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Quarantine centres fail those with disabilities

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Government has not prioritised facilities for People Living With Disability (PLWD) in the quarantine centres during the coronavirus pandemic.

These include pathways for people on wheel chairs and rest rooms facilities for them to access.

Unlike most quarantine centres in Honiara, only the bottom floors are accessible to them but not the top floors because of no lifts and pathways.

A member of People With Disability Solomon Islands (PWDSI), Naomi Tai said the Government response to people like them is not a priority and inclusive despite a policy in place for them.

She said most infrastructures in Honiara are no disability accessible.

“If there is a covid-19 outbreak and some of them test positive, where will they be quarantine?

“This is something the government need to look at when selecting quarantine centres,” she said.

Special Secretary to Prime Minister, Dr Jimmy Rodgers told a public forum at National Museum and

Auditorium yesterday that the government prioritised people living with disability.

Dr Rodgers said the field hospital at Multipurpose hall caters for people living with disabilities.

About 163 people living with disability are living in Honiara.

Fifty are under the Solomon Islands Deaf Association, 33 under the Blind Association of Solomon

Islands and 80 in Physical Impairment.

A study carried out by Save the Children Fund (SCF) Australia and the Ministry of Health and Medical

Services in 1991-92 found that there were approximately 10,000 people with disabilities in the

Solomon Islands. 

However, the number should be increase now as the country’s population surpasses 700,000.

According to a review report, past and present governments have come up with policies to recognise

people living with disability in social, education and all sectors of the society.

The Government signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in September

2008; its optional protocol in September 2009.

The then National Coalition for Rural Advancement (NCRA) Government has reviewed the Solomon

Islands National Disability Policy 2005-20101.

This Policy is now known as the Solomon Islands National Policy on Disability Inclusive Development

Policy.

However, Cabinet is still to endorse the policy to allow Ministry of Health and Medical Services to

allocate budget for disability programmes in the country.

Further to that, the Government has developed an Inclusive Education Policy to recognise people

with disability in the education system.

The Government has also presented its initial, second and third report to the Convention on the

Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee in 2014.

The Family Protection Act was passed by Parliament in 2014, which recognises PLWD as well.

The current Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG) came into power in December

2014 and has prioritised disability in its policy.

Consequently, the Government has not review and endorsement of Persons With Disability (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Bill 2006.

MASI urges journos to take the vaccine

Written by
Press Release
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MEDIA Association Solomon Islands Vice-President Douglas Marau has taken the lead in encouraging journalists around the country to be vaccinated when their time comes.

Mr Marau was one of the first group of people that were vaccinated during the Vaccine Launch on Wednesday last week.

The MASI vice president said journalists should also be categorized as front liners as they always have to be at ground zero whenever something happens.

“Media people play an important role in Solomon Islands covering events and incidents day in and day out and it is no different in the work they are currently undertaking during this pandemic,” he said.

That said, Marau encouraged journalists to also take the vaccination when their time comes.

“This is to protect yourself, your colleagues, your families and our nation as a whole,” he said.

Marau said there are incidents in other countries that journalists have also contracted Covid-19 in the line of duty.

Moreover, the MASI vice president also requested that health authorities also consider our journalists to be amongst frontliners that are on the list to be vaccinated.

Marau said ensuring our reporters’ safety also ensures that Solomon Islands can also stay informed.

Meanwhile, Marau has also acknowledged the important role media continue to play during the pandemic.

He said journalists including media personnel in the country have been at the forefront in ensuring our people are kept well informed.

“Keep up the good work,” the MASI vice president said.

–MASI PRESS

CUT, CUT, CUT

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Permanent Secretary of Forestry, Vaeno Vigulu

Government issued 435 licences to logging companies

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Forest and Research has issued a total of 435 licences to logging companies operating throughout the country.

These include 281 valid licences and 154 operation licences.

Permanent Secretary, Vaeno Vigulu confirmed this when asked by Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete in Parliament this week.

However, PS Vigulu said the ministry only has 135 officers to monitor all the logging operations in the country.

He said this is a ratio of one officer per five operating logging companies.

Chairman Ete urged the PS to take up a business case to Cabinet so that the ministry can recruit more operation officers to impose the compliance measures on the logging companies.

Ete said this is important to avoid logging companies robbing the government when exporting logs overseas.

