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‘SLOW DOWN MR D’

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Dentana
Permanent Secretary for Finance McKinnie Dentana.

Wale calls on Finance PS to resign from DBSI Board

By EDDIE OSIFELO

OPPOSITION Leader, Matthew Wale has called on Ministry of Finance and Treasury permanent secretary, Dentana McKinnie to resign from the Development Bank of Solomon Islands (DBSI) Board.

This call is made in view of the conflicts of interest posed in Mr Dentana’s membership in two of the country’s finance entities, DBSI board and CBSI board, while being the PS of the finance ministry.

Wale made the call during the Public Accounts Committee hearing in Parliament yesterday when the Ministry of Finance and Treasury appeared to defend the $3.9 billion 2021 Appropriation Bill 2021.

He said it doesn’t look right for the PS to be holding three positions at the same time. Being the Chairman of the DBSI Board, member of CBSI Board and at the same time the PS of Finance.

As such, he said the best option is for the PS to resign from the DBSI Board.

Wale also said that Attorney General John Muria Junior and Chief of Staff and two political appointees Trevor Manemahaga and Andre Manepora’a should also resign from the Board.

The only qualified banker in the Board is former CBSI Deputy Governor Gane Alva Simbe.

Wale first made the call in July 2020 when he questioned the appointment of controversial Chief of Staff, Robson Djokovic in the DBSI Board.

While welcoming the government’s seriousness in reviving DBSI as an important financial institution for our people, the Opposition Leader stressed that DBSI is a bank and so will be heavily regulated by banking laws. 

“In this respect therefore, it is important that people who are appointed to the Board must pass the ‘fit and proper test’ and have the technical capacity in the area of banking to be in the Board

 “For all we know, Mr. Djokovic is the nephew of the Prime Minister and he has been implicated in a lot of controversial issues raised in the past, which also link the Prime Minister.  

“More so, he has not demonstrated qualifications in banking or any related areas for that matter,” the Opposition Leader adds.

Transparency Solomon Islands also joined the call in questioning the composition of DBSI Board which it claimed was politicised.

PS Dentana decided not to response to Wale but said he will leave it to DBSI to explain the composition of the board when its members appear before the PAC on Tuesday, March 30.

Last year, Dentana was caught out as misleading the people of this nation when he said that under the DBSI Act, 2018, section 49, the term of the interim board is only for six months.

However, from information gathered, the DBSI Board members’ appointments were gazetted for two years.

NO PLANS FOR SPORTS MEDICINE

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Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana

BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has admitted the country still lacks the capacity when it comes to sports medicine, as preparations for the hosting of the Pacific Games 2023 continues.

Minister Culwick Togamana told this paper that despite the Solomon Islands National Sports Institution (SINIS) providing the sporting services, there are still no plans forthcoming for preparing the manpower with less than two years left on the calendar.

SINIS under the Sol2023 National Hosting Authority (NHA) will operate a sport medicine clinic in liaison with the health department and SINU staff to provide work experience and opportunities to grow the capacity of local physios, nutritionists, psychologists and community rehab    

“SINU don’t have the capacity otherwise there’s request from NHA to provide these trainings. For the meantime we just have those in the nursing school, they are not experts to deal with such specific area,” Minister Togamana said.

“We are awaiting request on NHA before we can roll out plans in this regard. It’s the responsibility of NHA to begin preparation also on these important issues when it comes to major sporting events but so far there are no plans we received.

Outspoken medical practitioner, Dr Claude Posala when asked for his professional opinion admits there is a need for due to the lack of human resource on the area of sports.

“We currently don’t have any doctors or nurses trained and qualified in formal sports medicine,” Dr. Posala says.

“Our physiotherapists usually cover on these gap areas. Some doctors and nurses learn on the ground so to speak about sports medicine but no one ever went for a formal training and is equipped with qualifications as a sports medicine specialist.

“Sports medicine is a separate training program separate from medicine for doctors and training for nurses.

“The need of sports medicine is a question that is debatable in the setting of Solomon Islands where there are other health areas which still are priority areas and still lack manpower.

“It would be great to have sports medicine specialists locally, however this is debatable as I have mentioned,” Posala adds.

