the Annual Business plan (ABP) Strategic direction of CSSI organisation
The training will end of April 23.
—CSSI
PUBLIC buses in Honiara are now able to apply proper hygiene practices on their daily services as USAID has made that possible through its funding that enable World Vision to freely distribute hygiene kits to them.
A total of seventy-seven buses in Honiara has been identified to benefit from the project. Twenty-five Public buses in Auki and three in Kirakira Township will also be benefiting from that BHA COVID 19 project anytime soon.
Yesterday, World Vision Solomon Islands has started the distribution of the hygiene materials to bus owners in Honiara which including hand sanitizers, masks, hand gloves and more.
Speaking to bus owners whom first turned up to receive their kits at World Vision Country Office, BHA COVID 19 Project Manager Philp Diau urged them to use the kits during their public bus services.
“The project is mainly on hygiene practices. The first component includes building of WASH stations to schools where also including soap distributions and the second component is the support to public buses. Churches and communities in Malaita, Temotu and Guadalcanal are also benefiting from the project,” Mr Diau explained.
Mr Diau also emphasized that COVID 19 preparedness is every body’s business, thus hygiene practices must always upheld.
Saint Saga from Guadalcanal Province upon receiving the hygiene kits yesterday said the kits will indeed improve hygiene practices in his bus.
“I am thankful for World Vision and USAID for this support because the kits will really improve hygiene practices in my bus,” Mr Saga said.
Meanwhile, Michael Tofe said, the free support of the kits will reduce the burden for them to purchase the hygiene kits for some time.
“When we practicing hygiene in our buses, we are also help to advocating for good hygiene practices which is very important, many people regard hygiene as not important but that is a very important thing for everyone to do especially for our children to learn from us and continue on to their lives,” he said.
–WVSI
SEVERAL major infrastructure activities in Malaita are included in the World Bank funded Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project (SIRAP).
These include maintenance and improvement of existing sealed and unsealed roads, plus four new bridges on the North Road.
The SIRAP National Steering Committee (NSC) advised at its meeting in February 2021 that procurements for the new Fiu River Bridge and maintenance of unsealed roads on Malaita be given highest priority.
For the unsealed roads, SIRAP will focus on the North Road from the airport turn-off to Dala, and the entire East Road from Dala to Atori.
The bidding period for the design and construction of the new Fiu River Bridge closed in March 2021. A technical and financial bid evaluation report will be completed for final approval by NSC in its meeting later this month.
SIRAP are hopeful that a contract can be signed in coming weeks so that detailed design of the new bridge can start within this second quarter of the year, following by actual construction in early 2022.
The Solomon Islands Government has allocated SB$30m under the Economic Stimulus Package towards the Fiu River Bridge.
The total estimated cost of the Fiu River Bridge is SB$42m with the difference to be funded through the MID 2021 Development Budget.
Meanwhile, the bidding period for the unsealed North and East Roads commenced on 30 March 2021 with national bidders being invited to submit their proposals.
MID and SIRAP held a pre-bid conference on Monday 12 April 2021 and the bidding period will close on 3 May 2021.
The World Bank approved the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the Fiu River Bridge in December 2020 and the ESMP for the Malaita Unsealed Roads is nearing completion.
These safeguard documents will ensure the protection of the environment and affected persons during the construction phase.
In parallel with these high priority works, SIRAP have also progressed preparation of bid documents for three small bridges on Malaita North Road, located at Koa, Bio 1 and Bio 2.
The fourth and final works package in Malaita under SIRAP will be the asphalt overlay of the sealed roads in Auki and out to the airport.
Australian-based company SMEC is supporting SIRAP in the procurement of Fiu River Bridge, unsealed roads maintenance, three small bridges, and sealed roads overlay.
A Construction Supervision Services Contract was signed with SMEC last month and availability of its key experts has been confirmed in preparation for construction works commencing in the second half of this year.
THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) continue to roll out distribution of the British High Commission (BHC) donated seeds and tools to the farming community across the country.
Distribution commenced last week Friday 9th April with Betikama Adventist College (BAC) and St. Joseph Tenaru boarding schools got their first share of the cake.
