Home Blog Page 1584

Waita calls for support

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Under-16 Head Coach Stanley Waita.

BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE newly-appointed Solomon Islands national under-16 head coach Stanley Waita is calling on football followers of this country to throw full support behind his youngsters.

This comes as the country is about to host the Oceania Under-16 championship in Honiara from September 8 to 22 this year.

The championship serves as a qualifier for next year’s 18th edition of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup where Oceania has been given two qualification spots.

The host country for the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup is yet to be determined and will be made known soon by the world governing football body in the coming weeks and months. Three countries in the form of Rwanda, Kenya and Singapore are in the race at the moment to host this junior soccer event.

Waita said they need everyone’s support inorder for them to do well in the qualifiers here at home and qualify for the under-17 world cup.

“This is our time. This is our moment. We have the advantage of playing the qualifiers at home and our home crowd can help us get to where we want to reach with their strong support.”

In the preparation for the September qualifiers, a 35-member training squad was named yesterday by Waita in collaboration with the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) technical department.

The squad was selected from the recent Youth Solomon Cup Under-16 held earlier this month in Honiara.

Waita along with his newly appointed assistant coach and former national captain Henry Fa’arodo have been assigned with the immense task ahead of leading the junior side into a possible first-ever and historic qualification for Solomon Islands to the global stage.

“We have the opportunity to qualify for our first under-17 world cup.

“The first task is getting the team together for training. We really need to work hard, it’s a must.

“There are big plans in the pipeline regarding our preparation for some upcoming friendlies to prepare the team before heading into the qualifiers.

“Before embarking on plans for international friendlies as part of the preparation process, we will be playing matches against the under-19 squad and other local teams,” he explained.

Waita also stressed that there will be a lot of pressure playing infront of the home crowd at Lawson Tama.

“There will be a lot of pressure especially from the public where they will expect us to deliver.

“All we have to do is to stay focus and concentrate on the important task ahead.

Waita said the training squad selected is not the final.

“The door is still open for other potential ones regardless of the list we have now. We want the team to be competitive,” he added.

Are you legit?

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Activities of an unnamed company which is extracting sawn timber not far from west Honiara. Island Sun investigations have revealed the company is rushing to export its first 3,000 cubic metres log shipment today.

Does this unnamed company meet legal requirements to fell and export?

By Alfred Sasako

Activities of an unnamed company which is extracting sawn timber not far from west Honiara. Island Sun investigations have revealed the company is rushing to export its first 3,000 cubic metres log shipment today.

AN unnamed foreign logging company is allegedly extracting sawn timber just west of Honiara without meeting prerequisite legal requirements, an investigation by Island Sun has uncovered.

The unnamed company is allegedly rushing to export its first 3,000 cubic metre log shipment today before authorities were aware of what is going on.

Photographic evidence obtained by Island Sun revealed the Kakabona river banks have been stripped clean to make way for storing the company’s sawn timber ready for export.

The company began loading its sawn timber yesterday.

The company’s lightning operation only began during the Christmas/New Year period, according to those familiar with it, allegedly using four elderly landowners to give their consent.

The photographs obtained by Island Sun show the operation has cut deep into a concession owned by Success Company Ltd, which has called on the Commissioner of Forests, Reeves Moveni to cancel the shipment and seize all machines and equipment for alleged illegal operation.

“The company has never held any public hearings, which is a legal requirement before any logging operations can commence,” Island Sun was told.

The photographs have shown serious damages have been done to the stream where villages in the area used for collecting drinking water.

“Today, the entire stream is filled with mud sludge because of what this company had done to the environment. The people in the area are not even aware if the Ministry of Environment and Conservation had issued a 30-day notice before the logging operations began,” sources close to the operation told Island Sun.

“The Minister of Forest and Research and the Minister of Environment and Conservation should go there to see what the operation has done to the people’s drinking water,” one suggested.

They said both Kakabona and Eden Bay – a popular beach for picnic on weekends – have also been affected.

Meanwhile another company, Solomon Mining Ltd, is allegedly engaged in felling without licence. It is allegedly struggling to export a shipment of round logs this week.

Solomon Mining Ltd is registered on July 15, 2013, according to the Foreign Investment Division of the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Immigration and Labour.

