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UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly claims AUKUS and nuclear-powered submarine deals is for our future protection

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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United Kingdom Foreign Secretary the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

The United Kingdom has defended the AUKUS deal to arm Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

Speaking to local media in an invitations-only session yesterday at the SIBC, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP said the AUKUS deal is not aimed at any country but acts as protection to future threat.

In March this year, AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom & United States), a military pact between the countries established in September 2022, announced the pathway towards Australia getting nuclear-powered submarines with cutting edge technology as early as 2030.

This course of action, as well as the creation of AUKUS, is a response by the three countries to China’s heightened presence and engagements in the Pacific.

Cleverly however insists that AUKUS and the plan to arm Australia with SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines is an act of deterrence.

“I think it is really important that people understand that the AUKUS programme is not a nuclear weapons programme so the submarines that we would be building with the United States of America and Australia are conventionally armed.

“So this is about the UK, USA and Australia and our friends are protected against threats that at the moment we still don’t know necessarily that might come in the years to come,” he said.

Cleverly explained the power systems are the proportion systems or nuclear-powered are conventionally armed submarines and every country in the world has the right to create defence structure for its self

“Self-defence structures are not necessarily aimed at any particular country or future program that submarine programmes are many decades long in the planning and execution.

“This is about binding our three very close friends together,” he said.

In September 2021 Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced AUKUS – a new security partnership that will promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.

SECOND LIST

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Labour Mobility Unit releases another 277 names for seasonal work screening

BY NED GAGAHE

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade has released a list of another 277 Labour Mobility Unit (LMU) applicants yesterday to attend a two-day screening and face-to-face interview.

The interview sessions will take place on the 27th and 28th April 2023 at the St Barnabas Cathedral from 8pm to 4pm each day.

The lists were released in two separate batches. The first one is 138 and the second list is 139.

The second group will now bring the total of applicants to 580.

Screening will proceed following the order and the day the applications were received. This screening list is part of the candidates who applied on Day 1, Monday 27th Feb 2023.

“People named in the following lists are required to attend a face-to-face interview and fitness assessment.

“The MFAET urges all applicants must arrive on time and dressed neatly and well presented.

“Please bring your passport & vaccine cards to this event. Candidates with a driver’s license should bring their license.

Applicants are urged to bring the following;                

•clothing suitable for fitness assessment.

• Ladies must wear skirts or lava lava in the church compound (Don’t forget to bring your sport wear to do fitness test)

•  Own Lunch and a bottle of water.

“Candidates will be screened strictly according to the order in which their applications were received.

“The MFAET LMU will host more screening and interview events in the coming months.

“Candidates are required to wait until they are notified by telephone contact or through published lists.

“Further lists will contain all details required.

“Interview and fitness assessment does not guarantee that candidates will work in Australia.” MFAET said.

MECDM reviews climate change policy      

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Karl Kuper of MECDM

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MINISTRY of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management is reviewing a new climate change policy, hoped to be endorsed  at the third quarter of this year.

This was confirmed by Karl Kuper of MECDM during the recent visit of the visiting Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs for New Zealand Carmel Sepuloni.

“MECDM is currently carrying out review of a new climate change policy and we hope to have it endorsed by Cabinet by the third quarter of 2023,” Kuper said.

He said there is a strong focus on adaptation as well as on mitigation based on it being supportive in improving the adaptive capacity of people and businesses.

“Our top adaptation priority is to relocate our people who have lost their islands and homes, and on low-lying atolls and artificial islands.

“Our Nationally Determined Contribution sets our targets in terms of mitigation but I wish to state that our efforts to mitigate climate change are already ambitious because our emissions are surpassed by more than 30 times by removals through our forests,” Kuper said.

In addition, he said Solomon Islands emissions are less than 0.1percent of global emissions.

“Nevertheless, we are also developing a Low emission development strategy with the aim of further decarbonizing our economy through renewable energy development and displacement of fossil fuel in key sectors such transportation. These efforts need financial resources and technology transfer and these are captured as well in our draft climate change policy,” Kuper said.

