BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

ANZ Bank has for the first time in the region digitalised school fee payment using ANZ goMoney banking.

That means parents can pay school fees conveniently using ANZ goMoney, the mobile banking platform of ANZ bank.

In a statement, the bank said school fees are among the biggest yearly expenses in Solomon Islands. “Paying school fees can take extensive travel planning and saving”.

Many parents have to take time out from work, some must catch boats to Honiara which can take around six to eight hours depending on weather conditions and up to US$25 per way.

Along with their expenses, they must also keep aside extra money for lodging and meals when staying in Honiara.

If they have not save enough for the journey, delays may occur in paying fees which would incur them additional charges.

Thus, to assist parents reduce some of the costs and time, ANZ and Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) have developed a digital solution to address these challenges.

The statement furthered that the platform is presently active in few schools in Honiara with plans to roll out nationwide in the pipeline.

“Parents do not have to physically go to the schools to pay the fees more. They reduce the efforts required to arrange cash or take a day off from their busy schedules.

“The advantage was that parents will find value proposition for digitised fees payment compelling.”

According to the statement another feature the digital platform allows is payment in instalments at parents’ convenience.

“So parents can now plan and save to pay the fees and avoid late payments of their children’s school fees.

“ANZ offices will help people on pursuance of the platform if require further information.”

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

ECONOMIC stability is a needed platform to spur growth.

This was stated in International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) 2016 report on Solomon Islands Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2016-2020.

Under “Economic Growth”, IMF stresses that improvements are needed in economic and financial management and accountability.

Additionally, national fiscal and monetary policies should facilitate growth.

IMF said there needs to be a vibrant and robust economic environment to stimulate growth and investment.

In terms of productive sectors, agriculture, fisheries, tourism and forestry have been identified as potential drivers of economic growth in the country.

IMF highlighted agriculture as the most important sector for the Solomon Islands economy as it provides for and sustains 85 percent of the rural population with food crops, cash crops and livestock for their daily livelihoods, food and social security.

Agriculture exports were also mentioned as a major source of export earnings.

The report stated that enhanced production of staple foods is essential for food security and the well-being of the rural population.

However, emphasise is that a twin track strategy including the development of commercial agriculture and exports is key to growth.

IMF says there is large potential to increase production and export from large-scale plantations.

On the other hand, the livestock sector is underdeveloped and domestic production does not meet consumption.

While the domestic industry is mostly back-yard production, IMF points out that production could be increased through better animal husbandry, feeding practices and improved breeds.

Programs and projects under the Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) are in line with the emphasis of the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) Government policy priorities with focus on economic growth and effective service delivery.

“MTDP has emphasised the need for fundamental and sector reform programmes, including governance and anti-corruption, and in the productive, resource and social sectors,” said IMF.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is planning to support Solomon Islands Tina River Hydro Development project.

According to an ADB report, the project will generate electricity from renewable sources and provide more affordable and reliable options to Honiara.

ADB also stated that it will support government-led public sector management reforms with policy-based programmes to manage financial and economic risks in Solomon Islands.

“A policy-based programme is included in the 2018 program. Technical assistance is proposed to provide the basis for an urban economic development project in 2018,” said ADB.

The report expressed that ADB works closely with various government departments on development strategy, transport infrastructure, private sector development, promotion of renewable energy sources, and public finance management reforms and macroeconomics.

Back in 2008 as mentioned, ADB and the World Bank established a development coordination office in Honiara to strengthen partnerships with the government and liaison with other stakeholders.

In 2016, ADB further strengthened it’s presence in Solomon Islands by upgrading the office to an extended mission.

ADB’s country programme in Solomon Islands is closely coordinated with other development partners including Australian and New Zealand governments, European Union (EU) and World Bank.

“ADB partners with the Government of Australia, the European Union, and New Zealand on project financing,” said ADB.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

EARLY analysis and management is the key to prevent or delay life threatening problems like diabetes.

This was expressed by the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Dr Nemia Bainivalu yesterday during the launching of the World Diabetes Day.

“Timely diagnosis and treatment is the key to delay life- threatening problems like diabetes. If diabetes is not early detected it can lead to death. So please, know the signs and symptoms to protect yourself and your family,” said Bainivalu.

Bainivalu said diabetes is caused by living unhealthy lifestyles such as eating unhealthy food and drinks and not getting physical activity.

Bainivalu uttered however it is largely preventable. “The best thing you can do is to protect yourself from getting diabetes.”

“Also maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy foods and move your body (exercise) this is to stop you from diabetic.

“If you already have diabetes, you can prevent it from worsening by applying the above mention practices eat healthy and exercise.”

In addition Diabetes is a disease that occurs when blood sugar is too high.

IT is reported that the budget allocation for the Traditional Governance and Customary Land Reform Summit currently in Auki has been overrun.

This is owing to overflow of participants said to be at the summit with unstructured invitation and even self-invited to attend the three-day summit.

