BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

Leader of the Opposition Mathew Wale criticized the inflated costs associated with the Tina Hydro project, attributing them to poor negotiation practices.

In response to inquiries regarding whether the Solomon Islands secured the best deal for this renewable energy initiative, he highlighted that the cost for a 15-megawatt project in regions with similar GDP levels, such as those in Africa, typically ranges from USD 35 million to USD 15 million.

“The 15-megawatt hydro project was overpriced for us, with costs around 260 million US dollars at that time,” Wale said during a live podcast earlier this month.

“We have been misled into signing agreements that should have cost 10% of the current figure, which is now 400 million and may increase further by the time of completion in two years,’’ said Wale.

He anticipated that by the time the project reached completion, the total cost could spiral to USD 500 million.

“At present, it exceeds USD 400 million. This is a clear case of exploitation and an indication of poor negotiation,” he said.

Mr. Wale further said that the government, along with the Ministry of Finance and Energy, has demonstrated incompetence in their negotiation efforts.

“We are committing to a 30-year agreement with a 40% reduction in tariffs, yet we remain the most expensive in the region. How can this be considered a favourable deal?” he questioned.

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Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele MP extended a warm welcome to the contestants of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant during a courtesy visit at his office this morning.

Prime Minister Manele expressed the country’s pride in hosting the prestigious pageant and extended a heartfelt welcome to the contestants.

He emphasized that the pageant represents much more than beauty, offering young women a valuable platform to address the pressing issues facing the Pacific region.

“This event is not solely about beauty; it is an opportunity for you, as daughters of the Pacific, to become ambassadors for critical issues such as climate change, coastal erosion, land degradation, health, economic challenges, and social inequality—issues that significantly impact our vulnerable region,” the Prime Minister stated.

He urged the contestants to unite and use their voices and talents to advocate for the rights of women, youth, and children, who are often disproportionately affected by these challenges.

Prime Minister Manele also reiterated the Government for National Unity and Transformation’s support towards the event, emphasizing its significance in empowering young women and promoting regional unity.

While only one contestant will ultimately be crowned Miss Pacific Islands, the Prime Minister reminded the participants that their involvement in the pageant is already a significant achievement.

“You are all champions of the Pacific, and your participation is an accomplishment to be proud of,” he concluded.

The Miss Pacific Islands pageant continues to serve as an essential platform for young women to raise awareness of the region’s most urgent issues. This year’s Eight contestants are poised to highlight both the challenges and the resilience of Pacific island nations.

By Indy Maealasia

As her one-year reign nears its end, reigning Miss Pacific Islands Moemoana Safa’ato’a Schwenke has reflected on her journey, highlighting how the experience has shaped her as a woman and deepened her connection to the Pacific Islands.

Speaking to local media at her first press conference yesterday, Schwenke described the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as “one of the highest honors of my life.”

“I believe I have grown so much more, not only as a woman but as a Pacific Islander, uncovering more about myself through travels in the Pacific, meeting new Pasifika people, and learning more about the histories and cultures. It has honestly been a highlight,” Schwenke said.

She noted that the “competition and platform” is empowering for the Pacific region and, although it comes in the form of a pageant, it is so much more.

“It is about finding the beauty in our culture and beauty in our people, and promoting it to each other so that we can truly believe with all of our hearts that we are powerful and that we come from greatness,” Schwenke highlighted.

Despite often being associated with small land sizes and remote locations, she stressed that Pacific people should recognize and appreciate their true worth and identity beyond geographical constraints.

“I hope and pray that our Pacific people will see themselves for who they truly are,” she noted.

“They come from the greatest ocean in the world, the greatest navigators in the world. They can make resources and treasures from the very land they live on. They can survive and maintain a happy and stable life just from fishing the seas and the plants that they grow,” the Miss Pacific Islands added.

Schwenke emphasized the need to instill confidence in the younger generation, encouraging them to recognize their potential and capabilities. She further advocated for young Pacific Islanders to see themselves as capable leaders who can serve both their local communities and make significant contributions on the global stage.

Schwenke is a highlight of the pageant and will personally crown the new Miss Pacific Islands on the crowning night, scheduled for Saturday, February 8th, at the Friendship Hall, East Honiara.

She is the 8th Miss Samoa to win the Miss Pacific Islands (formerly Miss South Pacific) pageant and is the daughter of Miss South Pacific 1997, MaryJane Moe McKibbin.

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BY INDY MAEALASIA

The eight contestants of the 2025 Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) selected their order of appearance and pre-pageant interview topics yesterday afternoon. These key activities set the stage for how each contestant will be presented publicly through their engagements leading up to the crowning night on Saturday, February 8th.

The contestants will deliver their respective topics on Thursday, February 6th, at AJ Mall.

