By Mike Puia

DIRECTOR and Acting Secretary of the Ontong Javanese Association (OJA), Dr Reginald Aipia, has urged responsible authorities to investigate and clean-up the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR).

Mr Aipia said this is necessary because the Ministry is being corrupted by few senior officials within- with the help of some individuals outside.

Aipia, from Ontong Java atolls, made this call in light of a high court declaration that ruled against Chinese bech-de-mer buyers and exporters who buy and exported illegally-harvested beches-de-mer harvested in their atolls.

He said it was interesting how the Ministry’s senior officials and their Member of Parliament directly involved in effort to return the illegally harvested beches-de-mer to the Chinese buyers and exporters.

These Chinese beche-de-mer buyers and exporters have already done some export.

Aipia said information have surfaced that the Ministry deliberately stopped him from farming bech-de-mer while allowing illegal harvesting to continue.

The medical doctor was given approval to do a trial beche-de-mer farming. He was arrested and accused of harvesting the marine resource when a ban is in place.

Aipia turned and filed a case against a group that was harvesting the resource when the ban is still effective. Not long the ban was lifted for a period of one month.

He claimed the Ministry’s officials and their MP are ones behind the harvest and export of illegally harvested beche-de-mer.

Aipia said the high court declaration against the export done by Chinese buyers and exporters means that Ministry’s officials and their MP are equally guilty of breaching the fisheries laws and so should be charged.

“Had no one persuaded a legal case against these people, issues relating to the illegal harvesting and exporting of beche-de-mer will just disappear into thin air and these illegal-harvesting people will go free which is unfair,” Aipia said.

He said their atolls have the highest products for top beche-de-mer species but on papers they were recorded as low grade species.

Aipia said the State lost millions in revenue because few officials within the Ministry, with the help of their MP, attempted to hide things.

Senior officials within the Ministry this paper contacted have yet to respond to issues put before them.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CHRIST the King Parish at Voruvoru Catholic Mission Station, Northwest Choiseul, successfully held their ‘Harvest Festival’ over the weekend raising $150,000.

Main activities that raised the considerable amount of money were planned tribal and heads of families two thousand dollars target, including families, groups and individual offerings, donations and selling of harvested foods and cooked foods.

According to report, Hon Connelly Sadakabatu the Member of Parliament (MP) for Northwest Choiseul donated $10,000 while two Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) of Wards 12 and 11 namely Honourable Nerio Ulemiki and Honourable George Vanakana also donated $1,000 each.

Heading the festival was the Parish Priest Fr Henry Paroiop in which Hon Ulemiki speaking to Island Sun said over three thousand people attended this year’s Parish ‘Harvest Festival’ bringing together relatives and friends from the United Church and other sister churches between Taro and as far as Pangoe.

“St Dominic Sirovanga Parish Team with their Parish Priest Fr Calistus Tavisiop came to the harvest festival and donated more than a thousand dollars. Moli Parish also donated over five hundred dollars cash as Bangara United Church community supported by setting up their own stall and raised over four hundred dollars too,” said Hon Ulemiki.

Voruvoru’s Parish Priest and Parish Councillors thank everyone who participated and contributed in one way or another for the success of this year’s harvest festival over which they are looking forward to a better organised harvest festival next year.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CONCERN has it that Tulaghi Clinic in Central Islands Province (CIP) might face problem in the future in terms of expansion in development of buildings.

The clinic’s land size for expansion is observed as a fact to face hiccups.

According to Mr John Kaekale speaking to Island Sun on behalf of few concerned CIP locals, a suggestion is that the clinic developments should also be extended to where residential homes and business houses built around the clinic are.

“Our population is increasing, sicknesses adding new ones are also occurring and increasing so we hope there are good plans along the pipeline to address the future of healthcare servicing our people,” said John.

Recently, a member of the clinic wishing anonymity did not deny the fact that the clinic area needs to be expanded over which he also suggested for the Central Provincial Government and medical team in Tulaghi to work together in addressing the issue which will be more serious in the coming future.

DEAR EDITOR, the very recent passing of the all important raft of anti-corruption legislation in the Solomon Islands Parliament not only reflects credit on the Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister and the now Deputy Prime Minister, but to me is a clear indicator of Solomons society in change with more calls from all levels at the grass roots for openness, honesty and transparency, being the essential pillars for democracy, trust and progress.

In renewed efforts to tackle corruption I very much hope we will soon see a more open government that will accede to the calls for the people and recently the IMF for much greater transparency in the use of the CDF funds the Members of Parliament receive annually from the Government of the Republic of China (on Taiwan).

TSI, the people and several lending agencies have all called for a better level of transparency and to be able to see tangible evidence of constitutional development money that has contributed to rural infrastructure, job creation and better livelihoods for the 80 percent of the rural electorate throughout the country.

Social media, the print media, broadcasting and greater use of mobile phones has significantly improved the opportunities for the electorate to be better able to communicate and to demand change is instituted by their elected members of parliament.

Grasping the nettle as demonstrated by the bold, but long needed, passing of anti-corruption legislation needs to be followed up by the Solomon Islands government because the demand for change (and action) is growing stronger and the international community, including donors and lending partners, are watchful and hoping to see more open government and transparency come about by the present administration and by any that will follow with the possible election of new Members of Parliament in 2019.

It is my wish to see the Solomon Islands succeed in pursuing the greater ideals of democracy, truthfulness and economic progress and success for its entire people.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

DEAR EDITOR, following the successful fund raising concert on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the chairman of the Honiara Band Association (HBA) assures live music band lovers in Honiara that they have plans to host more live concerts in the near future.

“Benjamin Afuga, made the statements when acknowledging the great support and working together towards the recent HBA 4 NRH live concert, which he described as a successful campaign.

“Mr Afuga said if any bands wants to participate should start and prepare and organise themselves ahead.

”He added the association has a lot of plans and big objectives for live performing bands in Honiara especially as part of its revival initiatives.” Source Solomon Star news.

I am pleased to read of this further initiative of the Honiara Band Association because those that like playing music, especially the younger members of the community, will find enjoyment from participating in the live music performances and aid better social cohesion.

In 1998 I initiated a programme of music training with help from the then members of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Band and was greatly encouraged by the wholehearted support of the many local youths willing to learn how to play the instruments they owned.

It was a great pity that the security situation that unfolded in late 1998 prevented the continuation of the training that heralded so much potential for good in the community.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short