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Police to enquire into bribery attempt on PPC Malaita

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE Commissioner Mostyn Mangau says no formal complaint has been raised to the po-lice about allegations of bribery in Malaita.

Two separate bribery allegations on the PPC Malaita and also on two members of Provincial Assembly were reported in media recently.

Mangau, responding to questions during a recent media conference, said that he is aware of allegations being discussed in the social media but there are no formal complaints reported to the Police about those bribery allegations on the MPAs.

But if those allegations are true then come forward and report to the police, Mangau said.

Regarding two officers of a logging company attempting to bribe the PPC Malaita, Mangau said, he will check on Auki police as to whether any enquiry has been made into that allegation.

He said there is still no update on those issues and police will follow-up on that allegations.

Last week, Opposition Leader Matthew Wale condemned the alleged bribery attempt by the two officers of a logging company on the Malaita Provincial Police Commander in Auki.

Wale commended PPC Riolo for refusing to accept the bribe and publishing the incident.

“In this PPC Riolo has shown a good example to other public officers to emulate in exposing corruption,” Riolo said.

However, Wale was also concerned why the PPC did not immediately order the arrest of both officers and their boss to whom he spoke on the phone.

The Opposition Leader said these people are so bold in going to the RSIPF Auki provincial office to commit their crime.

“It was important that not only should the evidence be collected on the spot, but that they should also be arrested forthwith,” the Opposition Leader stressed.

Wale said the attempted bribery of the PPC is a serious matter and should not be left un-punished.

“The RSIPF is the premier law enforcement agency in Solomon Islands and these people obviously intended to compromise its work in relation to a matter directly affecting them or their company.

“We all, but especially police officers, must jealously guard the effectiveness and impartiality of the RSIPF against such malign activities aimed at undermining the rule of law in Solomon Islands,” the Opposition Leader adds.

“It is important that we do things properly and according to laws of the country, and ordinances of the Province and not allow people to flout our laws.

“I therefore call on the Police to immediately pursue investigations into this allegation and arrest those involved.”

He said PPC Riolo’s actions demonstrates quality that is required by the people in our public offices, especially the Police force.

“PPC Riolo, your decision shows your dedication to the rule of law and your job as a senior police officer, and serves as an example to other public officers,” Wale said.

Get prepared for developments ahead: Suidani

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

PREMIER of Malaita province, Daniel Suidani has called on his people of west Fataleka and the province to prepare for developments ahead.

He made the call during handover of a PCDF-funded market building to the people of Taeloa over the weekend.

“My good people of West Fataleka, you might hear stories of development support that is coming to Malaita province. Let me demystify and clarify any doubts in your mind about the sup-port.

“We know the State of Department of the United State of America have announced recently that Malaita province will be the focus of its $25m grant under their scale programme,” Suidani said.

He said in preparation for the support, people must work together to harness the benefits that will come under the programme and affiliated projects.

“I can assure you that west Fataleka and ward five will not benefit from this support if we are not ready to work together as one people.

“I urge you to start organising yourselves in readiness of the support. It’s time we must talk together as tribes or families in readiness.

“Let’s not have the attitude of waiting for things to be put on a plate for you. That attitude will not bring any good to us or our communities.

“Let’s not wait for others to tell us what to do rather let’s put our God’s given knowledge and wisdom into good use and in preparation for the opportunities. We cannot sit and wait and hopping change will somehow appear like a miracle to us.

“I believe west Fataleka will continue to contribute to the development of the province and push the boundary frontier of development to ensure our place continues to move on the right development trajectory.

“No that will never happen. We will have to get involve and get organise.”

Repa-date not yet fixed for graduating students

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

REPATRIATION date is not yet fixed for Solomon Islands graduating students this year over-seas but national government is thinking on ‘the second week of December’.

As soon as all arrangements are formalised then they will announce the date of the actual ‘travel back’ said Permanent Secretary (PS) Dr Franco Rodie of the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) during yesterday’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) ‘Talk-Back Show’.

As understood the government is planning to repatriate students who should be able to complete their studies while ongoing students are to remain in host countries because of the difficulties in terms of quarantine measures as well as travel restrictions, Dr Rodie assures those to remain that they will do their best over their allowances from December to New Year.