The order of appearance and topics are as follows:

• Contestant 1: Miss Solomon Islands, Elsie Polosovai, will speak on Education.
• Contestant 2: Miss Samoa, Litara Ieremia Allan, will speak on Culture.
• Contestant 3: Miss Tonga, Racheal Guttenbeil, will discuss Tourism.
• Contestant 4: Miss American Samoa, Pauliana Felise Vitale, will address International Relations.
• Contestant 5: Miss Kiribati, Kimberly Tokanang, has selected Socio-Economic Issues.
• Contestant 6: Miss Papua New Guinea (PNG), May Torowi Hasola, will speak on Health.
• Contestant 7: Miss Nauru, Charlei Deiye, will focus on Sports.
• Contestant 8: Miss Cook Islands, Ngatepaeru Maoate, will delve into Environment and Climate Change.

The contestants kicked off day one with a Sunday service at Saint Barnabas Cathedral, followed by the opportunity to meet local churchgoers.

Throughout the week, the contestants will have various engagements with government officials and the public.

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On January 31, 2025, the Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF),Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, and Peter O’Neill of the O’Neill Remington Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enter into a partnership to purchase, jointly own, and operate the iconic King Solomon Hotel.

“I am delighted to announce, on behalf of the SINPF Board, that under this MOU we have agreed to partner with Hon. Peter O’Neill of the O’Neill Remington Group to purchase and redevelop the King Solomon Hotel,” said  Rodgers.

“SINPF’s members will be the majority owners in a new company alongside the O’Neill Remington Group, who will provide both capital and expertise to lead the ongoing operations of the King Solomon Hotel and oversee its redevelopment.”

“The seventy-five employees of the King Solomon Hotel will be employed under our proposed new joint venture company and will benefit from the leadership and experience of the O’Neill Remington Group, who have successfully managed two hotels in Papua New Guinea.”

“A Melanesian businessman like Peter O’Neill, who has a proven track record and a crystal-clear vision for the development of not only the King Solomon Hotel but also the entire tourism industry in our country, is just what is needed,” Rodgers said.

Mr. O’Neill, who has made three separate visits to the Solomon Islands in the last five weeks, including several side trips to provinces outside of Guadalcanal, remarked, “The Solomon Islands has huge potential with a safe and beautiful environment for visitors. The support from the Government towards genuine tourism investors, along with established air and seaport infrastructure and millions of potential tourists on our doorstep who are all curious about the Solomon Islands, makes investing here very positive.”

“I and my team look forward to supporting our majority partner, the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund, to deliver a top-class King Solomon Hotel. The redevelopment will commence in March and continue in phases over several years.”

Both Chairman Rodgers and Peter O’Neill expressed their profound thanks to their Board members and management teams for their hard work in bringing the partnership under the MOU to a successful completion at today’s signing in Honiara.

Present at the MOU signing were the current owners of King Solomon Hotel, Mrs. Susan Kennedy and Mr. Shamus Kennedy.

By Loretta B Manele

Recruitment costs met by migrant workers is not really aligned with the United Nation’s guidelines on fair and ethical recruitment principles.

Emmanuel Pitakaka, the national project officer for IOM (International Organization for Migration), UN Migration expressed this whilst presenting findings on IOM’s “Returned Migrant Workers in Solomon Islands” January 2025 report at the Heritage Park Hotel yesterday.

He said during their survey they asked migrant workers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada about the types of cost they found to be the most expensive.

Pitakaka stated that the top three answers to this were international travel cost ranking in 1^st place followed by medical examination and the cost of applying for a passport.

He highlighted that recruitment costs being met by the workers is in fact not really aligned with UN’s guidance on fair and ethical recruitment principles, which states that recruitment costs should be met by employers and not the workers.

“This is something that I would like to highlight, which is inconsistent with international standards”.

He said when you look at the average cost for travel for Australia, New Zealand and Canada, you would see that the average cost for New Zealand is slightly less than Australia, presumably because workers reported that some employers in New Zealand actually covered half of the transportation costs for workers.

Pitakaka mentioned that when he interviewed one worker who has been to New Zealand, he was told that 50 percent of his airfare was covered by the employer while he met the remaining 50 percent cost.

“So that could be an indicative reason why the average cost is slightly lower in New Zealand, because actually in fact the travel distance is much longer if you travel to New Zealand than Australia, so it should be the other way around, but the figures show the other way”

In relation, Pitakaka said they also looked at the how the migrant workers were able to finance their migration.

“When we look at how migrants finance their migration, the majority of workers reported savings as one source of income to finance their migration followed by advance from employers. Advance from employers is when workers advance costs like travel and visa and these are being deducted when the workers get to the countries of destination”

Pitakaka said the migrants were also asked whether or not they borrowed money to finance their travel and 10 percent indicated that they borrowed money while 94 percent of them said they actually fully repaid their loans.

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