Mayor Siapu issues deadline for illegal markets in Honiara to shut down
BY NED GAGAHE
The Honiara city council (HCC) has issued its final warning for informal markets within the city to shut down.
HCC warns that following this final warning, markets which continue to operate will face demolition by the tough law enforcement unit of the Council.
The markets listed include the Fishing village market and Maromaro.
“Fishing market, Maromaro and other illegal markets sprawling within the city boundary to shutdown with immediate effect or face demolition in the coming days.”
In a statement yesterday, HCC Lord Mayor Eddie Siapu said vendors have until January 31 to comply and move out of the markets.
Immediately after the deadline, HCC will move in to pull down the markets.
As such, vendors are advised to vacate the markets and go to Kukum Market, the legal market established by HCC.
“HCC is now issuing the final notice for vendors to move out from Fishing Village Market and other illegal markets like Maromaro.
“The Fishing Village Market is an illegal establishment as it is on road reserve and is not approved by the City Council.
“This also applies to other illegal markets like Maromaro.
“HCC warms vendors to move out from the markets and go to Kukum Market, the legal market established by the City Council.
“Vendors at the Fishing Village Market and other illegal markets have until 31 January 2023 move out. Honiara City Council will move to demolish the market after this deadline.
“HCC also appeals for understanding and support of vendors of the Fishing Village market and other markets,” Mr Siapu said.
Few vendors selling their root crops and vegetables inside Kukum market, East Honiara. Photo: Redley Veka.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
The Honiara City Council is calling on interested vendors to make use of the newly opened Kukum market.
After the Honiara City Council opened the Kukum market in East Honiara on December 2, 2022, it is still empty with few root crops and vegetables sellers, selling their products on the stalls.
This has raised concern among residents in the city, who are surprised to see the low turnout of market vendors.
HCC Mayor, Edward Siapu said the Council has given a grace period until end of this month to allow the market sellers to occupy the stalls.
Siapu claimed there were rumours circulating that only persons or groups owning stalls can use the Kukum Market.
He said there is ‘no such thing as people owning stalls or pre-booking stalls at the new Kukum Market’.
Siapu said the market is open for all root crops and vegetable sellers.
Furthermore, Siapu said all market vendors using the Fishery market to sell their products, need to relocate to Kukum market, at the end of this month.
He said Fishery market is meant only for vendors selling fish.
Further to that, he said all road side vendors selling market products need to use the Kukum market.
Siapu said the idea to close down Fishery market is due to traffic jam, which is frustrating to commuters heading back to their homes after work.
WESTERN Province has allocated one million dollars to construct a cruise ship jetty – meaning passengers who want to disembark the ship will have no difficulties reaching shore.
The allocation was passed by the Western Provincial Assembly meeting last week.
Supervising Tourism Officer of Western Province, Fabina Lilo welcomes the allocation saying it will definitely boost Western Tourism, especially cruise ships.
She said a proper jetty for cruise ship passengers has been a long-standing need of Western Province and the budget allocation will make the difference.
Lilo said the plan is to build a user-friendly facility to meet the standard and encourage passengers onboard visiting cruise ships to visit the islands.
“We are expecting a few cruise ships to visit Western Province this year and this funding will be the beginning of something new for the Western Tourism Industry.
“Most of the tourists who come on the cruise ships are old ages and that, there is a need to build a user-friendly jetty for the old age,” she said.
She adds that such development will encourage tourists to go ashore and also encourage tourists to spend more money.
“From experience, only a few tourists went ashore when the cruise ship came here. I’m optimistic that this funding will encourage more tourists to come ashore and spend more money, injecting money into our local economy,” she said.
She will discuss the potential strategies with her committee on how the project will give back to the province going forward.
Western Province is the tourism hub of the Solomon Islands.
According to tourism operators, the number of tourists visiting Western Province has increased since the international borders opened last year.
Police Commander for Malaita province, Lesley Kili
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
IT’S been a week since the reconciliation on the Sasafa incident last Wednesday and the situation is calming down.
Roadblocks which were once erected in parts of North Malaita have been removed and public of the northern region are accessing the road after three weeks of blockade.
