Confiscated Marijuana Plants and Kwaso in bottle containers.
Confiscated Marijuana Plants and Kwaso in bottle containers.
A combined team of police officers from White River and Honiara Central Police stations on Wednesday confiscated marijuana and the illegal local brew, kwaso at Karaina roadside and Savo heights, at White River in West Honiara.
The raid was in response to information supplied by the public alleging the selling of marijuana and kwaso alongside the road.
Three males have been arrested by police in relation to the confiscated items and the trio were interrogated yesterday.
Officer Commanding White River Police Station, Inspector Walter Manefakale says, “I am pleased with the outcome and cooperation of the public by supplying the information which led to the raid.
“I urge more members of the communities to provide information to police to ensure those who continue selling and brewing of kwaso and as well as the dangerous drug, marijuana are brought to face justice.
“I want to remind the public and communities, that it’s unlawful to grow, use, sell and possess marijuana, while it’s illegal to brew kwaso and sell without approval from the Minister concerned.”
POLICE in Makira have arrested a 27-year-old man from Rea in the Weathercoast of Makira on September 17.
Provincial Police Commander Peter Sitai told this paper that the suspect was arrested, charged and released on a $500-principal bail, to appear again in Court on October 10.
PPC Sitai said there was a great break through by the police with the leaders of the Platform – specifically Johnson Sunaone and David Horesi.
The PPC said discussions with the two leaders has been successful; the two leaders have informed the police of what the platform is about and its constitution.
And, they are willing to work alongside the government and NGOs to achieve their mission.
PPC Sitai also said the camps need to be educated about law and order and to set up crime prevention committee within their camp and that the police had set up one (CPC) already in Rea camp where the incident had occurred.
Also he said that he is now putting in place responsive strategies to assist everyone both on Makira and Ulawa islands, and he will be visiting Ulawa in October as some members of the platform are in Ulawa.
The PPC also said the situation in the camps indicates that those people are in need of basic help like clothes, medicine, shelter and sanitation.
POLICE say that investigation into the death incident at West Honiara this week is still continuing.
Responding to questions asked during a media conference, Supervising Police Commissioner Juanita Matanga said that police investigations are ongoing, and they are calling for people in the area to come forward and assist police with their investigation.
From information at hand, she shares that the deceased was reported to chew betel nut after having had his food.
Ms Matanga however stresses that this information is yet to be ascertained, along with the cause of death.
She said unfortunately there was no post-mortem conducted on the deceased due to the pathologist being out of the country.
Ms Matanga said the country only has one pathologist and when he is not available, causes difficulty to police investigation.
Nevertheless, she is adamant that police will try their best to establish the cause of death.
This is in relation to the death incident in West Honiara on the night of September 14.
Police said they were only alerted to the incident after the body had been taken to the National Referral Hospital (NRH).
Ms Matanga also confirmed that a female alleged to have been with the deceased before his death was also taken in for safe custody.
CAUSE of death against the Indonesian man employed by the Bintan Mining Company (BMC), reported to have died on September 18 at Rennell Island, Renbel Province, is unknown.
Supervising Police Commissioner Juanita Matanga revealed during a press conference that police tried liaising with his colleagues for a post mortem to be conducted on the deceased but his colleagues have rejected the idea.
Instead they opted to have the body embalmed and sent back to Indonesia as soon as possible.
Ms Matanga says according to information they have, the deceased had gone out diving with his colleagues at Naone, West Rennell, when he faced some ‘issues’.
Though his colleagues tried to rescue him, taking him to a nearby clinic, he was pronounced dead thereafter.
She said the body was flown to Honiara on September 19.
The deceased was 26 years old and had been in the country since March this year.
He came to the Solomon Islands employed by the BMC as a mechanic operator.
TWO coconut specialists are currently in the country to help develop and assist the coconut sector in its economic development aspirations.
Mr Lasantha Wickramasekara, who is an activated carbon specialist, and Dr Priyantha Wijewardane, a leading scientist with specialisation in the coconut sector – both from Sri Lanka, return from Gizo this week.
Mr Wickramasekara and Dr Priyantha’s trip to the country was made possible by the Honourary Consul of Sri Lanka to Solomon Islands.
In a statement, Mr Kutila Pinto from the Sri Lankan Consulate in Honiara said Mr Wickramasekara and Dr Priyantha are in the country to assist in reviewing the current framework, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the industry.
He adds that these two experts will develop a platform to promote and provide awareness on methods that would expand the current usage of coconut tree to resources owners and also develop positive micro-economic conditions for entrepreneurship and employment.
Mr Pinto said Mr Wickramasekara and Dr Priyantha will be visiting provinces to meet and train landowners who have coconut tree assets on how to maximise their yield.
He said Honourary Consul of Sri Lanka to Solomon Islands is looking at bringing in resourceful experts to help grow the coconut industry in the country.
“I’m strongly committed to continuously explore ways in which I could assist Solomon Islands better its current economic situations with the assistance of sustainable natural resource utilisation,” Mr Pinto said.
The Prime Minister Acting, Hon Manasseh Maelanga MP holds his gift of a Croatian- Made tie, shakes hand with the Croatian Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, HE Dr Damir Kusen.
Croatian Ambassador discusses ties with PM Acting, tourism stands to benefit
The Prime Minister Acting, Hon Manasseh Maelanga MP holds his gift of a Croatian- Made tie, shakes hand with the Croatian Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, HE Dr Damir Kusen.
THE Prime Minister Acting Hon Manasseh Maelanga, MP, has expressed interest for a Croatian Ambassador to Solomon Islands and stated the desire to enhance bilateral cooperation between Solomon Islands and Croatia.