Cross constituency registration to get tougher: PM Sogavare

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare is saying that a Bill to amend the Electoral Act is expected to be tabled in Parliament in about June/July this year.

He said a Taskforce on Electoral Reform, which was established by the Electoral Commission to assist the Commission in implementing its Electoral Reform Strategy Framework, has completed its provincial consultations and is now working on consolidating its report and recommendations for change to certain aspects of our electoral laws.

Sogavare highlighted on the floor of Parliament in speech that big ticket items such as simultaneous elections and out of constituency/out of country voting would be discussed at this proposed workshop with Members of this House.

“It is also important to note that during the forthcoming voter registration exercise, the Commission will introduce a new requirement where eligible voters registering for the first time as well as those applying to change constituencies will need to provide some evidence enabling them to register in the Constituency applied for. This will hopefully minimize so-called cross-border registrants. More information on this will be released shortly so that eligible voters are well informed of the process”, Sogavare said.

He said voter registration is expected to commence in July this year and I understand that the Commission intends to also pre-register 17-year-olds as provided for in Division 5 of the Electoral Act 2018. This is being done for the first time. When the person turns 18, the person’s name will be transferred to the final list of electors for the relevant constituency.

Sogavare also said one of the major changes is the proposed holding of simultaneous elections in 2024. What this means is that when Parliamentary elections is held in 2024, the general elections for 7 provincial assemblies and Honiara City Council will be held on the same day.

The two provinces which will not participate in simultaneous elections in 2024 will be Choiseul and Western provinces because they recently had their Provincial elections in 2022. They will however be part of the simultaneous election program in 2028.

Therefore Sogavare said to facilitate the holding of simultaneous elections and in order to defer the general election dates of Honiara City Council and the remaining 7 provincial assemblies to 2024, Parliament will soon deliberate on a Bill to amend the Honiara City Act and another to amend the Provincial Government Act.

Work on proposed single use plastic ban in progress: MECDM

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) Dr Melchior Mataki

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), Dr Melchior Mataki says a regulation to ban single use plastics in the country has already been approved by cabinet and “not awaiting cabinet endorsement” as carried by the national broadcaster SIBC yesterday.

PS Mataki says in his remarks he was elaborating on the process the Ministry took to get endorsement for the regulation, which included seeking cabinet endorsement.

 “Under the Environment Act the minister has the power to make regulations but because banning is a very strong measure as there are also trade and financial implications, the ban will mean setting aside some materials which cannot be imported, manufactured, and used in the country. This is the reason why we sought cabinet’s endorsement,” Mr Mataki said. 

He added the Regulation for the proposed plastic ban is currently on its drafting stage. 

A joint Technical Working Committee (TWC) led by the Ministry of MECDM is working together with the Attorney Generals Chamber on the drafting instruction for the regulation.

Meanwhile the TWC held its fourth meeting yesterday.

In its deliberations, the TWC mapped out its awareness strategies that is expected to be rolled out very soon.

The campaign will include the use of the mainstream media, social media, Public Bill Boards, radio and TV spots, Flyers and Public talks.

The campaign will also include provinces.

The TWC also noted that consultation with sectors such as Importers, Manufacturers and Distributors is very important for the success of this undertaking, therefore the TWC has already sent out notices for consultations through the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SICCI) with its members.

For those who import, manufacture and use single use plastics on a daily basis, this will be tough and so to allow for a smooth transition into a total ban of single use plastics for both businesses and individuals in the country, the implementation will be done in phases to allow for plastic stock already purchased to be dispensed with and minimise losses to the affected businesses in the transition to banning.

–MECDM PRESS

MPG to step up its internal revenue collection

Written by
Samie Waikori
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

MALAITA provincial government says it will step up its revenue mobilisation strategy in the current fiscal year 2023/2024 as it begins March 2023 – April 2024.

