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National vaccination policy to be summitted to cabinet

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Technical advisor to Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Dr Yogesh Choudri

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE national vaccination policy paper has been prepared to be submitted to the cabinet says Dr Yogesh Choudri Technical Advisor to Health Ministry.

Choudhri said the paper is prepared by the Ministry of Health and Medical Servcies. It will be presented to the National Coordination Committee and then to Oversight Committee and to the cabinet.

He said this national vaccination policy paper will provide the background on how we will go about the vaccination. 

Pauline McNeil permanent secretary to MHMS said the national vaccination plan to do with the covid-19 vaccination have been put in place.

 “Right now, we have drafted a policy on COVID-19 vaccine and it should be delivered to cabinet and caucus this week to be reviewed and it should be finalised.

“We also have preparation in the event we have this vaccine mechanism in place. In terms of Human Resources capacity, we have four newly graduated nurses have been moved to immunisation programme,” said McNeil.

She said there is still a lot of work needs to be done but with the support of every one and Health ministry’s partner things will work out well.

“The immunisation of COVID-19 is not like normal immunization. For COVID-19 immunisation we have to advocator for people for people forward to take vaccination on Health facility,” said McNeil.

Landmark ruling

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0
In-court

Logger ordered to pay $3.2M for environmental damages

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

IN a landmark ruling, a Malaysian logging company has been ordered to pay $3.2 million to landowners in Isabel for trespass, nuisance and damages it caused to the environment.

Solomon Islands Court of Appeal made the order this week when it dismissed an appeal Mas Solo Investment Limited lodged against an earlier High Court decision.

In October 2017, landowners of Galatha, Momotu and Riusisi in the Hograno area filed a case against Mas Solo in the High Court seeking damages from the logging company.

After a hearing, Justice John Keniapisia ordered Mas Solo to pay $3.2 million (plus interest) in damages to the communities.

Justice Keniapisia said this was for the harm caused to the peoples’ livelihood through the logger’s failure to adhere to its statutory duty not to intrude into buffer zones on a customary land the communities reside, live and occupy.

Mas Solo appealed the ruling, claiming the judge erred in law and in fact in awarding $3.2 million as damages for injury caused to the land and environment.

The company further argued such an amount has no basis in law and/or is unreasonably excessive in the circumstances of the case.

But in their ruling, the Court of Appeal judges dismissed the appeal and upheld Justice Keniapisia’s ruling.

They said:

“We consider and agree with the learned trial judge’s findings that the claim was not about ownership over Bobokana customary land area.

“The claim was about ‘residents of the three villages of Bobokana area, complaining about damage caused to their livelihood/environment by Mas Solo’s negligent operation.

“We agree with the learned trial judge that the landowners have standing to raise the complaints about the harm caused to their environment.

“Negligence actions have also considerable applicability to environmental harm as a result of development projects and industrial activities.

“In many of these situations, an action based on trespass or strict liability is available.”

The Court of Appeal dismissed submissions from Mas Solo that Justice Keniapisia has acted on a wrong principle of law and misapprehended the facts or, for other reasons, made a wholly erroneous estimate of the damage suffered.

“We, therefore, accept the trial judge’s conclusion that landowners have proved their case and they are entitled to an award of damages in the sum of $3.2 million based on the expert’s report which was prepared after an inspection of the land.”

Private lawyer James Apaniai appeared for Mas Solo, while Andrew Radcllyffe represented the landowners.

SFA wants to reconcile with Orion

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Logging in Solomon Islands. Photo supplied

By EDDIE OSIFELO

ATTEMPTS were made by a so-called police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer and two members of Solomon Forest Association to reconcile with Orion Limited Chan Chee Min last week.

This started when Chan Chee Min received a call on Tuesday, February 2 at 16.09pm from a person who identified himself as Max, a CID from Rove Police Headquarters.

“CID Max insisting meeting me to get details and information for his meeting in the next morning, Wednesday 3rd February on articles published in the Island Sun Newspaper.

“CID Max claims that it is important that he must meet me immediately,” he said.

“When CID Max arrived at my office, I believe him as from Tikopia because of his Polynesian by his light skin texture.