PPC Malaita, superintendent Lesley Kili thanks the relatives and families of the deceased especially those who were involved in the road blocks for understanding.
He told SunAuki yesterday that after the reconciliation last week, an internal issue came-up between the victim’s relatives, but was solved.
Kili said since then the roadblocks were removed and privately owned public transports resumed transport service along the north road
He said now travelling public from Lau and Mbaelelea particularly Baegu where the incident happened are accessing the road to Auki.
Chief Justice inspecting the guard of honour yesterday at the opening of the 2023 legal year.
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE doors of the courts are open as the National Judiciary formally opened the 2023 legal year yesterday.
Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer in his speech said this year will not be an easy one but with God’s grace and strength the judiciary will do its best to serve the people and make justice available within its means.
“As we commence our law term for 2023, we will continue to look to Him for His mercy and protection in our work
“So as we put our shoulders to the wheel again this year, let us all strive together to keep the courts’ doors open for those seeking justice through the courts,” Mr Palmer said.
Solomon Islands Bar Association President Lazarus Kwaiga highlighted that last year and the past years, 2021 and 2020, there were some changes in the administration of justice due to the pandemic.
Mr Kwaiga said the changes were out in place by the court to attend to the one-of-a-kind impact that the pandemic had brought.
“Some of these changes were made for the sole purpose of the continued delivery of justice.
“Some of these changes included the usage of video link hearing and trials and e-filing of documents.
“Therefore, this year SIBA looks forward to working with the Courts to formulate the e-filing method through its members in collaboration with the Rules Committee that may be appointed by the Hon Chief Justice.”
He also said that SIBA and its members also look forward to the courts formulating a set procedure relating to the delivery of interlocutory Rulings inclusive of embedding such procedure into the current civil procedure rules to enable all ruling and judgements to be delivered within a timely manner.
“SIBA also looks forward to working closely with the AG Chambers and all other stakeholders in facilitating a new bill to regulate the profession which now has over 300 members in practice.
“This new Bill will also create a framework for SIBA to become a full-time entity as is the case in all other jurisdiction in the World. Apart from SIBA interests.
“SIBA and its members also call upon the responsible line Ministries responsible for updating the laws of the nation to review and update the laws of the nation accordingly to cater and provide for the changes and developments occurring across all sectors,” Kwaiga said.
Signing of TAIPAN Letter of Arrangement by Mr Jimmy Sendersely, Head of Solomon Islands FIU and Dr Lachlan Strahan, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands.
AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial intelligence unit (FIU), has provided Solomon Islands FIU with a new data analytics system that will aid in the detection of money laundering and be used to combat criminal and national security threats.
The TAIPAN system will enable intelligence analysts in Solomon Islands FIU to identify suspicious financial patterns that can trigger a deeper investigation, as money laundering is a common element in most crimes as criminals seek to conceal the source of the funds.
The capabilities of TAIPAN give Solomon Islands, and other Pacific partners, enhanced ability to respond to complex money laundering in the region through innovative triage and interrogation of bulk data.
Commemorative plaque presented by Dr Lachlan Strahan, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands to Mr Jimmy Sendersley after the handover ceremony.
New technologies are changing the financial landscape in the Pacific which transnational crime syndicates have targeted. AUSTRAC’s partnership with Solomon Islands FIU will mitigate these vulnerabilities, and ensure Pacific Islands are not seen as an attractive conduit by criminals.
AUSTRAC CEO, Nicole Rose PSM, stated that AUSTRAC brings a unique angle to regional security and builds on the established relationships that Australia has in the Pacific.
“As Australia’s financial intelligence agency, AUSTRAC is about ensuring the security of our financial system, and keeping it free from criminal and national security threats. Given our physical proximity to the Pacific, Australia’s financial security cannot be seen in isolation, as we cannot be safe if there are gaps in our region that can be exploited,” said Ms Rose.
“Sharing intelligence, tradecraft and financial tools is critical so that as a region of enduring Pacific partners, we are resistant to threats which undermine our collective financial security and community safety.
