PM Hou upon arrival at the airport yesterday being greeted by diplomats and officials from the Government. PM
Hou shakes hands with a senior official from the Taiwan Embassy with the Australia High Commissioner looking on.
BY GEORGINA KEKEA
PRIME Minister Rick Hou and his delegation arrived yesterday from his tour to Japan and Taiwan respectively.
Upon his arrival at the airport, PM Hou held a press conference for members of the media while at the same time briefing the government officials and members of the diplomatic corps and dignitaries on his trip to the two Asian countries.
Hou said the PALM8 meetings in Japan went well through the Leaders declarations where Pacific Island countries are united with Japan on many issues of concern to the region as well as in attaining more effective engagement.
During his visit to the two countries, Hou has had other meetings and engagements on a bilateral level with various leaders both in government, agencies and private sector representatives.
The meetings were deemed successful with some showing tangible results that will be visible in the near future.
The Prime Minister led a two-component delegation to Japan and Taiwan from May 14 – 19 and from May 20 – 25 respectively.
PM Hou and delegation were greeted at the airport by the Deputy Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare and other members of the diplomatic corps and Government officials.
PATRICK Wong, the man whose ownership claim of Russell Islands Plantation Estates Ltd (RIPEL) has fuelled on-going controversy, has fired back at Russell Islands’ tribal landowner, Silas Selo, saying Mr Selo has no business talking about RIPEL.
“Mr Selo is a confused man. He has inaccurate and misleading information,” Wong said in a statement.
The Sydney-based businessman was responding to claims by Selo that Wong no longer has any business to do with RIPEL because he had sold his interests in 2010.
“Lavukal Trust Board is a matter for the Lavukal people and has nothing whatsoever to do with either the Company or Patrick Wong. LTB has a registered constitution and Patrick Wong is neither a member nor a Trustee of LTB. If Mr Selo is concerned about LTB, he should play an active role and start by consulting his fellow Chiefs.
“As for Mr Patrick Wong dealing in RIPEL matters, like Patrick Wong has nothing to do with LTB, likewise Mr Selo has no business talking about RIPEL,” Wong said.
“It is correct that one of the Shareholders did contract to purchase Mr Wong’s share in late 2014. However, as the Supreme Court of New South Wales has found, in their various Judgements, including the most recent judgement on the 14th March 2018, that Mr Van Vlymen is yet to pay Mr Wong. Until Mr Wong is fully paid, Mr Wong has full entitlement to remain in RIPEL and LSL,” he said.
“How can anyone sell something but have not been paid. It is simple, the item is only sold, only after full payment is received. This is exactly what the Court found.”
On March 17, 2017, the Supreme Court of NSW agreed and it was ordered that Wong may appoint a Receiver Manager over Mr Van Vlymen’s 50 percent share, due to non-payment.
Wong said that if Selo is to be believed, he should stop telling ‘untruth’. Instead he should only tell the whole truth.
“Mr Selo should first do his own research, before publishing such non-factual nonsense, otherwise he would be exposing himself to a potential law suit,” Wong said.
A female candidate of ward 8 in Western province has been disqualified from contesting.
Mrs Mary Doko from Maravari Village, Ward 8 in South Vella la Vella Island has been confirmed as disqualified by the Returning Officer Gizo, Hopeful Piosasa.
He said she was disqualified because she had not registered her name under the province according to Electoral Act regulations.
Piosasa said to be qualified for an office, candidates must satisfy certain legal requirements, such as citizenship, residency, and voter registration.
“There are three intending candidates from Ward 8 who wish to contest this year election against the current provincial Minister for Planning & Project Coordination and MPA for ward 8 Carlos Kesiana.
“Mary claimed that her name appeared in 2014 registration list, but we couldn’t locate her name so we decided to disqualify her nomination.
“She has not met all the criteria regarding the electoral and provincial act. Therefore she is not qualified to nominate and contest for this year’s election,” said Piosasa.
Meanwhile, Piosasa said the final list for this year’s provincial election intending candidates from ward 1 to 26 will be released on Thursday.
Nomination for this year’s provincial election began on Wednesday, May 9, 2018.
