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Festival participants take day off but to make not

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY ALFRED SASAKO

IT was a rest day for regional participants of the 6th Melanesian Arts Festival in Honiara on Sunday. But the day turned out to be not a rest day for all at all.

Organisers of the $7 million two-week event got the mainline churches in Honiara to host regional participants for the day. It was a hit for both the visitors and the hosts for the PNG participants and their host.

For the Honiara District Dorcas of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, it was an opportunity to share the time, food and singing of religious songs with visitors from neighbouring Papua New Guinea.

“Feeding people is part of our community service, but we do not always entertain visitors. So when we were approached, we readily accept to entertain our brothers and sisters from PNG,” Honiara District Dorcas Vice President, Beverley Wale told Island Sun on Sunday.

Her President Delker Pakivai agrees.

“It is a golden opportunity to make new friends and share in the food as Melanesian brothers and sisters,” Mrs Pakivai said.

Food was in abundance as youth groups and others entertained the visitors with singing. Some 300 people attended the “day-off” at the Maranatha Hall at Lungga in east Honiara on Sunday.

Visitors from Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia were hosted by other mainline churches.

The 6th Arts Festival, which brought artists and craftsmen and women from the five Melanesian nations of Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands together, will formally conclude today (Tuesday, July 10) with foreign participants due to start departing the next day.

Participants from the Torres Straits Islands as well as West Papua also took part in the two-week event

Prime Minister Hou leaves for Australia today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Solomon Islands’ newly elected Prime Minister and MP for Small Malaita, Hon Rick Houenipwela. Photo by George Herming

BY ALFRED SASAKO

PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela leaves for Australia today – his second visit in as many months – this time to sign the tripartite agreement on the undersea cable linking Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea with Australia.

He and his PNG counterpart Prime Minister Peter O’Neil would meet Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Brisbane on Wednesday.

There, they will sign the multi-million dollar Project, which Canberra snatched from China’s telco giant, Huawei, in a decision which has angered Beijing.

The involvement at Prime Ministerial level shows how highly politicised the project has become.

A spokesman for the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet told Island Sun yesterday Prime Minister Houenipwela would leave for Brisbane later today (Tuesday).

He will return on Thursday after signing the undersea cable, which Australia promised would provide cheaper and faster internet service to the 12 percent or so of Solomon Islands’ working population.

This week’s visit is Prime Minister Houenipwela’s second in as many months. He visited Canberra, Brisbane and Bundaberg last June.

During that visit both he and Prime Minister Turnbull discuss the fibre optic project covering more than 4,000km linking the two Pacific neighbours via undersea cable with Australia.

Australia had been wary of Chinese company Huawei lining up to build the Solomon Islands’ cables and elbowed it out of the way because of strategic concerns, according to Australian media reports.

Canberra will pick up two thirds of the cost of the project. Money to pay for the project would come from Australia’s aid budget.

MACFEST NOC clarifies invites

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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PS Andrew Nihopara

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

PERMANENT Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and MACFest NOC Chairperson, Andrew Nihopara has made clarification on the concerns and sentiments raised by certain groups and individuals on the absence of the Melanesian provinces of Indonesia at the festival.

Mr Nihopara said the absence of the Melanesian provinces of Indonesia, including the Papua and West Papuan provinces is a matter for the Indonesian Government to clarify.

The Solomon Islands 6th Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival (MACFest) National Organising Committee says all Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) member countries have been invited to participate at this year’s festival in Honiara.

The invite includes all members including Melanesians in other countries such as Indonesia, Timor Leste and the Torres Strait Islands of Australia.

Nihopara said for groups and individuals to blame the Solomon Islands Government, especially; the National Organising Committee for failing to invite Melanesians in Indonesia is baseless and unfounded.

“We have sent an invitation to Jakarta through the normal government process but we have not received any response from them.   The official invitation letter specifically mentioned the Provinces of East Nusa, Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku, Papua and West Papua,” he said.