“In terms of the repatriation of graduating students, if you have been following very carefully on all the decisions or plans that we have, earlier on we mentioned for students who are currently studying in Fiji based institutions, Papua New Guinea [PNG], Vanuatu particularly USP Emalus Campus as well as Samoa and some in Australia and New Zealand, [that] we are planning to repatriate students who should be able to complete their studies or graduating students,” said Dr Rodie.

“So just for your interest, in Fiji we have 368 graduating students, Samoa [4], PNG [77], Vanuatu with 84, Australia with 19, and New Zealand [4].

“Now for ongoing students in those institutions, there are about 898, so these are the students that we are planning for them to remain in the host countries because of the difficulties in terms of quarantine measures as well as travel restrictions. We will make sure for these students, they receive their allowances from December 2020 until February when they are expected to resume their classes.

“All in all, ongoing students, 898 those who are going to remain in those institutions and for graduating students who we are going to repatriate are about 530.

“Now we have not really fixed the date for them to be repatriated but we are thinking of second week of December, as soon as all the arrangements have been formalised, then we will announce the date of the actual travel back to the Solomon.

“So those are the repatriation arrangements for our graduating students and those who are going to remain in those host countries or institution.”

Only 73 nurses for covid-19 allowance

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Frustrated nurses stand to gather and requesting relevant authorities to address the non-payment of covid-19 allowance claims.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

THE national government had revealed that only 73 nurses are eligible to receive covid-19 allowances and not all nurses.

This was revealed by Dr Jimmie Rodgers Secretary to Prime Minister and member of the over-sight committee in a recent press conference.

Based on the over sight committee recommendation to cabinet the government could pay for only 73 nurses working at the frontline.

For 69 nurses work as frontlines on covid-19 operation tier one they will $400 and four nurses working at tier two or support operation will get $150 only when the person comes into contact with someone from outside at the boarders.

These nurses are those who have worked at the frontline including those that work at the quarantine and isolation unit at the National Referral Hospital.     

He said when government meet with Solomon Islands Nursing Association on October 4, 2020, government has clarified to SINA that it would only be paying covid-19 allowances to front-liners and not to all nurses as wanted by SINA.

The governed can’t afford to pay $250 per fortnight to all nurses in the country and $1000 per fortnight for all nurse in emergency zones.

Moreover, there about 1,200 nurses through the country.

Gov’t disclosed nurses benefits

Written by
Charles Kadamana
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Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Jimmy Rodgers speaking to journalists at a media conference yesterday afternoon when he clari es the issue of allowances for nurses and justify the government action in suspending SINA. Picture: Charles Kadamana

BY CHARLES KADAMANA

THE government has disclosed how much the members of Solomon Island Nursing Association members (SINA) get with a call for nurses to give back to the country instead of asking for more.

Secretary to Prime Dr Jimmy Rodgers in an effort to justify the government action in suspending SINA reveals how much SINA members received from different allowances including their basic salary.

He said apart from basic salary the nurses received Special Duty Allowance (SDA), Multi allowance, Dirty allowance, Risk allowance, Posting allowance and COVID-19 allowances.

Take for example, a level 5.5 nurse with basic salary $1,307.70 also received SDA ($511.23), Multi allowance ($414.23), Danger allowance ($390), Risk allowance ($390), Posting ($250 for Province) plus COVID-19 allowance ($3,213.24) is totalling up to $78,344.00 per annum.

For level 12 nurse with the basic salary $3,210 also received SDA ($1,076.79), Multi allowance ($802.50), Danger allowance ($390), Rick allowance ($390), Posting ($250 for province) and COVID allowance ($5,893) is totalling up to $152,161.00.

Based on these figures’ Dr Rodgers says the country deserved from the nurses to give back to the country instead of asking for more.

“They deserve what they get but all I am saying is for them to give back to the country instead of asking for more.

“Now that the nation knows what they get is not hidden, I am interested to get public reaction and they will answer to it.

“From my perspective they deserved what they get but all I’m asking them is to show back to our nation that is very poor that the laying of staff because of Covid-19 and cutting salary by 50 percent for essential services, we ask them to regain the trust of the country that has accorded them the trust to develop their career.

“Please if you understand what you are getting don’t ask for another, $250 fortnight, don’t ask for another $1000, where would that money come from,” he said.

He also reveals that only 73 nurses will receive Covid-19 allowances and the government will not be paying other allowances as demanded by SINA.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare yesterday suspended SINA after its members staged a peaceful protest at the National Referral Hospital Car park over the delay of their allowances.

