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Good governance for a better nation

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, I’ve seen a lot of government critics by people in the media on how the government of Solomon Islands practices governance, but I want to share my thoughts in reminding the governance actors on the old story of how good governance should behave in having an upright nation.

To become a well growth nation it is much depend on the government of the day whom practice governance, which it is a course of decision making that focuses on the formal/ informal actor and formal/informal structure by which decision is implemented.

I know the government of the day always ensures that whatever decision they’ve made must be acceptable for the people.

Governance has various Actors such as; government ministers, government department, civil servants, political parties, civil society, urban rich & poor, media, religious groups, traditional groups, international and regional organization. In order for Solomon Islands to become a better nation the governance actors must work together in one accord under certain tenets like; the actors must be accountable, responsive, transparent, efficient, impartial, participatory, follows the rule of the Law and consensus – oriented which depict the fruit of good governance.

With that I cannot deny Solomon Island as a better nation if the Actors are interrelated in their operation under the eight principles which mention above that show a country with good governance practice.

Enekevu Basi

USPSI campus

Fataleka People’s Power pre-election nomination opens

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, the Executive of the Fataleka Peoples Power had met last Sunday Sept 2, 2018 at Rufoki community to decide on the second phase of the People’ Power Process that will lead towards the pre-election of a candidate to represent the people of West Fataleka in the upcoming General Election which will fall in 2019.

The Executive has call on all communities in West Fataleka to come up with a candidate they wish to represent their community in this upcoming pre-election which will be officiated sometimes in December this year when many people are coming back for their Christmas holidays and celebrations.

The Executive wish to remind all citizens of West Fataleka regarding the process of choosing a community representative or candidate for the pre-election.

First a letter of notice will be written and circulated to all the communities in West Fataleka reminding the communities to nominate a candidate they wish to represent them in the pre-election.

The qualifications of a candidate who wish to contest in the West Fataleka pre-election process are as follows:

  • The candidate must be a West Fataleka citizen
  • The candidate must be endorsed by two prominent leaders and the people in the community where he or she represents
  • The candidate must be registered in one of the communities in West Fataleka
  • The candidate must send the pre-election form signed by the community leaders before the closing dated which will be decided later by the People’s Power Committee.

The People’s Power Committee also appeals for interested West Fataleka citizens in Honiara who wish to context in the pre-election must go through the same process if they wish to contest in the General Election.

The committee currently is making series of awareness program regarding the process.

The committee calls on the people of West Fataleka to respect and appreciate the process.

Robinson Ratu

Chairman of People’s Power

SIEC warns against influencing voter registration process

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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THE Office of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) has warned intending candidates or their agents from influencing the Voter Registration process.

In a press statement, SIEC said the BVR update exercise must be carried out freely without influence.

“People must register freely base on their legitimate area of residence,” the statement said.

SIEC said intending candidates or candidate agents found to be influencing the Voter Registration process such as encouraging people to register in constituencies where they do not reside, will face consequential punishments in accordance with the new electoral laws.

SIEC also appeals to eligible registrants to do the right thing by registering where they reside.

“Do not be influenced by anyone, because you risk being removed from the electoral roll if caught.”

SIEC calls on intending candidates and voters to do the right thing.

“Let’s allow the process to be executed freely and smoothly. Do not influence the process and do not be influenced.”

SIEC warned that during the displaying of the provisional list, people will check for names that appear in constituencies or VRCs.

“Therefore if your name appears in a VRC or under a polling station but you do not reside in that area, your name will be objected to during the process of Omission and Objection.

“It is therefore safe for people to register where they reside to avoid missing out in the upcoming National General Election.

The Nation-wide BVR update started today September 3rd, 2018 and ends on September 27th.

SIEC urges eligible voters to look out for registration teams in their respective constituencies in order to register to vote.

–SIEC PRESS

Call for Commissioner of Elections to commence work

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Peter Kenilorea Jnr.

