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Escape of the 2 suspects to be probed

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

POLICE Commissioner Matthew Varley said his office will launch an independent investigation to review the reasons for the escape of the two suspects last week.

Police’s immediate priority is to re-capture them, but investigation into the escape will follow in due time.

Varley said he understands that there is a need for the public to know the truth surrounding the suspects’ escape from police escort.

“I want to comment on report that somehow there are those in the community who want to know the reason why this escape occurred, I understand that.

“And I understand that there are many questions to be looked into in this case.

“I will intend to appoint an independent investigation team to review this case and the reasons for the escape and the lessons we can learn from this,” he said.

He cautions against baseless speculations that the two officer present at the time of escape may have contributed to it.

“But I want to caution against any sort of commentary that the two officers involved in the event should somehow be verify or victimise as the result of this escape.

“I can assure you that those two officers feel the weight of the responsibility of what occurred, and they are working very hard as part of the team to capture these two men.

“It’s also important to know that the two officers involved were part of the original investigation team that arrested these men in the first place, and we should not lose sight of that.

“These two officers worked very hard as part of the original investigation into the home invasion to capture and arrested the two men.

“And at the end of the operation obviously for reasons that we will look at there were some mistakes made and the men escaped,” Mr Varley said.

He dismissed suggestions that the involvement of the female officer in the case contributed to the escape.

He said any criticism on that is not fair as she is a very excellent detective officer.

Communities called on to help in manhunt

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY SAMIE WAIKOIRI

POLICE Commissioner Matthew Varley is calling on all communities to support and aid the operation to recapture the two escapees.

Varley said police are mounting a huge operation to recapture them, however, he reiterates the importance of public support, urging communities to help police and come forward with any information.

“We are grateful for information collected so far and we continue to receive information from the community. We appeal for anyone with more information on where about these two men to come forward and report that to police either by person at police stations or via police communication lines.

“Police continues to distribute their photos and identities to the community and actively engage with community leaders, church groups and the broader community as we continue our search,” Varley said.

Varley reminds public that the two escapees are ordered by court to be remanded in police custody.

“So people should not be under any illusions that there is some reason for them to be OK to be out. It’s important that if you know where these men are, you respect the order of the court and provide information to police or you encourage them to surrender.

“The police would rather see the operation resolve peacefully through negotiated surrender of the two men than having any police activity in terms of physically arresting them,” he said.

CDF has not achieved much: Liloqula

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO

THE Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has not achieved much.

This was revealed by Mrs Ruth Liloqula during her presentation at the SI women’s forum in Honiara.

She said despite the CDF being in the millions, there is nothing tangible around to justify this.

“Despite the huge growth in the amount available under CDF scheme there is still no evidence of real development.

“Substantial development observed during our visits are from people’s effort and sweat or donor supported,” she uttered.

Moreover, members of parliament and the government continually refuse requests to explain exactly how this money is spent and retirement reports.

However, there are MPs who have done constituency development for individuals, groups, like income generating and community project.

“This shows that a number of MPs have done extremely well in their constituencies,” said.Liloqula.

The reports she presented are from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) community consultation and assessment workshop that was undertaken by the Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI).

$4.5m for voter registration update in Choiseul and Western

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
George Palua.

BY JARED KOLI

THE Solomon Islands Government has poured $4million into the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) update for Western and Choiseul provinces.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs George Palua acknowledged the national government for recognising the importance and provide funds to roll out this update, to the tune of $SBD4.5 million.

“Without such a commitment those eligible to vote in the two provinces would not have the opportunity to register and to vote,” he said.

Palua said the DCC Government has a number of initiatives and strategic actions, in so far as National General Election is concerned.

The BVR update exercise will commence in November 2017.

The BVR update launched yesterday will provide eligible people residing in Choiseul and Western Province, who are not on the register, will shortly be provided with an opportunity for the first time to register for their upcoming Provincial Assembly elections which will also be for the first enable them to use a most updated voters list.

Palua urged all eligible voters in Choiseul and Western province to come forward and register their names.

He also clarified that it is important to note that this is an update, not a re-registration, and that it is for Choiseul and Western provinces only, as a start towards the goal for a complete update of the Voters Registrar for all provinces before the next National General Elections.

In Papua New Guinea BSP has aided 26 projects worth over K650,000

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Dear Editor
 
ACCORDING to a leading article on Linkedin, published on 20 October 2017, the first Bank of South Pacfic (BSP) has completed 26 projects in PNG worth of K650,000 in community aid.
Quoting from the article:
“Each year, BSP makes a commitment to giving back to the communities that we live and operate in. The contribution is simple, the work is voluntary and each time, we hope to leave lasting changes that make a difference in the lives of everyday people.
“The bank’s Community Projects in 2017 has been centred on the theme, “Empowering Women and Children”, in which 49 projects had been identified and carried out throughout PNG.
“The BSP Community project involves staff from branches, Sub branches, Business Units and Subsidiaries from across Papua New Guinea, and the region; who come together each year to deliver one project to a community. The projects are typically focused on Health, Sports, Environment, Education and Social wellbeing.
“BSP is expected to handover 23 more community projects upon completion this year.”
Yours sincerely
Frank Short

Fiji’s Prime Minister’s call for “Absolute dedication” to the strictest limits on global warming