Nihopara said the MACFest-NOC is doing its best to bring in representatives from the Melanesian provinces of Indonesia to share and promote their Melanesian culture and identity at the festival but have not received any response through official channels in Jakarta.

“My Committee has prepared a traditional hut for the Melanesian Provinces of Indonesia at the main Festival Village in anticipation of their participation but we have not received any response from Jakarta following our formal invitation despite numerous attempts,” Nihopara said.

However he said   groups and individuals have the right to voice their concerns but there are proper processes to follow in order to avoid confrontations and problems with law enforcement officers at the festival.

Nihopara said the incident where Police have confiscated the West Papuan Morning Star flag from a local human rights activist was an isolated incident unrelated to MACFest.

He encouraged the public to respect the festival and to avoid causing any uncalled-for situation to the current peaceful situation enjoyed at the festival.

Nihopara said police presence at the main festival venues is aimed at maintaining law and order at the festival in the interest of national security.

The festival will formally close today.

Mewa removed as home affairs minister

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Milton Ragaruma
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Minister of Education and Human Resources Commins Mewa

By Alfred Sasako

Commins Mewa

COMMINS Mewa was on Monday sacked as Minister of Home Affairs allegedly for non-performance, being the second victim relating to the organising of the 2023 South Pacific Games.

His replacement, Ishmael Avui MP, was sworn in at a brief ceremony at Government House yesterday.

Avui’s appointment was announced in a press statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet following his swearing in. It did not mention Mewa’s name.

Mewa’s sacking is the first since the SIDCCG came into office last December.

Island Sun understands that the Office of the Prime Minister became concerned about issues relating to the preparation of the South Pacific Games which Solomon Islands in 2023.

The Ministry of Home Affairs was the coordinating Office for the Games until earlier this year when its Permanent Secretary, George Palua, was replaced by Steve Abana MP as Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Games.

A high level committee has since been established within the Office of the Prime Minister to work on the Games as well as to secure funding for hosting the sporting carnival four years from now.

“Nothing seems to have moved since last year. So Hon Mewa has been sidelined,” one insider told Island Sun yesterday.

Officials are reportedly concerned that very little has been done and there is little time left.

To date only Taiwan has assured the Government it would help to ensure Solomon Islands is successful in hosting the Games.

Taipei is said to be waiting on the Government for specific details on the costs of hosting the Games.

Despite visits by two prime ministers to Taiwan, Taipei has never specified what monetary help it would provide towards hosting the Games.

A committee set up by former deputy prime minister and MP for East Honiara, Douglas Ete, said in a report that the cost of the National Stadium and other facilities would cost around $271 million (about USD35 million).

Fate of Ngongona SDA church hangs on the balance  

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

THE biggest Seventh Day Adventist church in Rennell & Bellona province, the Ngongona SDA church on Bellona’s central district, is in danger of being closed down, it is reported.

It is understood that a proposed dialogue between the SDA Mission President Dr Silent Tovosia and landowners is set for some time this month, upon which the fate of Ngongona church lies.

“Whether we will close Ngongona church or not, depends entirely on this dialogue with the SDA Mission president, which we see as the last-chance talks,” landowners tell Island Sun.

The decision to close down the church is a culmination of years of alleged mistreatment and threats by local church workers on landowners, catalysed by alleged negligence by the SDA Mission to find an amicable resolution.

In a letter of request to the SDA Mission in May this year, landowners outlined a long list of abuse, mistreatment and threat suffered under the current church workers, begging the church authority to address the matter.

Some of the allegations go back as far as 2012, it is reported.

The SDA Mission was given until end of June to respond to the landowners. The church authority never did.

In response, landowners yesterday submitted a letter acknowledging the SDA Mission’s ignorance and stated their resolve to execute their ultimatum, which is to close down the church and open a 21-day period for anyone to challenge their legitimacy in land ownership.

This letter of closure finally caught the church authority’s attention.

Yesterday, the president of the SDA Mission made contact with the landowners seeking dialogue.

