BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

ABOUT 60 community leaders across Solomon Islands have been empowered with abilities to prevent and resolve conflicts through a four-day workshop on peace building and meditation held in Honiara last week.

The workshop was organized by the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace (MNURP) and supported by the United Nations Peace-building Fund (UNPBF) project, which is jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women.

One of the primary purpose of the workshop was to help leaders analyze and develop a non-violent approach to conflict and learn mediation skills.

The sessions covered through the workshop comprise peacebuilding, understanding the basics of conflict and how to mitigate escalation to violence to maintain peace in communities. Other sessions included were trauma and healing along with counseling and mediation services available to victims of conflict in the country.

Upon the completion of the workshop, the participants are now qualified to carryout trainings and awareness on peace-building in their respective communities.

Genesis Kofana of MNURP said chiefs and church and community leaders have considerable experience as peacebuilders across the country.

“After the tensions, every institution failed. Only the church and the women and youth groups that stayed in the villages were able to maintain peace and able to re-grow Solomon Islands,” he said.

“They have been playing that role informally, but this workshop has enabled us to bring the leaders together to formally train them to recognize that skill.”

Mr Kofana added that community and traditional leaders remain important resources in maintaining peace at the local level.

According to a 2017 UN peacebuilding survey of 2,500 people from across Solomon Islands, more than 76 percent of all respondents said they knew of a dispute that occurred in their community within the past 12 months.

UNDP Solomon Islands Country Manager Azusa Kubota said seemingly small conflicts have the potential to escalate if those involved lack the skills to manage them.

“When tensions increase to such a level that they begin to restrict economic activity and affect personal security, it stifles business, development and investment,” Ms Kubota said.

She added that if businesses leave and take opportunities with them, it influences cohesion in the community and the country.

“Community leadership plays a very important role in maintaining peace and accelerating prosperity,” Ms. Kubota said.

By participating in the peacebuilding and mediation workshop, leaders are expected to develop skills to address the root causes of conflict in their communities, employing nonviolent resolutions that help them collaborate with governments and NGO partners to ensure sustainable peace and development.

Meanwhile, participants of the workshop comprises of traditional and urban community leaders, including youths and women from Honiara city.

BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

“A positive HIV diagnosis is not something to be taken lightly, but with modern treatments, the diagnosis is no longer a death sentence.”

This was the statement uttered by Mrs Alice Buku during last Friday’s celebration of the 2018 World Aids Day at the University of the South Pacific Solomon Islands Campus in Honiara.

Mrs Buku said today’s HIV/AIDS positive patients can expect to live a long and happy life.

“HIV is not a death sentence. So today, I would like to encourage each and every one of you, to PLEASE! Do get tested, and know your status,” she voiced.

“I’m living with HIV for 15 years with my 12 year old negative son and a negative husband.

“Currently I’m working, enjoy, healthy, productive, live normal life as any other non-positive people.

“With strict treatment, you will have enjoyable life, if only you know your HIV status”.

In concluding her remarks, she encouraged all who are being diagnosed with HIV to live life positively.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE sentencing and mitigation submission on the case of an accused Dilo Faiga alleged for involving in an armed robbery incident on July 2014 will be heard in court today.

The accused Dilo Faiga from Manakwai village in Malaita province is alleged for involving in an armed robbery incident on July 25 2014 with other co-accused.

Police alleged that Dilo Faiga and other co-accused were involved in the armed robbery incident where they uprooted the ATM machine at the Kwaimani building using crow bars and then lifted it into a waiting car and drove off to Henderson.

The allegation said more than $400,000 was in that machine but they allegedly took only more than $200,000 from the top tray as they can’t open the bottom tray.

According to the police, they said that the men arrived at the building and threatened the security guards by gun pointing them before uprooting the machine.

After successfully uprooting the machine they dragged it onto the waiting car and drove off to Henderson where they allegedly opened and stole the money on the top tray.

Police also alleged that the security guard who followed them on that night also received $30,000 and that money was not yet recovered.

Bradley Dalipanda of the office Director Public Prosecution appears for the state while Lazarus Waroka of the Public Solicitor’s Office represents the accused in court.

THE Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday that Vijai Kumar, the current High Commissioner of India to Papua New Guinea, has been concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to the Solomon Islands.

Kumar will undertake the new assignment shortly, the MEA said in a statement.

“Vijai Kumar, presently High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, has been concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to Solomon Islands, with residence in Port Moresby,” read the statement.

A career diplomat, Kumar has served in various positions in the Ministry of External Affairs in India and in Indian Missions abroad in the Middle East, Gulf, Europe and the Americas, including the Indian Mission to the United Nations in New York.

–ANI

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE ruling on the no case to answer submission against a former Constituency Development Officer and his co-accused will be made this Wednesday.

Presiding Magistrate adjourned the ruling from last Friday to this Wednesday to allow her complete her decision on the matter.

This case has gone through a trial in which the prosecution called their witnesses and gave evidence in court and after prosecution closed their case the defence lawyers submitted a no case to answer submission.

The two accused on this case were charged in relation to the allegation that prosecution alleged them for stealing sheet of roofing iron from the Gao-Bugotu Constituency.

Jimmy Dikamana and Lonsdale Tana were charged in relation to incident occurred in 2015.

Prosecution alleged that the two stole roofing irons from the constituency and sold to other people.

The Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

By Alfred Sasako

THE Patron of the Pacific China Friendship Association (PCFA), Her Royal Highness Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Tuita has suggested establishing a Pearl Maritime Road Initiative to extend China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative to the Pacific Region.

This was contained in a Communique issued at the end of the Pacific China Friendship Association Annual General Meeting held at Sanya, Hainan Province in southern China last week.

The Communique outlined the outcomes of the one-day meeting attended by Friendship Associations from the Americas and the Oceania (Asia-Pacific) Region.

The meeting, held on 27th November, was the first since the Non-governmental organisation was established at its inaugural meeting in the Kingdom of Tonga in October 2016.

The Communique said:

“The PCFA was inaugurated in October 2016 in the Kingdom of Tonga and its aims principally include promotion of friendship and understanding between Friendship Associations and to participate in projects of mutual interest, including cultural, educational and economic activities.

The meeting commenced with an address by the Patron, Her Royal Highness, Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Tuita who encouraged the initiation of a Pearl Maritime Road initiative, to extend the Maritime Silk Road to the Pacific Region.

Dr Hiria Ottino, President of PCFA reported on the many achievements of the organization so far, including arranging scholarships with the Shanghai Ocean University, coordinating students to attend an international camp in Shanghai, provision of library books and lap top computers.

An election of five Board Members took place and representatives from the Friendship Associations of Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Australia were successful.

Dr Ottino was confirmed as President and Mr Anthony Leong was elected as Secretary General.

The meeting discussed and ratified a new Constitution which will guide and support the Association in its deliberations.

A presentation from Wuxi Suntech Power Company showed how their sustainable technologies can be utilized especially across the Pacific Region to benefit communities.

The Patron and the Chairman and CEO of Suntech signed a Memorandum of Understanding, pledging mutual cooperation and communication.

The meeting concluded with general consensus, willingness and co-operation to partner on future projects to benefit the communities of the Pacific Region.