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REVEALING ROAD TRAFFIC STATISTICS FOR 2017

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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DEAR Editor,

The Police Supervising Director of the Kukum Police Traffic Department reported to the Solomon Star last week that the SIPF Traffic Department had recorded a total of 1583 related incidents, including 7 fatalities, in 2017.

Here is a direct quote of the Solomon Star’s article.

“The Kukum Traffic Police Department has recorded a total of 1583 traffic related incidents that leads to 7 deaths in Honiara last year.

“For the past year 2017 we have received a total of 1583 reported cases,” said Mr. Mouli.

“He ( Mr.Mouli) said, careless driving has recorded 341 cases, driving under the influence of liquor – 342, 94, for unlicensed drivers and the use of an unlicensed motor vehicle – totalled to 259 cases.

“He added that permitting unlicensed motor vehicles was 82, dangerous loading was 2, causing death by dangerous driving had resulted in 7 cases, while the number of injuries was 29.

“He said, just over the Festive season a total of 3 deaths had been recorded, one for Guadalcanal province, while the other two within the Honiara roads.

“Mr Mouli explained these incidents have been caused through the drivers’ own carelessness, pedestrian carelessness or owners’ negligence for allowing their vehicles to be used on the road with defective parts or been unlicensed.

“By looking at this figure, it has clearly demonstrated to us that, each and everyone must have take into accounts some areas of considerations as we enter another year,” he said.

“The Supervising Director said, drivers must take on more responsibility to put more consideration while driving and vehicle owners to play their part as owners.

“Making sure their vehicles must be road worthy, valid, registered before using operating on the road.”

“Mr. Mouli also appealed to drivers to have a proper driving license before driving on the road.

“Vehicle owners to register their vehicles and every road users, as police will be more active throughout the year.”

In March 2017, Inspector Brian Surimalefo, also then with the RSIPF’s Traffic Branch, told the media that there were more than 300 road traffic accidents in 2016 causing injury to a hundred plus victims and 5 accident fatalities.

He also added that in the first three months of 2016, the police had attended the scene of close to 50 road accidents.

Prima facie are we to assume that last year the number of road traffic accidents rose from a total of “more than 300” in 2016 to what is now reported to have been 1583 last year?

It is perhaps necessary for Police Headquarters to give some clarification because if there has been a rise of 1000 to 1283 extra road accidents, based on the imprecise figure of 300 quoted by Inspector Surimalefo, then it is important to know the causes and to determine stronger enforcement measures.

Looking at what Inspector Mouli told the Star’s reporter, last year saw an average of 4.3 road accidents every day, an increase in road fatalities from 5 in 2016 to 7 in 2017, 342 reports of driving under the influence of liquor (almost one report per day) 94 unlicensed driving offences and allegations of causing death by dangerous driving.

It is my respectful suggestion that the official reporting of road traffic accident statistics, year on year, should be released by Police Headquarters in the form of an official report in which the statistical breakdown of information is revealed, if not already made available in the Force’s Annual Report.

I suggest sufficient data on the extent, causes and impact of crashes is low in the Solomon Islands, including types of vehicles involved, time when accidents occurred, precise locations, ages of drivers and pedestrians, road conditions, road worthiness of the vehicles, extent of alcoholism and nature of injuries sustained etc.

Yours sincerely

Frank Short

GP education achieves milestone – 100 percent pass rate

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

GUADALCANAL Education has achieved another education milestone for academic year 2017 into 2018.

Guadalcanal Provincial Minister Hon Lazarus Rina proudly announced that Guadalcanal Province has achieved 100 percent pass rate and placement for all grade six students to commence form one high school in 2018.

For such a result, Hon Rina said it is the first of its kind for Guadalcanal province.

As Minister responsible for education in Guadalcanal, Hon Rina wishes to thank his staffs at the education division, all grade six teachers around Guadalcanal province, school boards, hard working parents and most especially the students for their commitment towards their studies.

“Such results is the manifestation of everybody’s hard work, perseverance and commitment to building our province’s human resources,” Rina expressed.

He furthers that beside the outstanding grade six result, 2017 pass rate and 2018 placement results for forms 3, forms 5 and forms 6 of 2017 are also very satisfactory.

Challenge now is for GP-education authority and other private authorities operating schools within GP jurisdiction and parents to sustain and maintain such momentum for next years’ results.

GP Education division’s focus now will be to create more space by building new classrooms and upgrading existing schools to cater for more form 4 and form 6 student placements.