Speaking to Island Sun, landowners make it clear that the fate of Ngongona church depends on this proposed ‘last talk’.

“We have had enough, but being devout Christians and law abiding citizens, we are giving the church this final chance to meet our request, and in the course, making sure that we are exhausting all means possible before we can rightfully close the church – if it comes to that,” landowners tell Island Sun.

Island Sun contacted the SDA Mission president yesterday, and he admitted that they are aware of the issue but does not buy the claim of them being ignorant to it.

“It is not fair to say that we are ignorant to the issue as we are also trying our best to solve it. Having setting in two different locations is quite difficult,” said the SDA president.

He retorts that the issue is a local one between the landowners at Bellona and the local church officers working there so there is no need for it to be raised in the media as ‘they should only sort it out between them’.

“But then I respect their freedom of perspective,” said the SDA president.

He elaborated that nevertheless, he has delegated a committee to deal with the issue in which a Church pastor will be sent over soon to Bellona to hold dialogue with the two parties in order to sort out their issue.

He on the other hand assured that he will be continuing with his attempt to try and talk to them.

Meanwhile, landowners say, “in line with what the president says, how can he justify the near-decade of problems that we had faced? Despite the number of complaints we raised to the SDA Mission about our issues, they have failed to resolve it, and he is saying that they have been trying their best to solve it?

“This issue was not just borne yesterday, it has been brewing decades before but began to become unbearable nearly 10 years ago. We have been pushed out of a church that is standing on our God-given land, and have been forced to attend churches in east or west Bellona for all these years. And, it’s amusing that the president says they have been trying their best. Something is amiss.

“But, we respect the president’s call for the dialogue, and so we shall see what he has to put on the table.”

MACFEST closes today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Dancers from Fiji enjoying themselves in the lakeside pool. Photos by Benz Newman

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

 THE 6th Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival (MACFEST) is coming to a close today.

Commencing on July 1, 2018, the weeklong festival has seen various cultural performances and displays of art and craft from the different participating groups.

Today the closing ceremony is commencing at 2pm at the Panatina Grounds where there will be a performance of the Festival theme song by the USP Choir and Solomon Voice.

Also the Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) will be handing over the Festival flag to Vanuatu who will be the next host of the MACFest.

Today’s closing ceremony will be the final Melanesia showdown with fireworks display before the programme officially closes.

The Theme for this year’s 6th MACFest was ‘Past recollections, future connections’.

Second activist held for questioning

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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West Papuan Flag

By Gary Hatigeva

THERE is growing concern following the detention and questioning of a second advocator for West Papua yesterday morning.

This is the second related incident concerning Indonesia’s presence in the sixth Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival, which is irking local activists of the cause for a free West Papua from Indonesian rule.

Over the weekend, a young male activist, Mr Ben Didiomea, was held and questioned in the police stall at the Festival venue, and had his Morning Star (West Papuan flag) confiscated.

Yesterday, police held another young male Free West Papua advocator for questioning over what is believed to be connected to his postings on Facebook. This, according to members of public is a startling turn of events.

Over the weekend, Didiomea of the Solomon Islands Solidarity for West Papua group, had his flag confiscated after he held it up in front of Indonesia’s festival stall to protest its inclusion at the event.

Local advocators and supporters gathered in front of the ‘Melanesia Province of West Papua’ stall to display the West Papua Morning Star flag, and were also protesting why the invite was for the Melanesian province, yet no Melanesians were present to showcase or talk to the event’s goers.

A video on Facebook showed Didiomea holding up the Morning Star flag as Indonesian officials tried to move him away from the stall.

According to eyewitnesses, Didiomea was approached by police who confiscated the flag, saying they took out the flag to stop any provocation aimed at the Indonesian delegation.

In an official statement on Sunday this week, police clarified that the flag was removed to prevent provocation of the Indonesians, and also reminded that the festival was not a political event.

They explained that the Solomon Islands Government has invited the Government of Indonesia to participate in the 6th Melanesian Art and Cultural Festival being held at various venues in Honiara from July 1-10, 2018.

