DEAR EDITOR, quoting Radio New Zealand International – March 12, 2018, “Monash University’s World Mosquito Programme says wolbachia bacteria can stop mosquitoes from spreading dengue and other diseases like chikungunya and zika.
“The programme director of impact assessment, Professor Cameron Simmons, said wolbachia was a naturally occurring bacteria and once transmitted to the aedes aegypti mosquito it stopped them getting the infections and spreading them among humans.
“He said the not-for-profit agency had already proven the use of wolbachia is successful in far northern Queensland and he is confident it will eliminate the dengue threat in the Pacific.
“The experience from North Queensland is that so far, in communities where wolbachia has been established they have been dengue free for the last 6 or 7 years.
“And so our expectations are very high that once established our technology is going to provide years of protection for communities in the Western Pacific from these viral diseases.” Copyright: RNZI (All Rights Reserved)
IN my capacity as Chief Magistrate, I wish to formally respond, on behalf of the magistracy, to the article on the front page of Saturday March 10, 2018 edition of the Solomon Star entitled, “DPP fires back”.
The article quotes the DPP as follows “If it appears to any person that there is no control mechanism within the management of cases in the office then I am afraid, it reflects on an erroneous assumption, or perhaps inexperience or ignorance to say the least”. In this quote the DPP is referring to comments made in court by Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi in a case in which two police officers were acquitted of charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The Magistrates Court takes great exception to these comments which are unwarranted, unfounded, and inappropriate and way out of line.
Madame Taeburi is an experienced and accomplished Magistrate who strives to manage her cases appropriately.
I wish to point out that it is the duty of all Magistrates to take control of the management and handling of cases that come before them, in order to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays and ensure the best use of court time.
In this regard, if a magistrate has concerns about the conduct of any party or their counsel it is perfectly appropriate to voice those concerns in the court room.
Everyone must be aware what is expected of them, and that the Magistrate’s Courts in this country will no longer tolerate unnecessary adjournment, delays and the avoidable waste of its time.
I do not propose to discuss the precise details of this case and Madam Taeburi’s judgment.
I will just say that madam Taeburi was fully justified in raising her genuine concerns in court.
And if the DPP has concerns over her comments, then he is perfectly aware that such issues can be raised with either my-self or the Chief Justice, or alternatively he can make a formal referral to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission through the Registrar of the High Court.
What is totally unacceptable is to bypass all the official and transparent complaints procedures (which would allow considered deliberations on the issues and provide the Magistrate with a right to respond) in order to lambast a Magistrate’s conduct and accuse her of “inexperience” and “ignorance” through the media.
CENTRAL Islands Province (CIP) Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni reminds CIP that though they passed the budget of $10,447,703 during their Provincial Assembly last week, it will depend on the funding given by the National Government.
Hon Vasuni said this after learning from report circulating that the National Government will be cutting the funding too for provincial governments this time round.
The province last week held its Provincial Assembly meeting at the new provincial Chamber in which $10,447,703 was passed for the service of the province for this financial year of 2018/2019.
However according to CIP’s Premier despite of the good news for the province, he said it will depend on the funding given through the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) from the National Government.
“We are worried because information circulating around is that the National Government will be cutting the funding too for provincial governments,” said the Premier.
“If such really happens then I call on my good people of CIP to work hard together in order to ensure that we continue to maintain sustainability in the province because reducing the funds is similar to funds not having impacts at all.
“Let us now only humbly wait and see what the National Government will be offering for us this time round.”
It is understood that provincial budgets are first passed this time round before the national budgets are passed.
THE new Provincial Chamber built for Central Islands Province (CIP) at Tulaghi will cut costs for the provincial government compared to the past when they had to hire venues to hold provincial meetings.
Central Province now has a place to hold meetings to make decisions for its people after the Provincial Chamber of the Office was officially opened on the 3rd of March.
The first meeting to take place in it was CIP’s Provincial Assembly during the whole of last week.
“Not only have we secured a place to hold meetings but we will now have a proper place to store Provincial Assembly records,” said the Premier.
“Many of our past Assembly records have been lost because of no proper place to store them in the provincial government.”
CIP’s Provincial Government and citizens are now looking forward for the new Provincial Chamber to serve the province into the future.