MENSTRUATION has offered multiple challenges for girls in schools across Solomon Islands that don’t have proper WASH facilities available for students, it is reported.
This is according to a study on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in schools in the country.
These setbacks include lack of water and adequate ablution facilities, barriers to accessing absorbent materials, inaccurate information on menstruation and menstrual hygiene, besides cultural barriers.
The report spells out that the impact of these setbacks lead to absenteeism, feelings of shame or embarrassment, and lack of concentration and reduced participation in class for girls.
It furthers, girls and their teachers in schools have identified the elements of lessening these menstruation-related challenges and some of these include quality of school WASH facilities, availability of hygiene materials, access to accurate information about menstruation and support from school managers and teachers.
Based on the identified barriers, recommendations include improving of school policies, facilities and resources available for girls to manage menstruation at schools, give girls knowledge and skills to maintain their menstrual hygiene safely and effectively at school and improving of national policies and monitoring of MHM in schools.
THE last provincial assembly meeting under Premier Wayne Maepioh convened briefly yesterday and was adjourned to continue today.
During the meeting, Speaker Richard Tekifono introduced the order paper number 1 for the current sitting.
This included review of the meeting minutes of March 26, 28 and 29, and to deliberate on Division’s Annual Report for the 2017/2018 Financial year.
Tekifono then moved the introduction assembly sitting adjournment motion supported by the non-executive MPAs.
The full assembly is held at the Women Resource Centre.
Western Province Clerk to the Assembly Kevin Paia encouraged MPAs to attend the final full assembly meeting for the current house under Premier Maepioh.
Paia said the house was empty with only few MPAs in attendance.
The Western provincial government under Premier Maepioh’s captaincy will conclude on the last full assembly sitting – Thursday, May 31, 2018.
PEOPLE of the Shortland Islands in the Western province are demanding clarification on the Prime Minister’s proposed visit to the border.
Report reaching Island Sun says chiefs and communities in Shortlands would like to receive a confirmation so that they could embark on preparations to accord Prime Minister Rick Hou a proper traditional welcome, if the visit is confirmed.
With the proposed visit, Former SSPM, PS and Chief Mr Edward Kingmele CBE said they have learnt through social network that Prime Minister Hou will be visiting the border under some government programme.
However, Kingmele also points out disappointment that the proposed visit has failed to follow procedures – in terms of planning and announcement of the high level visit to their community.
“In this case the chiefs and people know nothing about the proposed visit to Short land border, therefore chiefs and people are not ready to welcome and receive their Hon Prime Minister.”
He explained it is their tradition to welcome a high chief of another village, let alone from another province.
“Prime Minister’s visit to Short land is very important to the political, socio-economic and peace development for the Islands of Western province, and such a visit must get support and cooperation of everybody,” he adds.
Regarding border issues, Kingmele said he had proposed a way forward to address the border issues early this year.
He suggested a high level roundtable should be held immediately among national, provincial and community chiefs and leaders.
Secondly the government’s presence at the border must involve the permanent establishment of law enforce township at Lofung as a follow-up to the Commissioner of Police Office assurance to establish a naval base there, he said.
Finally two important agents that must be put in place are the establishments of border authority and parliamentary border oversee committee.
If the government is not prepared to attend to these proposals, then what is the purpose of such a high level visit to the border? He asks.
WESTERN provincial secretary, Jeffery Wickham, encourages environment bodies and groups in the province to roll out awareness about the province’s planned ban on plastics.
Wickham made this call when speaking at the opening of the second meeting of the Western province network for sustainable environment (WPNFSE) in Gizo yesterday.
WPNFSE, which started in 2016, is a body set up to help coordinate non-government organisations and groups in the province.
It was the World Fish that initiated this idea. To date, the WPNFSE has grown.
It is taking the lead in organising the upcoming World Environment Day, World Ocean Day and Coral Triangle Day to be celebrated in Gizo next Wednesday and Thursday.
When giving an update on the province’s plan to ban plastic as of July, Wickham said an ordinance for this ban may not be ready but the executive order is firm for July.