“Issues like money laundering, terrorism financing, and corruption do not just affect any one nation and transcend international borders. This is why uplifting financial intelligence capability in Australia, in the Solomon Islands, and across the Pacific is critical to regional security, economic stability, and community confidence.”
Dr Lachlan Strahan, Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, CBSI Governor Dr Luke Forau, Mr Jimmy Sendersley, Andrew Austin, Second Secretary Political at the Australian High Commission and CBSI Staff during the handover ceremony.
The gifting of the TAIPAN system to Solomon Islands closely follows the inaugural Pacific Financial Intelligence Community plenary meeting held in Port Moresby, a gathering that brought together all of the regions’ financial intelligence units, including Australia and Solomon Islands where all members agreed to work together on fighting regional financial crime threats.
It was a wonderful celebration of music, art and culture as musicians from Australia and Solomon Islands came together to share their music and their cultures at the Wantok Musik Concert on Saturday 21 January at the Pacific Crown Hotel in Honiara.
The Wantok Musik Concert 2023 was a collaboration between the Australian High Commission in Solomon Islands and the Wantok Musik Foundation.
Wantok Musik singing competition winner, John Houkarawa performing with one of the visiting artists Tjupurru.
This event showcased the talent, expertise and culture of some of Australia and Solomon Islands’ most exciting musicians and performers.
The event harnessed the power of music to bring musicians and spectators together for a night of cultural exchange.
The two and a half hour free concert involved an exciting line-up of non-Indigenous Australian, Indigenous Australian, and Solomon Islands musicians, including Jaro Local.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Dr Lachlan Strahan opened the concert with a few remarks before Dreamcast Theatre entertained the sizable crowd with their opening cultural performance. Next followed the Wantok Musik team – comprising Charles Maimarosia, KMK Kaumaakonga, Tjupurru, David Bridie, Amy Chapman, Poppy, Natty D and the Wantok Musik Singing Competition winners Elizabeth Takamama Fangata and John Houkarawa. The night ended with a lively performance from Solomon Islands award winning singer and song writer, Jarol Local.
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Dr Lachlan Strahan delivering his opening remarks.
“After the long COVID-induced restrictions on travel and events, it is time for Australia to re-engage more strongly with Solomon Islanders through our cultures’, Dr Strahan said.
“Australia provides support in many areas in the Solomon Islands, but culture also really matters. It is about our identity, our sense of belonging, it is about who we are now and who we will become.”
“An important thing to me as an Australian is that the performers that have come from Australia are non-Indigenous and Indigenous, coming together and sending a message about our nation, and at the heart of that is cultural sharing,” he added.
Dr Strahan acknowledged Mr David Bridie and his team at Wantok Musik Foundation and sponsors ANZ, Hatanga, BYGroup and mJams for getting behind the Australian High Commission to make the event possible.
Artistic Director of the Wantok Musik Foundation, Mr David Bridie, said First Nation artists in our region especially in the Pacific have their own amazing history.
“There are amazing cultures, a range of musical styles with all the custom performances and some of the hybrid performances like bamboo bands and string band music. And I think this sort of music is not heard enough out in the rest of the world,” he said.
Charles Maimarosia performing with Natty D.
Solomon Islands’ award-winning musician Charles Maimarosia said it was good seeing a lot of parents bringing their kids out for the concert on Saturday.
“More importantly a good starting point for the kids to start absorbing musical ideas and build on it when they grow up. This is one of those rare opportunities for Solomon Islands to have some of our famous Pacific Island artists performing,” Mr Maimarosia said.
Mr Willie Tekatoha was also one of the performers and is part of the KMK Kaumaakonga from Bellona in Renbel Province.
“Most of the time we perform outside of the country, and we found out that it’s the people outside that appreciate more the type of music KMK plays, and it serves as a lesson for us not to take our custom music for granted’, Mr Tekatoha said.
“This concert is like our home coming performance, so we are very happy to have performed at the Wantok Musik Concert which was also an opportunity to perform alongside other local artists and a way of giving back to the country,” Mr Tekatoha said.
Dreamcast’s opening performance.
The concert was truly a family friendly affair, with people of all ages able to enjoy the music.
