BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

STIMULUS package for the economy is in the final stage of being completed for presentation to cabinet before the end of this week, says Robson Djokovic, Chief of Staff to Prime Minister’s Office.

Djokovic in a 4th talk back show on covid-19 updates held on Sunday 26th April at the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).

“The stimulus package Prime Minister Referred in his national address on Friday is in the final stages of being completed for presentation to cabinet should be before the end of this week.

“Stimulus package as you will all be aware is to cushion the impact of covid19 on the national economy meaning the government want to inject funds into the country ‘economy through private business state own enterprises and also through line ministries,” he said.

Djokovic said the package will take time simply because of the importance and it will be delivered in various sectors.

He said it has taken long because the government has to ensure the money that will be injected into the stimulus package will its recipients so it can stimulate the economy ad to ensure it will continue to turn over during this emergency phase. 

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare when delivering his 5th nationwide address on April 7^th 2020 stressed this package is his government efforts address impacts of the pandemic and off course the recent cyclone                                    

“The Economic Stimulus Package is a demonstration of my Government’s Commitment to cushion the negative impact caused by both the COVID-19 global pandemic and the recent cyclone, and ease the fallout of the pandemic on businesses and the general public.

The economic stimulus package is aimed at stabilizing our domestic economy by addressing the drop-in business activities resulting from the downscaling to both private and public sector operations. 

While at the same time, the stimulus package is aimed at focusing on providing strategic investments into the domestic economy over the emergency period to support and complement the post COVID-19 economic recovery phase,” Sogavare.

Govt to make order to manage ships entering country

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Government is expected to soon impose an order to stop crews in international vessels from stepping on land.

This follows serious concerns raised by the peoples of Rennell Island and Choiseul province on bulk carrier and logging ships travelling to their islands despite the threat of covid-19.

The people asked government to stop any ship from overseas entering the country because of the high risk of spreading the virus.

Attorney General John Muria Junior told a 4th Talk Back show at SIBC on Sunday 26th April that there are Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) being developed and a regulation drafted to oversee movement of crewmen and women from incoming vessels.

Failure to comply will result in SBD1 million fine or 20 years imprisonment which the shipping liners and agents here in Honiara will be held responsible.

Acting Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr Jimmy Rodgers said that an order is in process to manage the ships entering the country.

Mr Rodgers said the order is to make sure the crews and shipping agents comply with the State of Emergency rules otherwise they can face consequences for breaking it.

However, he said the government also is trying to collect revenue to sustain the domestic economy.

Therefore, Rodgers said the communities must work together with the government to report any ship that breaks the law.

In addition, Muria Jnr explained the 14-day quarantine period covering vessels entering the country.

Muria said the 14-day quarantine period starts when the ship leaves its first port and arrives at the final destination in Solomon Islands.

He said if the ship only covers 10 days, then it must be quarantine for another four days to meet the requirement.

Something good from the bad – fuel prices are falling thanks to covid-19

BY PETER ZOLEVEKE II

AT least one thing many would agree has come good out of the current covid-19 pandemic – fuel prices are dropping.

On Monday this week, US oil prices for the first time ever dropped to negative. And, with covid-19 still on the rampage around the world, prices are projected to continue plummeting.

Fuel is regarded as one of the ‘main costs’ in Honiara and across country. Vehicle owners, boat owners, sawmill owners and the list goes on, can attest to this.

Prices of services are also partly determined by the cost of fuel, from electricity to public transport, etc. The degree varies in each service. Overall, falling fuel prices is good news for the public.

The country’s major fuel distributors South Pacific Oil Limited and Markwarth Oil Limited reflected declines across all fuel categories since January this year.

“There are no fixed prices, monthly it changes and without latest experience in the past three months this year prices repeatedly record lower,” an insider from the SPO’s Sales & Marketing informed this paper yesterday.

“Every month the fuel price changes beginning each month. With the previous experience price has not been stable, and with this COVID-19 pandemic price remain lower.”

Consumer Affairs and Price Control Division, Director Geoffrey Dan Hou’ua confirmed the price lowering.

“Changes from each month and current month drops according to our calculations. Within the template all costing are included that’s when we determine whether prices go up or down depending on the MOPS.

Petrol retail price for April is $7.90 per litre – a drop of 50c from last month.

Similarly, Diesel retails at $8 per litre – a drop of 60c from last month.

Kerosene dropped by 50c from last month, now retailing at $7.50 per litre.

Oil companies submit monthly pricing template referred as Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) OR World market to the Secretary of the Price Advisory Committee (PAC) which its functions is to keep under review prices or charges for sale of goods or supply of services.

“Submission normally comes monthly on 23rd, 24th or 25th and that is around this week so we can identify the new price for May,” Secretary PAC Edward Bamu explained.

“The wholesale price will be forwarded to the two suppliers and the retail price to the service stations.

The total petroleum fuels market is about 150-200 million litres per annum.

SPOL is approx. about 44 percent of 80 million litres. MOL is 100 percent regulated.

Meanwhile, SPO and Markwarth are receiving petroleum from the Singapore based refinery, and so far reportedly all retail suppliers in Honiara have similar price on Petrol ($791) and Diesel ($8.06) which are the main commodities.

Being a price taker, Solomon Islands are vulnerable to such external shocks.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

FORMER Member of Parliament for Central Honiara, John Moffat Fugui has been endorsed by Cabinet to be Solomon Islands new ambassador to China, insiders confirm.

Fugui was the chairman of Prime Minister’s bi-partisan taskforce to review the 36-year relationship Solomon Islands had with Taiwan before the switch.

The taskforce visited countries that have ties with PRC namely Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea and later Beijing.

However, in February, Fugui and his other colleague in the taskforce, Jamie Vokia lost their petition cases in the High Court.

An unexpected outcome which staunch supporters of China allegedly accused Australia of influencing the decision of the High Court to remove them.

Insiders said seasoned Foreign Affairs officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade have been neglected as they would be in a better position to start up a foreign office in Beijing.

“However this was not the case as J.M. Fugui has been chosen likely due to his chairmanship of the government taskforce for the switch from Taiwan to China.

“His appointment is based on political moves rather than on diplomatic credentials,” one insider said.

Fugui, 58, comes from Fourau in Malaita Province.

He obtained his first Master’s degree at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, then two more at the University of Hawai’i in the United States, where he was enrolled in a PhD programme.

He subsequently worked as a political adviser to the Solomon Islands government.

His career in national politics began when he was elected to Parliament as the member for Central Honiara in the August 2010 general election, standing as an independent candidate.

He was then appointed Minister for the Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology in Prime Minister Danny Philip’s Cabinet.

When Gordon Darcy Lilo replaced Philip as Prime Minister in November 2011, Fugui retained his position in government.

On 22 October 2012, Fugui left the government.

He announced that he had resigned because he had no permanent secretary for seven months; Prime Minister Lilo stated that he had sacked him for siding with the Opposition.

Lilo replaced him with Bradley Tovosia.

Following the 2014 general election, in which he retained his seat, Fugui was elected Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament, on 17 December.

He was once a candidate for Prime Minister in one point.

On the 14th of February 2020 Fugui was stripped of his title as a Member of Parliament for Central Honiara Constituency due to evidence of misconduct.