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Pandemic bill awaits provincial consultation

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Solomon Islands National Parliament

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE Public Emergency Bill is currently waiting on consultations which are being held in the provinces.

Attorney General John Muria Junior says consultations have been done in Guadalcanal Province, Honiara City Council (HCC), and with diplomatic missions, regional originations and private sector like the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce (SICCI) and a number of business houses in town.

“This week consultation for some of the provinces especially, Isabel, Central Makira, Temotu and our churches SIFGA and SICA will be done.

“Consultation for provinces was delayed and has not permitted us to bring our provincial representatives to Honiara due to bad weather. After that we will wrap up our consultations,” he said.

Dr Jimmie Rodgers, deputy secretary to Oversight Committee and Secretary to Prime Minister, said they are looking forward to finalising the bill to be tabled in parliament.

Rodgers said when this State of Public Emergency finishes on March 24, the Pandemic Bill should become an Act “where it commences and it will progress on from there”.

“This means we do not need to declare another State of Public Emergency.

“Just to clarify, we need the SOPE we can actually quarantine people and until the World is free of COVID-19, we will still need to quarantine people and that is the purpose of this pandemic bill and why we are working to ensure its ready by then,” he said.

The statement was echoed at the recent covid-19 radio talkback in Honiara.

600k for MPs under ESP to be monitored: Dentana

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

FUNDS of $600,000-each under the Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) received by Members of Parliament (MPs) will be monitored.

Chairman of the ESP Committee McKinnie Dentana said this after being asked if whether the MPs $600,000 funds will be part of the ESP ‘second stage’ process which is to do reviewing and monitoring of approved recipients scheduled to start in April.

Mr Dentana said the reporting is for all recipients of the ESP as it does not exclude anyone.

“The reporting is all recipients of the ESP, so we will write to our Members of Parliament [MPs] as well.

“It does not exclude anyone. All recipient will in one way or another, the team will take information from them,” said Dentana.

Late last year, it was said by the Economic Stimulus Oversight Implementation Committee (ESPOIC) that the allocation of $41,900,000 under the ESP to MPs is given within the ‘ESP guideline’.

The Policy Secretary Fundamental Reform Sector, Officer of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Trevor Manemahaga said what is given to the MPs is not outside of the guideline of ESP.

According to leaked document raising public anger which was described as unverified by ESPOIC, it showed that MPs received $600,000 each while seven MPs received double.

Mr Manemahaga however in a press conference clarified that what is given to the MPs is not outside of the guideline of ESP.

ESP Chairman Mckinnie Dentana had also clarified that the $600,000 ESP allocation to MPs comes under component two of the ESP known as ‘Immediate Recovery Measures 1’ which focuses on productive resources centres.

In document launched during May last year, these measures focus on the productive and resources sectors especially in investing in value-adding targeted products in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism sectors.

The objective of this element of the package is to increase rural production and employment and diversification of the export and economic base.

These measures include Investment in value added or production of targeted agriculture products like noni, kava, cassava, taro, coconuts and cocoa. This initiative was said expected to cost $70 million, as special feature under this package will include proposal to provide price or freight subsidies on copra and cocoa.  This is to ensure people migrating to the provinces due to Coronavirus (Covid-19) threat to engage in copra and cocoa production.

Mr Dentana further clarified that on top of that, the MPs received additional funds under the component four called ‘Medium to Long Term Growth’ focusing on infrastructures.

The medium-term element of the package focuses on support to stimulate and build the capacity of the economy to develop and grow.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,431 approvals have been awarded under the ESP.

Rugby star jailed

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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National rugby star Daniel Saomatangi.

Two years for drunken assault

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A YOUNG rugby player who attacked a man and left his victim with permanent damage to his right eye was jailed for two years six months on Tuesday 17th February.

Daniel Saomatangi was found guilty of one count of common assault.

This was in relation to an unprovoked incident on January 18, 2020 shortly after 2am at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara.

The court heard after he came out from the Heritage Club drunk, Saomatangi confronted his victim who was sitting inside his Hilux at the car park area.

Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga said the accused was under the influence of alcohol when he punched the two victims – a couple.

“This occurred immediately when they started to argue,” Aulanga said.

