OPPOSITION Leader, Matthew Wale has questioned the capacity of all government ministries to implement the $4 billion budget in the remaining eight months.
Delivering his budget speech in Parliament last Friday, Wale said all ministries are confident in their capacity to implement their budgets.
“However, it is important to note the historic low execution rates recorded by some ministries and see if this is due to capacity constraints and whether any such constraints have been addressed,” he said.
Wale reflected on agriculture from 2016 to 2020 which had an average execution rate for recurrent expenditure is 65%, and Development budget is 35%.
“And in 2019 and 2020, Ministry of Agriculture recorded the highest number of virements (totalling 3.6m in 2019 & 4.4m in 2020).
“A look at the virements is a reflection of the robustness of the budgeting process and budget execution capacity.” he said.
Wale said Forestry – 2016-2020: average execution rate: Recurrent 68%; Development:32%; Virements are also an issue.
He said Fisheries – 2016-2020: Budget execution rates, Recurrent 67%, Development 33%; Virements are heading in the wrong direction.
Wale said the historical evidence is clear that government’s budget implementation is a very real challenge.
“Of course, there are any number of issues that may contribute to this problem.
“Government’s announced reduction of the size of the public service must take this serious matter into consideration, to ensure an already weak budget execution capacity is not further eroded,” he said.
“Have the constraints to budget execution been addressed? This is not clear from the budget documents themselves.
“However, the ministries, by and large, have confirmed there has been no real change to their capacities to implement the budget,” he said.
Wale said in light of this, therefore, it is not unreasonable to conclude that “we are to expect similar budget execution rates in 2021 or perhaps even worse, and given only another eight months remaining for this budget, we are to expect that some budget outcomes may not be delivered as stated.”
Leader of the Opposition, Matthew Wale has slammed DCGA government for not allocating enough fund in the 2021 Budget to address gender-based violence which he says has increased sharply.
Wale when debating on the on the 2021 Appropriation Bill on Friday said the government clearly does not take seriously the scourge of domestic and gender-based violence in our society beyond the rhetoric.
“If it did, the size of allocations would show it,” Wale said.
“We are not unlike any other country in the world in this matter unfortunately.
“Gender based violence has increased sharply in recent times, at least by 15 percent where records are kept, and we don’t even have a proper recording system for this problem,” Wale said.
Wale said the need for refuge or safe houses in each province is both urgent and desperate.
He said the Government cannot continue its current business as usual attitude to this problem in our midst.
“It must collaborate with the churches and NGOs and invest in a rollout of safehouses across the nation, whilst simultaneously adopting a proactive preventative approach.”
He added that given the urgency and desperation of this situation, it is important that government considers renting properties for safe houses, as it plans for long term solutions.
“There is nothing in this budget to address this cancer. Is it because this problem predominantly affects women, young girls and children?” Wale questioned.
He said that in difficult uncertain times, “we must unite to fight together. Such unity is empty if we continue to turn a blind eye to the weak, the marginalised, the suffering, the abused, the violated in our midst.
“I am very ashamed of this blatant, and it seems deliberate, neglect. We continue on with our insulated lives oblivious to the suffering of our women folk.
“This is not the Solomon Islands society we want to see or build,” he said.
Wale said the Government must show more empathy and compassion.
“Health safety and social safety are connected to national security – surely there is somewhere in these cold-blooded calculations that we can find to fit in funding for our vulnerable and abused women, girls and children.
He made a direct appeal to the PM to intervene personally in this matter and find serious funding to adequately respond to this great need.
THE Landowning tribes of Munda have decided to shut down the Ziata water source, again.
This was confirmed to Island Sun by spokesman for GMMV Tribes, Mr Rex Biku, yesterday.
Biku said they were expecting the national government to respond positively to their goodwill.
He said that they submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on March 8 this year. Since then the government has not responded.