“CID Max asks me if I know Dickson Mua which I said the name sound familiar, which the CID confirmed that he is the current Minister of Forest,” he said.

“CID Max went on and said the Minister of Forest wants to help me to solve my trouble with SFA.

“I immediately tell CID Max that I do not wish to get myself and my business involved in politics and politicians,” Chan said.

“CID Max then continued to talk about hatred of Johnny Sy and the government.

“CID Max asked me where do I live/stay?, where do I go to eat your lunch?, how many people is working in the office?, how many of them are foreigner and how many of the are locals?, who do I stay with?, do you have any security at home?,” Chan said.

“I have the conversation recorded by video cameras. Copies are made and is held by several parties, both local and overseas, if anything were to happen to me, the video will be released,” he said.

Chan said the infamous “Poly Tepai” incident at Kingsley Fast Food Bar in Point Cruz will not happen again.

Tepai was attacked by a group of men allegedly paid by a logging company at the Fast Food bar when he was eating his food.

“I am prepared for many eventualities,” he said.

Furthermore, Chan said on Thursday, February 4 at 09.48am and 10.28am, he received two calls from two SFA members saying that their superiors requested them to relay messages to him.

“They said SFA wants to reconcile with me and I must go and meet the Minister of Forest.

“I paused the two SFA member and replied that I will meet with SFA if they want to meet me,” Chan said.

“That I will not go and meet the Minister of Forest.

“If there is any reason that the Minister of Forest wants to meet me, I expect it to be done officially, serving me letter or notice,” he said.

“Immediately after that, at 10:52 am and 10:54am, I received two calls from “unknown number”, at 10:55 am.

“I received two calls from CID (Max), I declined to answer any of those calls,” he said.

Chan said he is wondering why he was asked to go and see the Minister of Forest.

“What has SFA organized for me with the Minister of Forest?

“Is the Minister of Forest aware of the arrangement?

“Who is CID (Max) real identity?

“Who sent CID (Max)?” he asked.

Master and puppet

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Stock pile of tubi on San Jorge island. Photo supplied.

Government allows guilty logger to sell tubi

By EDDIE OSIFELO

A MALAYSIAN logging company that pleaded guilty to the illegal harvesting of tubi trees in Isabel has been given the right to sell those tubi logs.

Environment minister Titus Fika made the directive in a letter he issued last December.

But the decision has angered landowners of Korona, on San Jorge Island, who were already in advanced stage to sell the logs to a foreign buyer.

“This is not fair,” landowner spokesman Wilson Tohidi told the Island Sun.

“These logs are from our land. We have the right to sell them,” Tohidi added.

“The government cannot take those logs away from us and give them to the same company that tries to steal them.

“If we have a government that cares, the right thing is to work with us landowners and provide the support we need to sell the logs.

“The benefit to the landowners and the government will be huge if we do that.”

Malaysian logger Sunrise Investment Ltd illegally harvested those logs during the course of its operation last year on Korona land.

The company does not have a licence to fell tubi, which is a restricted species under the Environment Management Act.

But it went ahead and fell over 9,000 cubic metres of tubi logs, which have been stockpiled at the Korona log pond, and is believed to be worth millions of dollars.

Last year, landowners took out a court order that prevented Sunrise from shipping the logs out from Korona.

When a Foreign Investment Division team toured Isabel last December to check on the operations of logging companies there, it found Sunrise Investment and other Asian loggers in breach of their felling licences.

Sunrise and two other logging companies were each slapped with $1 million fines.

At the same time, the Ministry of Environment referred Sunrise Investment to the police for prosecution.

When owner of Sunrise, Richard Song Sing Ngea, was brought into the Magistrates Court, he wasted no time to admit guilt.

He was subsequently fined $50,000, which he found no difficulty paying off.

Tohidi said landowners don’t expect the Government to keep giving favours to a logging company that was already caught stealing their resources.

“Here is a logging company that was caught breaking our laws.

“The right course of action for any government to take against such companies is to cancel their licence and deport its owners.

“But look at what Minister Titus Fika has just done.

“He used his ministerial powers to forfeit the logs then gave them back to Sunrise Investment to sell them.

“Where is justice and common sense in this?

“Whose interest is the Government serving?

“Does this government still care about its people and the resources of this nation?” Tohidi asked.

