THE Ministry of Forest and Research has been asked to explain why one of its officers is in Waisisi, west Areare.
A Mr Aloysio Arukeni said recently an officer from the Ministry’s Operation Division in Honiara went over to Waisisi to assess a logging operation in there. From Waisisi the officer crossed to Auki.
Arukeni said people later found out that the officer was not in Waisisi to conduct an assessment.
He said it was alleged that the officer’s visit to Waisisi was to work with the logging company, licensee and individual landowners on behalf of government on a deal to extend the operation of the company.
“I was at Waisisi when the officer was there, and I happened to get glimpse of the secretly dealing. It known to me that the officer was there to facilitate an underground individual signing of some tribal lands in East Are Are to be logged by Rite Trade logging company. A move that is hidden from the resource owners who own the tribal lands except for only the individual landowners involved.
“Thus, what I want from the MFR is to publicly inform the people of Waisisi on the truth behind their officer’s visit to Waisisi. Secondly, I also want to know on whose interest the officer went over to Waisisi? Is it in the interest of MFR or the logging company? Thirdly, is it ethical for an officer from the MFR to facilitate or associate with such alleged corrupt dealing with logging company in the country? And lastly, why not send officer from the Forestry office in Auki to do the work since they responsible for Malaita province, but send officer from Honiara?”
Arukeni calls upon the PS and the commissioner of Forest to respond to these questions.
MALAITA fisheries is calling for support in its development plans for this year.
Principal fisheries officer for Malaita province Mr Martin Jasper said the fisheries department in Malaita province calls on the provincial government and the national ministry of fisheries to support Malaita’s fisheries plans.
“The Malaita provincial fisheries department wants to revive all the fisheries sub centres around Malaita province especially to improve the industry in our rural areas.”
He adds, the provincial head office in Auki is currently rundown due to the bad state of the building.
“The responsible authority should consider setting up a new building for the industry in the province for its development plans and purpose.”
Fisheries centres have been set up in parts of Malaita but have been rundown due to breakdown of machines there.
LAST week, Solomon Post was accompanied by Mr Martin Hine, President of Global Partnership, Bibimoney on a trip to Auki, Malaita province.
He shared his experience with the Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela on Monday during their short visit, describing it as frightening to see teachers, police officers and health workers travelling just to collect their salaries at a cost equivalent to about 25% of their salaries.
“These guys are close to Auki, what happens to the people much further away?”, said Mr Hine.
He explained that the system will allow them to receive money without having to actually travel far to the main centers where they usually withdraw cash.
Henceforth, Mr Hine noted that if workers were getting a pay increase and receiving the money where they are while increasing economic activities and growth in their area then this is what financial inclusion is all about.
Bibimoney is a UK based Fin-Tech Company who introduced the mobile wallet service to Solomon Post last year. At the moment, they are working closely with the local corporation towards introducing the Ezi Pei mobile wallet system.
ACCORDING to Solomon Islands Postal Corporation’s CEO, Mr Allan Arafoa, they are working closely with a number of stakeholders for their new mobile wallet service that will be called “Ezi Pei”.
He made the statement during a discussion with the Prime Minister on Monday when his team paid his office a brief visit.
Moreover, Mr Arafoa said that they have been in contact with the Ministry of Finance, CBSI and PFIP office in Honiara regarding how the system would be introduced in the country.
He added that they also had a number of meetings with Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Police and the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs.
When asked by the Prime Minister about which stakeholders they are working with and the progress made so, Mr Arafoa highlighted Our Telekom and Bemobile as their main stakeholders.
“We have already spoken to Telekom and Bemobile. They would be our main stakeholders because we would rely on their mobile network throughout the country. We asked them how far they have gone into that”
“Telekom is very excited and would like to be part of this because it would also be business for them as well. We have also spoken to Bemobile and they also want to come onboard on this”, he said.
Other stakeholders like CBSI, PFIP (Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme), Ministry of Finance and Treasury and West Are’ Are group Rokotanikeni were also mentioned as key stakeholders for the Ezi Pei system.
“The Ministry of Finance if we are to take on some of the salary payments and all that, we are going to work closely with them as well”, he said.
Participants received their certificates after their training last week.
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
Participants received their certificates after their training last week.
KEEPING bee hive can be a rewarding hobby for anybody who has the passion to do it.