“The fact that he was under the influence of alcohol shows he was not able to control his temper and was likely to get angry and involve in a fight much quicker than his normal sense,” he added.

Aulanga said the facts showed that the fighting had already stopped and likewise, they had already separated.

“There wasn’t any provocative words uttered to him from the victim.

“Yet, he ignored those who restrained him and ran straight to the victim and punched his right eye and according to the medical report from the victim had permanently caused loss of visibility to his right eye.”

Aulanga also said that since the defendant had denied the charges and the matter went to trial, he finds him that he is not entitled to any remorse.

Magistrate Aulanga imposed a starting point of three-and-half years’ imprisonment.

“This sentence will be increased by four months to reflect the aggravating factors, making it to a term of 46 months.

“However, this term is reduced by 16 months to reflect his youthfulness, his personal circumstances and the delay taken to finalise this case.

“The final sentence for this offence is 30 months or two-and-half years’ imprisonment.

“By operation of section 44 of the Penal Code, I am precluded from suspending this term.”

Aulanga also said that he was urged to consider the personal circumstances that Saomatanga is currently a student at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Arts Preliminary Programme and being an important or key player for the National Rugby League team of Solomon Islands.

A total of seven reference letters were submitted on his behalf to show that he has been well liked by his family and that he had already taken steps to reform his behaviour by joining religious programmes and activities.

“I have considered those submissions and of the view that matters such as being a student or a key sports player for the country or a devoted religious person does not make you exempted from any punishment as a result of committing a serious crime.

“They should not be allowed to downplay or even trivialise the need to discourage this offence in the country.

“The need to deter serious crimes through the imposition of deterrent sentence as one of the crime prevention mechanisms should be the central focus of the court when it comes to sentencing.

“The offence of grievous harm, as earlier stated, is a serious offence. It is an act of selfish disregard to the safety of others by arrogant persons or those who claimed themselves as ‘iron men’,” Aulanga said.

2 breached SOPE

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Permanent Secretary for ministry of health Pauline McNeil.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

TWO foreigners have breached State of Public Emergency (SOPE).

Pauline McNeil, permanent secretary to Ministry of Health said these two breached the State of Public Emergency “in the sense that they were not allowed to disembark the vessel”.

She said they disembarked the vessel and went to a neighbouring village opposite Noro Port, Western Province.  

“They went to nearby village opposite Noro port so we reactivated Western Province Health team who have to follow up on the incident, take their swabs and also swabs of the four local contacts.

“Their test was done at the Gizo hospital and all six tests detected negative,” she said.

McNeil adds that the country’s official covid-19 record still stands at 18.

“Out of that 18 we still have four accommodated and monitored at our central field hospital (Multi-purpose hall). Of that four two are from the UK who have been staying for a longer period of time.

“The additional new one is from the Philippines third repatriation flight and the last patients is the Malaita case reactivation,” she said.

McNeil said for those who have been repatriated from Manila, the health authorities have picked up three reactivated cases.

“These cases have been previous positive in Manila and negative before the date they left for Honiara but they are reactivated when testing was done in Honiara.

“This trio did not count on top of the 18 recorded cases in the country,” said McNeil.

The above sentiment was uttered at the latest covid-19 radio talkback show on Sunday.

40 percent of 108k AstraZeneca vaccine to come first

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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AstraZeneca vaccine. Photo by NDTV.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

COVAX facility will be offering 40 percent of the approved AstraZeneca vaccine in the next quarter to support the country’s effort against covid-19.

Dr Yogesh Choudhri, technical advisor to the Ministry pf Health and Medical Services, confirmed this during the latest radio talkback show on Sunday.

Choudhri said 60 percent of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be released in the second quarter.

“We received a communique from COVAX facility that they be offering us 108,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine for the period of next six months. 40 percent of the vaccine will come in the next quarter and the rest 60 percent will come in the second quarter,” he said.

“The country’s application when the COVAX initially sort expression of interest from us for the Pfizer vaccine for the 0.25 percent of the 108,000 to be vaccinated. That application was not approved they instead offered the communique for 108,000 doses for AstraZeneca vaccine.”

Pauline McNeil, permanent secretary to Health Ministry, said they have drafted a policy document on the vaccines which will be submitted to caucus this week and to cabinet as well.