Comments are being sought from Fika.

Island Sun understands Tohidi and his group have taken up a case in the High Court on this matter.

USP shock: Vice Chancellor deported

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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Professor Pal Ahluwalia. Photo by RNZ

Gov’t says it will comment later

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

GOVERNMENT says it will make its position at a later date on the Fiji Government’s arrest and deportation of the Vice Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (|USP) on Wednesday night.

Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife Sandy Ahluwalia were arrested on Wednesday night by Fiji’s immigration and police officers from their home and taken to Nadi International Airport, where they were placed in an Australia-bound flight yesterday morning.

Fiji Government claimed the couple violated their immigration status, but critics say the decision was political than anything else.

Solomon Islands is a member of USP and accounts for the second highest number of students at the regional university.

Approached for comments yesterday, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development Dr Franco Rodie said:

“As in the past, SIG will make its position on the situation at a time and space as it sees fit.”

In Brisbane, where the couple are currently staying, Sandy Ahluwalia described what happened that night:

“While I sit here on the plane I would like to share my thoughts from last night.

“At around 11-1130pm while sleeping, I heard a woman calling out Pals name inside our locked backyard.

“The back gate had been broken. She kept saying to go to the front door as security needed to see him urgently.

“We both got out of bed and looked out of the window. The woman had 3-4 plain clothed men with her.

“Pal and I together went to the front door, hearing the doorbell being rung constantly and banging on the door.

“We could see through the glass, another 2-3 men standing at the back door and at least 8-10 at the front door.

“I quickly rang the deputy vice chancellor as he lives nearby.

“I then gave the phone to Pal. Upon seeing me on the phone, the immigration official ask someone to break down the door.

“Four men barged into the room and grab Pal heavy handedly taking the phone from his possession.

“I was unable to see if they were armed.

“The same immigration official produced a one page letter signed by Amelia Komaisavai stating that Pal ‘was a risk to the public’ and we had to pack 3 days of clothes and personal effects immediately.

“I was instructed to get dressed and they confiscated all electronic devices including our phones, iPads, lap tops, watches and passports.

“I was not left alone to change or even use the washroom.

“Where were my moral and human rights?

“As a staff member of FNU, I have my own work visa. I informed them of that but they didn’t care.

“I still haven’t been allowed to contact my employer to inform them why I am not at work today.

“There were at least 15 people in our house after curfew.

“We threw items into a suitcase and just as we left DVC Paunga said a beautiful prayer that gave us some solace.

“We were ushered into a three car procession, driving over 120km/hr to Nadi.

“Initially they wanted us to travel in separate vehicles. Divide and conquer maybe?

“We were not given any details about what was to happen next.

“Our car blew a tyre while going at high speeds and had to change cars during the trip.

“Upon arriving in Nadi before 3am, Pal was informed that we were being deported to Brisbane at 1030am.

“We were promptly ushered into a small room with no air conditioning.

“We had between 3-5 staff watching us for the next 7 hours.

“I explained to a staff member that my husband was diabetic and needs to eat breakfast and they told us that no food is available until the flight.

“We were offered water.

“Even as we were being ushered into the plane, my amazing husband thanked the people who had been supervising us, saying to them; don’t forget, whilst Jesus was on the cross, he said ‘Lord forgive them as they do not know any better’.

“Our electrical items were given back only as the plane was taxiing down the runway for take-off.

“Passports once we arrived in Australia. Therefore we were unable to contact our friends, family, colleagues or children during our ordeal.

“We have limited clothes, limited medications and no sleep yet we have faith and are stronger together.

“We truly believe that good will always prevail over evil.”

Public urged to limit visits, visitors to NRH

Written by
Admin
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National Referral Hospital

THE National Referral Hospital (NRH) is urging the public to limit the number of visits and visitors to the hospital.

NRH Chief Executive Officer Dr George Malefoasi made the call following the current heavy rain experienced in Honiara, which had exposed several leakages of water into the hospital, posing potential health risks to the visiting public.

“My executive had met and made the decision that only one relative to stay with a patent at all times, and not more than two visitors during the official visiting hours is allowed in to see the patient and this has been communicated to our security guards to implement,” Malefoasi said.