He said while the ban is likely to have an ordinance before next year, groups that are members of the WPNFSE must do awareness.
“Your role is very important. Go out and influence people to change their habit toward plastic use,” Wickham said.
He said getting people to refuse to use plastic will be slow but it is important that the province started pursuing it.
Wickham encourages non-government organisations to roll out awareness in communities and schools, saying this is the key.
He said Commonwealth countries and other nations in the region are imposing bans on plastics and the province is keen to take the lead in this.
“We want to be the first province to ban plastic. If this is successful, other province may follow,” Wickham said.
PM Hou being greeted by Police Commissioner Matthew Varley.
BY GEORGINA KEKEA
PM Hou being greeted by Police Commissioner Matthew Varley.
PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela has stressed his disappointment over a solar hybrid power generation project supposedly for Solomon Islands National University (SINU).
PM Hou says Solomon Islands has lost out over the years on hundreds of similar opportunities and offers by many of Solomon Islands’ development partners and friends, only because officials and staff did not take the necessary follow up actions.
Hou made specific reference to a gift by President Tsai Ing-Wen of Taiwan to SINU during her state visit last November.
The gift, valued at USD$1million, is a solar hybrid power generation project that was supposed to assist the local university.
Hou says to date, the ROC embassy in Honiara, has not had any feed-back from neither SINU nor the Ministry responsible on this offer, despite the Embassy continuing requests for information.
“It’s not excusable,” Hou says.
He said he will be making a follow up with Chairman of the SINU Council on this matter.
PM Hou said the President of ROC (Taiwan) is not amused by this conduct so he intends to summon those concerned to explain their side of the story.
Meanwhile in Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen on May 21 said she will continue working with Prime Minister Hou to promote mutually beneficial collaboration and exchanges between Taiwan and Solomon Islands.
During her visit to Solomon Islands in November 2017, President Tsai Ing-Wen had also included SINU into their list of partners for another scholarship program they co-sponsor with the Pacific Islands Forum.
PM Hou says this sort of attitude from senior management of a premier institution such as SINU is pathetic, it’s inexcusable and cannot be tolerated.
THE partnership company, consisting of the Gold Ridge landowners and two merging investors, is moving forward with plans to reopen the former St Barbaras Gold Mining Ltd now Gold Ridge Mining Limited (GRML) which was closed in 2015.
In an official statement on the relocation of people panning in the mine’s pits and operational overall status, Chairman of Wanguo International Mining Group, one of the major partners in the new operation and Chairman-Elect of GRML, Mingqing Gao, said preparations are currently underway and are on track.
“We are on track for trial production at the end of quarter one, the start of quarter two in 2019, but without the movement of people out of the pits as soon as possible we are in danger of this deadline pushing out even further.
“We must all support each other, and this is what Chiefs and landowners are showing today [yesterday], you are showing that landowners in the Solomon Islands and more particularly of Gold Ridge Mine understand what it means to own and operate a mine.
“Landowners know that gold recovery is critical to the improved profitability of the mine. We are working hard in the development of the Feasibility Study to improve gold recovery significantly from what it was in the past.
“No stone is being left unturned. We are investigating new technologies and innovations and re-examining old ways of doing things, and the results are looking very promising,” Mr Gao explained.
He said the company is now looking forward to sharing the results of the Feasibility Study and the projected benefits with landowners of Gold Ridge Mine in the coming months at the technical awareness sessions that will be done with GCIL and across communities.
In addition, Minister for Mines and Energy, Bradley Tovosia MP, in an earlier interview agreed that things are moving forward. “There will be a progression plan,” he said.
Work on Gold Ridge mine well on track.
Tovosia said he has also met with company officials who informed him the hiring process will be gradual, starting off with about 50 employees and then increasing from there.
Based on his conversations with GRML officials, he said it may take almost a year before gold is extracted from the mine.
“It’s not like you just go in and turn on the light switch,” Tovusia stressed.
This was something Benjamin Afuga, one of GCIL directors and a GRML member in the board of directors also agreed to, whom in an earlier interview also explained that having a qualified workforce is one of the key components for all companies.