U-16 SCHOOL CHALLENGE

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BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II

The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) has started rolling out its youth development programmes with the proposed Under 16 School Challenge for both boys and girls.

SIFF confirmed in a press statement yesterday saying the U16 school challenge is planned to become an annual event.

The statement said SIFF is opening an invitation to interested schools in Honiara to be part of a proposed U-16 School Challenge for both boys and girls competitions.

The Honiara Football Association (HFA) will partner with SIFF to deliver the U-16 School Challenge on a date yet to be confirmed by the competitions department, the federation stated.

SIFF meanwhile is calling an important meeting for invited schools to meet today, Wednesday 24th March 2021 at the SIFF office at Art Gallery at 5pm.

MARA moves to revive cattle farms

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Cattle farm

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

PREMIER of Malaita province, Daniel Suidani says his government is engaging in efforts to re-establish cattle farms in the province.

He adds, this is one of the sectors his government is pushing in to support the livelihood of people in communities across the province.  

Suidani said his government had decided to be optimistic about agriculture despite recent drawbacks experienced with this sector.

He said these drawbacks is due to the slow response they continue to receive from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL).

He said they have started work on the Atori Cattle Farm in East Malaita constituency.

He said so far bush cleaning and tree cutting have been done, with five communities in Atori engaged to plant pastures (grass).

Suidani said next target will be on fencing of the five cattle blocks, followed by maintenance work before the blocks are ready to hold new cattle by the end of 2021.

Suidani MARA government is also providing ongoing support towards Dala and Adaliua cattle farms in West and Central Kwara’ae.

Central Kwara’ae highlands green activities applauded

Written by
Samie Waikori
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PS MECDM, Dr Melchior Mataki addressing the communities of Gwariagalu during a brief welcome ceremony held to welcome the delegation

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

The communities in the highlands of Central Kwara’ae have been commended for their activities towards safeguarding their environment.

Permanent Secretary to the ministry of environment (MECDM) Dr Melchior Mataki uttered his praises on Monday this week during a welcoming ceremony staged for the visiting US Deputy Chief of Mission under US Embassy in Port Moresby, Bernard Link.

Mr Link was welcomed at Gwariagalu village, central Kwara’ae.

Mataki said during a brief visit to forestry programmes in communities in central Kwara’ae, he was delighted to see people engaging in activities that safeguard the environment.

“I’m happy that despite lot of things going on in our country; you people carry on life as it is to involve in lots of activities in the environment you leave that defines life, this is the future.

“After visiting Saenaua forestry and by looking around, you people are doing great and we need that idea to safeguard our resources.

“Because only be safeguarding our resource we can protect ourselves from lot of things as we can go through lot of different issues.

“The environment defines who we are as a people, the air we breathe, the trees that we depend on, the water and other aspects of environment define us as people.

“And I’m encouraged to see all these things during a short trip we made to your communities. I’ve seen believe in safeguarding our environment in the people and the communities through their engagements.

“And I’m happy to see people in this area went into forestry programme and other activities that try to protect the environment,” he said.

Mataki and his colleague PS for MoFR, reps from Sky Ocean and a rep from Tina Hydro project were part of HE Link’s trip to Auki as part of preparations towards the US Scale programme for Malaita province and other US supports for the country.

MARA govt support for fishing devices echoed

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Premier of Malaita province Daniel Suidani

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

MARA government has assured of its continued commitment to supporting fisheries FAD programme in communities in Malaita province.

Premier of Malaita province, Daniel Suidani recently made this reassurance, saying this is part of MARA government living up to a slogan “Rural Advancement”.

He said despite the budgetary challenges, MARA is targeting the improvement of community livelihood through ensuring that people are part of important decision making at the ward and community levels.

Suidani said as part of that there are ongoing programmes that directly support community livelihoods through the fisheries sector in the province.

“As such, just in the past months a total of seven FADs have been procured with three already delivered to respective communities and four yet to be delivered.

“Beneficiaries communities under the FAD programme include Pelau, Wairaha, Manawai, Mbasakana, Anoano, Takwaodo and Kwainakiu/Walo,” he said.

