BY BEN BILUA

LOGGING developments close to Galatha village in Isabel province’s Hograno district has caught landowners by surprise.

They are calling on authorities to clarify to them how and why two logging companies are operating there without their prior knowledge.

Reports say two logging companies have landed at a Tuape camp in the area on a double felling licence for one concession area arrangement.

A Mr Manasseh Whipell tells Island Sun that landowners are confused despite having allowed the two companies to carry on with their activities.

However, recent reports of alleged illegal logging near west Honiara last week has prompted Hograno landowners to have second thoughts on the two companies.

Whipell stressed that some leaders who are well-versed with the law and process of felling licence do raise some questions about the two felling licences but failed to contact responsible authorities to investigate the issue.

“Our question is, is it legal for two companies to have two different felling license for one concession area?

“We need advises from our lawyers to interpret such issues and our laws that would deal with the issues,” he said.

He also supports the call made by the Leader of Parliamentary Independent Group Hon Dereck Sikua in the media last week.

“Hon Sikua has made an important call and that is to launch and independent investigation within the Ministry of Forestry.

“I see Hon Sikua’s call as a way forward to establish proper regulations and record of logging operation in the country,” Whipell said.

He also called on Isabel Provincial Government to investigate the issue immediately to avoid further confusion and also unsustainable harvesting of logs in the province.

Last week Mr Sikua called on the Public Service Commission to suspend two senior government officials; Commissioner of Forest and Director of Environment, for violating the Forestry act and Environment act.

He made the call following report in relation to the logging operation happening in Kakabona Village, West Honiara.

Sikua stressed that the nature of the operation at Kakabona looks fishy in that relevant regulations and legal requirements have not been adhered to.

He also calls on the Commissioner of Police to immediately intervene and stop the illegal operation and make necessary arrest on the culprit.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

FORMER Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has confirmed he will contest the by-election for the Gizo-Kolombangara constituency.

However, Mr Lilo has raised concerns on the government’s delay in setting a date for the by-election.

The Gizo-Kolombangara seat has been vacant since November last year after MP Jimpson Tanangada lost the petition case against him by Lilo.

Speaking to Island Sun yesterday, Lilo describes the delay as unfair and unreasonable.

He highlights that the longer the delay the more the people of Gizo-Kolombangara are denied their constitutional rights to being represented in parliament.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr George Palua said the Gizo-Kolombangara by-election date will be set between April and May if the Government decides for it to take place.

“But all depends on the new voter’s registration list to be available around the 3rd of March this year as well as budget,” said the PS.

But, Lilo emphasises that election spending is statutory by virtue of constitute and should be charged automatically to the consolidated fund.

“Cabinet or the Executive Government should not have rights to interfere but the Electoral Commission and Governor General (GG) only.

“The delay is totally unfair and unreasonable as we have been denied our constitutional rights to be represented in our democracy and government the fundament of our sovereignty.”

Lilo had filed a petition after he lost to Mr Tanangada in the 2014 general elections.

And, three years later, the High Court ruled Tanangada guilty of bribery and treating people by using agents to supply food for voters during campaign.

By Mike Puia

SOLOMON Islands Maritime Safety Administration (SIMSA) officer, Peter Dauoma, has joined the search for survivors of a ferry that capsized in Kiribati more than a week ago.

Dauoma, who is the Chief Marine Officer in the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), boarded an Orion that landed here for re-fuel. The Orion was bound for Kiribati to be part of the search.

While confirming Dauoma’s engagement in the international search, SIMSA’s Director Tim Harris said he feels for those whose loved ones are still missing in the tragedy.

About 80 people were onboard MV Butiraoi when it capsized. A search was mounted when authorities were alerted that the ship failed to arrive in Tarawa, Kiribati’s capital, on January 18.

New Zealand sent a military aircraft to conduct sweeps of the area after being called in to help by Fiji authorities who are coordinating the search.

On Sunday, a New Zealand Air Force Orion located eight survivors drifting in a dinghy. They have since been picked up by a fishing boat.

Searchers are continuing to scour more than 300,000 square kilometres of ocean for survivors.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CONTINUOUS attack by Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (CRB) will have an adverse impact on the oil palm and coconut productions of Solomon Islands.

Hundreds of coconut and oil palm trees in the country have already been killed by CRB attacks which are very serious, according to Bob Macfarlane the Coordinator of the CRB programme in the country.

The beetle from report has already spread along the north coast of Guadalcanal and has invaded north Malaita, Savo and Ngella.

“Currently the worst effects can be seen around Honiara but if the beetle gets to village coconut plantations, the impacts on copra production and village nutrition will be huge.”

Last week, the New Zealand aid project “Improving Management of Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) in Solomon Islands and PNG” led by AgResearch, New Zealand, held a meeting in Honiara to plan the next phases of their programme.

The meeting was attended by senior personnel from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, GPPOL and the Solomon Islands Coconut Industry Working Group, the beetle disease and pest management experts from AgResearch, PNGOPRA, SPC, the University of Queensland and NGOs.

The meeting agreed that the priorities are to limit the spread of the beetle, bring the current damage under control and look for a long term biological solution to control the pest.

“Plans for a long-term solution to develop control techniques using new insect diseases are well advanced but the meeting identified two large gaps needing a rapid and thorough response.

“In particular if Solomon Islands is to avoid a huge disaster, immediate action is needed to raise awareness throughout the country about the seriousness of the threat and ways to slow its spread. Also, to work with communities to eliminate breeding sites and control the pest in areas already invaded,” Macfarlane reports.

Both these tasks are outside the capacity of the current Government or Provincial staff and finances as it was agreed that emergency funding based on new action plans is urgently needed to get the activities implemented quickly on the scale needed.

“The meeting also recognised that regional action is required to safeguard other countries from this new pest and that SPC is the logical organisation to lead this initiative.

“At the end, the meeting held a de-brief session with potential donors and the media and recommended that MAL and Solomon Islands Government approach relevant donors for urgent support.”

By Mike Puia

THE three people, who went missing in Makira/Ulawa Province by boat, about six days ago, have been found yesterday.

They were found taking shelter at Alita Island.

They left Malaupaine Island in the Three Sister Islands for Ahia Village on Ulawa Island on Thursday 25 using a banana boat powered by a 30-horsepower Suzuki outboard motor.

Relatives from Ahia village, Ulawa Island had raised the alarm to relatives in Kirakira when the boat with the people failed to arrive.

A search was activated. During the search, the search party did not check the island. This was reportedly because of the bad weather.

The Kirakira Police Operation Manager yesterday informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCCHON) that they have found the banana boat and the three people onboard – whom were all safe.

The people in the boat have been sheltering on the island, waiting on the weather to calm down.

The boat left Alita Island and arrived in Ulawa Island around yesterday morning.