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Citizens concerned about plastic pollution

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Panel of the radio talkback show yesterday, L-R Chief Conservation Officer Agnetha Vave Karamui, Deputy Director Inshore Mrs Rosalie Masu Director Joe Horokou, Director Edward Honiwala and Country Manager WWF Shannon Seeto

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

Panel of the radio talkback show yesterday, L-R Chief Conservation Officer Agnetha Vave Karamui, Deputy Director Inshore Mrs Rosalie Masu Director Joe Horokou, Director Edward Honiwala and Country Manager WWF Shannon Seeto

SOLOMON Islands citizens are concerned with the high rate of plastic pollution which poses negative impacts to the environment.=

In a radio talkback show with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, public responded with the serious idea to ban plastics.

Respond from the public during the talkback at the SIBC yesterday, citizens are concerned that the marine biodiversity and environment are threatened by plastics.

They wanted to know if the government is serious about plastic pollution, asking if there is a policy or law in place to ban plastic usage.

In response, the Director for Environment and Conservation Division, Mr Joe Horokou said Solomon Islands Government is serious about this issue.

He said currently SIG through his Ministry is working on reviewing the Environment Act, and ban of plastic is one of the issues.

He also adds to fully ban use of plastic, there must be an effective law in place as well as alternatives that the country should look at.

At the moment Environment and Conservation Division is distributing drums to communities and carrying out awarenesses in schools as the effort for plastic campaign, he said.

Director for Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Mr Edward Honiwala said to beat plastic pollution it requires the participation of everyone.

To residents of Honiara, Honiwala said “Honiara is our city and Solomon Island is our country and everyone has the part to play in beating the plastic pollution which threatens our oceans.”

Public and individuals are also concerned about the issue and show seriousness in creating innovations to battle issues related to the environment.

A good example is the Friends of the City, a local setup voluntarily taking initiatives targeting a healthy and safer city for everyone.

The radio talkback show is organised by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.

The talkback show yesterday is a kick-start of the World Environment Day celebration with aim to get feedback from people about this year’s theme: “Beating Plastic Pollution”.

This week, starting tomorrow, leading organisations of the environment will be celebrating the World Environment Day on Tuesday 5, World Oceans Day Friday 5 and Coral Triangle Initiative June 9.

Taking the fight against tuberculosis (TB) in the Solomons

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, when speaking at a ceremony in Honiara last week to celebrate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, Dr. Nemia Bainivalu, the Under-Secretary for Health Improvement under the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) talked of having a new, novel diagnostic tool being finalized which would allow for a rapid diagnosis of TB and drug resistance in a few hours

Dr Bainivalu was speaking of the new tool in the context of the MHMS being mindful for the need for research to determine the optimal operational approaches to new technology, strategies and interventions in a national TB Operational Research Plan.

I was interested to learn that Dr Bainivalu mentioned having additional domestic and donor funding and new partners to address TB through the MHMS National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) and being able to mobilize more community representatives to address TB.

Dr. Bainivalu envisaged that having more funding for the NTP would increase demand for TB services after informing greater numbers of people about the availability of TB services for free over the whole country.

TB is an airborne bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and remains prevalent in the Solomon Islands especially in parts of Malaita Province.

In Malaita the Atoifi Adventist Hospital (AAH has been at the forefront of responding and addressing the TB problem with much support from Australian organizations, including the Australian Respiratory Council.

In the past, the AAH successfully received a grant from the Australian Respiratory Council to develop local TB services.

Early project work, facilitated by the grant, involved traditional oral story telling providing education and communication about TB.  With modern technology locally made videos in the local languages and Pijin were developed for community based TB education and used widely.

It is very much hoped that the new diagnostic tool outlined by Dr Bainivalu will further aid the advances already made by local health team workers and village elders and Chiefs to stimulate more discussion, understanding and early active case finding and treatment of TB.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Meeting the challenge of vocational education and training in the Solomons

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR EDITOR, as one who has been keen to follow the good work of the Youth@Work programme in the Solomon Islands in providing vocational skills training aiding the job prospects for young Solomon Islanders, I was pleased to read an article in the Island Sun last week about a proposal for a new rural training centre.

The proposed rural training centre was raised by Pastor John Hugo when he was speaking at the official handover of a newly built six room double story building providing extra classrooms at the Global Harvest School in Gilbert Camp.

Pastor Hugo envisaged the concept of a new rural training centre, although still seen as a dream, could lead to an upgrade of the east Honiara school.

The Pastor likened his dream as a challenge to educational stakeholders for he felt the development of a rural training centre would enhance the Human Resource development aspirations of many in the Solomon Islands in the years to come.

Importantly, Pastor Hugo was reported to have said, “Once established, vocational education and training (VET) would aim at creating opportunities for productive employment and provide access to adequately paid work, which could enable people to lead a self-determined life.”