Meanwhile in the tertiary division, GP will continue to provide scholarships for continuing students and new 2018 intakes for Solomon Islands National University.

GP will likely sponsor up to 315 new students for SINU this year.

–G-PROVINCE PRESS

I have no time for political gambling: Hou

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Solomon Islands’ newly elected Prime Minister and MP for Small Malaita, Hon Rick Houenipwela. Photo by George Herming

PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela says he has no time for political gambling.

The Prime Minister was responding to a front page article in the Island Sun on Tuesday which claimed that a senior government minister is masterminding a plot to topple the Hou-led administration.

“My Government is intact and I enjoy the confidence and support of all my Cabinet members.

“While there may be certain elements outside Cabinet intent on driving a wedge between the group, I am not deterred by such ill-fated actions by desperate individuals,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he remains focused on achieving his Government’s policy goals within a short period of time and he has no time to waste.

“Any attempts to dampen our aim to achieve our priority goals is a strategy by people with political agendas. We have no time for selfish political interests,” the Prime Minister said.

–OPMC PRESS

Mamaloni family want name cleared from land row

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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People standing watch over what is left of their homes which were demolished by men working for the Samlimsan company. Photo by Barnabas Manebona

By Mike Puia

CHILDREN of former Prime Minister, the late Solomon Mamaloni, want their name cleared from a row in the Henderson area, east Honiara, which stemmed from a land boundary dispute.

The row is between Samlimsan Logging Company, which owns a block of land next to a block owned by the late Solomon Mamaloni, and settled by families of former workers of the SOMA company (a now-defunct company which was owned by late Mamaloni).

Former employees were chased out of the adjacent block and had since then moved into the block owned by SOMA. It is reported that Samlimsan company last Tuesday, entered the area and destroyed eight homes there.

When police intervened some families, whose homes were destroyed, told them (police) that they were invited by the children of the late former Prime Minister.

“Junior Mamaloni was unhappy when settlers entered their land and claimed they were invited by him (Junior Mamaloni) in their defence to the police,” Junior Tangi, caretaker of Mamaloni’s land at Henderson, said.

Tangi said the boundary that separates late Mamaloni’s land and Samlimsan’s land is an issue that is yet to be cleared.

He said there are conflicting arguments about the boundary but Mamaloni’s family has solid evidence to claim ownership.

Tangi said Junior Mamaloni had never invited the settlers that were chased out from Samlimsan land into their land.

He encouraged settlers to stay out from this issue and allow the late Mamaloni’s family and the company (Samlimsan) to sort things out themselves.

Police alerted of man killed by crocodile in Guadalcanal

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

POLICE in the Guadalcanal Province are calling on people residing alongside rivers, streams, creeks and coastal areas in the province to take the necessary precaution at all times following the death of man believed to have been killed by a crocodile in the Tangarare area in West Guadalcanal on January 15, 2018.

It is alleged a 20-year-old male was attacked by a crocodile at Hove River in the Tangarare area after his body was found next day (January 16) at the same river by relatives.

Acting Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Guadalcanal Province, Superintendent Nixson Manetoga says, “We have sent our officers to Tangarare to get more information on the death and formally request community leaders for police to hunt and kill any crocodiles in the area.

“In the meantime, I appeal to members of the communities in the province residing alongside rivers, streams, creeks and coastal to always take precaution and look out for these dangerous reptiles at all times.”

–POLICE MEDIA

Most public places unsafe for girls

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

A meeting between the Solomon Islands Safer City for Girls and Australian delegation revealed that most public places in the capital (Honiara) are unsafe for girls.

This is because most public places are without street lights, securities, increased criminal activities like alcohol consumption and illegal selling of alcohol to name a few.

A concerned outspoken girl expressed yesterday the unsafe environments within the capital has made us live with fear and threats.

“If we continue to have public places unsafe it will affect the way we learn and interact with others,” she said.

Hence responsible authorities, Ministries and Non–governmental are called on to find ways to address this growing issue

Bringing law closer to people top priority of the judiciary

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

BRINGING the rule of law closer to people remains a priority for the national judiciary.

Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer remind lawyers during the opening of the Legal year to do all they can to achieve and improve on the most worthy of goals both centrally and out in the Districts and Provinces.

He highlighted that adequate infrastructure continues to be an issue and sticks out like sore thumb every now and again with limited office space, supporting facilities and equipment.