Bees produce honey which is a very healthy substitute for sugar to those who are healthy conscious.
According to Ben Nginabule from Solomon Islands Small Business Enterprise Centre (SISBEC), honey is considered to be a highly healthy product also offering an attractive source of income selling at around $60 to $100 per kilo at present.
“Bee farmers in NZ earn similar level of income for a kilogramme of raw honey,” said Nginabule.
“A hive can produce an average of 45 kilogramme per harvest that is if all the 10 frames are full.”
“In areas where the weather is dry and sunny most time with no presence of Asian bees (another bee species) with decent flowery presence, harvest can take place more than twice a year.”
“With that information, a quick math gives you a rough figure of how much you can earn from one hive. One time harvest per year can earn you up to $4,500 and two times harvest per year gives you $9,000.”
“Imagine you have ten hives and harvest two times a year, that’s almost $90,000 income per year being quite good compared to the amount of labor and effort put into it.”
SISBEC Bee Trainees doing practical session. Photos by SISBEC
In SISBEC’s release, some other positivity’s in keeping bee hives include being off major investment in equipment, minimal recurring cost unlike chicken or piggery where recurring cost is huge, women and youth can do it, huge local demand for honey, other products of the bees such as wax, pollen and so can generate income.
“While the income from honey is very good, there are challenges to overcome in doing bee keeping.”
“First is to do a bee keeping training. You need to know what to do, what is involved and how to go about it.”
“You need to learn about hive management, flower and plants, weather and Asian bees.”
“Once you resolve the issue of training, then the next hurdle is having the right attitude to bee-keeping which include hard work and commitment. You could do well in keeping bees if you have the right training, right attitude, hard work and commitment.”
SISBEC works closely with the Livestock Division and farmers in the provinces to strengthen the bee keeping industry.
Their services include bee keeping training, supply of equipment, knowledge transfer, queen rearing, buy and sell honey to name a few.
The Prime Minister in a group photo with the CEO of Solomon Islands Postal Corporation (on PM’s right), President of
bibimoney’s global partnership Martin Hine (right). Photo from PM Press Secretariat
BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
The Prime Minister in a group photo with the CEO of Solomon Islands Postal Corporation (on PM’s right), President of bibimoney’s global partnership Martin Hine (right). Photo from PM Press Secretariat
ON Monday, Solomon Islands Postal Corporation and Bibimoney representative, Mr Martin Hine called in at the Prime Minister’s Office to speak with Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela about the current plans and progress on their new mobile wallet system.
Solomon Post CEO, Mr Allan Arafoa explained to the Prime Minister that like other stakeholders who are financial inclusion partners they too want to see how they can help in providing financial services throughout the country right down to the people in the rural areas.
He stresses that knowing that most of government workers are based in the provinces, they decided to make their way to one of the provincial capitals, Auki in Malaita province to find out the problems these workers encounter with regards to how they receive their salaries.
Mr Arafoa said that the trip got them communicating with more than 30 teachers, 5 police officers and 16 health workers and what they learned was that they would travel on Wednesday or Thursday to Auki just to collect their pay.
He added that what these workers had to go through if their salaries were not ready at that time was having wait in Auki till Monday the following week which he voices will then have an impact at their work places whether it is providing education or health services.
“So we feel that if the system is introduced it will help to minimize some of those problems”, Mr Arafoa said.
AUKI market in Malaita province will undergo improvement that will allow the facility to cater for people with special needs.
A security fence will also be erected to keep the facility secure.
The recommendation comes from the first formal Auki Market Infrastructure Task Force Meeting held in early February.
The meeting convened representatives from the Malaita provincial government, Auki market vendor association, UN women’s markets for change (M4C) team, and other market partners.
Malaita Premier Mr Peter Ramohia said, “I am happy to see the level of consultation that has taken place between the Malaita Provincial Government’s Market Management and the market vendors.”
He adds, the consultation allows them better understanding for the needs of vendors in the market and priorities that focus on promoting safe, hygienic and inclusive environment for all.
Markets for Change (M4C) Project Manager for Solomon Islands, Kristy Nowland, said the Task Force meeting ensures partners have the chance to come together and discuss and decide on what is most important during these infrastructure refurbishment works.