Citing the need for a rural training centre, the Pastor told his audience, “The demand results from the outcomes of primary education, which has placed heavier pressure on secondary educational systems, because a growing number of primary school-leavers are entering the labour market directly or need further training.”

 “The steady growth of the informal sector is also coming to the attention of international education policy debate”, he had added.

The proposal for a rural training centre is a sound idea given a growing focus locally on secondary and tertiary education and I would hope Pastor Hugo’s dream will be realized and coupled with job creation, added gender equity and much better health and environmental improvements.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

Tasiboko death

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Police appeal for public help in murder investigation

 

By Alfred Sasako

POLICE are appealing to relatives “not to resort to any form of violence” after the body of a 50-year-old man was found on the roadside in the Tasimboko area of North East Guadalcanal.

At the same time, police are appealing for public help in their information into what was apparently a cold-blooded murder.

Already police investigators are treating the weekend death at Kaio Village as “suspicious”.

“I appeal to family and relatives of the deceased to work together with police in providing information to assist with the investigation and not to resort to any form of violence,” Guadalcanal Province’s Acting Provincial Commander, Superintendent Nixson Manetoga said in a statement last night.

“If there is information to suggest who was allegedly responsible for the death of the man, I urge you to come forward and assist police with their investigation.”

The body of the 50-year-old man whose name was yet to be released was taken on Saturday morning to the National Referral Hospital where it is awaiting post mortem examinations.

“The death is suspicious as there are obvious injuries on the neck and legs of the deceased. So far no suspect has been identified and police are working hard to get more information,” Acting PPC Manetoga said.

He said Police Forensic Officers with investigators attended the scene after they were informed of a dead body found along the road at Kaio Village in the Tasimboko area of North East Guadalcanal.

“The incident could have happened during the night of 01-02 June 2018,” said Acting PPC Manetoga.

Manetoga last night extended his condolences to family members and relatives of the man whose name is yet to be released.

Meanwhile Police have arrested a man in connection with another incident over the weekend.

Police the 28-year-old man was arrested on Friday for allegedly attacking another man at Vonu Village, also in the Tasimboko area of North East Guadalcanal.

It was alleged the victim approached the suspect’s father, allegedly shouting threatening words. He was allegedly armed with a sling. An altercation followed resulting in the serious injuries being sustained by the victim.

“Police arrested the alleged suspect based on information provided. The suspect is in police custody while investigation is ongoing and will be formally charged soon,” Acting Provincial Police Commander (PPC) for Guadalcanal Province, Superintendent Nixson Manetoga said

“Police will also deal with the allegation against the victim once his health is guaranteed by medical authorities.”

He said police have warned the warring parties “to refrain from taking the laws into their own hands in the future”.

Manetoga said he was pleased both parties have agreed to assist police in their investigations.

Kiluufi hospital road in need of improvement

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

PUBLIC and regular visitors of Kiluufi hospital are calling on the national government to improve the conditions of the Kiluufi road.

The road is reportedly in poor conditions and in need of repair and improvement.

This should be done immediately especially for government vehicles travelling along the road.

Public consider the medical institute as the number one priority for the government which serves the medical needs of the people of the province.

“Kiluufi is one of the referral hospitals in the country we must improve its infrastructures and facilities,” concerned members of public said.

Police disappointed over court decision

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Commissioner of Royal-Solomon Island Police Force Matthew Varley

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

ROYAL Solomon Islands Police Force Commissioner has raised disappointment over the decision made by the Magistrate Court yesterday morning on the corruption case against a Member of Parliament.

Commissioner Matthew Varley speaking to the media yesterday said whilst police acknowledge and respect the decision, they were also disappointed in the outcome.

“We have to look closely on the reasons to see where this case filed but I guess the important point I would make is that our investigators did their very best and they did their best with the evidence that was available and they put the evidence before the court and is tested and then obviously at the end of the day the Magistrate has the presiding authority makes the decision,” Mr Varley said.

He said the outcome of the case is ‘obviously disappointing’.

“I don’t want to say that this is a setback but I would say it’s a significant disappointment.

“We believe that the case is strong and indeed that’s the reason the case is taken to court following a careful investigation and careful advice from the DPP’S office,” Varley said.

He said in such cases quite a standard of proof has to be met in any criminal case and obviously standard proof is beyond reasonable doubt, and in this case the magistrate found that those offences were not proven beyond reasonable doubt.

“We have heard the verdict of the court this morning in relation to the corruption case and the first thing I have to say is, this is the justice system in process and we obviously respect and heard the decision of the court,” Varley said

Meanwhile, Varley said police still have a series of investigation on their books, and this was the first major case, which tests the police on their investigation and procedures.

Varley adds that police would not prosecute a case unless they have a strong case, and the case which had just been scrapped was considered one of their strong cases.

“There will be no doubt that some people will say police got it wrong.

“With respect I would say we did our best with the evidence available,” Varley added.