McNeil said the draft has been finalised and work is now ongoing to put the caucus paper together

She said in terms of the plan of the vaccination, the national deployment vaccination plan is now done.

“We submitted it to COVAX facility to have access to the hundred and eight thousand doses of AstraZeneca so that is pretty much confirmed for that number of doses,” said McNeil.

‘Government will not refund semester-1 fees’

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

GOVERNMENT will only pay second-semester fees for its 2021 scholarship recipients. No refund for any privately paid semester-one fees.

This comes about due to temporary measures in the government scholarship programme for this year which will see recipients get sponsored beginning 2021 semester-two.

Recipients who had paid their fees for semester-one will not get a refund from government.

This clarification was made by Mr James Bosamata, deputy secretary to the ministry of education (MEHRD) in light of queries to the 2021 SIG Scholarship programme.

Due to covid-19, government could not process its 2021 scholarship programme last year, with applications only made available in January this year. Hence, the scheme will officially start funding at semester-two.

Speaking during the government talkback show on Sunday, Bosamata said:

To anyone paying for his or her own fee in ‘Semester One’, the government will not be able to refund it because the government will only ‘fund or refund’ what is stated in the scholarship letter advice the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD).

MEHRD Deputy Secretary (DS) Mr James Bosamata made this known after being asked if whether a student approved late on scholarship because of the process will get refund from ‘Semester One’ fees paid on their own.

“Inside a scholarship award it will mention ‘effective semester two 2021’. So anyone paying for their own fee on semester one, the government will not be able to refund it. Because the government will fund or refund what is stated in the scholarship letter,” said Bosamata.

“On your scholarship letter it will mention that your studies or scholarship commence from semester two 2021. So the government will be responsible as of that time, therefore anyone [self-sponsoring] first, the government will not refund it. It [Government] will only [pay] on the time a scholarship is effective.”

Oil spill charges

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The bulk carrier Quebec's ship captain has pleaded guilty for spilling oil at the Graciosa Bay in Temotu Province

Foreign skipper faces court action

BY BEN BILUA

CAPTAIN of a foreign bulk carrier accused of spilling oil into the pristine waters of Graciosa Bay, Temotu Province, more than two weeks ago is facing charges in the High Court.

He is being charged under the country’s Maritime Regulations.

The Panama-registered vessel arrived in Graciosa Bay on 20 January 2021 to collect logs from an Asian logging company when it started spilling thick oil into the bay.

Government immediately dispatched a team to the site to assess the magnitude of the spill.

Director of Solomon Islands Maritime Association Thierry Nervale told the Island Sun yesterday the team returned to Honiara last Friday.

 “They’ve completed their assessment and are now compiling their report,” Nervale said.

“What I can tell you now is the master of the vessel has been charged and his ship detained,” he added.

Nervale said he and the team met with the Marine Pollution Advisory Committee to discuss and advise cleaning options and follow-up actions.

“We are now preparing for the cleaning along the coast and working to complete the inspection and investigation report as well as the impact assessment report.

Earlier Nervale confirmed that the oil spill was serious because it spread onto the coastal areas as well.

“What I can confirm is that it is serious enough and spread on the coast that it requires cleaning operations but should remain within our capacity in-country,” Nervale said.

Officials from SIMA with coordination support from the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) were part of the team sent to assess the situation.

They were there to assess the impact of the oil spill, as well as inspect and investigate onboard the vessel.

Part (a) of the Solomon Islands Maritime Amendment Act 2018 general principles adopted the polluter pays principle – a clear provision stating that a person or entity who breach the law must pay for the damages.

Part (b) of the general principle states that in the event of a risk of damage to the marine environment or to human health, a lack of complete certainty regarding the extent of the risk is not a reason for not acting to prevent or minimise the risk.

If found guilty the Master will be liable to pay $50,000 penalty or imprisonment for 5 years, or both.

Warriors still optimistic

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Admin
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Honiara City FC striker Ali Mekawir tries to get through two Laugu players Jeffery Bule, left and Alick Stanton during the Telekom S-League at Lawson Tama.