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

United Party Interim President Peter Kenilorea Jnr.

THE Solomon Islands United Party is calling on the government to quickly carry out the process of installing a Commissioner of Elections to oversee the Registration of Political Parties.

Speaking to Island Sun during the opening of their new office space last week, Party Interim President, Peter Kenilorea Jnr says the duty is on the Prime Minister make this call.

“I think it is very important otherwise people will see this as politically motivated. Because a lot of these things comes back to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister nominates and the Governor General appoints.”

Kenilorea Jnr says for the SIUP they have a few changes in their manifesto that they would like to make known but they cannot do so until such time their political party is registered.

“We want our work to be carried out in accordance with the country’s laws thus we cannot promote what our Party has because we are yet to be officially registered.”

In the Electoral Act 2018, a couple of the reasons for the current amendments that directly affects the political parties are; to increase the membership of the Electoral Commission to five members, which will also deal with the registration of political parties currently undertaken by the Political Parties Commission under the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014 and the other is to establish a new position of Commissioner of Elections as the administrative head of the office responsible for elections and will also act as the Registrar for Political Parties under the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014.

Kenilorea says United Party has already submitted their application but because of the new changes, their application is still lying there.

He says though they have an office space, the party’s work will rely heavily on the approval by the Commissioners before they can start working on the making their party a legitimate body as well as carry out awareness on their manifesto.

During the interview, SIUP interim President also make known the step down of businessman Adam Bartlett to contest the small Malaita seat.

Earlier it was anticipated that Mr Bartlett will contest the National General Election under the SIUP banner.

However due to family obligations, Bartlett will not be contesting this time round but is strongly supportive of the Solomon Islands United Party and has been instrumental in securing an office space for the Political party and is a current member of the United Party.

“Anybody can be a member. Our constitution is quite flexible. But we will wait until we are properly registered before we can go public with our party policy,” Kenilorea Jnr says.

At the same time, he said that he wants to see Electoral Commissioners be seen as an independent body and not one functioning under any of the Government’s Ministry.

He said he is gravely concerned on the independence of such an important function in the country’s operation but hopes that in the future, this can be delved into.

He also said SIUP is wary of the limited timeline they have in order to be registered as a political party as well as the amount of work needed to be done before the NGE in early 2019.

He said it is very important the commissioners are installed as soon as possible.

Island Sun understands that once the Governor General announces the registration date, no political parties should be allowed to register to contest in the upcoming NGE under the Political Parties Integrity Act 2014.

Kenilorea Jnr said he is quite skeptical about independent candidates contesting the NGE but hopes that in the long run, people will be more attuned to political parties then individual candidates.

Nation-wide BVR update commences

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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THE National Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) Update exercise commenced yesterday, September 3, 2018.

Registration teams have been deployed to all the provincesin the past week and are now carrying out the registration exercise.

The Office of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) encourages all eligible voters who are yet to register, to register in order to vote in the 2019 National General Election.

It is estimated that across the whole country, some 35,000 young people are now eligible to register as a voter.

SIEC stated that the registration teams have commenced registering voters today and will continue the exercise up to September 27.

“The teams will spend a number of days in one Voter Registration Centre (VRC) before moving to another; therefore look out for the teams when they visit a VRC closest to you, in order for you to register,” SIEC said in a statement.

SIEC advises Solomon Islanders to check notices that are pinned up by Registration Officers for the movement schedules of the registration teams.

The VRC locations and schedules can be found on the SIEC website www.siec.gov.sb under resources, voter registration plans.

A VRC is also a polling station where you last casted your vote during the 2014 National General Election.

According to reports from the field, there were as many as 7 registration teams across the country who encountered minor technical difficulties with equipments however SIEC’s technical support team is efficiently responding to the issues and all reported problems were rectified, allowing for uninterrupted Voter Registration.