“Hereof the GGMV Tribes appeal and take to your attention a 14 days grace period to reconsider your decision of how and why you reject our request and please respect our tribe’s intention to meet with your delegation concerning the subject matter.
“But since the government has not responded to our request to sort the issues surrounding the water source, we’ve decided to shut down the source again this after,” Biku told Island Sun.
He said government failed to respond to their letter to the Prime Minister on various issues surrounding the source.
“These issues include ownership and payments,” he said.
Mr Biku said it is clear the government does not want to listen to them.
“If the government fail to response within the 14 days grace period of date they received our letter, the GGMV tribes will demand SIWA to closed down Ziata Customary land Water Pump Station and took in charge of the Water Pump Station key from the Solomon Islands Water Authority (SIWA) at Noro until such time the Government and responsible authority step in to settle our grievances.
“Sadly, we understand the closure of Ziata Pump Station will affect prominent businesses in Noro, such as SOLTUNA, NFD and other Government and private business households in Noro Township and the Noro residents.
“Least we cannot dwell on providing free service to the government whereas the resource owner received nothing from our resource.”
The landowning groups who are behind the action include Gumi, Gemu, Veo, and Miabule.
Chiefs in the Shortland islands have conveyed their support for the covid-19 vaccine rollout in their communities.
In a media statement over the weekend, the Health ministry applauded FAMOA Council of Chief in the Shortland Islands, Western Province for confirming their support towards the Ministry’s planned deployment and roll out of COVID-19 vaccines along Shortland communities that are in close proximity to Bougainville.
Bougainville, recently recorded increases in the number of COVID-19 cases and coupled with occasional illegal border crossings, Shortlands including western borderline communities in Choiseul province and the Malaita Outer Islands (MOI) are areas of great concern, for possible entry of COVID-19 that can potentially trigger community transmission.
This led to the inclusion of communities along the western border as priority groups to receive vaccination. Thus, a total of 17,000 vaccine doses have been allocated for all persons 18 years and above along these communities.
As part of the vaccine roll out, health has commenced deployment of national health staff with personals from surveillance, clinical and risk communication and so forth to support ongoing joint borderline operations and vaccine awareness and training of vaccinators. This week vaccine awareness was conducted for FAMOA Council of Chiefs in Shortlands where pre awareness survey conducted showed that only 33 percent of the FAMOA members supporting the uptake of the vaccine. Post awareness survey showed all chiefs.
confirming their support towards the vaccines and pledged their willingness to support the roll out.
Health Permanent Secretary Mrs. Pauline McNeil said that the Ministry of Health is very pleased to learn of the 100 percent support confirmed by the FAMOA Council of Chiefs.
“Thank you FAMOA Council of Chiefs for your support, the ministry applauds the decision undertaken as it will preserve the health of our people in Shortlands and the rest of the country once we vaccinate all persons 18 years and above”,
“This is so because having most-at-risk vaccinated will prevent them from being sick, hospitalized or die from COVID-19 and more importantly prevent spread of the virus to others”, explained Mrs McNeil.
She also added that health will be doing the same with provincial and communities’ leaders in Choiseul and Malaita provinces in the coming days to rally support of these important individual for a smooth roll out of vaccination scheduled for coming days.
Ministry of Health is reiterating calls to the public to ensure that everyone only listen to accurate and right information from reputable sources such as the Ministry of Health including others such as WHO and UNICEF for information on vaccination.
More deployments of national health staff to support provincial health teams to prepare for the roll out of the vaccines along the western border communities is in progress.
LEADER of Opposition, Matthew Wale is worried about the state of the National Referral Hospital (NRH) describing it as an institution desperate on a number of fronts.
In his speech on the 2021 Appropriation Bill in parliament on Friday, Wale said the infrastructure is so dilapidated making it a very challenging workplace.
He said the hospital corporate governance is chained to public service processes and procedures that are inefficient, unresponsive and are probably not appropriate for a peak hospital dealing with people’s health, life and death.
“Its clinical governance is in a perilous state, long neglected.”