“The success of any company is driven by the skills and abilities of its workforce,” he said. “They will be looking for a range of skill sets.”
He said the partnership had already included experts in their fields within the operations, but added that with removal of people from the four major pits, and hiring of more personals, work proper will eventuate, which includes the cleaning up of sites, installation of new machineries, and maintenance of existing ones.
Active operations at the mine were shuttered over two years ago after a natural disaster struck the region, which affected the company both in its infrastructures and finance, and has also changed the former company’s business priorities, which saw about 200 people left without jobs.
However, as far as contribution by investors is also concerned, a capital expenditure of up to AUD$90 million is expected by project owners, which according to the company, will depend on the final plan and design of the mine as contained in the Feasibility Study, and an allocation so that the mine can start with a good cash-flow and operating budget.
SICA’s General Secretary Holmes Saeve (left) and United Liberation Movement for
West Papua (ULMWP) Spokesperson, Jacob Rumbiak. Photo supplied
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
SICA’s General Secretary Holmes Saeve (left) and United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Spokesperson, Jacob Rumbiak. Photo supplied
UNITED Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) spokesperson Jacob Rumbiak describes the recent seven-person delegation from Solomon Islands to West Papua as ‘a visitation by robbers’.
The recent delegation visit to West Papua had included the PMO Chief of Staff John Usuramo, Special Envoy to West Papua Rence Sore, Chairman of FSII Wilfred Luiramo, DSE chairman Inia Barry, Lawrence Makili, Gloreta Anderson and Lilly Chekana.
Speaking during his meeting with SICA General Secretary Holmes Saeve yesterday, Rumbiak said a summary of Ms Chekana’s account of their trip given by Holmes highlighting that the West Papuan people are not united is ‘very misleading’.
“I bring voice from inside West Papua as the delegation that recently visited West Papua was like robbers. They came and hid and never met with the people struggling for their right.
“I think they are blind and they do not know what we already have set up.”
He said ULMWP is the answer to their report as they have a Federal Republic of West Papua, a 14 political organisation affiliating with the Federal Republic, six organisations affiliating with West Papuan National Coalition for Liberation, six affiliating with the National Parliament of West Papua being 26 West Papuan organisations already inside.
And the United Liberation Movement for West Papua is a West Papua national political body. Inside ULMWP has a Diplomatic Politic Intelligent Military for element of political.
“When someone says we are not united, that is misleading being an Indonesian language,” said Rumbiak.
“They say how can they meet with West Papua, they do not have a leader, no political body and they do not have any agenda. We have an agenda, we have a political body, we have leadership member, adjective, we have a legislative leader and member, judicial leader and member, we got Bureau Officers working inside and Diplomats outside, and the support from the whole region of West Papua including churches (7 religions). They recommended support.
“The movement of West Papua is based on advice coming from the Melanesian leaders and we did it.”
On meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare last week, Rumbiak said that the group should have involved Fiji and Papua New Guinea before visiting independently and not being funded by Indonesia. They should have went and stayed on the ground with the people of West Papua.
The ULMWP spokesperson’s recent visit since last week was purposely to meet with the DPM, SICA, meet with the Melanesian Arts Festival organisers for WP indigenous partake in the upcoming Melanesian Arts Festival and also to reiterate that the recent seven-person delegation from Solomon Islands was done with Indonesian Government incentive for its interest.
He gave a detailed description of the group’s visit to WP to the SICA General Secretary, questioning why the group did not visit and call into various civil and interest groups within WP and even bypassing a meet with the generals there.
Rumbiak describes how the protestors went to welcome the Solomon Islands delegates but were instead arrested.
He showed a few videos of the documentaries about the atrocities in WP and a protestor who was arrested during the groups stay there.
Mr Holmes has also reinforced SICA’s prayers and desire for WP.
He stated the support of SICA for the West Papua people and the work to assist but within the confinement of Solomon Islands Government Policy on west Papua.
Rumbiak also gave a summary of the formation of ULMWP and the various bodies it is comprised of.
He leaves the country today and will return soon as the agenda for this year and next year is “Campaign and Lobbying” many supporters to convince the United Nations (UN) on West Papua’s issue.