A reliable source said such incidence is not new as it has already been experienced with other past bigger summits or conference in Auki.

A source tells this paper, “Like this summit, UNDP (funder) allocated around $300,000 for the whole cost of the meeting.

“That covers expenses on areas such as accommodations, catering, hiring of meeting venue, logistic, allowances and many more.”

The source continued that as currently experienced participants will undeniably raise disappointment on some of the privileges expected that will not forth coming.

“I knew around 160 invitations sent out to participants to attend the summit.

“Youths and women representatives will top up the number to 200 participants as the official invited participants for the summit.

“However, a registration on Tuesday scooped around 306 participants and an open registration did yesterday was around 400,” the source said.

The source said this showed how interested the people are to hear and dialogue on this very important matter, not minding the budget.

“The question is whether this huge participated number that attended uninvited and disorganising the budget portray a good behaviour to convince the funder for future assistance?

“And if the participants go back to their organizations or communities and address people they represent with the importance message from the summit that would be very good,” the source said

The source urged the participants to consider the importance of the summit for and not on things they might felt hurt of during their attendance to the summit.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case against the Member of Parliament for Savo-Russell, Dickson Panakitasi Mua, has adjourned for November 21 to allow the defence lawyer time to provide documents for intended bail variation.

Defence Lawyer representing the accused has informed the court that they are intending to make bail variation once all the documents and travel arrangement of the accused is set.

Therefore he sought the court’s liberty should all those documents be set, the case can be relisted any time during the cause of the adjournment for bail variation.

Prosecution also confirmed in court that disclosures have already been provided to the defence.

Mua was arrested and charged by police in relation to the offence of alleged conversion.

He was charged in relation to an incident which occurred in 2013 – allegation that he converted $3million shipping grants for other purposes.

The allegation relates to an application that was submitted to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development by Mua; and according to the proposal document, the MP was seeking $3m from the SIG through the NTF in 2013 to purchase a ship for Savo Russells Constituency.

The proposal was processed and approved by the MID and the funds were paid on December 30, 2013.

It was alleged that on January 2, 2014 the Constituency Development Officer of Savo/Russells collected the cheque from the Finance and deposited it to the Savo Russell constituency bank account.

Police further alleged that the MP started to make a series of withdrawals from the account when the money was deposited until that money was completely withdrawn on February 4, 2014.

Investigation revealed that instead of using the $3m to purchase the ship as its intended purpose, the MP allegedly paid $2.8m to a local company for the purpose of items such as OBMs and other equipment for distribution to his supporters in Savo Russell constituency.

It also further alleged that $200,000 of the money was withdrawn as cash and use for other expenses and not related to the purposes of the shipping grant.

Bradley Dalipanda of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown on the case while Lazarus Kwaiga is representing the accused in court.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE continuation of trial into the case against three men alleged of false pretence charge and intimidation has been set for March 11 to 15 of next year.

Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi after setting the date adjourns the case to December 12 for interim mention and all accused appearance will be excused until March 6, 2019 all accused are required to appear on that date.

Defence lawyer representing Nelson Maeta also applied to vary bail condition imposed on her client yesterday.

Defence Lawyer Serah Karani said that her client will be leaving for Malaita on December 7 2018 and will returning on January 5 2019.

Without any objections from the prosecution the court grants the application and allows variation on the bail condition against Mr Maeta.

This is the case against accused men Gordon Mark, Nelson Maeta and John Nelson Ross who were charged in relation to an incident occurred in 2011 in Honiara.

The allegation said provided in court said that between November 1 and 30, 2011 where the two accused and other men obtained more than $300,000 by selling the victim fake gold bars.

Police alleged that the men approached the victim, Hypolite Taremae, who is the former Minister of Truth Reconciliation and Peace, at his office at Anthony Saru Building at that time.

Police said that the men went to see the alleged victim with the intention to obtained money through false pretence and also lure him into believing their made up stories.

The men and others allegedly told Mr Taremae that they were from Weather-coast in Guadalcanal. And in the coming days a reconciliation ceremony will take place in their village but they did not have enough money.

It was at that time they showed a picture of a gold bar to Mr Taremae which they claimed to be in their possession, Police said.

They allegedly said they have some gold bars which were stolen by the former Guadalcanal war-lord Harold Keke that was taken from the former Ross Mining during the height of the ethnic tension.

The men also allegedly showed Mr Taremae a certification letter from the Director of Mines that confirmed that the gold bars were gold and worth six million dollars.

Having heard from the accused and seen all the documents, Mr Taremae was convinced.

Then on various occasions between July and November 2011, the accused men allegedly handed Mr Taremae three gold bars in return they received $300,000.

The victim however, later found that the men lied to him and he took the “gold bars” to a dealer who confirmed they were fakes.

The bars were made from lead metal and painted with gold colour paint.

It was also alleged that the men threatened the case officer who was investigating their case that they will shoot him with a gun.

The allegation further said that the men claimed that they still have guns and will hunt for the case officer everywhere and will kill him.