Deputy Provincial Secretary, who is the acting PS of Malaita province, Mr David Filia Tuita said yesterday as responsible division within MPG is projecting plans for revenue collection this new fiscal year.

He said this is one of the areas MPG needs to strengthen in order to improve delivery of services in the province.

Chief Planning Officer, Mr Peter Herehura recently said that internal revenue makes-up more than three-quarters of ward grants, which distribute by MPAs through mini projects in their wards across the province.

He said the province faces lot of hindrances in its revenue collection in the past years like; covid-19 and challenges on its revenue mobilization strategy that need stepping-up.

Minister for Finance and Treasury under the Fini led MNGFR, Hon Randol Sifoni also uttered need for MPG to strengthen its revenue collection.

He said over the past years MPG forgone substantial amount of tax under its internal revenue due to weakness on its revenue mobilization strategy.

Sifoni said data has proven that MPG’s past internal revenue collection had not exceeded an average of SBD6 million, although the province is capable to collect more than that.

He said there is still weakness in the treasury division to manage the revenue collection.

Sifoni said the weakness include lack of financial leadership and human resources including a senior revenue officer, logistic and general implementation of the province’s revenue mobilization strategies.

He said there is huge potential to increase provincial tax base through effective team networking between local business owners, WDCs, the administration and assembly.

Sifoni said his ministry is committed to step-up the strategy with the support from all stakeholders during this fiscal year.

BIG ONES BLAMED

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare

PM Sogavare hits out at huge global emitting countries, bringing climate change to Parliament

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has blamed the “big countries” for the causes and effects of climate change on small countries like Solomon Islands.

In his speech on the floor of Parliament yesterday he highlighted that the climate change situation in the country has “worsened and cause damages to existing infrastructures”.

Sogavare did not specify which countries, but local climate change pundits believe it to be huge global emitters like the United States, China, Russia, European Union, India, etc.

The prime minister said rising sea levels in most cases have cut off wharves from the land.

“Roads have been inundated by sea. For example, there are some parts of the northern road in Malaita that the sea has already washed away.

“These are effects of climate change on our infrastructures. Climate change that is not caused by us but by countries who are big emitters, and we bear the consequences of their actions.

“I would like to see these countries take more responsibility by helping us adapt through building of more climate resilient infrastructures.

“In some of our communities’ villages must be relocated but our challenge is the funds to relocate these villages.

“What is being done now in terms of support by those who cause this is not enough.

“To add insult to injury, access to Climate Change Funds is very difficult.

“This needs to change,” PM Sogavare said.

Sogavare also thanked the multilateral and bilateral partners who have assisted, and are assisting, in maintaining the existing infrastructures and building new ones.

Meanwhile Member of Aoke Langalanga and as the Leader of Opposition called on the government to prioritise the relocation programme that was planned to have happened in 2020.

He said the Minister responsible and the government must provide an update on the progress of those activities.

Meanwhile, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the body which advises the UN on rising global temperature, released its synthetic report on March 20 this year, warning what many say could be earth’s final window of hope to turn things around.

The report, which sums up research work of thousands of scientists over a span of eight years, called for emission cuts by around 50 percent and for countries to bring their net-zero targets forward by 10 years.

IPCC chair Hoesung Lee describes huge emitting countries’ weak commitments in his sobering phrase to launch the report – “We are walking when we should be sprinting”.

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres describes the situation as “The climate time-bomb is ticking.”

Mankind’s goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius looks to be out of reach. Already we have reached 1.1 degrees C.

And, in the 2030s, just seven years away, with the current rate of emission, we could hit 1.5 degrees C.

The World Economic Forum predicts that 1.5 degrees C will dramatically increase the risk of extreme weather events, more frequent wildfires with higher intensity, sea level rise, and changes in flood and drought patterns with implications for food systems collapse, among other adverse impacts.

Solomon Islands will continue to see extreme weather activities such as what transpired in February this year when two cyclones formed on our shores just a week apart.