“This situation is totally unacceptable and has become untenable,” he added.
“NRH needs a total transformation, and this need is both desperate and urgent, not for the pacific games, but for our people and the health professionals that work at the NRH,” said Wale.
Wale said it is blatantly obvious that the NRH needs an independent board to manage it at an arm’s length from the ministry.
He also adds that the budget must still be fully funded by government, but an independent Board should have responsibility for its own planning, development, governance, staffing, and performance.
He said the Hospital equipment budget needs to be adequately funded. NRH must now have equipment for dialysis treatment. 20% of deaths at the NRH are due to kidney failure.
“This is a significant percentage, and government must take action. It is good policy to tax plastics, sugar and soft drinks.
“I suggest that government add salt to that list”, he said.
Hon Wale further urged the government to ring fence the revenue collected from these taxes, and from alcohol and tobacco for health expenditure directed at the NCD crisis, and the need for appropriate equipment at our hospitals, especially the NRH.
“Ringfencing this revenue to health would also enable funding and the long-delayed roll out of the role-delineation policy to commence,” he said.
A new eight-ton dump truck and other road work materials have been successfully delivered to the constituency recently.
The Small Malaita Constituency Office this week issued a statement that much needed equipment and materials required for its road infrastructure project had been successfully delivered recently.
The statement said the consignment which consists of a new eight ton dump truck, fuel, culverts, gravels and other hardware materials for the road construction were transported on a chartered boat on Tuesday 30th March 2021.
The new truck for road construction on South Malaita
The Small Malaita Constituency Office said the new dump truck and materials are funded under the PRC funding from last year.
The SMC Office said that the inclusion of the new dump truck will boost road works as it has a large capacity in terms of its tonnage. They said that with the arrival of the new truck the current fleet of various road machineries now stands at 9 machines.
The statement added that the development of road network is vital as it provides linkage between the surrounding communities to the Afio Township.
“The road infrastructure project is the first priority under the Small Malaita Constituency Infrastructure Development Programme which we have been working on in the last Six years”, the CDO said.
He said road construction work is underway at the moment and is expected to reach Rorongo by the end of April 2021.
LOCAL fish vendors in Lata are suggesting the Temotu Provincial Government and its Fisheries department provide a proper fish marketing facility.
The call was made as fish vendors feel that the present selling area is a risk as it is part of the Lata wharf and a cause for disturbance when ships conduct loading and unloading on the wharf.
The other two buildings that were already built are used for marketing were mainly market vendors selling, cooked foods, vegetables, root crops and other varities are using.
This has been a great concern from fishermen around santa cruz island and the outer islands.
Mary, a fish vendor from a village near Lata town argued that it has been an unresolved problem which the Temotu provincial government (TPG) should put to consider.
Andy a representave from Neo fish vendors suggests that, “ if the Temotu Provincial Government (TPG) looks at our interests they would provide funds to construct a proper permanent concrete slab and roofing to shelter us fish vendors who are providing business at the Lata fish market”.
“Those fish vendors use canvas layed on the ground to do their selling which is not really good enough.
So many times they have to slash prices just to get rid of their catch, beacuse therer is no proper storage facilities for them to store their catch. This is a major challenge faced by Temotu fishermen.
A fisherman from Neo adds that “Lata Market its just like an additional home to us;this is our second home and the only place for us fish vendors, this is where we generate our daily income for the survival of our families”.
Most of the fisherman are from Nende island and some from nearby islands, who fish as far close to the Reef island with most around Tinakula fishing grounds.
Fishermen from Neo usually set out to fish very early in the morning about 4:00am and came back to sell their catch at lata market around 3:00pm. They spend the whole day at sea.
Nagoibo villagers on Isabel predict that within a generation, their village will be eaten up by the sea if action is not taken to mitigate the effects of sea level rise. PHOTO ALFRED PAGEPITU
BY ALFRED PAGEPITU
The coastal community of Nagoibo on Santa Isabel Province in Solomon Islands is one of the most vulnerable places in the country to the impacts of climate change. It is threatened by rising sea levels and experts say massive mangrove planting could protect their village from the devastating impact of erosion, wave surges and floods.