The Office of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission reiterates that the BVR update aims to capture those who have turned 18 after the 2014 Voter Registration and those who were eligible but did not register in 2014 as well as to remove deceased persons from the list.

“The voter lists also need to be updated to reflect where people are now living; so if you need to update your voter registration details, visit any voter registration centre in your constituency.”

SIEC appeals to all Solomon Islanders to help update and clean up the voters list for next year’s election.

The first phase of the Voter Registration Update started September 3 and ends September 27.

SIEC will then compile the provisional voters list and exhibit the list starting October 29 to November 4 for people to check and make corrections.

Voter registration is an essential part of our preparation for the conduct of election. This voter registration process requires that a person who is eligible to vote, to registerhimself/herself on the ‘Register of Electors’ before she/he is permitted to vote.

–SIEC PRESS

SolAir CEO criticises media reports

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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SolAir’s CEO Brett Gebers

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

SolAir’s CEO Brett Gebers

SOLOMON Airlines CEO Mr Brett Gebers has chided media for what he claims as unfair representation of the airline.

In an email correspondence with Island Sun relating to yesterday’s article on the dangerous landing at Taro airport, Gebers puts it that media have been ‘generally misrepresenting the facts and tries to make a sensational story out of nothing’.

He instead says Solomon Airlines “deserves some credit for all the effort we put into making people’s lives easier.

“We get zero credit for all the charitable work that we do, all the tickets that we give to fund raising activities, the tickets we give to Solomon Islanders who travel to represent their country or all the extra flights that we add to help travellers.

“For instance today [last Saturday] we added extra flights to Auki because no boat went Auki on Monday and people were stranded.

“Why would I fly around our network as a passenger if I did not believe in the crew we have employed and thought we were not operating safely. I have been flying for over 46 years.”

Island Sun has been reporting on incidents involving airlines personnel and aircraft, which in contrast to what Gebers thinks, is ‘news’ for the general public and especially travellers of Solomon Airlines.

Three such incidents involved Solomon Airlines check & trainer captain Mr Ray McLellan. The first was the ‘smoking incident’ in which Captain McLellan was photographed by public in Tigoa airport in Rennell smoking in the pilot cockpit, something which has never been seen before. This incident sparked public debate on the precedence McLellan’s action has set.

Island Sun reported on a second incident in which McLellan was training a new pilot at the Honiara airport. During the training, one of the tyres burst upon landing.

Gebers, in his email over the weekend, explains, “Your newspaper recently published a story about a blown tyre which was incorrect and was simply trying to make something out of nothing.

“The incident happened with a new Solomon Islander pilot whom we had just employed. The pilot was undergoing training and landed with a foot on the brakes leading to the blown tyre.”

While this incident is regarded as news for public and travelling passengers, CEO Gebers has labelled it as ‘nothing’.

Yesterday, Island Sun reported on an incident in which travelling passengers were put through a terrifying time when their plane skid upon landing all the way to the end of the runway where the plane made a 180 degree turn. This incident took place at Taro airport.

Our source, a passenger in that flight, shared his horrifying experience and Island Sun sought comments from the airlines. CEO Gebers, in his reply explained that the incident had been due to ‘the combination of a mechanical fault and a very wet and slippery runway’.

Aoke Langalanga to receive new fisheries centre today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

THE Ministry of Fishery and Marine Resources will hand over a Community Fishery Centre to the people of Aoke Langa Langa today.

The fishery centre located in Auki is one among five other CFCs in Malaita province which will also be handed to the people by the government.

Principal Fisheries Officer of Malaita Province Fishery office, Mr Martin Jasper said the CFC will be hand over to the people and to be administered by them.

He explained that the programme came under the national government through MFMR aiming at contributing to the enhancement of the livelihood of rural people through fishery.

Jasper said the establishment of CFCs throughout the country will encourage local fishermen and women to fish and sell the product at the fishery centre.

