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‘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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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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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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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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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.

Wale urges churches to keep arms-length relation with gov’t

Written by
Press Release
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The Aoke/Langalanga MP, Matthew Wale

OPPOSITION leader Matthew Wale reminded SICA and SIFGA to ensure that churches maintain a strong prophetic voice to the government and the nation.

He made this statement during the Public Accounts inquiry into the budget submission by the Ministry of Peace Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs.

Wale said he is happy to see the government working collaboratively with the churches.

However, he said it is important to the spiritual life of our society and nation that the umbrella organisations of churches maintain an arms length to safeguard the too-important prophetic voice.

“Of course, it is incumbent on the churches to animate this important role,” he said.

The Ministry presented to the PAC a copy of the communique it issued with church leaders from last year’s conference outlining the desire of both the government and the churches to work closely together.

Wale said he is pleased with the communique and government’s efforts to support the churches who do a lot in our country.

He said the churches have a much wider and deeper network and presence than the government or any other organisation in the country.

“It is therefore essential that government seek ways to better collaborate with churches in delivering social policy and development services.

“However, there must be an arms-length relationship to ensure the prophetic voice of the churches to all sectors of our society, government included, must not be compromised, and money has the tendency to corrupt, and it may undermine the prophetic role of the churches.

“The churches must ensure they are in a position where they can speak out when the government is doing things that are not straight or on policy that is not good for the country.

“If churches become dependent on government for funds, this role may be compromised. I have not heard churches speaking out lately.

“Maybe because representative bodies are waiting on the funding from the government in this current budget, and that is my fear.

“This is a very valid fear, and this is an issue that is not only for churches here, but for the church globally.

“So I wish to flag this to all of us, especially those who are exercising government powers, must respect the churches’ prophetic voice, not encroaching on it.

“Those who are exercising ecclesiastical roles within the church association circles, must also respect that.

“Of course, we need to come together, work together, collaborate together, but maintain arms-length distance, so that the prophetic voice and role of the churches is not diluted, blurred and is not grey.

“We are a relationship culture. Once we know each other well and then the government does something wrong, you become too reluctant to speak out about crucial matters affecting the wellbeing of our people, in fear of upsetting the source of funding.

“We want the churches to have a clear, strong undiluted, and uncompromised voice,” Wale said.

He stressed that Solomon Islands experience during the tensions, when the government broke down, the churches stood up and spoke out clearly on issues of human rights, corruption, governance, leadership and others, while at the same time, helped to bring peace back to our country.

“So it is too important a role to be undermined and compromised in our pursuit of collaboration and cooperation and funding.

“I encourage the government to give more money to the churches as they do need capacity building, but we must ensure that this money does not destroy them.

“Any MOU between the churches and the government must protect this arms-length relationship and the prophetic voice role,” he added.

EDITORIAL-Why we must take the COVID-19 vaccine

Written by
Admin
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CONVERSATIONS around the COVID-19 vaccine have gone out of hand.

This came after the Solomon Star newspaper published a claim from a woman that “she almost died” after taking the vaccine this week.

That story generated a lot of anxieties among the public, especially on social media.

It causes some to reconsider taking the vaccination.

But here’s the thing.

The claim made in the story was from a single source. It was never verified by a medical authority.

The story does not say whether the woman has an existing medical condition.

In other words, it was a one-sided story. So it should not be taken seriously.

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine is a World Health Organisation (WHO) approved vaccine.

We are not the only country taking it. Others out there are taking it, too.

WHO does not keep any secrets about the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine.

Like any other vaccines, it says AstraZeneca has side effects, too.

In fact every medicine we take has its side effects.

Some may develop mild side effects such as pain or itchiness at the injection site, or a short period of feeling unwell.

WHO says these are common even in other injectable medicines we take when we are sick.

It’s always a good thing to discuss your existing medical conditions with the nurses before taking an injection.