Until recently, villagers are beginning to see the importance of mangroves and are engaging in mangrove planting initiative.
The mangrove planting initiative by the community comes at a time that many Pacific Island Communities are turning to mangrove reforestation to mitigate some of the effects of sea level rise.
Mangroves being planted at Isabel
The importance of mangroves to the eco-system was emphasized by University of the South Pacific School (USP) of Marine lecturer, Dr Stuart Kininmonth based in Suva, Fiji, who described mangroves as the interface between the land and marine environment. The School of Marine has been leading mangrove planting initiative in communities around Fiji.
While communities in Fiji have been benefiting from research-based institutions such as USP assisting communities in mangrove planting and rehabilitation initiatives, communities such as Nagoibo are not waiting for government or outside assistance to kick start their defence against the rising tide.
Nagoibo village, on the West Bugotu District of Isabel Province is one of the communities inundated by rising sea levels.
The village is located on the coast, near a low-lying coastal strip of land boarded on the landward side by creeks, swamps and hills.
People depend on nature for survival. But when the ecosystem is in danger, they are the ones who fear their homes being flooded and they worry about the inability to sustain their livelihoods into the future.
Long-time resident of Nagoibo village, 90-year-old Kadesh Kohe said that one of the most visible effects of sea level rise on Isabel is shoreline erosion.
90 year old Kadesh Kohe says mangrove planting is the only option to stem the continouos devastation to their shoreline
She said their community is experiencing the environmental threats due to sea level rise, which causes more extreme changes that continue to affect their Village.
“Waves and current never stop moving in, it continues to crawl into our village. As waves reach further in our shore, it kills huge trees that hold the ground along the shoreline including coconut trees.
While she has been around for many years, Mrs Kohe predicts that by the next generation they will lose their beautiful village to the sea, if necessary action is not taken.
She mentioned mangrove planting as the only workable solution they can think of to lessen the effects of rising sea-levels.
Nagoibo shoreline slowly being eaten up by the seaMangroves provide shelter for many coastal communities in the Solomon Islands from the sea
“We have no option but to plant more mangrove and trees to stand this force of nature,” she said.
Village chief, Charles Eteto also sounded the alarm adding that Nagoibo will not have any future if the current impacts are not challenged.
He said a village-based mangrove planting programme has been worked on the coastline, to help stem the flow of salt water inland.
“I believe mangroves can help lessen the impacts of tropical cyclones and bad weather which are becoming a normal occurrence in the region.
Chief Charles Eteto pointing to the dangers posed to his community by rising sea levels
“Once these occurrences happen, there is bound to be infrastructure damage and risk to human lives and as such there is importance that we use mangroves as deterrence to these phenomena’s,” he added.
The importance of mangrove to the eco-system is important, this is a fact amplified by Dr. Stuart Kininmonth Senior lecturer at the University of the South Pacific (USP) School of Marine, who described mangroves as an interface between the land and the marine environment.
He said there is a need to protect the mangrove eco-system around the world.
He stressed that mangrove planting has been very successful, especially in Fiji, partly because it’s a very low-skill so it means you can get young school children to older people to basically plant mangroves and as long as it’s done in the right location, with the right species and the right time, its normally very successful.
“The biggest issue though is it raises awareness on why people should continue with mangrove planting, why the need to maintain and keep them going.,” Dr. Kininmonth added.
He however, added that mangroves are not being spared the effects of climate change as mangroves have inexplicably died for no real apparent reason.
Climate change has also destroyed the mangrove habitat at Nagoibo
“It seems that most of the problems are to do with temperature which then affects salinity and then it’s about the mangroves dealing with the changing environment and so the increase in temperature means the mangroves then have to do a range of different activities with their leaves which allows them to do respirations and photosynthesis and that allows them to grow or not to grow.