He said under the programme for Malaita province there were five CFCs namely, Honoa, (East Are Are), Hauhui, (West Are Are), Auki (Aoke Langa Langa), Malu’u (North Malaita) and Foufo (Baegu Asifoloa).

Jasper said the CFCs were equipped with solar, refrigerators and two 40hrs OBM and boat were also given to two among the mentioned CFCs as it will also roll to others.

He said after the handing over of the CFC project to the people of Aoke Langa Langa the team will go down to Malu’u on Wednesday for handover of a similar project to the people.

Jasper said under the programme there were 16 CFCs built in Guadalcanal, Malaita, Makira, Central Islands and Choiseul provinces.

The programme was funded by New Zealand Government through Making Solomon Strong in Fishier (MSSIF) in partnership with the Solomon Islands Government.

Influx of settlers questioned as developments thought to be illegal

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

By Gary Hatigeva

THERE is widespread concern over the number of developments taking place on lands at the Alligator area going east, with questions directed at the tendering of lands in that region.

The area of concern runs from after where a log pond is situated and goes up to the care centre area, and the Guadalcanal Province Office has been questioned over the status of the land as there is likely, no consultation been done to allow for those developments and settlements to happen.

A Mr Antony Pitu of Fox Wood told Island Sun that the developments include erection of houses and gardening.

He said if plots within the area of concern are given out by the province, then that should be questioned as the province has no right to sell any plots from within that land as they are under the Levers Solomon Islands, and has a caretaker, whom he claimed has not been consulted with.

According to Pitu, after the ethnic crisis an Andrew Kuvu who is an elder from the region was appointed by Guadalcanal Province to be the caretaker and people around the area are not sure how the developers got their approvals, if they have any, and had chose not to inform the caretaker.

Meanwhile, Pitu along with people around that region have also called for an explanation from the Province, and questioned why the Province is not doing its job to monitor such developments, as what’s highlighted can only be deemed illegal if they are done outside of processes.

They stressed and suggested that officials within the Province’s Lands division should go out to the fields to assess and see if those on the highlighted lands are in compliance with agreements that guide the acquisition of any plots or lands there.

Pitu then explained that the process or any acquisition made within the Levers lands will have to involve two parties, which include G-Province and the Levers, and the caretaker being informed off.

Pitu said this issue raises a lot of concerns because some of the acquisitions are done through or with the wrong people, and it is more concerning as such kind of issues can lead to unwanted matters as settlements on the rise in the area mentioned.

He said if people who might have owned certain lands or plots within those areas have their titles and plan to return, should learn from the Gilbert and Sikiana groups whom he said, did the right thing by going through the recognised process, with the caretaker being informed.

The Fox Wood man claimed that many indigenous Guadalcanal people have respectfully applied for plots on the lands through the proper channels but have not received any feedbacks.

But it frustrates many to see that despite the patience, many people are reportedly by-passing the processes and are continuously seen settling and establishing development activities in those lands.

However, a follow up with Guadalcanal Province on this revealed that there has been no compliance on the process by those who are currently developing the lands and interestingly, people settling on these lands have already claimed ownership.

Officials confirmed that the Province or Levers has not given any authorisation for the selling or giving away of lands within the area of concern.

The process of acquiring lands from this highlighted area, according to officials within the Lands Division of the Province, people will have to go through the G-province and then the province will liaise with Levers Solomon, who is the title holder of these lands, and the two will work on the division of land before title or land is given out.

Unfortunately, according to G-Province officials, this has not happened, explaining that no such programs or understanding has been done over the mentioned land and therefore suggesting that all who settle on plots within those areas mentioned are illegal and should therefore move out.

It is understood that the caretaker of the land, Andrew Kuvu is currently posting notices for stop to all the developments and related activities on the land, which involved building of houses, gardening, harvesting of crops and cocoa, plus others.

Revised electoral law gets tough on election-related offences

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Mr Saitala
Revised electoral law gets tough on election-related offences.