He said many logging companies have taken advantage of lack of monitoring by Forestry officers.

Vigulu said the ministry is taking steps to fill the gap in management.

He said the ministry will fill positions left by retirees and deceased officers.

After the exercise, Vigulu said he will take a paper to cabinet to allow more recruitment in the operation division.

The logging industry is the biggest contributor of revenue to the government.

However, industry is slowly declining due to overharvesting of the trees in recent years up to now.

‘Vaccine or resign’

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Attorney General John Muria Jnr

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

Frontliners have been told to take the vaccine or resign.

Attorney General John Muria Jnr uttered this warning on Sunday following the low turnout of frontliners to be vaccinated in the first three days after last week’s launch of the country’s covid-19 vaccination programme, in which leaders including prime minister Manasseh Sogavare took the jab to prove their confidence in the vaccine’s safety.

Attorney General’s ironic statement may put government in a tight spot, insiders say.

Government does not want to have to force frontline workers into taking the jab, banking on the mutual understanding that being vaccinated is an essential requirement for frontliners going forward.

But after last week’s hesitancy by the frontliners, early this week prime minister Sogavare ordered permanent secretaries of the public service ministry and health ministry to circulate emails instructing their staff to be jabbed before close of business yesterday, Wednesday, March 31.

This directive left no choice for frontliners. Beginning Monday this week, huge queues marked the central field hospital up to yesterday.

Attorney General John Muria Junior during the latest radio talkback show on Sunday described last week’s low turnout as a show of ‘insubordination’.

“The government has put a rule for frontline workers to be vaccinated and when a person breaches the rule it is called insubordination. Hence, if you do not want to comply with government rules then submit your resignation letter.

“The other thing is that if you do not want to receive the vaccine and want to receive to be part of the frontline workers and you after happened to contract the virus should the government be responsible to care for you after disobeying its rules, I don’t think so. Therefore, if you want to work for government adhere to what the government says by get vaccinated and continue serving this country,” he said.

Permanent secretary Public Services Nego Sisiolo in an urgent circular memorandum on March 29, said:

“I hereby issued a vital instruction to all front-line and immediate support personnel following SIG ,ministries and agencies(i) MHMS – ministry HQ, and NRH and Guadalcanal Province; (ii) MHA- Honiara City Council (HCC); (iii) MPNSCS- Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and the Correctional Services of Solomon Islands; (iv) MCILI- Immigrations, (v) MoFT -Customs; (vi) MAL -Biosecurity (vii) MCA -Civil aviation and (viii) MFMT-fisheries observers to immediately get vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than the close of business on Wednesday 31 March 2021.

“Furthermore, based on the same directives, I issued instruction to rest of us public servants to also get our vaccinations in accordance to the vaccination schedules that will be advised to us soon by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.”

Permanent Secretary Health and Medical Services Pauline McNeil in her circular to all MHMS staff, National Referral Hospital staff and Provincial Directors made a plea for her staff to go forward and get vaccinated.

Mrs McNeil said health frontline workers have sacrificed much care for the country and people in fighting against covid-19 skillfully, bravely and tirelessly in more than 12 months ago.

She made example of the country’s nearest Melanesian neighbour, PNG, “they have recorded deaths and new COVID-19 cases with hospital and health services already closed down and some on verge of collapsing as more health workers and citizens become infected.

“This makes this call even urgent and I am therefore pleading to all of you to please make time today to be screened and encouraged to take the AstraZeneca vaccine. For Provincial colleagues, be on standby and be ready when your turn comes.

“Thanking each every one of you for your co-operation and for adhering to this urgent call,” said McNeil.

Councilors’ case today

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE two Honiara City Councilors Reginald Sanau Ngati and Billy Abae will appear again in court today after their case was adjourned yesterday.

The appearance yesterday was for lawyers to update court on issues regarding trial but since the presiding magistrate attended to other commitments, court clerks informed parties that the case was adjourned for today.

This is relating to the intimidation charge regarding allegations of an incident which occurred at the Council’s headquarter on June 13, 2020.

Prosecution said the two councilors threatened the Honiara City Clerk at the Council’s Headquarter; the city clerk due to fear reported the matter to police.

Abae and Ngati were then arrested.

Ngati is the current Councilor for Vura ward and Abae is the Councilor for Vavaya Ward.