British High Commission in Honiara on 18th January 2021 donated the seeds and tools to MAL and the ministry (MAL) as the implementer distribute the items to identified farming groups, education institutions and community groups in the country under its Livelihood Sector – Food Security Programme in response to the impact of Covid-19.
“This is an ongoing support programme of the ministry under Livelihood and is also part of government Livelihood Sector initiative under Covid-19 Strategy for the Agriculture Sector,” Chief Field Officer of MAL, Lily Wame said.
Mrs. Wame said the support is to ensure community members and education institutions establish and expand their food gardens with early maturing vegetable seeds and basic farming tools to increase food production capability.
“Distribution starts in Guadalcanal and Honiara and will spread to the provinces adding batches of seeds and farming tools for Western Province has already sent Sunday 11th April to MAL Extension office in Western where they will supervises distribution in the coming days and weeks with the Western border communities as priority.
“MAL Food Security Programme 2021 support from British High Commission is to address the Recovery Phase for Other Provinces while an Emergency Phase for Shortland Islands in the Western Province, Choiseul and Malaita Outer Islands for Malaita Province.
“The Emergency phase referred to boarder areas that are higher risk to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Also travel restrictions is impacting livelihood of communities who live along the border with Bougainville as they often travel across the border to Buka Market to sale marine products like fish then buy vegetables and other necessities for their families.
“Therefore, this support is to assist these communities make gardens so they can still provide vegetables to their families,” Mrs. Wame emphasized.
MAL is supporting boarding schools like Betikama and Tenaru not only to support their learning but as boarding schools it want to encourage schools to go into farming and provide students with more healthy food.
Also it is good to support schools manage their costs as part of their preparation for any covid-19 pandemic restrictions – that is saving money for future disasters or restrictions.
Receiving the items, Betikama Adventist College (BAC), Principal, Partinson Bekala expressed gratitude to MAL for seeing fit to support the school with the seeds and tools.
Mr. Bekala also extended his appreciation to the British High Commission and the people of Great Britain for the kind donation through MAL to guarantee farmers or people access good quality seeds and tools to support them with their farming activities.
“This is a timely support as it will provide practical aspect to students especially in agriculture and also supplement food for the school.
“This is a way forward for BAC as we are also preparing to implement our cassava project soon which was also supported by MAL.”
Bekala said he wants to see the continuation of the programme in the future.
Sharing the same sentiments is BAC Agriculture Science Teacher Mr. Kendrick Tangoéha.
Tangoéha reaffirmed that the seeds and tools will really help students in their field practical work which will contribute a lot towards their school assessments – especially form 3 and form 5.
“The support is well-timed. Thank you MAL.” he said.
Principal of St. Joseph Tenaru Secondary School, Abraham Hihiru while applauding the government through MAL for the kind assistance assured the ministry that the items will be utilized for its envisioned purpose to support students in their practical learning – especially agriculture students and also make sure the seeds are planted to complement food for the school.
The support is part of the ongoing agriculture support programme that the ministry is implementing under its Livelihood Sector initiative to support and encourage farming groups, education institutions and community groups to make gardens around their houses or grow vegetables to subsidize food costs as aligned to the national government food security programme to counter the impacts of Covid-19.
–MAL
Election for a new mayor for Honiara has been set for April 15.
A HCC statement says, “The date for the election of the new Mayor of Honiara City has been declared by the Minister of Home Affairs Christopher Laore under section 72 of the Honiara City Act 1999, to be held on April 15, 2021.”
Deputy City Clerk Fred Warereau confirmed that the Gazette Notice has been received and all formalities will proceed.
The election must be conducted in the same manner as if it were an election of the Mayor after an ordinary election.
The notice further states that for the avoidance of doubt, the following applies: Nominations for the election of the Mayor must be done according to the standing orders of the Honiara City Council.
Also Quorum of the City Council must be in accordance with Standing Orders of the City Council.
In the event of the vote for the Mayor’s position being a tie, then there must be a one-hour recess.