“Partners want to focus repair and construction efforts on installing perimeter fencing and storage for better security, repairing water and drainage for improved hygiene, increasing access for elderly people and people with a disability, and improving the fish vending area,” Ms Nowland said.
She said recommendations compiled from marketplace vendors and managers are critical to best inform the market’s priority repairs, maintenance and installation of minor works.
The joint-project for construction is co-financed by the Malaita provincial government (MPG) and UN Women’s M4C project, primarily funded by the Australian Government.
MPG leads procurement and management of works and UN Women is supporting with technical, financial and project management aspects.
The Auki Market infrastructure works and repairs will be carried out in line with the Solomon Islands Government procurement requirements in quarters two and three of 2018.
One of the worst part of Auki road at Sigitae residential area.
BY GEORGE MANFORD
AUKI
One of the worst part of Auki road at Sigitae residential area.
AUKI’S newly built tar-sealed roads are reportedly deteriorating rapidly.
This is the ongoing impact caused by last month’s heavy rains, which chipped away into the new tar-sealed roads leaving potholes which are growing larger by the week.
The new road was constructed by the Dalgro company last year.
Along the Sigitae area in Auki is one of the worst areas at the moment where buses and public transport vehicles have to drive carefully to avoid accidents.
Transport owners in Auki have also complained on what they term as poor quality work done by Dalgro on building the roads.
They compare the new road with the old roads that were built in the ‘90s for the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in Auki
They call on the ministry of infrastructure development (MID) and other relevant authorities to look into addressing Auki’s road problem before it gets worse.
“As Malaita province will expand with its development and town expansion we need quality road infrastructures must be done in Malaita,” they say.
DPM with high level delegation team of experts from Cosmo group of company
By Gary Hatigeva
DPM with high level delegation team of experts from Cosmo group of company
FINANCE Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare yesterday accepted a courtesy visit from a high level delegation team of experts and top officials from the Cosmo group of Companies, a giant player in the Japanese economy.
The meeting heard information about the potentials Solomon Islands food products in the areas of Agriculture and other related areas have for markets abroad.
Headquartered in Dubai, the company is looking to open up the United Arab Emirates market to Solomon Islands, highlighting the high quality Solomon’s local food products have to offer in that part of the world.
Company representatives, Satofumi Kawata who is the Representative Director of Cosmo Company and Tomokatsu Ichikawa, the Senior Manager Head of Business Development, accompanied by local supporting staff came with the mission to get the national government’s support in implementing this export initiative, which looks to involve a number of players in the local economy.
The Finance Minister was told that based on recommendations, they thought that export products from Solomon Islands to UAE may have greater potentials.
When asked about Japan’s market potentials, the group explained they are also checking for opportunities to export direct from Solomon Islands to Japan, but Japan is quite a matured market, where the size is big but very mature market.
“On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates is a very fast growing market so it may be easier to find opportunities there in UAE.
The group representatives also pointed out that with identified higher qualities in most of its resources compared to other providers, they are confident Solomon Islands products can make a long life span in the international market.
“We came here one week ago and throughout our stay here, we found that the quality of products in Solomon Islands is very good, very high, but it could not be explained very well, something we will try to ensure it is highlighted and made known,” the Representative Director further explained.
He added that in the United Arab Emirate now, 100 percent of the food products are imported, while Japan relies on 70 percent on imported food.
This is a clear indication that a lot of these big markets will need small states llike Solomon Islands seeon as they are short of food.
“Here (SI), the country is rich in marine resources, and land is still usable (mass access to land for production of food) and population growth here is also very small having compared to the resources.
“So it means Solomon Islands could be a reliable and continuous exporter of food to the outside world. It is according to our analysis, is one of the great potential countries in the world.
“So to utilize the potential capacity, the initial support in the investment on local producers is very important and the government need to see this now,” Kawata added.
“Tuna, Cocoa, Coconut and Ngalinut should be differentiated appropriately in its quality then and only then, we can enjoy premium and Solomon Islands has that,” Mr. Satofumi Kawata explained.
Meanwhile, the group highlighted this kind of initiative does not come easy and cheap as there are so many challenges and downside facing them, which requires the government’s support.
The initiative is looking to use existing but small scale exporters and commercial food producers Solomon Islands whom the group felt are being disadvantaged in a many areas.
The meeting also heard that these local companies will play big roles in this initiative and need the right kind of support to push their capacities when producing to meet targets and demands.