In the last occasion both of them denied the charge and entered not guilty pleas.

Private Lawyer Allan Hou is representing both accused.

‘Bring on the TRC Report’

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Opposition Leader Matthew C Wale.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

OPPOSITION Leader, Matthew Wale wants to see Government table the long awaited Truth and Reconciliation report in Parliament.

Wale made the call toward Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs (MTGP&EA) when its officials appeared before the Public Accounts Committee this week.

He said it was a surprise to see TRC has not been brought to Parliament to deal with.

“The way Government handles it may breach the TRC Act,” he said.

Permanent Secretary Peter Mae said he will come up with a policy to look into the TRC report.

The five volume report has many recommendations on how Solomon Islands can heal from the trauma of the ethnic conflict between 1999-2003.

Previous governments were reluctant to table the report which saw the author leaked it on media for public viewing.

The author’s action has breached the TRC Act because the report has to be tabled in Parliament first before releasing to public.

In 2015, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Radio New Zealand that issues relating to the conflicts will continue to surface, it is his government’s intention to table the report.

He said for the government to settle all the outstanding issues of the ethnic crisis, it would need six budgetary allocations of its annual budget to finance them.

However, former ex-combatants of Malaita and Guadalcanal are already calling on the government to address outstanding claims in the Townsville Peace Agreement 2000.

Police prosecution told to play its part

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

Police prosecution has been directed by court to serve full disclosures to the defence lawyer regarding the case of Tristan Zinihite Tongarutu.

The accused is facing charges under traffic related offences which occurred in 2020.

Defence told the court yesterday that disclosures are yet to be received from prosecution and thus they were not able to obtain instructions.

Therefore, Magistrate Emily Vagibule adjourned the case to April 20, 2021 for plea and also prosecution to serve full disclosures to the defence.

Police alleged that the accused on May 18, 2020 was driving a motor vehicle in front of Saint John School along the Mendana Avenue Road.

Police said at that time officers from Kukum Traffic were doing Traffic check at the said location when the defendant’s vehicle was diverted to the road side for vehicle licence check.

It was during check, officers found out that the vehicle was not displaying any vehicle licence sticker and also his driving licences was not in his possession and so he was escorted up to Kukum traffic centre for investigations.

The allegation further said that at the Kukum Traffic Centre, traffic officers checked the vehicle licenses, vehicle third party insurance and defendant’s driving licenses on the Justice Management System (JIMS), and discovered that all the licences were expired in 2017.

Police then charged the accused with five charges under the traffic Act, count one failing to display vehicle licenses contrary to section 13(1) of the Road Transport Act.Cap.131, count two vehicles to be licenses contrary to section 7(1) of the Road Transport Act.Cap.131, count three motor vehicles to be insured contrary to section 8(1)(2) of the motor vehicles third party insurance act. (ch.83), count four drivers to be licenses contrary to section 20(1) of the Road Transport ActCap.131 and count five taking vehicle without authority contrary to section 59(1) of the Road Transport Act.Cap.131.

Police Prosecutor Florence Hiroshachi prosecutes the case in court.

Licence for out-growers and plantation this year

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Forest and Research will issue licence to out growers and plantation owners this year.

Permanent Secretary, Vaeno Vigulu confirmed this when asked by Member of Parliament for East Makira, Lilly Mafane in the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament yesterday.

Under the Forest Act 1999, resources owners are encouraged to protect and manage their trees to avoid over-exploitation.

Vigulu said the ministry has submitted a drafting instruction to Attorney General Chamber office to renew it and should be ready after the Easter break.

He said all applicants must apply to Commissioner of Forest to get the license.

A license fee costs about $1500 with performance bond of $50,000.

Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete welcomed the move by the ministry to issue license to out growers and plantation owners.

Ete said his family has a big plantation of teak trees in East Malaita and the initiative will help them to cut down the trees and export.

However, Ete said the $50,000 performance bond maybe bit expensive for out growers and plantation owners in the rural areas.

One Link case in court today

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE court will today hear updates on the case against One Link Director Gerard Tauohu on whether or not prosecution have obtained outstanding statements and have sorted out charges.

The case was adjourned from the last occasion to allow prosecution time to get further statements from the property owners as well as for prosecution to sort out the charges.

Prosecution had told court that they were intending to amend charges against Tauohu.