City move into fifth spot

BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II

REIGNING TSL Champions Solomon Warriors are yet confident for a top spot finish this season after maintaining their second spot in 6-3 win over FC Isabel United yesterday – seven points behind leaders Henderson Eels.

Honiara City FC continues their fine form following two draws to grab three points in a 2-0 win over Laugu FC to move in the fifth position on the league standings.

Despite conceding three goals Warriors Head Coach William Omokirio plays down worries in his defence department.

“The goals came in the dying minutes where we had injuries and it allows conceding the goals,” Omokirio stressed.

Jerry Donga scored eight minutes from kick-off before Gagame Feni and Dennis Ifunaoa extended the lead after Sam Vahia pulls one goal back before half-time.

“It’s a very good performance from the boys, we all were looking forward to the game we also know that to keep the second spot all our games are important. And by winning today’s (Sunday 14th February) game it helps the team to build up for the next match,” Omokirio said after the match.

“We have to maintain our form if we have to return top in the league. Our opponents made a very good fight, they played very well on occasions they caused us a hard time, especially in defence.

Feni collected a brace before Alvin Hou adds another in the 80’minutes despite a late comeback attempt from FC Isabel.

Two second-half goals by Alick Solo and Coleman Wasi aids valuable three points for the capital boys over a determined Laugu FC.

Following a goalless first half Solo broke the deadlock with a fine header before Wasi extended the lead for the Jerry Allen coached side in the final ten minutes of play.

Laugu FC remains in the third position in the league.

TSL Match Week 18 continues on Wednesday 17th between top contenders Southern United against Central Coast FC at 4 pm.

Govt position on school fees to be made known soon

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) Mr James Bosamata .

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

RESULTS and messages needed to be advised on from the ‘Rapid School Survey’ carried out by government to address school fees currently charged to students will be made known this week.

Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) Deputy Secretary (DS) James Bosamata said their senior management team will be meeting today to discuss the report, especially its recommendations.

Hopefully this week,

Mr Bosamata during yesterday’s nationwide talkback show said ‘hopefully this week they will come out or announce’ the position of MEHRD or the government as far as school fees for 2021 is concerned.

“In the last talk-back show I talked about the Rapid School Survey, after we completed that assignment [on that week] we took time to really analyse what we found out from the survey.

“So hopefully this survey, its results, messages we need to advice on, we should tell it this week. Our senior management team will be meeting tomorrow morning [today] to discuss that report, especially the recommendations of that report.

“So hopefully later next week [this week], we will come out or announce what will be the position of MEHRD or the government as far as school fees for 2021 is concerned,” said Bosamata.

MEHRD Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr Franco Rodie in response to earlier queries explained also that after submission, the analysation of the rapid school survey data collected will then be used as a basis for ‘policy direction’ on school fees currently charged to students.

Rodie on this ‘strategy’ reasoned that these are tough times and Solomon Islands Government (SIG) or MEHRD is conscious of the situation parents are in and will make attempt to respond.

Manila 4th repa-flight likely March 7

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Chairperson for NHA and Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr Jimmie Rodgers.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO AND BANARBAS MANEBONA

THE fourth Manila repatriation flight is likely on March 7 but is yet to be confirmed, said Dr Jimmie Rodgers, deputy secretary to the Oversight Committee, yesterday.

“We are looking at one more flight to Manila because we still have more than 40 students left in the Philippines.

“Tentatively this flight is schedule for 7th of March, but we have to reconfirm whether that is the date or it will be delayed because we are trying to also link people from other parts of the world on to that destination,” said Rodgers.

He said this is because there are still some people from the UK, USA, and also there are foreigner nationals yet to come to work on the major projects like the Tina Hydro, the airport construction, the road construction.

“They have been approved to come so we are looking putting them together in one location, to send the flight to Manila to pick them all up rather than trying to get them to transit at Port Moresby. We will confirm within next week,” said Rodgers.

 “Last Friday the Oversight Committee tentatively agreed to repatriate the remaining students from the Philippines on March 7. But as SPM has said, there are also other citizens in other countries depending on the numbers we might reorganise those numbers from the Philippines.

“But keep listening out next week for further updates over repatriating our students from the Philippines,” said James Bosamata Deputy Secretary to Ministry of Education Human Resources Development.

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