Suidani said under the provincial new budget for 2021-2022, three new FADs will be delivered to communities in three wards in the province.

He said MARA government is happy to continue contributing towards improvement of livelihood in communities across the province.

First PCDF project for Mala’s ward 22

Written by
Samie Waikori
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

Malaita’s ward 22 has held the ground-breaking for its first-ever PCDF project, the Ote Clinic.

On Saturday last week, the project was launched, witnessed by people of ward 22, their MPA, and representatives of stakeholders.

MPA Martin Mae said the project is a milestone for Ward 22 people who will greatly benefit from its service.

He said the project came as a result of his willpower and promises to continue working together with his people to see developments materialise on the ground.

Mae told his people that the clinic is a gift from the national government and that they are fortunate to receive the project.

He appealed to his people to support the project with resources required to successfully complete it.

Boy survives car accident

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People gathered at the site after the accident

BY BEN BILUA

A young lad has cheated death on Monday morning in Gizo after a car hit him while he ran across the road.

The accident occurred close to popular PT109 area.

An eye witness told this paper that the car was travelling eastward in ‘medium speed’ when it hit the boy.

“A car was blocking the car that hit the boy. I believe the driver that hit the boy was unable to see the boy running across the road,” another eye witness said.

Both witnesses said that the car took off eastward after the accident.

Island Sun was at the scene when Royal Solomon Islands police arrived and interviewed the eye witnesses.

Report reaching this paper says the driver of the vehicle has been arrested and the boy is recovering well at the Gizo Hospital.

Attempts to get comments from Gizo police were unsuccessful. This paper spoke with two officers on Monday but promises to get back with further information failed.

Four April repatriation-flights: PM

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Solomon Airlines airbus

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

Four repatriation flights are expected for the country next month.

In his nation address early this week prime minister Manasseh Sogavare said these flights will be coming into the country in the next three weeks and are as follows:

“Monday 5th April – we have a chartered Solomon Airlines flight from Guangzhou bringing in engineers to construct the USP Campus in Honiara.

“Friday 9th April – we have a chartered Air Niugini flight flying to Fiji through Honiara and return to PNG from Fiji via Honiara. This flight will bring some passengers from PNG and Fiji to Honiara and passengers in Honiara to fly to Fiji and PNG.

“Friday 9th April – we have a chartered Garuda Airlines flight to repatriate Indonesian citizens to Indonesia. The plane will bring some Pacific Games engineers for the Multipurpose Futsal Stadium construction.

“Sunday 11th April 2021 – We have a Solomon Airlines charter flight from Guangzhou bringing in engineers to construct the main Pacific Games stadiums.”

Local revenue key priority for Guadalcanal province

Written by
Alfred Pagepitu
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BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

Local revenue remains the key priority area for investment for Guadalcanal provincial government to ensure that recurrent revenue is stable and predictable.

In presenting the Appropriation Bill 2021-2022, Andrew Tahisihaka (minister for finance) on Monday highlighted the major components of the Budget and the outlook of the province’s major revenues and expenditures.  

“The local revenue accounts for 46.8 percent of the total Recurrent Revenue budget. The Fixed Service Grant revenue accounts for 51.5 percent of the total Recurrent Revenue budget whilst other revenues account for approximately 1.7 percent of the total recurrent revenue budget.”

He said stability in the local revenue is critical for the implementation of government policies and progress towards political, economic and social development of Guadalcanal. 

Tahisihaka said the key drivers in the local revenue in the new financial year include property rates, business licences, vehicle licences, construction licences and logging licences.

He explained that the progress of the vehicle licensing is becoming effective with the support from the Inland Revenue Division. 

Adding that the vehicle registration at IRD can only be processed subject to provision of documentation and payment of the relevant fees to the Finance Division, Guadalcanal Province by the vehicle owners. 

“This is possible after numerous consultation and engagement with IRD and HCC.”

In regards to the 10 new ordinances being passed in Assembly last year, he said, “The following divisions are expected to generate the much needed local revenue to support the budget including; Lands & Physical Planning, Forestry, Commerce & Investment, Works Transport & Communication, Mines and others”.

Assembly meeting continues today.

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