Veke promises advanced partnership with CITREC

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Minister of Police, National Security, and Correctional Services, Anthony Veke.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

Guadalcanal Premier Anthony Veke.

GUADALCANEL province Premier Anthony Veke has assured the Chairman of the Canadian International Training and Education Corp (CITREC) Mr Ashwant Dwivedi that his government will commit to advancing their partnership.

He expressed this statement yesterday at the commemoration of Guadalcanal and CITREC five years of partnership in Honiara.

Veke uttered the programme has directly touched the heart of the people of Guadalcanal and gives them hope and inspiration.

“Therefore let me today in my capacity as the Premier of Guadalcanal assure you (people of Guadalcanal) and the chairman of CITREC that we will remain committed to advance our partnership to new heights.

“If Canada can offer my people anything it should be employment opportunity and we are job ready and ready to further strengthen Canada’s labor need,” he said.

Veke said, “let Guadalcanal lead the way for the people of Solomon Islands as one family of Solomon Islands, let people and government of Guadalcanal lead to serve.”

Former PM withdraws from provincial elections

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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By Mike Puia

Gizo

FORMER Prime Minister, Sir Francis Billy Hilly, has withdrawn his candidacy for the Western provincial elections.

Sir Francis, who was the country’s fourth Prime Minister, was one of the five candidates who withdrew before the period for withdrawal lapsed on Wednesday.

Sir Francis, 70, has a wealth of experience in politics having served as a prime minister, leader of opposition and government minister.

There are 139 candidates contesting the province’s 26 wards. Five of them are females.

The Returning Officer, Hopeful Piosasa, confirmed he has fielded 309 people to run these elections.

Piosasa said three locations have been earmarked for counting, they are; Gizo, Munda and Seghe.

He said counting is expected to be conducted and completed on June 14 and his assistant returning officers will declare the results as soon as counting completes in these locations.

Piosasa said they have provided their programme to the police for their reference on how the election counting will go.

He said currently, they are waiting on the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening for the ballot boxes and papers.

5 females to contest Western provincial elections

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

By Mike Puia

Gizo

FIVE females will be contesting in different wards during the Western provincial elections which is set to happen on June 13.

They will be contesting along 134 male candidates. All are vying for the 26 provincial seats. The current provincial house, which completed its final assembly meeting, will dissolve soon.

Returning Officer, Mr Hopeful Piosasa, confirmed the total number of candidates for the upcoming elections is 139 after withdrawal period closes on Wednesday.

The initial list was 144 candidates.

Among the 139 confirmed candidates are five females.

This paper understands the number of candidates contesting in this year’s provincial elections has slightly reduced.

In the 2014 provincial elections, about eight female contested. Only one, Jane Tozaka, was elected. Jane is the wife of a current Member of Parliament.

For this year’s elections, a female candidate was also one of the two candidates that were disqualified.

Like the other male candidate, her name was not in the voting list even though she claimed to have voted in the 2014 provincial elections.

Among the five female candidates are; a wife of a current Member of Parliament and a wife of a current Member of the Provincial Assembly.

One female candidate is re-contesting a seat she held once years back.

Off the hook

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Former Minister of the Crown Hon David Tome

MP David Tome acquitted of corruption charges

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE Member of Parliament for Baegu/Asifola David Tome has been acquitted by the Magistrate Court on Thursday of the charges against him.

David Tome was facing one count of conversion in relation to incidents in 2011 where he allegedly converted $80,000 which had been meant for Reforestation and Forest Plantation Development.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea in his decision said the question for the court to consider is whether the accused honestly mistook the $80,000 funding as the direct allocation to each of the 50 constituency.

Based on the evidence from the Ministry of Forest and Research that argument by the accused cannot be disregarded, the effect is that there is no evidence given by the crown to prove that the accused knew that the intended beneficiary was GREDC.

An inference that is open is that the accused had an honest belief that the $80,000 was a direct allocation to each constituency.

“I am not satisfied on the evidence that the accused had any fraudulent intent to prejudice the right of the intended beneficiary which GREDC or any other constituent of Baegu/Asifola,” Magistrate Iomea said.

He said the act of conversion alleged by the crown was the signing of the cheques for the withdrawal on 83 occasions between September 9, 2011 and October 24, 2011.

Iomea said after assessing all evidence and records put before the court the funding which is the subject of the charge was mingled and became mixed money and cannot be identified.

“I am not satisfied that the evidence of the two witnesses in this regard are credible and reliable, that evidence cannot be relied on to draw any inference adverse to the accused.

“I am satisfied that the crown has failed to prove the charge against the accused and accordingly he is acquitted,” Iomea said.

Tome denied the charge and a trial was conducted on his case in which the prosecution called nine witnesses and tendered a total of 22 exhibits.

Island Sun understands Tome’s supporters celebrated their MP’s win at the Tandai Seafront Hotel last night.

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