“So, climate change is going to have an impact on mangroves, partly to temperature, partly to rainfall changes and also sea level changes which will be the biggest short-term problems,” Dr Kininmonth added.
In the Solomon Islands, mangroves are managed under customary tenure systems, with resource owners and/or chiefs making decisions with regards to the use and management of the mangrove forests. According to a 2013, World Fish report, the government supports a community-based management approach to mangrove rehabilitation in the country.
Communities such as Nagoibo are looking towards the mangrove to help mitigate some of changing patterns they have seen with the rising tide of late.
“We only need government support in terms of expert advice to help us in our efforts to save our village, Chief Eteto remarked as he looks over the horizon.
* This feature story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) under its Asia-Pacific Project 2020.
Leader of Opposition Mathew Wale. Picture Supplied
Wale warns Mining path to follow Logging misfortunes
By Alfred Pagepitu
THE Leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale has warned that the shift by former logging companies into the mining sector will perpetuate the exploitative economy that impoverishes the large majority of Solomon Islanders who are increasingly marginalized
Mr Wale was speaking in his debate on the 2021 Appropriation Bill in Parliament yesterday.
He stressed that in-country mineral processing was included in the government’s redirection policy, however no programme or funding was made available to advance this policy.
He said the manner in which tenements have been allocated betray three things:
“Firstly, there are former loggers who have migrated to mining and are holding licenses. We can take from this that the practice of merely extracting resources and shipping them overseas will continue.
“Just as in logging, it will be difficult to see processing with such operators.
“Further, the corruption with transfer pricing will continue as with logging. This represents bad choices. Secondly, processing requires economies of scale to be viable.
He said by allocating small tenements to many small companies, the government has shot itself in the foot and precluded the possibility of processing in-country.
“This questions the government’s sincerity in its redirection policy statement.
Mr Wale further points out that the quality of the investors holding tenements leaves much to be desired.
He mentioned that all these factors combine to betray that fact that the mining industry will become like the logging industry – a get-rich-quick industry for foreigners.
“This industry will perpetuate the exploitative economy that impoverishes the large majority of Solomon Islanders who are increasingly marginalized. There are just too many poor choices being made in this. Should we blame our founding fathers for this?
On the long run, the Mining sector from 2016-2020 contributes an average of 0.1 percent of the total government expenditure.
Mr Wale stressed that this sector contains some low hanging fruit, given the current economic situation and the need for government to make revenue gains.
Mr Wale also spoke of the need to have a geoscience lab (Geochem. & petrological lab) fully funded.
This he said is key to the government assessing the true quantity and value of ore shipped overseas.
“It is also critical to determining the right international market price applicable to the grade of ore,” he added. …More on his budget speech in our next edition
Guadalcanal Premier, Francis Sade has thrown support behind Malaita Premier's move to take the RCDF issue to court.
THE Premier of Guadalcanal Province, Francis Sade has thrown support behind the recent public statement of Malaita Premier challenging the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) scheme in court.
The support was relayed in a meeting called between the two leaders yesterday by the Guadalcanal Premier.
He welcomed and strongly supported the recent public statement by Premier Suidani of Malaita province to take the RCDF Scheme to court.
“Hon colleague my government has been discussing the matter with the same view you have had. Thank you for taking the lead and that I and my government are in full support of this important move.
“I am also reaching out to our other colleague premiers to support this important call. So far many have shown support”.
The Guadalcanal leader emphasised that “As elected leaders of our peoples, this is what we are elected to do. Ensuring that schemes including the RCDF that are operated in this country are done within the bounds of our constitution and other relevant laws.
“We can no longer watch and pretend all is good. That kind of thinking and behavior has no place in modern Solomon Islands”.
Sade assured Mr. Suidani that they are all in this business and that the two premiers have agreed on a framework to start pulling resources together for this court action.