“With the mandate to protect law and order and provide security in Solomon Islands, the RSIPF put in place an operational order to provide security during the MSG Leaders’ Meeting, the MACFest and the 40th anniversary of independence,” the statement adds.

Police say they put in place measures to ensure the safety of both members of the local community and visitors from participating countries, and based on daily reports, including some drunken youth getting into the Indonesian stall and threatening to burn it down and some unknown people climbing the flag poles at the Panatina venue and removed the Indonesian Flag, which they say is still missing.

Referring to the weekend incident, police explained that at about 4pm, some local supporters of the West Papua Freedom Movement arrived at the Indonesian Stall at the Melanesian Village and pulled up the Movement’s flag in front of the stall.

“The RSIPF officers at the Indonesian Stall took the flag away from the West Papua supporters and led them to the Police Post at the venue to tell them that the MACFest is not a political event but an arts festival where people should go and enjoy in a safe environment,” police said.

Police deny that at no time did the RSIPF arrest the local leader of the West Papua supporters.

“RSIPF want to strongly advice members of our communities in and around Honiara to refrain from any activity that may cause harm to the peace of our nation. Anyone who wants to disturb the peace will face the full force of the law,” the statement further adds.

But, public took to social media to vent out their anger and frustrations over the incident, and questioned the police, the national government and the MACFest NOC over the issue, which they said was ‘confusion in their making’.

Many [name withheld] posted questions and expressed disappointment in both the government and police over the incident.

“It’s kind of funny though and seems ironic that even though we don’t want to politicise the situation, the situation itself is already politicised in that Indonesia per se is invited. If the MACFest is to be purely Melanesia, it should not be mixed up with all these politics. Perhaps, SIG should not have extended its invitation at the first place to prevent such complications,” one commentator posted

Another said the issue starts with the decision to invite Indonesia, suggesting if the government or the RSIPF thinks that the MACFest should not be politicised, then Indonesia’s inclusion has already politicised the event.

He said the influence Indonesia is taking on Solomon Islands makes it look to obvious the emulation of their rules, which continue to destroy and suppress the indigenous people of West Papua in their own land.

“I think the SIG owes the public, and fellow participating Melanesian countries an explanation/clarification as to why or how come we have Indonesia’s presence in the MACFest. For we all know the issue of WestPapua is a sensitive one and we have active advocates in the country. The initiative by the SIG will surely raise questions; why Indonesia and not West Papua,” another pointed out.

Also joining the raised concerns, the Solomon Islands in Solidarity for West Papua group stressed that while police are carrying out mandated duties, the group maintains that they have the right to raise the West Papua flag and questions how displaying a flag violates the laws of the country.

They said the situation raises so many questions than answers, as to why West Papua was invited but represented by Indonesians, and pointed out that all they see in the stall are Indonesians, who even took the liberty to paint the stall with Indonesian flag colours.

“How is this doing justice to our brothers and sisters who are suffering ongoing murder and torture in West Papua?

“The Solomon Islands government is answerable to this. What is our government’s stand on this issue?

“Just to reiterate, under the DCCG, Sogavare stood with the fight for freedom and self – determination for West Papua, and his government acknowledged this as an issue and one that needed the support of all governments and civil society groups to advance advocacy and freedom campaigns,” the group added.

The solidarity group members however maintained that they will continue advocating for recognition of West Papua as Melanesians and their struggle to freedom during these last few days of the festival.

Maepioh dismisses call for audit

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Former Western Province Premier Hon. Wayne Maepio

By Alfred Sasako

FORMER Premier Wayne Maepioh has hit back at calls for audit of the Western Provincial Government books, saying audit “is a non-issue”.

“Those making the call for an audit are driving their personal agenda,” Mr Maepioh told Island Sun on the weekend.

He said his claim that auditing the Provincial Government’s books is a non-issue was strengthened by the recent report by the Office of the Auditor General, which singled out Choiseul, Isabel and Western province as having passed the mark.