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Dear Editor,
PRIME Minister Frank Bainimarama told delegates at this week’s Nadi meeting that the climate crisis can no longer be ignored.
The Fiji Prime Ministers speech at the Nadi meeting was relayed by Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) today, 20 October 2017 in a morning news bulletin which read (quote).
“Fiji has called for “absolute dedication” to the strictest limits on global warming as it prepares to preside over UN talks which seek to keep the Paris climate agreement on track despite a US pullout.
“The 2015 agreement was dealt a major blow in June when President Donald Trump announced he was pulling out of the accord.
“Fiji is hosting a preparatory meeting before next month’s talks in Bonn, where environment ministers will work on a set of international guidelines for the Paris accord.
“Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama told delegates at this week’s Nadi meeting that the climate crisis can no longer be ignored.
“The accord sets a target of limiting a rise in average temperatures to “well below” two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, but ideally 1.5 degrees.
“Mr Banimarama said an “absolute dedication” to meet the 1.5 degree target is what is needed and what must be taken to Bonn.
“He said it’s hard to find any part of the world that is unaffected by a changing climate, listing Atlantic storms such as Ophelia battering Ireland, wildfires in California, Portugal and Spain, and floods in Nigeria, India and Bangladesh.”
Yours sincerely
Frank Short

A reality that must be tackled to restore rural health clinics and services

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Dear Editor,
YESTERDAY, I attended the Bangkok Institute of Dermatology, a public hospital facility in central Bangkok where, as usual when attending my appointments, the hospital was full of patients, many of them very elderly, but all getting care and medical attention relatively quickly despite the obvious pressure on the doctors, nurses and administrative personnel on duty.
On such occasions I think of the plight of the many sick people in the Solomon Islands without access to medical treatment and care in the rural areas of the provinces.
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I wrote last year about the plight of the 7000 in the community at Tatamba in Isabel province without a functioning health clinic, another 5,000 without health facilities on Savo Island at Panueli and I could go on, but has anything changed?   I hear not.
From all accounts the 344 rural health clinics are still dilapidated or trying to operate on a shoe-string but a general situation wholly inadequate.
Australia I recall in the past couple of years provided AUD$2.7 to the Solomon Islands Government, through the Direct Aid Program to improve health care outcomes, with 40 per cent of that money earmarked for the provinces to support hospitals and rural care centres performing life saving primary health care.
While the Solomon Islands does not want have to be wholly reliant on aid from regional partners the reality is, from what is occurring still in the provinces, help from its long-standing traditional friends is still much required and perhaps the time has come for the Solomon Islands Government to grasp the nettle, no matter how demeaning it might be considered, and ask for more financial assistance to ensure the primary health care of its citizens and especially those in the rural areas are accommodated with new, or re-furbished, equipped and appropriately staffed health care facilities.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short

NZ charity trust, ‘Take my hands collecting prosthetic and orthotic equipment to support the needy in Asia Pacific countries

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Dear Editor,
TAKE My Hands Charity Trust, based in Auckland, New Zealand, has just sent out a Newsletter in which there is comment on the work TMH is doing in close relationship with the organization NZALS.  Here is the passage (quote)
“The good work our partners and donors are doing is being noticed far and wide, and as such we are establishing strong relationships with those who can make a real impact. It is exciting for us to watch these relationships grow.  It is worth mentioning that we are pleased to have a great relationship with NZALS for prosthetics which enables us to continue collect prosthetic and orthotic equipment from all over the country from them for redistribution to those we support in the Asia Pacific. This keeps us true to the roots in which we started TMH.”
 
I am hopeful that my recent personal appeal to the Government of the Republic of China (on Taiwan) to help rebuild the derelict NRH Rehabilitation Workshop and re-stock it with appropriate tools and equipment will find favour to facilitate both TMH and NZALS, in partnership, being able to then custom fit prosthetic limbs to the more than 400 former patients who became amputees following surgery after succumbing to diabetic related diseases.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short

Taiwan bringing more aid to the Pacific?

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Dear Editor,
IN an interesting interview broadcast by Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) today, Thursday 19 October 2017, Auckland University Professor Stephen Hoadley said (and I quote).
“President Tsai is trying to shore up relations with the Pacific bloc to prevent her country from becoming diplomatically isolated.
“This would certainly sweeten the feeling in the Pacific islands,” Mr Hoadley said.
“It would show that Taiwan is a wealthy country that does have resources, it can help the small impoverished Pacific island states in significant ways, in health, education as one, and tropical agriculture as a second.”
“The president will travel to three of Taiwan’s six allies in the region, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands.
“Other countries recognise China instead of Taiwan in line with China’s “One China” policy.”
In my own letters to the local Solomon Islands media these last few days, I have made a couple of appeals to the government of the Republic of China (on Taiwan) to consider helping the NRH with the acquisition of an urgently needed CT scanner and with the rebuilding of the Rehabilitation Workshop and re-stocking it with equipment to see the 400 or more ex-patients of the NRH awaiting prosthetic limbs to accelerate their personal rehabilitation.
While personally very appreciative of all that the ROC  Government has done to aid medical causes in the Solomon Islands my appeals have certainly not been as presumptive as the words and predictions of Professor Stephen Hoadley.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short

Reported moves to make Honiara a regional shipping hub

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Dear Editor,
THE latest news bulletin broadcast by Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) on 18 October 2017 mentioned the Solomon Islands Port Authority is entering a number of international partnerships to transform Honiara into a regional trans-shipment hub.
 
This is what the bulletin said (quote)
“It has forged a new agreement with Washington-based tuna giant Tri Marine International to bring in more vessels to off-load fish there.
“The company and shipping line Maersk are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Solomons government this week.
“This will also involve more Tri Marine vessels off-loading catch at Port of Noro, in the country’s west, onto Maersk vessels.
“The Port Authority said Maersk would provide training for locals to be employed under the new arrangements.
“Meanwhile, the Solomon Star reported the authority was in talks with one of Japan’s largest container shipping companies.
“Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha wants to boost its cargo-holding capacity in the Solomon’s capital.”
Yours sincerely
Frank Short

 

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