NASA predicts that six percent of the insects, eight percent of the plants and four percent of the vertebrates will see their climatically determined geographic range reduced by more than half.

‘Disaster in the making’

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0
The four storey hotel building under construction at the Rove Seafront.

BY SAMSON SADE

FREELANCE JOURNALIST

The inaction by authorities to act decisively to demolish the hotel development at the Rove Seafront bears the hallmark of corruption.

Work continues on the hotel despite expert reports explicitly calling for total demolition because of the threat it poses to human life in the event of seismic activities.

This sentiment was echoed by a local developer who requested that his name be withheld for fear of retribution.

The call for demolition was contained in a 2018 ‘Structural Engineering Technical Review Report’ as a result of hosts of structural and engineering faults and failures.

The developer said it is sad that authorities are gambling with the lives of  people of Solomon Islands by allowing such shoddy work to continue.

“It is paramount that all structures whether it be a family dwelling, a hotel or a shop or whatever, must be built with human safety considerations,” he said.

He mentioned that had the hotel development locally owned, authorities would have sprung into action a long time ago.

Expert report said the structure will not be able to withstand high seismic events

The 2018 Structural Engineering Technical Review Report overtly recommended that the building be completely demolished and reconstructed because of non-compliant with SI building code, faulty and therefore unsafe for human habitation in any form or shape.

It is worth noting that Solomon Island is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire which is an area prone to very high seismic activities.

This indicates that a 0.4 – 0.5g peak ground acceleration with an equivalent seismic base sheer force of about 40 – 50% is transmitted into the building during a code prescribed seismic event.

With a four storey Hotel Development sitting on a poorly reclaimed land with structural defects and failures to begin with, the result can be fatal.

“For this reason alone I wish to call on authorities to act immediately to prevent a future tragedy from happening,” the developer said.

According to the SI building Code with reference to modern day structural engineering, it is mandatory that a building must be designed and constructed to satisfy the performance requirements stipulated in the relevant codes.

For the structural component of a building, the key performance requirement is to ensure the structure does not fail, collapse and injure or kill building users.

Sadly, the Hotel Development at the Rove Seafront is structurally non-compliant and in the event of seismic activities, a structural collapse is imminent.

Government encourages donors to support PCDF

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Rollen Seleso

BY BEN BILUA

THE government through the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) encourages donors partners to use the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) modality to deliver development aid to nine provinces.

Speaking to leaders of Western Province last week, Minister of MPGIS, Rollen Seleso said the Solomon Islands Government has seen tangible results of more than 1,500 projects that have so far been delivered in the provinces in the past 13 years under PCDF.

He said World Bank has approved a loan worth SBD50 million to invest in resilience economic infrastructures under an Integrated program marked for all nine provinces.

Seleso said the government is pleased that donor partners are slowly building confidence because of the accountability, transparency, and nature of the PCDF model.

He adds that donor partners are ready to put more resources into the program to support provinces with development plans and aspirations.

Positive audit report for Western Province

Written by
Ben Bilua
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BY BEN BILUA

WESTERN Province has been doing very well in its annual audit for over eleven years.

According to Minister of Provincial Government, Rollen Seleso, audit exercises carried out by the Office of the Auditor General since 2012 show Western Province sitting as the second-best province.

“Had it not been the successive executive government decisions to keep the Western Provincial Investment Corporation without accounting for the investments, WPG would have been the first province to achieve a clean audit report amongst the nine provinces,” he said.

Seleso said the three weeks workshop which is currently underway at Gizo will pave way for improvement as provincial staff and Province members will learn code knowledge that would deliver the best outcomes.

He told Western Province’s leaders that the PGSP Joint Oversight Committee approved Clean Audit Report as a minimum condition by 2024.

“This will be further highlighted in various presentations in the next couple of weeks.

“I, therefore, urge Western Provincial Executive to focus on attaining clean audit reports to be able to access development funding course by complying with the WPG FMO and the Financial Instructions,” Seleso said.

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