However, Dr Rodgers in press conference yesterday says they had given enough time to dialogue their position on the allowances.

He explains that on October 4 the government in its meeting with SINA clearly stated that it would only be pay Covid-19 allowances to front liners and not to the rest of the nurses as demanded by SINA

He said SINA had demanded that every nurse in the country regardless of where they are situated must paid $250 per fortnight. In addition to that all nurses in emergency zone must receive $1000 per fortnight.

There are about 1,200 nurses throughout the country.

He said based on the oversight committee recommendation to cabinet the government could only pay for the 73 nurses working at the front line but it can’t afford to pay $250 to all nurses in the country and $1000 a fortnight to those in emergency zones.

Under the COVID-19 arrangements as stipulated in a public service circular everyone who worked at the frontline will get $300 per day but not every day-only at times when the person comes into contact with someone from outside at the borders.

He also explains that only 73 nurses that work at the frontline, including those at the quarantine centres and at the isolation unit at the NRH are paid Covid-19 allowances.

Scholarships for 2021 will be made available

Written by
Barnabas Manebona
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Permanent Secretary for MEHRD, Dr Franco Rodie.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CABINET has approved that school scholarships will be made available for next year.

Confirming this is the Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) Dr Franco Rodie when questioned on any new update for ‘Form Seven scholarship’ in 2021 during yesterday’s ‘Iumi Together against Covid-19 Talk-Back Show’.

The MEHRD Permanent Secretary said not only scholarships for Form Seven students but citizens who would also like to be considered for training programme or studies they would like to pursue.

“Cabinet has approved the scholarships that will be made available, not only the Form Seven students but citizens who would like to be considered for the training programme or studies they would like to pursue.

“So Cabinet has approved it and currently as of last week Thursday my Officers were trying to put the information together so they can put out an advertisement on the scholarships that will be made available,” said Rodie.

It is understood that the confirmation by Dr Rodie on scholarships come as ‘welcome news’ for members of the general public who through this Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic have been raising question if whether scholarships this year for school next year will be offered.

‘Go back to work’

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

Government urges nurses to abandon sit-in protest and resume duties

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

NURSES on sit-in protest have been asked by government to return to duty.

Government has labelled the peaceful sit-in protest staged by nurses, beginning Friday last week, as illegal and has admitted that their allowance demands cannot be afforded.

As such, government is appealing to the goodwill of the protesting nurses to return to work.

Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Secretary to Prime Minister and Member of the Oversight Committee, made the call yesterday.

 “Please nurses wherever you are and you are in this illegal sit-in protest because it has not been approved by the authorities please stop and get back to work to serve your people and do the job that you were call for and be response to the oath that you swear,” Rodgers said in a talk-back show yesterday.

“Nurses we respect you and value your services, but don’t take advantages of our covid-19 situation,” he added.

He said the government is supporting the nurses but what Solomon Islands Nurses Association (SINA) has done to drive individual nurses is wrong.

“Individual decisions is on you nurses because you are the members.

“What you are doing now is not what you are called for.

“I ask you to think about the patients and return to duties.

“Whatever the actions are and investigations come you go back to work that would work in your favour.

“This country belongs to us, our job is to protect it and protect the people when we are given the privilege to serve let us serve faithfully. 

“The gain comes as reward it should not be driving us.

“Nursing colleagues please stand with us, stand with our people.

“We have agreed with SINA on the 4th of October on how to move forward but why SINA drive this issue and why they are convincing nurses and not telling nurses the outcome of the meeting.

“Please your people need you, the services need you, we ask you to think about your families and our people and participate with us to serve our people and our country.

“We need you in this hour.”

Michael Larui, the National Director for Nursing said:

“For this sit-in protest, I don’t know what will happen but we don’t want the patients to remain unattended.” 

Mangau spots out gaps in covid regulations

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THERE is no provision under the covid-19 quarantine regulation mandating the police to charge people in quarantine throwing out anything from the quarantine centres.

Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau stated this during his weekly media conference that there are regulation gaps and police cannot charge people in quarantine if they throw out anything from their rooms.

He said with regards to the two Chinese nationals alleged to have breached quarantine regulation, only the one who went and took the package from the Pacific Casino Hotel quarantine centre will be charged, while the one under quarantined will be freed as there is no provision under the regulation to charge him.

Mangau said the investigation is now completed and police will charge the Chinese who went into the Pacific Casino Hotel and picked the package.