These are the People’s Courts and apart from the delivery of judicial services the people deserve to come to court to have their disputes resolved in a peaceful, safe, secure and comfortable environment, Sir Albert said.

“We cannot continue to rely on donor assistance and it is high time the Government gets down to business in ensuring it courts in the country are properly accommodated with adequate buildings, facilities and equipment,” Sir Albert added.

Don’t get me wrong

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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The leader of the ‘kingdom movement’ in Malaita province, the so-called prophet Kalen, in a walk-in interview with Island Sun Auki on Wednesday. Photo by George Manford

Leader of ‘kingdom movement’ in Malaita province clarifies prophecies and promises

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

ON January 16, 2018, it was predicted by the ‘kingdom movement’ in Malaita province that doomsday events would take place – this did not eventuate.

Following this failure in its prophecy, the leader of the movement, the so-called prophet Kalen, has spoken out in an attempt to clarify his group’s prophecies and promises.

In an interview with Island Sun in Auki, Kalen said, “information that went around the social media and the print media is not true because I have prophesied the signs of the end times but the public interpret it wrongly.

“I receive lots of critics from the comments made by the people in the country about the information misinterpreted in the public.

“I prophesied that in the end times there will be more mysterious things will happen and more people will come in a form of preaching the word of god but we must stand firm and believe the truth.

“I have prophesied this way back in 1971 during my younger days that before the world will be coming to its end there will be more false teachings and prophets and confusions will takes place.”

Kalen insists that the country must not take his teachings wrongly or distort them, adding that ‘it will come to a time that what the bible say will come true’.

“Information which spread around the country at the moment is misleading because I have no idea on what is going on out in the public.

“The gathering that happened last week and during this week at my home is we have gathered for a religious gathering according to our religion.

“I call on my good people in Malaita and in the country at large I have been prophesying the signs of the end times,” Kalen said.

It is understood that the kingdom movement had declared that January 16 (Tuesday this week) would bring about cataclysmic doomsday activities to people who are non-believers of the movement.

But, for followers, riches in the form of material goods, houses, servants and money will be given them.

Leading up to Tuesday (Jan 16) this week, a lot of followers had reportedly sold off their properties in anticipation of the promised riches that would unfold on that day.

It is now public knowledge that things did not eventuate as the movement had foretold.

SICCI applauds HCC for tackling short bus trips

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
SICCI CEO Dennis Meone...Pictures by SICCI Media.

THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) has applauded the Honiara City Council (HCC) for taking a tough stand to address the increasing use of unregulated public bus routes in the capital.

SICCI acknowledges the enforcement of the new public bus ordinance declared by Honiara City Mayor Hon. Andrew Mua this month to tackle the issue of short bus routes that has had a toll on the travelling public over the past few years.

SICCI CEO Dennis Meone said HCC must be applauded for taking the leading role – with the support of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) – in addressing this long-standing issue and a timely act as working industries, the public sector and schools start for 2018.

“The impacts have been severe on the public transport users and indirectly affects not only government, private sector but also families and working people,” said Mr Meone.

“Operating a public transport comes with a responsibility to provide a professional service that is fair and reliable to the public.

“SICCI commends the successful dialogue between the local bus owners’ association and HCC in coming to agreed terms to respond to the public’s outcry of the short bus routes.

“We urge public bus owners to comply with the new ordinance enforced by HCC.”

–SICCI PRESS

No review on terms and conditions of judges and magistrates

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

CHIEF Justice Sir Albert Palmer has raised concerns over the delay made to review the terms and conditions of Judges and Magistrates.

Speaking during the legal year opening yesterday, Sir Albert said that since 2015 there has not been any review made on their terms and conditions – and this is unacceptable.

He said under the current Constitutional Regulations, reviews are to be conducted on a yearly basis.

The last review was done in 2015. It is now two years and nothing has been done, Sir Albert said.

He said in 2015 he called for the establishment of an independent body similar to the Members of Parliament Entitlement commission and that is yet to be done.

“The current process of having our terms and conditions reviewed by the Minister of Constitutional Affairs is simply inadequate, if there has been commitment it is lacklustre at best,” Sir Albert said.

Sir Albert said having attractive salaries and terms and conditions of employment enables us to recruit senior and experienced lawyers from the cream of the legal profession.

Currently it is difficult to attract well qualified and experienced legal officers onto the Bench both in the High Court and the Magistrates Court.

He also said that adequate remuneration is connected to strengthening judicial independence.

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