The Directors and owners of SML are: Martin Lee Chi Ming (United Kingdom) – 70 percent, Robert Matthew Yuen (United States) – 30 percent.

According to the Ministry, the company’s approved business activities are:

 

  • Mining & Quarrying
  • Manufacture of wood & of products of wood
  • Forestry & logging – Activity class – Silviculture & other forestry activities, this is further defined as engaging in buying of timbers & selling directly to buyers. They are not allowed to engage in timber felling.

Solomon Mining Ltd was engaged in a number of other activities including water bottling in Temotu Province.

Santa Cruz Mineral Water Ltd was registered with the Foreign Investment on September 13, 2016. The company is jointly owned by Solomon Mining Ltd SI (Incorp) 70 percent and Nebo Investment (SI) 30 percent.

Business activities of Santa Cruz Mineral Water Ltd is manufacturing of drinking water.

The Company is still registered with the Foreign Investment Division of the Ministry of Commerce, Industries Labour and Immigration.

RAT workshop timely and helpful, says Mrs Simeon

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
1
Sports administrators who attended the recent ONOC workshop in Honiara

BY ROMULUS HUTA

THE Readiness Assessment Tool (RAT) workshop held in Honiara last week for local sporting federations’ administrators was timely and helpful.

Sports administrators who attended the recent ONOC workshop in Honiara

This was according to Former Chef de Mission to the Pacific Mini Games 2017 and Secretary to the Solomon Islands Athletics Commission (SIAC), Mrs Lysa Simeon.

Mrs Simeon was among participants and members of the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) who took part in the workshop.

In an interview with SunSPORTS yesterday, Mrs Simeon said the workshop was very useful and it taught her how to manage a sporting organisation.

Ms Simeon stated it was a timely training that will help develop skills in sport administration and generic coaching.

“The workshop was very useful, I learnt how to manage a sporting organisation.

“The workshop highlighted fundamental principles I must fully understand when working in a sports organisation, for example, knowing the processes and structures that must be in place to effectively support our athletes.

“Understanding the constitution and ensuring that the organisation and its constitution is guided by good governance principles as demanded by International Olympic Committee (IOC). And most importantly be able to action these principles through our strategic plan in our daily work. In this way, we will be able to provide better services to our athletes,” she highlighted.

The RAT Scheme is purposely designed for developing sport organisations and the workshop was organised by Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) through its educational program known as the Oceania Sport Education Program (OSEP), facilitated by Coordinator Sainimili Talatoka of Fiji.

NOCSI board members at the Management in Sports Organization and Board Induction training.

Since the past decade, ONOC have directed significant resources towards addressing the perceived deficiencies in sport development infrastructure among its member national Olympic committees and their respective national federations through the RAT method.

Mrs Simeon added that: “Understanding what standards need to be in place to become an effective sports organisation will help me contribute effectively to NOCSI to bring the change it needs to become effective and functional. That is, helping put in place processes and structures to improve our work within the sports organisation. By being effective and functional – we will be able to ensure athletes access and benefits more.”

Along with that, the workshop will also enable her to make decisions within the NOCSI guided by the knowledge and principles learnt from the workshop, she stressed.

“ONOC through the OSEP program will continue to provide this training for all National Federations, I encourage all to take part, as this is an important opportunity to build our capacity to support our athletes reach their full potential. Let us prepare ourselves to be able to contribute effectively to hosting SOL2023.”

It’s the other way around: Palua

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
1
George Palua.

By Taromane Martin

PERMANENT Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs Mr George Palua says cabinet is waiting for the report from the local 2023 Pacific Games task force before their Ministry can enforce the PG 2023 Act.

The Permanent Secretary made clarifications regarding yesterday’s back page story which reported the task force 2023 as awaiting approval from cabinet before preparation for the games, which is five years away, can move on to the next phase.

Palua said their Ministry is waiting for the task force to complete and compile their reports before they can request the Minister to enforce the 2023 PG Act.

“It is not correct to say that the ‘’Pacific Games 2023 Preparation Task force, is waiting for Cabinet approval’’ before moving on to the next stage. It is actually the other way round,” Mr Palua said.

“Cabinet, is waiting on the Taskforce to complete its tasks under their term of reference approved by Cabinet in September 2017 before moving on to the next stage.