He explained that the hospital is easily inundated with water and with the leakages it will take time to fix which is currently being addressed by the hospital maintenance team and thus adherence to this call will also enable space for the staff to conduct repairs.

Dr Malefoasi apologized for any inconvenience this may cause and stated that the decision is necessary to ensure the preservation of health of the public and to allow repairs to proceed uninterrupted.

Meanwhile, NRH paediatricians are urging parents and guardians to ensure that their children remain inside of their homes to keep warm as the hospital often receive influx of sick children after such heavy rains and strong winds.

Dr Titus Nasi, Head of Paediatrics Ward at the NRH explained that diseases such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, bronchitis etc are common sicknesses among babies and young children during and after such bad weather.

“Thus it is important to always ensure that babies and children are always kept indoors to preventable them from getting sick,” Nasi said.

The NRH will continue to assess the situation and provide relevant and appropriate advice to the public but for now, public are urge to cooperate with the decision of the hospital’s executive.

Authorities call for stop to stigma against Sumari village

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Photo by TBL online.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

AUTHORITIES are calling on the public in Malaita to stop stigmatising Sumari village and its people.

This call goes especially to the communities surrounding Sumari.

The Malaita Provincial Emergency Operation Centre (MPEOC) makes this call following reports that the people of Sumari are being denied social services and are being avoided by members of surrounding communities.

Sumari village is where last month’s covid-19 reactivation case occurred.

Mr Nixon Olofisau from MPEOC says “it must be made very clear to everyone that there is low risk of possible spread of covid-19 in Sumari community and everything is normal and nothing to fear”.

“This is the beginning of the stigma and it went on and to an extent where children from the community didn’t allow attending classes.

“Even people from the community didn’t allow going to clinic, market and other public services.

“It really stigmatized the people from the primary community and even now they still have the disgrace where it shouldn’t,” Olofisau said.

He said MPEOC has a plan to correct the stigma and their first team was deployed to the communities in East Malaita on Wednesday and the next team tomorrow (Saturday, Feb 6).

Olofisau said the focus of the deployment is to provide awareness to the communities to let them know that the communities are free from covid-19 virus.

The student was living at his home in Sumari, having been discharged 62 days earlier after testing negative for the virus, when a re-test exercise found him positive of covid-19.

However, immediate follow-up tests gave negative results. Contact tracing offered negative results for all 31 people the student had come into contact with since arriving home.

Covid-19 authorities in the capital, Honiara, are monitoring the situation closely but are calling for calm, reassuring that there is no evidence for mass panic.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his national address following the covid-19 scare gave his word that authorities are handling the matter and appealed for calm, saying currently there is no evidence to suggest community transmission had taken place.

He adds that because of this, there was no reason to enforce a lock-down.

Mayor queries PAC inquiry

Written by
Press Release
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City Mayor Wilson Mamae

CITY mayor Wilson Mamae has questioned the lawfulness of the call for submissions by the Chairman for Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete, on the Special Investigations Audit Report on the accounts and records of the Honiara City Council.

Mamae questioned why the Chairman of PAC is concerned about the audit report and made mention of the fact that the spot investigations were completed by the Office of the Auditor General and HCC has responded to issues that were raised in the findings of the audit report.

He further states that recommendations of the Special Investigation Audit Report on the Accounts and Records of HCC were incorporated in the HCC work programme.

He also said that recommendations of the Special Investigation Audit Report on the Accounts Records of HCC were further forwarded to relevant Oversight Agencies such as the Leadership Code Commission and RSIPF for further investigations.

Mamae confirmed the Leadership Code Commission and RSIP are investigating certain aspects of the Special Investigation Audit Report on the Accounts and Records of HCC.

The Mayor concluded that these were procedurally completed and states the call for submissions by the PAC is not grounded on good governance of principles of accountability, transparency and good governance at the local level of government but is geared towards reigniting political disturbances at the City Council.

He said the Call for Submissions will only mislead the public and is seeking legal advice from the Attorney General’s Chambers on the lawfulness of the PAC’s intentions.

Covid-19 vaccine application outcome still unknown

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Technical advisor to Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Dr Yogesh Choudri

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

OUTCOME of the COVID-19 vaccine application for 0.25 percent of the country’s population is still unknown.