“I don’t think an audit would turn up anything. In fact it is my belief that the audit of accounts for 2016 and 2017 would produce the same outcome. As a matter of fact when we were leaving office, auditors were already working on our books,” he said.

“On this note I would like to congratulate the new Premier and his team.

“I am confident that the new Premier and his Executive would maintain the same standard we have left the Province in.”

He said he was disappointed that his government was unable to complete a number of important policy issues introduced during his term.

This was because of political interference by national MPs at the recent provincial election.

“For example, my government introduced the measure to ban the use of plastics in Province. The second is the issue of reserving three (3) seats for women in the Provincial Assembly.

“It is my hope the new government would see to it that these important measures are pursued for the betterment of the Province,” he said

Maepioh is taking a petition against his successor, claiming his win was based on an aggressive campaign funded by two national MPs.

Culture crucial in shaping societies: Deputy PM

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Milton Ragaruma
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Group photo of Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Taiwan Ambassador HE Roger Luo with people behind the Birana I wala book.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

Group photo of Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Taiwan Ambassador HE Roger Luo with people behind the Birana I wala book.

COUNTRY’S Deputy Prime Minister says culture plays an important role in the societies because it makes up the way of life to any society, and Solomon Islands is no exception.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Treasury Mr Manasseh Sogavare said culture is regarded as an important mechanism towards shaping a society.

He made this statement during the launching of the Birana I Wala book, which documents the cultural beliefs of the people of Langa Langa in the Malaita province.

Sogavare said “Our cultures which are defined as the languages, beliefs, values and norms are important in our societies because they make up the way of life to any society.

“To disregard our culture is to disregard who we really are in the global community and worst still, which we are in our own country.

“It is a serious denial of our culture heritage.

“If you think this a cheap argument, just think of how much it cost the Australian taxpayers to restore this country to normalcy with SBD$21 billion.

“I do not have to venture into that angle of the discussion, only to say that it is pertinent.”

The government shares the belief that tradition matters because it represents a critical piece of our culture, it help form the structure and foundation of our families and societies.

He said Solomon Islands suffers the consequences of undermining culture 18 years ago.

Sogavare also shared a sentiment saying country belief that tradition reinforces values such as freedom, faith, integrity, a good education, personal responsibility, a strong work ethic and a value of being selfless.

Such values help to establish and shape the destiny of a nation and ensure its sustainability, he adds.

PM Hou calls for upgrade to TVET status

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Milton Ragaruma
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PM Rick Hou call to up-lift TVET in Solomon Islands as country begins its journey at 40

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

PM Rick Hou call to up-lift TVET in Solomon Islands as country begins its journey at 40

PRIME Minister of Solomon Islands calls for the lifting of the status of technical and vocational training (TVET) in the Solomon Islands to formal education system.

PM Rick Houenipwela said there is a need to lift TVET’s status in Solomon Islands to become similar with the formal education system.

He adds, TVET also hold sets of ready skills and plays crucial role towards development of Solomon Islands but still regarded as low educational sectors.

“The majority of the ‘skills set’ needed by most of our students to contribute effectively to our country’s social and economic development are provided through our TVET institutions.

“Yet they are still regarded as second-rate programs or institutions and bulk of government financing to education is directed at the formal education system, and overseas scholarships.”

He urged responsible leaders in the country saying this needs to change.

PM said skills education through TVET institutions will be a key to the country’s economic engine.

“We will work to ensure Skills training and TVET institutions are accorded equal status as formal education in a new 2-tier education system that provides choices to our children after year 6 primary schools,” he said.

Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development in its 2018 budget have set aside $2,861,200 as support grant to strengthen TVET’s management roles.

MEHRD also set its goals for 2018 in-line with the National Education Action Plan (NEAP) with to provide equitable access to education for all people in the Solomon Islands.

Ministry also set strategies to improve quality education in Solomon Islands and ensure positive management and monitor resources efficiently and cost-effectively.

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