“Which is to request the Minister for Home Affairs to enforce the PG 2023 Act by way of a notice published in a Gazette and to have appointments done to the three bodies mentioned in the PG 2023 Act 2016,” he adds.

PG 2023 Task Force team leader Mr Gabriel Suri said their task force has been carrying out internal and external consultations with stake holders and expects to complete their assignments by the middle of this year.

“We have a specific term of reference which we have to complete within ten months,” he said.

“We have a lot of tasks needed to be carried out. They are grouped into four main tasks. One is the need to establish a governance plan, two is to develop a facilities plan, third is to develop a finance plan and develop the plan to prepare athletes and technical officials.

“Already we have had dialogues with the Republic of China, Taiwan in which our task force produced and handed over a drafted MOU,” he said.

“ROC has acknowledged receiving the draft which has now been sent to their headquarters in Taiwan to be analyzed and approved.

“Once that MOU is approved then we’ll have the Prime Minister and the President of Taiwan sign it when he travels to Taiwan in April, before the terms and conditions of the MOU can be implemented,” the Chairman said.

Mr Suri confirmed they are eying to develop the King George Sixth soccer and rugby pitch into the main stadium for the games while are also keen in developing the Solomon Islands National University’s Panatina and Kukum complexes for the games village.

He said their task force is hoping the main stadium could be completed by 2021 however adds it will depend entirely on the response from Taiwan and their dialogues with SINU and the KGVI administration.

“We have set a time frame in the MOU and if contractors agree to the time schedule, we would like to have the main stadium completed by 2021 so that we would have two years for our athletes to try out the stadiums.

“We are expecting constructions of the stadium to start around October or November if everything goes well with ROC and with our other stake holders,” he said.

Youths allegedly robbed tourist in Wairokai must be apprehended

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

A COMMUNITY elder of Wairokai in West Are Are has urged the police to investigate and apprehend youths allegedly involved in a stealing incident against a tourist in Wairokai.

Community elder, Mr Jackson Keni’oma made the statement appealing to the police to apprehend the youths and to make them face justice for their actions.

He stressed that the community must work together with the police in investigating the matter.

Mr Keni’oma said it is known that the incident was already settled by the victim and chiefs in Wairokai, but that doesn’t stop the law to take its course.

“So the only way to rightly deal with people when involving in such nasty activity is to let the law deal with them, so they can learn from what they did.

“They should not evade the law and anyone else in the community must not harbour them for that matter,” he said.

Mr Keni’oma said the incident is an embarrassment for the people of Wairokai and it only tarnished the reputation of the community.

He said such anti-social behaviour should not be encouraged in the community and everyone must work together to fight against such crimes in the community.

On the other hand, Mr Keni’oma also called on the police to swiftly conduct investigation into the incident.

“I already reported the matter to the police, but since than nothing has happened as expected from the police.

“During the course of the incident I reported it to Maka and their excuse in respond to the matter was on lack of staffing.

“The same happened with the police in Auki. When reported the incident to them, they said they didn’t have fuel to go to Wairokai,” he said.

Mr Keni’oma said faced with that difficulty, on Thursday last week he went to Auki and proposed a transport arrangement for the police from Hauhui to Wairokai, but this was not considered.

He said he understands the difficulties faced by the police, but urged them to be prepared at all time for any reports that might reach their office at any time.

According to recent media report, the youths robbed a bag-pack containing some valuable items and a bike own by an Australian, Mr Oliver Wisden.

Vasuni assures province they are doing their best

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

CENTRAL Islands Provincial Government Premier Hon Patrick Vasuni assures CIP’s citizens that their Executive is doing their best to lead despite negative challenges.

It has been reported last week that there is currently an ongoing attempt to oust the current Premier which has raised many queries from the province with many locals not supporting such move.

Locals said continuous political disturbances are what are affecting the province to develop further, suffering for a long period now.

“Let the Provincial Government finish their mission for these last couple of months remaining as they are currently doing great for the province,” said concerns.

According to the Premier Hon Vasuni, he has no fear of such move being confident of his Executive Government number to still be intact.

The Provincial Executive Government of CIP is currently trying its best to stop such influence that will affect the provincial government’s leadership.

A former government leader of CIP and Ngella Constituency is revealed to be behind the move in which the motive is not clear assuming maybe because of political interest.

