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.
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
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.
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.
THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force will be staging its Open Day from September 27-28.
Police Commissioner Matthew Varley said the Open Day will coincide with the Police Blue Ribbon Day, an annual commemoration day for police officers to remember officers who have passed away in their time of service for the country.
The open day is also an opportunity for public to come along and hear from departments and units of the RSIPF and learn more about the work of the police in keeping the country safe.
Varley said they are inviting their partners to also showcase their activities during the two days.
He said the general public must come along, especially students and also those who intend to join the police as their career in the future.
He said it is an opportunity for public to witness and ask questions to officers the roles and responsibility of their Police Force.
Electors question neutrality of registration booth in CDO’s residence
By Gary Hatigeva
West Honiara registration booth at the residence of west Honiara constituency CDO Brian Taupiri, White River. Photo supplied
AS this week begins with hype and excitement for the registration programmes of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC), voters in the West Honiara Constituency are concerned over the establishment of a registration booth within the private residence of the Constituency’s Development Officer (CDO).
In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of SIEC, cited by this paper, a Mr Bobby Soro Ledi has questioned the commission over the booth and its neutrality, which he said is not even in the designated venue.
In his letter, Ledi expressed on behalf of all eligible electors who shared concerns and complaints regarding the booth, which they thought was totally wrong and bias in nature.
“It raises questions of the neutrality of your office to ensure fairness and justice in this very important process of electing our national leaders.
“It is obvious that having chosen the CDO’s residence gives an advantage to one candidate over other candidates.
“This is already an indication of your office being influenced or infiltrated by one candidate to his advantage,” Ledi stated.
He then alleged that this also gives a clear indication of the corrupt practice happening within SIEC office in this registration process.
The concerned elector added that as such, based on such a decision, already a three-tonne truck registered no MB2089 (see photo attached) has made a lot of people to register in support of the candidate whom the resident owner supports.
He further added that it is also suspicious as to why other registration booths for West Honiara Constituency were not set up on time while the said registration booth was first to be set up.
Speaking on the same note, other concerned electors interviewed on Monday, are also questioning why the CDO’s residence when it is not in the SIEC’s Biometric Voter Registration Movement Plan.
“As far as we know, the only venue indicated in the Commission’s registration official programme is, at the Laundry Valley, more specifically, the Church Building and not the CDO’s premises,” a member of the concerned group shared.
Meanwhile, the West Honiara CDO Brian Taupiri when contacted denied the allegations and refuted claims he or the Constituency office is involved in the process.
Taupiri said the decisions to attend to the registration booth within his area is based on people’s choices and not being brought in or forced as alleged.
The CDO said he sees nothing wrong with it being held in his residence as it has always been used as a registration hub since 2006 up to the last one in 2014, and that the current registration programme in his premises is no different as it is a straight forward process for anyone to take part in if they are eligible.
He however pointed out that the decision to establish the booth at his area is something the officers in charge chose, knowing it is within his residence, and not at anytime his office ever asked the SIEC to play host to the important electoral programme.
CDO Taupiri said interestingly, there were other intending candidates seen on Monday, taking photos of the happenings at his place, and questioned their intentions as it is just a normal registration programme for all, and suggested for us to call the Registration Officer responsible.
He however called on intending candidates to be professional in their activities and allow for the process to take its course and not be used to score political points as it is not helping anyone.
This paper was able to talk to the SIEC Chief Electoral Officer Mose Saitala, who in his response said it was also a shocker for his office as it was never in the Commission’s official movement plan or the approved venues for all registration booths within West Honiara.
He explained that he was only made aware of the venue late on Monday and after being made aware of the matter, he had instructed for his office to deal with whoever that was responsible for the change and will be dealt with accordingly.
He added that a similar incident was also reported in one of the provinces and the SI Electoral Commission has dealt with the officer responsible, and it will see that the same is done with the officer(s) responsible for this uncalled for move to override an official decision.
The concerned group on the other hand stressed that as citizens and genuine voters within the West Honiara Constituency, they demanded for the registration booth to be removed and the electoral commission office to scrutinize the officers responsible for the changes.
The group stressed that while there is respect for the commission’s call for no obstruction to the registration process and to workers, such complaint as raised, may force people to do so if not dealt with accordingly.
They however pointed out that prompt action to this demand would be highly appreciated and would maintained respect to the SIEC’s call for no obstruction to the registration process.
But the SIEC CEO urged and reminded voters especially those unhappy with the raised matter, to leave the issue to the SIEC to deal with and not get involved in any unwanted and perhaps unlawful activities, but allow for the rightful authority to deal with them.
He also warned other areas and constituencies to be vigilante and ensure such situations and matters are reported to the Commission for proper actions.
Additionally, the group pointed out that with his confirmation of the questioned booth, not in the officially approved venues, the concerned voters further questioned the legality of the list that will come out from this booth and questioned if they (lists) will be used for the 2019 elections.
“Already, having the booth set up at the CDO’s resident gives an upper hand to the current MP, where anyone they brought in from other constituencies will have a free ride in being registered, even if they are in breach of the relevant sections of the new Electoral Act,” the group added.
According to the SIEC Biometric Voter Registration Movement Plan, there is never an indication of the CDO’s residence to be one of the venues for a registration booth, however, two other residential areas are pointed out but are further in different area, and not close to the CDO’s residence.
And this is something the SIEC, according to officials, will not allow knowing the area belongs to someone attached or close to either the current MP or any other candidates for that matter.
The Movement Plan also shows that the only approved location for the booth around that area was at the Anglican Church Building within the Laundry Valley boundary, which is about half a kilometre away from the CDO’s area.