This is the incident that occurred on September 3 this year, that a vehicle entered the Pacific Casino Hotel premises and a parcel was passed to another person in the vehicle by the Chinese national under quarantine at the Hotel through the ventilation window of a room on the southern side of the premises.

Mangau said such gap or loophole with the regulation police with work with the responsible authority to amend and include such provision to cater for any future happenings.

However, at the moment police will monitor people from outside who go near the quarantine centres so that such incidents are not repeated again, Mangau said.

PM urged to attend to claims of frontliners

Written by
Press Release
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Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare

OPPOSITION leader Matthew Wale is calling on the Prime Minister to take urgent steps to address the allowances of front-line officers in the fight against covid-19, which had been revealed as being unpaid since September 2020.

 “If the reports are true, then it is clearly hypocritical of the government to be giving credit to front-liners while neglecting to pay them their dues,” Mr Wale said

“Each time they perform their duties, they are actually exposing themselves to serious health risks for the sake the rest of the community and I am surprised that their allowances would be left unattended,” he added.

“I therefore question the government as to why this has happened.

 “I am concerned that the delay may have something to do with government’s spread of our limited resources including finances.

“I am concerned that payments that have political attachments which are not health related may be taking precedent over front liner allowances. 

“If this is the case then something drastic must be done. 

“We cannot lose sight of our front liners and other key health needs. 

“They are too important in our fight against a health pandemic to be ignored just because we have to spend money elsewhere for political reasons.”

Further, on the nurses’ threatened sit-in protest, Wale also calls on the Prime Minister to take immediate steps to deal with their concerns. 

“The last thing we want at this point in time is for our nurses to be left without options.”

Wale said it is obvious the nurses feel that their grievances have not been taken seriously and dealt with in a timely manner.

“It is therefore important that the legitimacy, legality and proportionality of these claims are given proper consideration.

“Clear lines of communications must be established therefore to avert any misunderstanding and the inevitable.

“Sensible and reasonable decision-making therefore is need on the part of government.”

–OPPOSITION PRESS

Nurses’ sit-in protest postponed

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

SOLOMON Islands Nursing Association (SINA) proposed peaceful sit -in process planned for today (Friday 30th October) over delays to their covid-19 allowance has been postponed.

A statement by the General Secretary, Steven Maitani, on Thursday 29th October said they have called off the plan for now because authorities have not responded to their application to stage their protest.

“Following SINA members submission dated [October 19] to Government to review Covid-19 Allowance however Government fail to respond accordingly.

“Consequently, on [Oct 23] SINA sought application to stage Sit-In protest on 30.10.20, in accordance to Procession and Public Assembly Act 1996.  As of today, [Oct 29] SINA received no approval and upon follow up with relevant authorities, SINA was advised there needs to be a consultative talk between relevant authorities before an approval can be granted.

“In absence of the relevant authorities approval, the protest will be called off accordingly. SINA is a law abiding institution and ensures its actions must be within the armpit of law.

“SINA Executive however was disappointed with the outcome of the decision and shares great concerns and sympathy with their members.

“SINA Executive however is aware of the ongoing frustration of their members and will tomorrow (Friday 30th October) find ways to harmonise their members’ concerns and irritations.”

According to a source who requests anonymity, the planned sit-in protest planned by SINA members and proposed to be held today (Friday 30th October) is illegal and likely to be cancelled.

The source said it is illegal because the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) denied receiving any letter or application from SINA requesting for a peaceful sit-in protest and so Honiara City Council (HCC) has also denied to grant SINA members permission and told them that for any gathering to held one has seek the Coronavirus Over Sight Committee’s approval.

“Nurses are told by the Solomon Islands government that any sit-in protest organised today is illegal and if they do so, it will be at their own risk.

“However, the national government has responded positively to nurses grievance over delay and non-payment of allowances in a meeting held yesterday (Thursday 29th October) at the Prime Minister Office (PMO).

In this meeting it was revealed that covid-19 allowances for nurses was delayed at the Accounts General office, Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT),” the source said.

With this, the source said Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) McKinnie Dentana gave directives to the office of Accounts General, MoFT and his team to quickly process the delayed payments for nurses and immediately send the payment to nurse bank accounts rather than waiting for their fortnights.

The source said that nurses are reminded by SIG that in this current situation of covid-19 pandemic any gathering of more than 10 people or huge number of people is not encouraged as it is against the covid-19 regulations.

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