Maelanga said that the accreditation of a Croatian Ambassador to Solomon Islands would be a step to show commitment of the two countries to forming closer bilateral ties with each other.
He was responding during a bilateral with the Croatian Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand His Excellency Dr Damir Kusen.
HE Dr Kusen expressed the desire to support Solomon Islands in promoting and maintaining peace and stability and mentioned how Croatia have transitioned to a stable democratic country after going through trouble 25 years ago.
Both leaders discussed ways forward for future cooperationthat Croatia being a leader in tourism can assist in the field of education; can work together to support the Solomon Islands in tourism education.
The Ambassador is here for the opening of a Catholic Centre in Buma, Malaita which was funded by Sr Miroslava Bradica who is the Governor of Sisters of Mercy in Croatia and built by Croatian/Australian volunteers.
HE Dr Damir Kusen also described his stay as a privilege to visit the country, and labelling the Solomon Islands as beautiful.
“I am honoured to note that four Croatian nuns from the order of Sisters of Charity are running a charity mission in Buma, helping the local people in needs, especially young girls in their education and vocational training and to the elderly and ill people in Buma.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Acting further stated that he will also encourage the Solomon Islands Embassy to Europe to work closely with the Government of Croatia to look at ways forward for the cooperation of Croatia and Solomon Islands.
The Croatian Ambassador is in the country from September 20-24, 2017.
MANAGING director of Ricoh New Zealand Mr Mike Pollok said that his company wants to help Solomon Islands unlock its potential through digital technology.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) at the Heritage Park Hotel yesterday evening, Mr Pollok stressed that Solomon Islands has the potential to improve and digital technology will play a massive role in that.
Right now Ricoh aims to provide the best printing services in the country, giving the chance for all work places to transform into digital working places.
According to Mr Pollok, it is time that businesses or offices consider stop wasting money on expensive printers that cause much hustle and are unreliable and start thinking of trying Ricoh, a Nambawan printing service that’s been around for almost three years now.
Mr Pollok is optimistic about his Company’s endeavours
Ricoh’s Managing Director and his New Zealand team are joined by the Honiara based team to go around and doing talks and promotions.
SICCI have been hosting the business-after-five (BA5) for the purpose of bringing together the business community, encourage networking and the expanding of business opportunities.
New Zealand Pacific Council Team Leader, Mr Paul Pledge.
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
New Zealand Pacific Council Team Leader, Mr Paul Pledge.
THE New Zealand Pacific Council is in Honiara on a trade mission to scout business opportunities with government and the local private sector.
The team held a two-day conference in Honiara which ended yesterday with discussions on how the two should partner in business.
New Zealand Pacific Council Team Leader, Mr Paul Pledge said it’s a privilege to come to Solomon Islands and engage with government and private sector to investigate business opportunities here.
He said the purpose is to establish a close link for private sector from NZ to work more closely with the private sector in Solomon Islands.
“It’s great for the team to get over to Solomon Islands and meet new people, build new relationship and create new business initiative.
“It is the first for this formal trade mission to come over to Solomon Islands and we have a mixture of businesses of people who do businesses here regularly and some haven’t been here before who look at doing businesses in Solomon Islands.
“The New Zealand Pacific Council has been around for twelve years, this is our first ever trade mission to Solomon Islands.
“The reason we chose Solomon Islands is we spoke to our members in New Zealand and lots of people have lots of questions around opportunities that are here in Solomon Islands,” Mr Pledge said.
He said hopefully New Zealand will increase the amount of businesses they do here as they have a good mixture of business.
Mr Pledge also said he works in international labour mobility and he supplies workers from New Zealand around the Pacific as well as bringing workers from Pacific to New Zealand.
“So it’s good to make new conduct with private sectors in Solomon Islands and build businesses relationship with them,” he said.
Minister for Infrastructure Development, Hon Stanley Sofu hands over the keys of the machines to the Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace and MP for North East Guadalcanal Constituency, Hon Samson Maneka
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Minister for Infrastructure Development, Hon Stanley Sofu hands over the keys of the machines to the Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace and MP for North East Guadalcanal Constituency, Hon Samson Maneka
NORTH East Guadalcanal Constituency received a fleet of machineries from the Minister of Infrastructure and Development yesterday.
The fleet consists of three dump-trucks, an excavator and a two-tonne truck. They are provided under the Transport Rural Infrastructure Initiative Grant through the MP North East Guadalcanal Constituency, Hon Samson Maneka.
Speaking during a ceremony to hand-over the machines at Pitikole village yesterday, Minister for Infrastructure Development, Hon Stanley Sofu said receiving these machineries is a step forward for the constituency in terms of rural infrastructure.
He said this transport rural infrastructure initiative comes under the DCCG policy which looks at addressing rural transportation.
Sofu said government saw the need for rural people to participate actively in economic development, and so they came up with the initiative.
He said this initiative goes in line with the programme of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.
“But most of the work done by MID never reaches straight down to the rural setting. For example: in the case of this constituency, MID can only provide maintenance of the main roads.
“However, many roads lead to villages where people stay especially they do economical activities are luck with quality infrastructure.
“People in rural areas are in need for infrastructure to connect them so that they can do business and whatever with the outsiders.
“This is the reason the initiative came about to ensure infrastructure connect them and provide them with access that can help address some of their needs,” Sofu said.
He also said North East Guadalcanal Constituency is one of the potential economical sites in the country.
Sofu said lots of developments happening in the area are contributing to the national economy.
Adding that roads is very important to connect people and economic services in the area.
On the same note he thanked Hon Maneka for his efforts in pursuing the grant to pay the machineries for his constutency.
He told the constituents that work to procure what they now have is not easy and together they should applaud their MP for the work done.