Mr Tauohu is currently faced with 38 counts of false pretence under the penal code, and one count of unlicensed financial institution under the Financial Institutions Act 1998.

Tauohu was arrested by police after receiving complaints from One Link mentors and customers who had not received their payments from the director as promised.

Allegation said that Tauohu obtained more than $400,000 from six mentors between December 2019 and February 2020 and failed to pay them their promised interests.

He then allegedly escaped to Malaita and was arrested after police received complaints from the scheme’s mentors and customers who had invested in the scheme last year but are yet to receive their payments.

One link Pacifica customers had allegedly invested a total of $56,440, 4575 in the scheme but police had only managed to recover $336,891.20.

Jonathan Auga of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown while Ronald Dive represents the accused.

Where’s our rehabilitation package?

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Members of the Western Region of Guadalcanal Post Conflict Reconciliation, Rehabilitation & Restoration Association (GPCRRRA) handed their demand to Premier Francis Sade yesterday

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MAJOR development activities on West Guadalcanal have sparked a call for government action on meeting the rehabilitation demands of former combatants promised six years ago.

The call was made by the Western Region of Guadalcanal Post Conflict Reconciliation, Rehabilitation & Restoration Association (GPCRRRA) on the National Government to live up to its promise.

This is after the Sogavare government during the National Healing and Apology at Rove in June 2014 assured members of GPCRRRA that there will be rehabilitation first before any developments on Guadalcanal or any province for that matter.

However, the years have proven that the opposite has happened after the Western region witnessed major development already taking place at Mamara and Aruligo.

GPCRRRA Western Region members have submitted their demand to Guadalcanal Premier Francis Sade yesterday.

Secretary George Hilly said the activities taking place at these development areas are the practise of nepotism, whereby members of GPCRRRA (Western Region) are neglected from the respective sites.

He said the developers are recruiting labourers from other provinces to come and work at the development sites.

“Labourers from Mamara areas or Aruligo have been neglected and offered no employment,” he said.

As such, Hilly said the GPCRRRA Western Region calls on the Government to re-assure and to deliver to them the Rehabilitation projects as agreed and highlighted in the Townsville Peace Agreement 2000 and the 2014 Reconciliation and Apology ceremony held at Rove Police ground.

The GPCRRA (Western Region) has held a meeting on 26th&29th March and came up with some resolutions for the Government to act on it.

Some of the resolutions are:

1.            Guadalcanal Provincial Government is hereby tasked to liaise with the National Government to re-assure them of employment opportunities at both the Mamara and Aruligo development sites.

2.            Guadalcanal Provincial Government is hereby tasked to liaise with the National Government and the developer and to secure a share percentage of 5% to be paid into the account of GPCRRA (Western Region) every year.

3.            Guadalcanal Provincial Government is hereby tasked to liaise with the National Government and to revisit the Townsville Peace Agreement 2000 so that its terms can be implemented as far as GPCRRA (Western Region) is concerned.

4.            Wider consultations are to be carried out in any major development projects in the Western region.

5.            In any development in the Western Region, the Chiefs, the landowning groups, GPCRRRA (Western region) and Guadalcanal Provincial Government are compulsory signatories.

GPCRRRA (Western Region) is expecting any outcome from the outcomes from National Government through Guadalcanal Provincial Government within one month.

“Failure to respond within that time period may lead GPCRRRA (Western Region) to other alternative avenues available to address their concerns,” Hilly said.

Premier Francis Sade assured GPCRRRA members that he will submit their concerns to the National Government.

However, Sade said Guadalcanal province has nothing to do with development at Mamara because it comes under the Mamara-Tasivarongo Mavo Development Agreement Act 1995.

This means the National Government and the Developer, Metropolis Pacific Pte Ltd of Singapore have the power over the development at Mamara and Aruligo.

He said the Act supersedes other ordinances in the provincial government like the Town and Country Planning Act, therefore the Premier has no power to override anything.

Sade said he has raised the issue with Mamara-Tasivarongo Mavo Council and Secretary of Mamara-Tasivarongo Mavo Project on the importance to engage workers living around the vicinity and they agreed to recruite 200 workers.

He said also priority must be given to market vendors living around the vicinity of the development sites to sell food.

Further to that, Sade urges the Guadalcanal Members of Parliament in the Government to push for similar course as well.

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