“I think what the government can do is firstly, take initiative so that different sectors and different companies can collaborate with each other and secondly, may be some support to the initial investment in the areas of machineries or infrastructure,” Mr. Kawata explained when asked where the Solomon government can support.
“Another challenge is logistics because if the amount is limited, with a high transport cost, it is obviously be a loss and that too could damage the competitiveness of the product especially for the outside export market.
“So ones we start to increase the volume of export, the cost will go down and everything will be competitive and that would rely heavily on the ground works, which needs a swift backing of the national government.”
Mr. Kawata however stressed that currently, their team needs some support from the private sector to initiate good samples to take back for sampling and testing.
He said the group up their return to Japan, they will look to discuss ways to how they can also support this initial stage of the export from their end.
“We came here to identify the products to be exported from Solomon Islands UAE (Trying to open up way for Exports to UAE through our company)
The group visited Soltuna, National Fishing Development (NFD), Coconut Pacific, ADRA for Cocoa export and SolFish.
In a short but sharp respond, the Finance Minister assured the group of the government’s willingness to support and ensure this initiative eventuates.
He said this initiative will have a direct impact on the owners of the resources relevant for exports and knowing that they will have direct benefits, they will definitely jump it and that is something he said the government looks forward to initiate and support.
“I think the government is very actively supporting the similar initiatives and knowing land is an issue in Solomon Islands where they are owned by the people it has always been a challenge for the government as well, but if we ask them to do something, they would want to see how they will benefit from it so are pumping in financial resources into the rural areas but it is not properly organizing the areas we are targeting for the export marketing.
“That is because we are not sure about the right markets but if there is market here now, that will change the whole picture and how we think of these products,” the Finance Minister explained when giving his response remarks during the meeting.
The group has collected samples which were sent over to their headquarters in UAE yesterday, with the intention to show the samples to the people there and get feedback and maybe do further investigations and testing for actual potential products for export.
The Cosmo Group of Company through its Energy Holdings establishment has been an active participant in the development of Solomon Islands and was awarded a medal of honour for its role in promoting Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture by establishing an agriculture training centre and providing financial support for the training courses.
TWO cruise boats will arrive tomorrow in Honiara as the first of the cruise boats to kick-start tourism destination to Solomon Islands this year.
The boats are Ocean Dream ground to be hosted in Honiara by Travel Solomons Ltd, and Caledonia Sky will be looked after by Destination Solomons.
According to Travel Solomons, most of the tourists boarding the Ocean Dream are Japanese, and they will be in Honiara for the whole day.
During their visit, Travel Solomons will assist the visiting friends from Japan for a day tour at the WWII sites, take a glance at the country’s cultural artifacts and histories as well as carrying out city tours and beach snorkeling.
“We have collaborated with the police and they will be working to ensure the visitors are being looked after during their short visit here,” Mr John Foimua of Travel Solomons said.
In addition, the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) calls on the general public to cooperate as we play host to the visitors.
SIVB Senior Marketing Officer, Mr Ellison Kyere said SIVB is calling on the good people of Solomon Islands to continue to maintain respect and cooperation particularly since this will leave a lasting impression to tourists for this year.
He asked people to stay out from trouble and be friendly and assist visitors during their full day stay in Honiara.
Kyere said a positive experience will reflect Solomon Islands’ on the global market as a potential tourism destination and tourists will replicate interesting stories about Solomon Islands upon return to their own country.
He encourages citizens to continue to do the same for future ships schedule to visits Solomon Islands ahead.
Ocean Dream is a Japanese boat which has been visiting Solomon Islands twice already. This round about 1,300 visitors are onboard and they will arrive tomorrow at 10am and will depart 9pm.
Upon its departure, Foimua of Travel Solomons said there will be a cultural performance from one of the country’s cultural group inside the Ocean Dream to bid farewell to the visitors from Japan.
Meanwhile Caledonia Sky, the other cruise boat as of Tuesday February 20, 2018 has passed through Paeu village of Vanikoro Island, Temotu province and Gupuna village, Port Mary Harbour, Santa Ana Island of Makira province.
It is expected to arrive at the Honiara International port around 8am for a full day visit to the country’s iconic sites and will depart by 6pm.
This year, a total of 11 boats will visit Solomon Islands, and the next cruise boat will be on March 1.