The Australian High Commission thanks the security staff at the Pacific Crown Hotel, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), the Australian Federal Police as part of the Solomons’ International Assistance Force (SIAF), and St John’s Ambulance for your support to ensure the event was safe and secure for all to enjoy. In particular, thank you Central Station, Central Response Unit, Police Response Team, Police Maritime, and the Australian Federal Police.
The successful security operation was a demonstration of the RSIPF’s professionalism, and of our teamwork and partnership in action.
A 45-year-old man alleged of raping a seven-year-old child in November 2022 will appear again in court on February 1, 2023.
This is for him to secure a lawyer to assist him in court with his case as he is facing seven counts of sexual offences.
The defendant who cannot be named for legal reasons is currently facing five counts of raping an underage girl and two counts of Indecent Assault Contrary to Section138 of the Penal Code (amendment) Sexual Offences Act 2016
Public Prosecutor Monica Rehomora who appeared on behalf of the prosecution confirmed in court that investigation has been completed.
She said they are waiting for the accused to get a lawyer, then disclose the defence lawyer with the case file. From here, the case can proceed in court.
Principal Magistrate Leonard Chite also questioned the accused if he has requested legal representation from the public solicitors. He said no.
Magistrate Chite then adjourned the case to February 1 for mention and also for confirmation of legal representation.
The rape incident happened on November 20, 2022.
Police said during the arrest of the defendant that such behaviour is inhuman and it is a very serious crime. Rape bears a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
THE case of a police officer alleged of stealing more than $300,000 exhibit money at Rove exhibit facility will be mentioned in court today.
This is the case of Makasi Dolaiano was alleged of stealing One Link Pacifica’s money that was supposed to be kept as an exhibit to One-Link’s cases before the court.
The case was already set for trial last year but then was vacated and in today’s mention the court will get an update from lawyers who are in carriage of the matter in court.
It is alleged that Mr Dolaiano was the exhibit officer at that time, and responsible for looking after the facility when the $300k exhibit money went missing in October 2020.
Investigation was conducted and he was charged with the offence.
He is currently on bail awaiting his case to be dealt with by the court. Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears on behalf of the Crown
Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union (SICTU) is still waiting for feedbacks from their members, before calling another meeting to discuss the pay rise of members of Parliament.
This was based on a resolution passed recently by Union leaders of doctors, nurses and paramedics, Solomon Islands National Teachers Association (SINTA) and Solomon Islands Public Employment Union (SIPEU) to hold further consultations with their members, before SICTU can come up with official position on the new MP’s entitlement.
SICTU President David Tuhanuku said the Union leaders are still to come back with feedbacks, so that they can organise another meeting to come up with their position on the issue.
Tuhanuku said SICTU has not given any strict deadline for the Union leaders to complete their feedbacks.
He said once they complete their further consultations with the members, another meeting will be organised to come up with a resolution.
SICTU came alive after Cabinet approved a $13,000 increase to the fortnight salaries of all 50 Members of Parliament under the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission.
The Commission is expected to meet in March to decide on the proposal.
Prior to the meeting, PEC also invited MPs and beneficiaries to attend a consultation meeting on 15th February 2023 at their conference room at AJ City Mall Room 42.
The Commission is currently in the process of reviewing the Members of Parliament Entitlement Regulation.
The PEC proposal will see the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare awarded an extra $30,000, on top of his annual salary.
This will give the PM’s new annual salary of $338.000.01.
The current annual salary of the MP is $307,919.30.
Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister’s new annual salary will be $304,872.67.
Ministers, Leader of Opposition and Leader of Independent Group to get $266,123.00.
The Deputy Speaker, Chairperson of Parliamentary Caucus, Chairpersons of Parliamentary Standing Committees to get $241,166.24 and the members to get $218,231.60.
Other benefits include:
meal allowance that increases from $200 to $500;
education allowance increases from $10,000 to $25,000;
appointment grant increase from $10,000 to $15,000;
Clothing allowance (to be differed from outfit) none, with Members to get USD$3000 while PM, DPM, Ministers and Leaders to get USD$7000.