Under investigation, three MPA’s (two from Ngella and one from Russell) have confirmed receiving phone calls for the plan to oust the Premier.

HYC commend Mayor’s move

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
1
HYC President Mr Harry James Olikwailafa acknowledges Mayor, Andrew Mua for addressing the short bus route which affecting young people in Honiara city

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

HONIARA Youth Council’s Executive Board acknowledged the move of City Major and its board for addressing the short bus route which provides efficiency for young people within Honiara City.

The HYC as an independent body advocating for young people within Honiara city, appreciated Mayor Andrew Mua describing the move as right timing for young people while preparing for academic year.

HYC President Mr Harry James Olikwailafa praised and acknowledged Mr Mua for his bold stand to solve the short bus route issue, which young people in Honiara, over the years have advocated, organized forums and held petition for.

“Short bus route is one issue indirectly affecting young people, and the Mayor’s move really benefits the young people that access both directly and indirectly the HYC programmes and service delivery,” Mr Olikwailafa said.

Mr Olikwailafa said as a body established for youth’s voices in Honiara, it is timely to acknowledge the Mayor and its Board to address the long pending issue, the unregulated public short bus route.

“HYC see the step that the Major took a bold step that will provide efficient and effective services for people which includes young people,” Mr Olikwailafa said.

Moreover, Mr Olikwailafa also acknowledged other stakeholders for being part of the advocacy and petition which now see the issue of short bus routes being addressed through the stepping up of the City Major to hear the outcry of the country in terms of transportation services.

The Head of Division for Youth, Sport and Women Division, Mr Roland GK Pauku also acknowledged HCC Mayor saying it is the right direction which will provide efficiency and reliable bus services to the people.

He encourages bus operators to work collaboratively with HCC.

Mr Pauku appreciated the comments made by HYC in acknowledging the Mayor as leaders also needs moral support from organizations and stakeholders regarding national and local issues.

 

Photo caption- HYC President Mr Harry James Olikwailafa acknowledges Mayor, Mr Andrew Mua for addressing the short bus route which affecting young people in Honiara city

HCC-YSW Division appreciate NZ second secretary 12 months work

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0
Staff of the YSWD in group photo with Ms Esther Jens (1)

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

Staff of the YSWD in group photo with Ms Esther Jens

YOUTH, Sports and Women Division (YSWD) of the Honiara City Council and volunteers are appreciative of the New Zealand High Commission’s second secretary Ms Esther Jens work with young people in Honiara.

On Sunday 21, they have organized a get together to farewell and acknowledge her work with the HCC-YSWD and Honiara Youth Council which resulted in a New Zealand funded project to upgrade and make an extension of the multipurpose hall.

During the gathering, HCC-YSWD and HYC gave gifts of appreciation to Ms Jens who worked as the Second Secretary of Development for the New Zealand High Commission in Solomon Islands.

The Head of Division for YSWD Mr Roland GK Pauku said, Ms Jens work with YSWD was amazing and has an impressive fruition.

“Partnership and collaboration is just amazing, a relationship that produces results” Mr Pauku said

HCC Youth Development Officer, Mrs Mary Tuhaika during the gathering commended Ms Jens’ work which contributes to youth development programme for the past 12 months within the Honiara city.

“You are a legend because you have facilitated a project that will benefit young people now and entire generation ahead, hope when the project completes you could come and see for yourself the fruition of your hard work,” Mrs Tuhaika said.

Ms Jens said she was excited to work with HCC-YSWD and HYC including young people in Honiara where they now see the success of this project because of their partnership and corporation.

Group photo of YSWD, HYC and volunteers with Ms Jens during their get to gather recently

She adds involvement of young people in consultation, workshop and planning process towards the project was greatly recognized and appreciated as well.

“Without advice and constant dialogue with YSWD, the project will not reach this stage,” Ms Jens said.

HYC President Mr Harry James Olikwailafa said, working with Ms Jens was amazing. Her simple character and contributions to the development of young people in Honiara city will be a legacy of friendship.

HYC Programme Coordinator, Mr Bobby Siarani also acknowledged New Zealand High Commission and Ms Jens saying she has done an amazing work in supporting youth development.

As of last year, Ms Jens had been working in partnership with YSWD for consultation and workshop to upgrade and extension of the multipurpose hall both indoor and outdoor.

