By Mike Puia

LANDOWNERS from Guadalcanal Province who represent the Tandai Tribal Land Association (TTLA) have requested recognition for allowing their land to host Solomon Islands’ capital city.

TTLA’s wish for recognition was conveyed by a member of the Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly, Mr John Nano.

“Our Tandai landowners wanted some recognition for having this city on their land,” Nano said.

He said for years the city has grown with little control by their tribal land association.

“In fact, this town has grown three times without the knowledge on the TTLA. The Association was never consulted.”

He said there are events, like the queen’s birthdays, where honours and awards are bestowed to individuals who render outstanding service to the country.

“Why not create an award to recognised landowners of this town? They willingly allow their land to host this town,” Nano said.

He said it can be small recognition like awards or programmes to benefit landowners or an invitation to landowners to attend city events.

Prior to World War II, Honiara did not exist. In 1952 it officially replaced Tulagi in the Central Islands Province as the capital of Solomon Islands.

Today the city is overcrowded and the Guadalcanal provincial government is not giving the government and the Honiara City Council permission for expansion.

Honiara land is among issues to be discussed during the planned Guadalcanal land summit in March.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

RITE TRADE Logging Company’s move to log Suruniai tribal land in East Are Are is being questioned.

A Mr Aloysio Arukeni from Sihu village in East Are Are questions the eligibility of the land since it is not under the company’s concession agreement.

He said currently the logging company and members of his subsidiary licensee, Tai’are are manipulating individual landowners of Suruni’ai to sign the tribal land for harvesting.

Arukeni complains that the move taken is completely outside of the required legal proceeding under the forestry act.

“It is obvious that there is a standard legal requirement under the forestry act in placed to attain to customary land for harvesting. There must be land consultation to inform the land owners on the proposal, and public timber right-hearing must also conduct so landowners can share their views on the proposal. Nothing of such happened for landowners of Suruni’ai tribal land or people in the area to aware of it and Suruni’ai never under the company’s concession area.”

Arukeni said what everyone knows is the company’s concession area ends in Rani tribal land. He said the company had also recently put up a three-month notice that they would leave.

“Thus, the landowners want to know whether such approach is legal under the forestry act. And if its, why not all landowners consulted on the matter? The approach taken is like a broad daylight roping on the resource owners while they are there and undermine their rights to have any say on their resources.”

Arukeni calls upon the commissioner of forest to investigate this, and appeals to Rite Trade logging company, Tai’are licensee and individual landowners involved to follow legal procedures.

By Mike Puia

GUADALCANAL Province is planning to hold a huge land summit in Honiara next month.

The Guadalcanal land summit is supported by the provincial government, with support commitment coming from the National government and a UN agency.

Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly Member, John Nano, confirmed it will happen next month and all Guadalcanal leaders are expected to attend.

Asked about the agenda, Nano said it will cover almost everything concern Guadalcanal land.

“This summit will look at issues like the current land tenure system, future of Guadalcanal land, Honiara city land, everything about Guadalcanal land,” Nano confirmed.

He said they are still finalizing the actual day and venue of the event and soon they will send out invitation all across Guadalcanal.

Nano said it is hoped the outcome of the summit will be condensed into a report that will be the basis of their province’s land ordinances.

He said they wanted land ordinances or laws to suit the culture of Guadalcanal with regards to how lands are sold, transfer and so on.

“We expect leaders from all over the island representing the four region and 21 wards of Guadalcanal and 21 houses of chiefs to attend,” Nano said.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

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.