After the recess the Council must resume for the purpose of casting their votes for the position of the Mayor for a second time.
In the event that the vote is still a tie, then there must be a call for fresh nominations for the vacancy of the Mayor by the City Clerk, in which the election must take place within seven days from April 15, 2021.
Nominations for the Mayor’s post will be open for 12 hrs prior to the election date.
–HCC PRESS
By EDDIE OSIFELO
FORMER Prime Minister, Rick Hou is urging the government to support the Solomon Islands Independent Commission Against Corruption (SIICAC).
He said this is due to increasing corruption practises in the country that cripples it from moving forward.
Delivering his speech on the $4 billion budget, Hou said the Commission cannot perform its role and functions without resources.
He said the proposed allocation of $2 Million must be doubled – at least.
“And then provide all the human resources and logistical support to enable the Commission get on with its job.
“Sir; doing this would not only be a tangible re-direction policy, but it would be doing the right thing for Solomon Islands,” he said.
Minister of Finance and Treasury, Harry Kuma listed three potential risks to the successful implementation of the 2021 budget, namely,
Hou said the real problem to public finances; the number one enemy to this country is it being directly under government control.
“I am talking about the problem of corruption in this country; which by and large stems from non-compliance and a lack of enforcement of laws and regulations, especially those that are revenue related.
“This is costing this country billions of dollars in foreign exchange earnings and government revenue. Because of this cancer in the public sector, the government is crippled,” he said.
“Consequently, it is unable to fund basic services, not to mention the infrastructure needs in this country because of this cancer. Sir, this is not news to anybody in this House!
“I have said it before on this floor: we don’t need new laws to improve this situation.
“For example, in his testimony at the PAC inquiry, the CBSI Governor informed there is at least $300 Million of “dead money” to be collected by the government.
“It’s ready for collection. The problem is, either those responsible choose not to collect it or they are part of the reason why it is not collected,” he said.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
MEMBER of Parliament for Small Malaita, Rick Hou has highlight some challenges Government may face with its policy to invest in growth sectors.
Minister of Finance and Treasury, Harry Kuma told Parliament last week that the $4 billion budget will deliver on the DCGA policy outcome and to ignite sustained growth in the productive sector, to produce jobs and create wealth for our people.
Hou said indeed that is normal expectations of all government budgets.
“However, under the 2021 budget, the allocations given to those ministries which are critical to achieving this objective are so meagre that a permanent secretary of one of the concerned ministries described it this way, “If you continue doing the same thing, don’t expect a different result”.
Hou said the policy to support our local farmers, producers and small businesses to compete in the global market is a bold one.
“However, we have to appreciate the realities on the ground.
“The impediments to Solomon Islands being a destination by choice for foreign direct investment are structural and administrative: not really financial,” he said.
Hou said firstly, Solomon Islands does not have economies of scale, so we cannot even start to compete.
“Secondly, by comparison to our neighbours, it is costly and not easy to conduct business in SI, so serious investors normally avoid SI.
“That means opportunities to tap on external business partnerships are quite low,” he said.
Hou said thirdly, our farmers and rural producers are not only small, but they face huge disparities which render them isolated and much of their activities disorganized.
“Carrying on business alone in remote areas of this country is unsustainable without direct government intervention,” he said.
Hou fourthly said, on government intervention lack of physical connections to markets, impede supply-flows.
“This can be addressed by decisive government action.
“Such actions should include a sustained large scale investment program in building necessary transportation infrastructure; establishment and strengthening of appropriate institutional and supporting administrative mechanisms; a sustained aggressive marketing campaign; and a wide range of financial incentive schemes,” he said.
Hou said addressing these impediments would be a good re-direction policy.
Island Sun Newspaper Limited is a privately owned daily newspaper in the Solomon Islands. Island Sun launched its first issue on Friday 6th October 2006. It began as a weekly newspaper before going twice a week in early 2007 and later publishing three times a week by the end of the same year. In 2008, Island Sun was published five days a week and later added the Saturday issue in June 2014. Plans are already underway to add a Sunday issue anytime soon.
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