Funding for upgrade came from the New Zealand Aid programme, and construction work is now underway.

Busurata self-help enterprise highly praiseworthy

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

DEAR EDITOR, due to the inspiring efforts of John Sala and the village people at Busurata the community now has its own Area Health Centre.

The full story behind this remarkable story was featured in an article in the Solomon Star newspaper on January 22, 2018 from which I quote.

“Basic services like clinics, markets, and schools are what people in the rural areas need the most.

“Any community that has got those services at their disposal should be enough for them to move on with their life.

“One such community is Busurata, located 14 kilometres from the Malaita provincial capital Auki, up in the highlands of central Kwara’ae.

“It has its own clinic, school and market to serve its people and the surrounding communities.

“Its clinic, which was recently upgraded to the status of Area Health Centre, is serving its purpose well.

“John Sala, the villager who was behind the idea to build the clinic there, said the facility was established in the 1980s.

“The idea of building a clinic here came after witnessing with my own eyes how women of this place struggled to go to Kilu’ufi Hospital to deliver,” Mr Sala explained.

“During those times, the condition of the road was really bad and women like that had to walk down to Kilu’ufi, which is very dangerous,” Mr Sala said.

“He added few years later when he was elected to be a ward member for ward 29, he pushed forward the idea to build a clinic for the community.

“The idea came into fruition and today, Busurata has its own health facility.

Mr Sala said health service is important for people.

“After we have completed it, we actually addressed the issue that our women have struggled with for many years.

“Women giving birth can just do it at our clinic. Only cases that were complicated get referred to Kilu’ufi Hospital.”

“Busurata clinic has one labour ward to accommodate women during times of deliveries.

“Mr Sala said, “Currently we are working on a new clinic building to meet the demand of the local population of this place.”

“He said that the old building does not have enough space and therefore they are working on a new building to accommodate the needs of the increasing population.

“Mr Sala thanked the people of the community for working together to build that new building.

“The money we used to build this building comes from hands of people through fundraisings and their contributions,” he said.”

I offer to Mr Sala and the Busurata community my congratulations on the outstanding self-help effort in establishing a health facility and providing for the basic health care needs of the local people. Well done!

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

The stark reality of climate change today

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
-
0

DEAR EDITOR, back in 2006 there were some Pacific Islanders whom viewed the then predicted climate change scenarios as being too alarmist and far away to accept that sea water inundation of their land would become the stark reality that it is today in 2018.

Now many of the small Pacific Islands states have experienced waves washing over the land and roads, coconut trees partly submerged, crop land swept away or rendered unusable because of the encroaching saltwater, homes destroyed and habitat once flourishing under water.

A reporter from the Island Sun newspaper went to Marau on the eastern tip of Guadalcanal’s coastline last week and came back with a first- hand account of what he witnessed when visiting Vuravura village. His story is recounted in the Sun’s Monday edition and tells of coconut palms having been totally destroyed on an inundated area of outstretched land as a consequence of sea level rise over recent years.

A village elder apparently told the visiting reporter that in the 1990s, the beach stretched more than 50 meters to the sea but not anymore and the swamp taro plants located several meters off the shoreline are already dying due to the salt water intrusion.

The Marau situation is being replicated across the Western Pacific with many similar stories coming from Tuvalu, Fiji, Vanuatu, the Marshall Islands, the Cook Islands and Samoa.

It is being claimed that the ocean could swallow Tuvalu whole, making it the first country to be wiped off the map by global warming.

The region is already facing a host of problems that environmentalists say are being worsened by climate change: shortages of potable water, anaemic economies propped up by foreign aid, disease, dependence on sugar-packed, processed food imports, to mention a few.

And there are health problems like obesity and diabetes exacerbated by such food imports. The World Health Organization has found that the South Pacific is the world’s most overweight region.

It is known that the Solomon Islands Government is already working with several Non-government Organisations and multilateral partners, including the UNDP, SPREP and the GEF to build up resilience to combat the dramatic impact of climate change impacted on the Solomon Islands.

One must really hope that much will be done in terms of government planning and regional and agency cooperation (and gaining access to funding) to provide a bastion against the ever encroaching sea that is already threatening the lives and futures of so many Solomon Islanders.

Yours sincerely

FRANK SHORT

1...1,5831,5841,585...1,673Page 1,584 of 1,673