MCILI PS Mr Riley Mesepitu and MAL PS Mr Jimmi Saelea posed for a photo session after the Pacific Coconut
workshop on Monday
BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
MCILI PS Mr Riley Mesepitu and MAL PS Mr Jimmi Saelea posed for a photo session after the Pacific Coconut workshop on Monday
MINISTRY of Commerce and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock are planning to set priority on coconut re-planting in Solomon Islands with local farmers.
In a presentation conducted about high demand of coconut production globally, it motivates the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to venture in coconut tree re-planting.
MCILI’s Permanent Secretary Mr Riley Mesepitu said Ministry of Commerce will proceed in carrying out activities focusing on coconut industry, and it is an area to look at seriously and aggressively this year.
“I think there is also a need to look at re-planting as number of our coconut tree is declining, and I am really willing to work closely with the MAL along with CEMA,” Mesepitu said.
Mesepitu said now coconut industry is very important area for economic development of Solomon Islands.
So through MCILI’s marketing and industry division and commercial division Mesepitu said they will take the matter seriously and aggressively.
To focus on coconut industry development, Mesepitu said they are planning to recruit a coconut Secretariat, someone who could really lead the sector.
MAL permanent secretary Mr Jimmi Saelea said in the area of re-planting, it is very critical to Solomon Islands.
He said that is one area MAL try to look at how best they can address such issue of re-planting.
Saelea said over the years Ministry have been trying but can’t go anywhere because it’s something needs more capability to do the work.
He also explained our farmer needs a lot of education in terms re-planting coconut, and it is other area local farmers require which government and relevant stakeholders need to look at seriously.
Managing of ocean resources needs more, said Mr David Ward British, High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, in a statement yesterday at the commemoration of the Commonwealth Day in Honiara.
He said managing of resources could be further elaborated as protecting them from pollution, especially plastics pollution.
Mr Ward said many plastic bags end up at sea after being used on average for 12 minutes and can last for thousands of years which is expected of one tonne pollution for every three tonnes of fish by 2025.
He explained this cannot be sustained and it has already been agreed upon nations across the world.
“Thanks to Solomon Islands for taking up actions, however, more action still needed to be done,” Ward said.
He said this year it is expected Heads of government in London will look especially at the importance of the marine environment under this last theme.
Group photo of the ICC participants at the Mendana Hotel on Monday. Photo by Barnabas Manebona
BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
THE Asia and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) held an impressive presentation with officials of the government and private sectors in coconut industry yesterday at Mendana Hotel.
The Pacific Coconut Community workshop is about coconut development and innovation with an aim to collaborate for sustaining coconut sector in Solomon Islands.
Outcome from yesterday’s event put Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and relevant stakeholders a way forward for re-considering coconut industry here.
MCILI’s Permanent Secretary Mr Riley Mesepitu said presentation from the workshop gives significant insights for motivation to do better for Solomon Islands in terms of coconut industry.
He said on country’s policy level there is a gap need to fill-up which require proper coordination and collaboration from Government and relevant stakeholders.
“I would suggest after this meeting when budget approve in parliament we will organize a stakeholders forum in coconut in collaboration with MAL so can we can see look into our commitment and engagement in coconut industry,” Mesepitu said.
Mesepitu said now they will look at strengthening the local farmer’s level to policy level.
Group photo of the ICC participants at the Mendana Hotel on Monday. Photo by Barnabas Manebona
Permanent Secretary for MAL, Mr Jimmi Saelea said coming of APCC to Solomon Islands has given re-direction and encourage coconut sectors to do something seriously about coconut industry.
Saelea said development of coconut industry in Solomon Islands is a serious matter for country to address its challenges faced over the years.
“We have coconut out there but production is quite low compare to other countries and that area we need to work on as well,” PS Saelea said.
The workshop is organise by MCILI and facilitated by Dr Uron Salum, Director General of the APCC.
The APCC now changed to International Coconut Community (ICC) is an intergovernmental organisation of coconut producing countries organized in 1969 under the aegis of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP).
The ICC Secretariat is located in Jakarta, Indonesia and is headed by an executive director.
ICC has 18 coconut producing member countries accounting for over 90 percent of world coconut production and exports of coconut products.
Member countries include Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
THE nation’s nine premiers have descended on Honiara, demanding assurance from the national government that the 2018 budget would be passed on time.
At the same time they have expressed concern that the national government continues to slash their allocations, which they say is painting a gloomy outlook for service delivery in the provinces in 2018.
“We have been told that our service grants have been halved,” one Premier told Island Sun yesterday.
