BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRE-TRIAL conference into the case against two men alleged of corrupting the RWASH project in 2016 will be made on March 5.

Hilly Manase and Wilson Innie were arrested in June last year for numerous incidents of conversion and false pretences committed in Honiara with a substantial amount of money involved.

The allegation said there were two separate projects funded by the European Union for Rural Water and Sanitation Hygiene (RWASH) through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services sometime in 2016.

GPPOL 1 in Guadalcanal province and Kanaba in the Renbel province water tanks projects are ongoing projects for construction in the RWASH programme for 2016. However during that time the MHMS found out that these two projects had some shortfalls on water tanks for the construction of the projects in January 2016.

The shortfalls include 12 5000 litres and two 2000 litres for GPPOL 1 project and 22 3000 litres for Kanaba water tank project.

Upon discussion with the RWASH Programme Manager at that time, he then later collected proforma quotes from the Island Tank Company and proceeded to raise two separate requisitions for the two projects respectively.

One requisition was raised against the name of Derick Willie who was the then RWASH Programme Manager for GPPOL 1 for the total amount of $99,340 for 12 5000 litres tanks and two 2000 litres tanks.

The second requisition was raised against the name of Henry Kato who was RWASH accountant for Kanaba community in Renbel Province for the $95,260 for 22 3000 litres tanks.

These two payments were raised for Island Tank company respectively in respect to the above two figures for the total of 36 water tanks.

It has been confirmed that there were two SIG cheques printed and payments were already made through the bank account of Island Tank, having receiving the money the company manufactured the water tanks and were all stored at the Island Tank compound ready for collection by the RWASH.

Police further alleged that while waiting for the collection Mr Hilly mentioned it to the other defendant and asked him to identify any buyer for the tanks.

It was during that time the two defendants Mr Hilly and Mr Innie were involved in selling the tanks on cheaper price, it is alleged.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE ministry of health (MHMS) scandal case has been adjourned for 14 days to begin its preliminary inquiry.

This is the case against five individuals alleged of misusing funds within the ministry of health in 2013.

Robert Manu former procurement officer, Dalcy Maena former accounts officer, local contractor Tigi Sikele, and Stephen Kidoe Dalipanda former Financial Controller and Randy Hatigeva former senior accountant.

They were alleged to have involved in misusing funds relating to the $10-million scandal that was uncovered in 2013 during a normal risk assessment undertaken in the government’s financial management information system by Finance ministry officials. In doing so, irregularities were detected in transactions relating to the Health Sector Support Programme funded by AusAID.

This is for the court to hear from the prosecution whether they have enough evidence to prosecute the case in court.

The defence lawyers have indicated a short form preliminary inquiry, and that will be heard in the next 14 days.

It was uncovered that government contracts allocated under the health project involved grossly inflated pricing of freight service charges and shipping charters by contractors who were not shipping operators, but merely middle-man shell companies that charged exorbitant margins of around three to four times the normal freight service charges.

Government officials involved have allegedly colluded with contracted service providers to defraud the state.

The allegation against the former financial controller said between January 1, 2012 and September 20, 2013 he obtained $7.3 million and on 15 occasions fabricated invoices for freighting and claims were submitted under the fake shipping companies without the provision of services.

His co-accused Manu of Tikopia faces 12 counts of false pretence and four counts of official corruption.

This is for allegedly processing some payments under two non-genuine shipping companies totalling up to $7.3 million.

Prosecution then alleged that the other Mr Hatigeva is also involved in endorsing payments and other documents totalling up $7.3 million.

Dalcy Maena of Malaita who faces 18 counts of false pretence was alleged of processing fictitious quotes, invoices and claims for non-executed services or duplicated payments from fake shipping including a private company that she set up totalling up to SBD $7,542,763.40.

In relation to the local contractor Tigi Sikele, he faces two counts of false pretences for allegedly defrauding the Ministry of Health of more than $730,000.

The Public Prosecution office is appearing for the crown in court.

Principal Magistrate Ricky Iomea presides over the case in court.

ENDS//

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

WATER shortage is becoming an issue after more than a month of no rain in Auki.

According to residents from surrounding communities water sources are drying up and water pressure in supply pipes has dropped.

“Most of our communities depend much on rain water where it will be more challenging when drought takes place. At the moment most communities use wells for swimming and washing where they have to fetch for drinking water sources from the other communities.

“We call on the provincial government and the national government to see our need and prioritise it where two important institutes were located within the area which is Aligegeo School, Kiluufi hospital and including the capital town in Auki.”

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

LANDOWNERS want investors to take the lead in the national palm oil project in Wairokai.

The call follows widespread scepticism on the current “out-grower scheme”.

A landowner told Island Sun Auki that there’s no expected outlook for the project without an investor.

He said the “out-grower scheme” forces landowners to work with less financial support from the government.

“The idea of out-grower is good as the project will share among individual landowners and become ownership of it. But our fear is whether this out-grower scheme will work for the project.

“Because it requires 100 percent workforce from the people without machineries and with uneven financial support. We did all we can with the work on the project, but we can’t do enough since the work is beyond what we can.

“This is our alarm and the reason we want investors to work with us for the good of this palm oil project,” the man said.

The landowner claims that the ‘outgrower scheme’ only serves as a fundraising drive for the government and middlemen.

He calls on the national government and the agriculture ministry (MAL) to revisit the arrangement on the project and work with landowners.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

A lot of people don’t have pensions and assisting to develop micro-pensions, even in small fractions will take pressure off the government, maybe in the long run.

These words were echoed by Mr Martin Hine, President of Global Partnerships, Bibimoney who along with Solomon Islands Postal Corporation (SIPC) called in the Prime Minister’s Office last week to brief Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela about their Ezi Pei system.

He stressed that besides providing services like allowing customers to withdraw cash from agents, buy goods, top up their airtime, transfer money across the country, put money back into their savings and make micro loan payments, they are also working on pension payments.

Hine pointed out that a good number of people do not have pensions hence mentioned that by providing this service, even if it is in small payments will somehow relieve the government.

He added that this service will also give people a sense financial control.

“It also gives people a sense of power, financial power and ability to control their own destiny,” said Hine.

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

MINISTRY of Police, National Security and Correctional Service (MPNS&CS) with its two agencies strives to establish a workforce that reflects gender equality and ethnic diversity.

MPNS&CS Permanent Secretary Ms Karen Qalokale, during the recent graduation ceremony of 40 new CSSI officers, said the ministry continues to uphold the comprehensive long term objective of successive governments to improve gender equality.

“But while we strive to meet this objective, we also consider that these selected few should be the best people for this important national duty in the Correctional Services. Also all must fit for the job and must be of fair representation of the 9 provinces of this country.”

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

WEST Kwara’ae voters are calling on their member of parliament to publish the constituency’s financial report for the last 11 years.

The voters say since 2006, their MP has not made public any report regarding the constituency’s RCDF.

“We want to know how the public money belongs to West Kwara’ae constituency was spent on constituency development projects or individual projects within the constituency.

“We call on the West Kwara’ae MP to clarify and provide the financial reports from 2016 to 2018. As a good leader for West Kwara’ae constituency we need transparency and quality leadership to be seen in our beloved constituency.

“We acknowledge our MP for his great effort for the past 11 years of leadership for your fine support towards West Kwara’ae constituency regarding your development plans for the people of the constituency.”