This is important so that considerations could be taken before the nurses administer the injection.

Here’s another thing.

Vaccination is voluntary. Meaning no one should be forced to take the vaccine.

The Government, through health authorities, could be accused of directing our frontliners to take the vaccine.

However, this is necessary to protect the frontliners and the country from COVID-19 infection.

That’s because they deal directly on a regular basis with patients and international passengers.

Furthermore, the AstraZeneca vaccine is currently our only defence against the COVID-19 virus.

It is also the only defence against community transmission.

This is why frontliners are encouraged to take the vaccine in order to protect our country from the virus.

Discussions over BDM with MOI community

Written by
Press Release
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The Beche-de-mer consultation meeting held between Ministry of Fisheries, the World Fish and Lord Howe Honiara Community early this week.

A JOINT one-day consultation meeting co-hosted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and World Fish for people of Malaita Outer Islands (MOI) has concluded with all parties agreeing to work together to develop a management plan for sea cucumber (beche-de-mere fishery) for Lord Howe group of islands.

This came about following a request from Malaita Outer Island’s task force to develop a Management Plan for their people on Luaniua and Ontong Java Islands.

Unsustainable harvesting of sea cucumber (bech-de-mere) gave rise to the need to come up with a management plan to ensure this resource is managed properly.

On Monday this week a team from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources led by the Director of Fisheries Edward Honiwala, conducted a consultation meeting at the Lord Howe settlement in Honiara which was attended by elders from the community those who are involved in the beche-de-mere trade.

Speaking on the occasion Honiwala said this consultation meeting is an important step towards developing a sea cucumber management Plan, which was requested by the MOI Task Force Committee in a meeting with MFMR last year.

He said Lord Howe Islands has very small land mass and depends on its coastal marine resources for livelihood but with increasing population it has put pressure on the resources.

“With increasing population, impacts of climate change and sea level rise, it affects the people in the Islands.

“On that note, the Ministry has seen that Lord Howe people are strong to face the realities they have and it is important we work collaboratively to address the issues faced,” he told those who attended the meeting.

He said the Ministry of Fisheries through the Community Based Resource Management (CBRM) Section within the Inshore Fisheries Division has worked with interested communities to develop community based fisheries management plans.

“We hope to gather reliable and truthful information to begin with a Lord Howe Sea cucumber/bech-de-mere management plan that is aligned to the Fisheries Management Act 2015, National bech-de-mere management plan, the national fisheries regulations and the Malaita Fisheries Ordinance at the end of this consultation meeting,” Honiwala said.

The Fisheries Director also used the occasion to explain to the participants the reason(s) why the ban on harvesting and export of beche-de-mere is still in force.

He said export data and the stock assessments have indicated the beche-de-mere fishery is highly exploited and overfished.

“Beche-de-mer export data from MFMR licensing records from the four open seasons from years 2013, 2015, 2017 – early 2018 and late 2018 – 2019 has shown a general decline in the export quantity, he added.

Stock assessment surveys undertaken by fisheries officers have shown a decline in the volume of exports over four open seasons since 2013.

“Total volume exported decreased by 4% from 325 tonnes in 2013, to 311 tonnes in 2017-2018. Similarly, total value of the beche-de-mer exported over the same period has reduced by approximately 50% from $35 million in 2013, to $19 million in 2017 – 2018 harvest period.

“Total quantity exported for 2018-2019 was 123,752Kg and value of export was $9,672,386.50,” he said.

The Fisheries Director also pointed out that data collected have shown that low value beche-de-mer species accounted for the largest quantity of beche-de-mer export for all the four harvest periods. 

“National stock status surveys have also shown very low densities in reefs,” he said.

He stressed that these are strong indicators that the fishery is heavily fished and this is why the national ban is still in place.

“The national ban is important to ensure the fishery recovers again so that it will continue to contribute to the socio-economic needs of all Solomon Islanders,” Honiwala said.

–MFMR

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