This was confirmed by Dr Yogesh Choudhri, technical advisor to Ministry of Health Medical Services at the recent radio talkback show.

Choudhri said vaccine application through the COVAX facility has been made and they offered us vaccine for 0.25 percent of the population.

“We made an application its outcome is still to be known nevertheless we are making efforts so we can roll out the immunisation programme for the priority front liners in the event if we able to get 0.25 percent of the vaccine,” he said.

He said Procedures have been put in place trainings would be done next week.

Choudri said the national vaccination policy paper has been prepared by the MHMS and will be presented to the National Coordination Committee and then to Oversight Committee and to the cabinet in time to come. It will provide the background on how we will go about the vaccination.

Pauline McNeil permanent secretary MHMS said at the moment they have put in place a national vaccination plan to do with the COVID-19 vaccination.

“Right now, we have drafted a policy on COVID-19 vaccine and it should be delivered to cabinet and caucus this week to be reviewed and it should be finalized.

We also have preparation in the event we have this vaccine mechanism in place. In terms of Human Resources capacity, we have four newly graduated nurses have been moved to immunization program,” said McNeil.

She said there is still a lot of work needs to be done but with the support of every one and Health ministry’s partner things will work out well.

“The immunization of COVID-19 is not like normal immunization. For COVID-19 immunization we have to advocator for people for people forward to take vaccination on Health facility,” said McNeil.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in his latest special address said “On a brighter note, we have submitted our application for the first doses of vaccines to cover the first 0.25% of our population. We have already committed to procure through the COVAX facility adequate vaccines to cover 50% of our population in the first instance.”

PMO too close to SFA: Wale

Written by
Press Release
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Opposition Leader and MP for Aoke Langalanga Hon Matthew Wale. Photo Credit; Pacificwin NZ Aus Pacific on LinkedIn.

OPPOSITION leader Matthew Wale questions the independence of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) and the conduct of its officials in dealing with Solomon Forest Association (SFA), a private organisation formed to protect the interests of foreign loggers.

“We have received reliable information that the latest statement from the Solomon Forest Association was sent to the media for publication, via an official of the Office of the Prime Minister,” Wale said in a statement yesterday.

“The SFA statement challenged the good work of the Foreign Investment Division to put loggers, who are SFA members, under the spotlight, for potential breach of our laws,” he added.

“My office was reliably informed that the attack on FIB was orchestrated by the controversial forest association, in collaboration with officials from the Prime Minister’s office, to undermine the good work of the division and its stakeholders.

“I condemn this in the strongest possible terms.

“It is sad that the status of PM’s office is allowed to be used, to undermine an operation, which was sanctioned by the government and cabinet.

“This betrays the very close relationship that the PMO has with SFA – too close for comfort. Solomon Islanders must be concerned about this cosy relationship.”

The Opposition leader said if SFA and its members disagree with any actions taken by FIB, the right recourse is to take such matters to court, not abusing the PMO to undermine and intimidate FIB.

He said the tough compliance actions taken by the Foreign Investment Division were long overdue and must be highly commended and supported.

“I applaud the Permanent Secretary and Registrar of the Foreign Investment Division for performing their duties diligently without fear or favour.

“I therefore call on the PM to stand behind government officials who continue to do the right thing, on behalf of the people and this country, rather than allow his office to be used against them by the loggers,” Wale adds.

The Opposition Leader went on to add that, “The continued close relationship between PMO and loggers against the clear interests of Solomon Islands further erodes trust in government.

“There is significant trust deficit – the people simply do not trust their government to do the right thing when it comes to loggers.”

He also said it seems leaders of government cannot free themselves from the clutches of the loggers, adding that as long as they continue to remain under the loggers’ influence, it will be difficult to see substantive reforms in the forestry sector long demanded by the people of Solomon Islands.

“Worse still, when the SFA is audacious enough to route its press statement through the PMO for vetting and the statement issued publicly condemns the legal actions of a government agency, it sends a very clear message of their power and influence over the decisions of government.

“This is undermining our systems, institutions and form of government, but it goes to show that loggers control the leadership of government,” Wale further added.

–OPPOSITION PRESS

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