THE recently revised Electoral Act has significantly increased penalties for election related offences prior to the 2019 National General Election.

These penalties range from fines of $10,000 for less serious offences up to $150,000 or 15 years imprisonment for the most serious offence.

Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Mose Saitala said Parliament has recently passed the revised Act and it is important that voters and candidates comply with these rules prior to and during the 2019 National General Election.

The new law, according Saitala, was part of the Electoral reform programmes undertaken by the Electoral Commission to improve election processes and ensure elections are free, fair and credible.

Election Bribery tops the list of offences with a penalty of $150,000 or 15 years imprisonment or both. This section prohibits candidates from buying votes or voters soliciting the sale of their votes for any kind of benefit from a candidate.

Interfering with ballot papers or ballot boxes, Fraudulent voting, Undue Influence, Providing Misleading Information and Disclosing Information without authorisation are amongst the second most serious offences which attracts penalties of $50,000 or 5 years imprisonment.

Interfering with ballot papers and ballot boxes is an offence if a person, without lawful authority removes a ballot paper from a polling station; or forges a ballot paper; or defaces a ballot paper completed by another person; or destroys a ballot paper; or supplies a ballot paper to another person; or destroys, takes, opens or interferes with a ballot box or packet of ballot papers.

Fraudulent voting refers to voting more than once and it is an offence to vote more than once; impersonate an elector for the purpose of voting; voting knowing you are not entitled to vote; and to induce and ineligible person to vote. The penalty for this offence is $50,000 or 5 years imprisonment or both.

Undue Influence is an offence if a person directly or indirectly, by violence, intimidation, threat or physical restraint, attempts to influence another person to vote or refrain from voting at an election or vote in a particular way at an election. The penalty for this offence is $50,000 or five years imprisonment or both.

Misleading information refers to giving misleading information or document to election official, Confidentiality of information refers to obtaining information as if you are the CEO, member of the Commission, an electoral official, a staff member of OSIEC or police officer, and then disclose this information to a person listed above and Protection of the Register refers to the alteration of the Register of Voters without proper authorization. The penalty for these offences is $50,000 or 5 years imprisonment or both.

Interfering with voting is another offence that has a penalty of $50,000. Interfering with Voting is an offence if one interferes with a person casting his/her vote; attempt to obtain info as to who the voter will or has voted for; entering the voting booth while another person is inside; obstruct and delays proceeding or access to polling station.

The revised Act also increases campaign expenses from $50,000 to $500,000. However, a candidate that spends more than $500,000 in campaign expenses commits an offence and a candidate who accepts campaign donation from a non-citizen person or a company who has a non-citizen shareholder commit an offence and the penalty for these offences is $50,000 or five years imprisonment or both.

Another offence under the revised Act is inciting election boycott. This section applies to a person who has customary authority or religious influence over a group of people. The person commits an offence if the person issues or causes to be issued a direction that, having regard to the nature and extent of the person’s authority or to a probable consequence of non-compliance with the direction, is likely to cause a group of persons to refrain from voting in an election. The penalty for this offence is $30,000 or 3 years imprisonment, or both.

–GCU

Biometric voter registration update commences

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
BVR

THE Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) update began yesterday across the country and will end on September 27.

The registration process is vital to capture those who have turned 18 and those who want to update or transfer their details or those who missed out in past registrations and also to remove deceased persons.

Those that have already registered are also encouraged to check their names against the Provisional Voter List at their respective Voter Registration Centers to confirm that they are already registered in their respective constituency or that their details need changing.

With this Voter Registration system, a photo Voter ID card will be issued on the spot to all new eligible voters and those that have never registered before.

Registered voters whose details have changed since the last voter registration exercise are required to update their information.

If nothing has changed since the last voter registration exercise, you do not need to go to the voter registration center.

The public is encouraged to listen out or look out for advices on what to do via radio and txt messages from Our Telekom during the registration period.

BVR

–GCU

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