BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

GIZO Town Council (GTC) workers have advised public and visitors in Gizo to be responsible and behave when throwing their rubbish.

“GTC will not meet or carry-out exact work to clean the whole township but we need your helping hands through working together and partnership to clean all your wastes.

“Seeing that most people who pollute the township by throwing rubbishes all over are adults and even visitors and school children who never concern about throwing rubbishes but to create waste and they are the ones who not being able to responsible to throwing the rubbishes at the right places.

“Everyone together as one should take responsibility to clean all our rubbish and put it in the right place for GTC workers to collect and dumping at the dump site,” said GTC workers.

They calling on Gizo residents and visitors to take care of the town and be responsible and take ownership of the township because Gizo is the country’s main tourist hub.

The workers suggested that waste management is a serious issue that needs cooperation, thus they are continuing to ask public to help them keep the town clean.

They said that littering is not only unhealthy but also discourages visitors especially tourists from visiting the Western province.

They said GTC workers are now slowly improving the outlook of Gizo town, market places, roads and within Gizo town.

POLICE in Central province completed another one day Crime Prevention Strategy training held at the Tulagi Police Station on August 18, 2018 for officers who were not able to attend the same training last month.

The Provincial Police Commander, Central Province Superintendent Patricia Leta says, “The training is very important because officers will be up skilled with knowledge to tackle issues in their daily work as far as policing is concerned. Moreover, officers will know how to resolve any issues using the SARA (Scanning, Analyse, Response and Assessment) problem solving model. Six officers from Yandina Police teamed up with officers from Tulagi to attend this very important training.”

“The training is part of the National Crime Prevention Strategy roll out to equip officers with the right skills and knowledge.

“I want to encourage all of the officers to implement what they have learnt during the Training,” says Superintendent Leta.

During the presentations, the Tulagi Police Station Operation Manager, Inspector John Sara covered the background of the Crime Prevention Strategy in relation to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Mission Statement and its aims and objectives with the SARA problem solving model.

Inspector Sara also covered the five main key components of the Crime Prevention Model which is of paramount importance for officers to know how it operates.

Inspector John Sara says, “The idea behind the Crime Prevention Strategy is to work with the community and give back the ownership of resolving issues happening within our communities to our people.”

Police in Central province will continue to visit communities to discuss any crime related problems that needs to be resolved using the SARA model after the Training.

–POLICE MEDIA

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

A team from the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace together with other relevant stakeholders are in Malaita province for the scoping stage of the Reparation Bill.

The programme started yesterday at Buma village in West Kwara’ae where women held a prep-session prior to the actual reparation consultation to start today.

Under Secretary Administration of MNURP, Mr Gregory Rofeta said in an interview yesterday that the programme is part of preparation for the Reparation Bill.

He said it’s common for a bill to go through certain processes before it become chained and go before parliament.

“Our coming is to conduct a scoping process of the bill for the people in Malaita. We’ll talk about the purpose and the importance of the bill to the people.

“The process is to discover people’s opinion on the bill, as it will help shape the way it will be,” Rofeta said.

He said the consultation process of the bill is yet to be carried out, which will follow this scoping process, as they eye the bill to go before parliament towards the end of the year.

Rofeta said according to the programme, only Buma village was selected in the province for the scoping programme of the bill.

He said stakeholders expected for the scoping programme include representatives from victims of the past ethnic tension, ex-combatants, traditional leaders, church leaders, women, youths and others.

Rofeta said the official programme will start today and expects to end tomorrow.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

Prosecution has sought further adjournment on the case against a man facing one count of grievous harm and one count of rape to Thursday to allow them to complete the pre-trial conference document on the grievous harm charge.

Bradley Dalipanda who appeared on behalf of his colleague prosecutor Rajah Abe told the court that the documents are yet to be filed and he needs time to complete the document.

Mr Dalipanda assured the court that by Thursday a PTC should be conducted on the case.

Meanwhile Lazarus Waroka of the Public Solicitor’s office told the court the counsel representing the accused is currently on compassionate leave.

However the presiding Magistrate said for the counsel to try and make contacts with the said counsel so that by Thursday a PTC can be conducted.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged rape victim because they are related, faces one count of rape and count of grievous harm.

The alleged incidents occurred at Sikaiana, in the Malaita Outer Islands (MOI) sometimes this year.

The accused allegedly raped his 13-year-old niece at his house when his wife was away.

On that same day, he also allegedly assaulted a man which resulted in the man losing a few teeth.

ENDS//

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A former Ombudsman and lawyer by profession has appeared in court yesterday for one count of embezzlement.

ON Monday the defence lawyer, Michael Pitakaka, told court that there are issues needed to be sort out on the case.

This relates to which Magistrate is supposed to hear the trial of the case and secondly where the hearing should take place.

Previously the case was heard by Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika but due to some reasons he disqualified himself from hearing the case.

Defence Lawyer also suggests if the case against Mr Pitabelama be heard in Taro Choiseul province, this is for convenience purposes as all of the defence witnesses are in Choiseul and bringing them to Honiara will be very much expensive.

Pitakaka said he had already consulted the Director of Public Prosecution on the suggested ideas said in court and he responded that prosecution has no issues on that.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea then adjourned the case to September 3 for confirmation of which Magistrate to preside over the case and also for confirmation on whether or not a fresh trial should be conducted or use the evidence already presented before the previous magistrate.

Elma Rizzu of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears on behalf of the Director Public Prosecution Ronald Bei Talasasa while Michael Pitakaka a private lawyer is representing the accused.

ENDS//

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE court has set a date for the Long Form Preliminary inquiry on the case against a man charged with one count of rape yesterday.

Prosecution told the court that defence has indicated a LFPI on the case and they are prepared and will be liaising with defence in regards to the witnesses they want to call during the hearing.

Prosecution and defence then set a date and agreed on September 17 and 18 for the LFPI.

The accused is facing one count of rape in regards to the incident occurred this year.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea then adjourned the case to September 17 for the hearing.

THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) is mourning the passing away of one of its officers, the late Police Constable Zephaniah Rangi on August 19, 2018 after a short illness.

“Late Police Constable Rangi was recruited back in February 2006 and was posted to Central Police Station where he served for two years during his probationary period. It was during that time that he received a certificate of appreciation in recognition of the officer’s hard work and dedication,” says Supervising Police Commissioner Madame Juanita Matanga.

“He was then posted to the Police Maritime Department on 1 December 2008 and served for more than 9 years.

“During his time at the Police Maritime Department he also served in the disaster relief operations after Tropical Cyclone Pam devastated Vanuatu, and many more operational duties.

“Late Constable Rangi is a dedicated and hardworking officer who has served with dignity throughout his service in the RSIPF.

“He will be missed by the organisation and more especially his work colleagues in the RSIPF Maritime Unit.

“This is a great loss for the organisation, especially the Maritime Unit.

“And losing a Police officer who always dedicated his time in serving his people through his hard work is a sad thing.

“On behalf of the RSIPF Commissioner, ranks and files I would like to pass on our sincere condolences to the immediate and extended family of the late Constable Rangi as we mourn the loss of your family member.

“Our prayers and thoughts are with you during this time of bereavement,” says Ms Matanga.

Late Constable Rangi is survived by his wife, who is also a Police officer and three children.

A sending off service will be held for the body of the late Rangi in Honiara tomorrow (August 22) afternoon before his body will be transported to his home village in the Russell Islands, Central province.

–POLICE MEDIA