In the case of Malaita Province, its service grants have reportedly been reduced to just $7million for this year. Last year, it received $14 million.
“Our PCDF grants have also been slashed by as much as 90 percent,” the Premier said.
“We have been told that all provincial governments will receive just a million dollars each in the PCDF grants this year, if the national budget is passed on time, that is,” the Premier said.
“Last year the nine provincial governments shared $38 million in PCDF grants. This year it’s been reduced to just $1 million each. We hope that is wrong because what can you do with that kind of money?
“It is as good as not giving us the money at all in the first place. Our health services, education and other social sector programs will suffer.
“We are staring disaster in the face,” the Premier said.
The Premiers were yesterday meeting the Prime Minister, Ricky Houenipwela, but no official announcement was made on the outcome of their meeting.
The Premiers are also concerned that the delay in passing the national budget is pushing the nation closer to the brink of a constitutional crisis. The national government has until March 31 – only two and half weeks away – to avoid plunging the nation into a constitutional crisis.
“As Provinces, we also wait on the national budget to be passed before we debate our own budget. Everything we do is based on the sort of allocations we receive from the national government. Until we know what we get from the national budget, we cannot move.
“This year we have been pushed closer and closer to a financial crisis, which would bring everything to a standstill,” the Premier said.
THE Ministry of Forest and Research has hit back at reports published by Island Sun of a major fraud involving the ministry and logging activities on government land.
In its press release, MOFR says “Investigations carrying allegations linking the Ministry of Forestry and Research, Mbetilonga Land Holdings Community Company Limited and One Pacific Company Ltd by Alfred Sasako are erroneous with no facts and are misleading.”
Dismissing the claims, the MOFR in an issued statement describes such an act as ‘poor journalism and unfair’.
It then urged for the practice of fair and balanced reporting by way of verifying information before putting it out for public consumption.
“This is growing trend overtime and a repeated excuse done deliberately to tarnish the Ministry who is generating the much needed revenue for the government and misinforming the public at large.
“It is only proper that you come see us at our office at Lengakiki to raise any complaint or get our side of the story on whatever issues of interest.”
Sasako alleged in Island Sun Newspaper issue 2849, Monday 12, 2018 three parties involved in an earmarked area reserved for the development of Komaridi Hydro Project scheme that was initially proclaimed not viable by government in the ‘90s.
The Forestry office explains that its action in granting approval for development to Mbetilonga Land Holdings Community Company Limited and One Pacific Company Ltd of the said land is not a lone decision.
“In this case, the grantee – Mbetilonga Land Holdings Community Company Limited entrusted under Peter Isaac, Aaron Devesi, Serapino Pero and Sam Kulolo as grantors seeks the office of the Registrar of Lands and Titles for an approval of a ‘grant of profit’.
“That also includes holding of the Perpetual Estate (PE) for the parcel 191-060-1, 191-060-2 and 191-060-3.
“This is the record we have, provided for through the office of the Registrar of Lands and Titles at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey as of April 15, 2015.
“That ‘grant of profit’ gives the grantees to exclusively extract trees, sell timber and logs from parcel 191-060-1, 191-060-2 and 191-060-3.
“Based on that approved ‘grant of profit’, Ministry of Forestry and Research acted upon, and issue the felling licence.
“Thus, we did ensure to check all necessary procedures and requirements are met following the rightful legal process before approval and the issuance of felling Licence.”
It adds there is nothing as illegal; neither any major fraud in the logging industry as claimed and speculated by Sasako in this instance.
“Whilst the Forestry Office welcomes such critic, facts must be right by verifying issues of interest and not to mislead with half-cooked information.”
THE 2018 national budget will see a marked decrease in the provincial budget.
This decrease is set to impact on provincial government’s development plans and service delivery this year.
For Malaita province, the total budget required for 2018 is $12million, but according to the proposed budget from the national government the amount has been reduced to $10million.
Information sighted this paper said while national government has decreased funds for the provinces, it has boosted its rural constituency development fund (RCDF).
However, it is said that the province’s version of the RCDF, the provincial community development fund (PCDF) contributes more to development in the communities than its national counterpart.
“RCDF somehow did not provide any good impacts in terms of developments as seen in our constituencies but only the projects under the PCDF are implemented in our wards,” the information says.
People are questioning government why it is raising its RCDF when there is only 10 months left.
Concerns also have it that a lot of provincial projects earmarked for this year will not see the light of day, due to the national government’s decision.
