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YACHT THIEF

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Gizo police hunts culprit and missing iPads

BY BEN BILUA

GIZO police are on the lookout for a thief who stole two IPads from a yacht belonging to a German sailor.

Island Sun spoke with the sailor about what happened early Saturday morning.

Hilde Larsen said the incident took place around 5am.

“I woke up early around 5am to get ready for the day. As I walked to my shower room, I saw something besides my boat. At first, I thought it was a piece of timber upon closer look I realized it was a dugout canoe.

“I shouted at the person because it was the only weapon at my disposal. He left and paddled towards the village across Gizo (Nusabaruku), this does not mean that this person is from Nusabaruku.

“I went back inside my boat and open my windows to improve ventilation. I came out and called the police. It was at this time that I heard a noise at the front of my boat. I thought it was my cat that made the noise to my surprise, my cat was sitting in front of me. I ran into my room to see my clothes scattered and two of my IPads were missing.

“I came out but the thief already took off, paddling towards the mangrove area at the western end of Gizo shoreline,” she said.

The 64-year-old sailor said she has reached out to the police and hopes the police will help return her stuff.

She said the IPads have all her documents including navigation maps and contacts.

Larsen said the incident gives a bad image to the sailing community worldwide.

But she said she loves the Solomon Islands and will continue to paint a good picture of the Solomon Islands to the sailing community.

“The sailing community has its own network where they communicate everywhere in the world. The Solomon Islands is among other countries that sailors are always cautious to travel to unlike Vanuatu, Fiji, and New Caledonia.

“In the sailing world, most sailors always avoid reporting issues to the police. They get along with the nightmare they faced but the reputation of the countries will be tarnished.

“I took a different approach, I report the matter to the police and will continue to promote the Solomon Islands to attract more sailors.

“The only thing the Solomon Islands can do is to stop such incidents from happening,” Larsen said.

She hopes the police will locate her stuff.

Larsen also called on Gizo’s residents to help look out for any person who may want to sell the IPads.

Island Sun understands that a similar incident occurred last month to sailors at Gizo.

Gov’t likely to shorten WPA term

Written by
Ben Bilua
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0

BY BEN BILUA

MOST provincial members in the current house were ambitious to see the house extended, however, the government has other plans.

A well-placed source says the government is intending to shorten the life of the current provincial assembly – meaning the current assembly will be dissolved in December for the synchronized election.

The source says the government is currently searching for funding to compensate Western Provincial Members in accordance with their term and entitlements.

The source adds that other donor partners have shown the green light to support the government foot the compensation.

According to the source, the government needs $60 million to meet the compensation deal – meaning each MPAs will receive up to one million.

Island Sun understands that the government is working its way into the synchronised election with caution to make sure every province is on the same boat before the 2024 election kicks off.

A team from the Electoral Commission along with officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Political Commission has carried out a nationwide consultation on the proposed synchronized election.

The team also visited Western Province and met with the Provincial Assembly members earlier this year.

Illegal drugs and alcohol campaign launch

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Operation Evelyn Thugea

BY NED GAGAHE

Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) is mounting a special operation to clump-down illegal drugs in Honiara city.

Certain hotspots areas have been targeted and police will move in swiftly to arrest or perform raid on those areas.

Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Operation Evelyn Thugea highlighted this during the second episode of the IUMI for Sol2023 Green and Safe talk back show at SIBC yesterday.

“Illegal activities such as selling of drugs, Kwaso and gambling in on the rise.

“These things are on the rise in our communities, I appeal to our communities to support police clean up illegal activities.” Thugea said.

She said RSIPF will be stepping up its operations in the coming months as the country looks forward to host the PG 2023.

PICK-POCKET ALERT

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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RSIPF Assistant Commissioner National Operations, Everlyn Thugea.

Police urge Honiara commuters to be ‘vigliant’

BY NED GAGAHE

Police have warned city residents to be cautious when roaming the streets of Honiara following the escalation of pick-pocketing.

Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Operation Evelyn Thugea highlighted this during the second episode of the IUMI for Sol2023 Green and Safe talk back show yesterday at SIBC.

She warned people must be vigilant and ensure that their properties such as mobile phone and money are safe and secured when travelling in public.

“I urge my good people to be mindful and let us prevent such things from happening to us,” Thugea said.           

HIV cases in SI increasing

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services National HIV and STI program on AIDS monitoring reported that HIV cases in Solomon Islands is increasing.

This is according to the MHMS National HIV and STI program on AIDS monitoring report.

“Solomon Islands has now had cumulative cases,” the report said.

The report said this increased cases of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human-Immunodeficiency Virus 30 plus cases have been recorded.

Out of these recorded cases 15 deaths have occurred, three lost to follow-up and 12 currently alive and on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

This means that Solomon Islands has now recorded a total of 15 AIDS related deaths to date, dating way back from 1994 when the first case was discovered.

The report adds the recorded cases have also directed the ministry to expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) to 100% coverage in 2017 and has resulted with a declining incidence of HIV infection to zero on the same year.

This is a good indicator that shows country is on track and living up to the commitment to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

It is a target included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015.

Former Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Health and Medical Services Dr Tenneth Dalipanda in addressing the report says Solomon Islands welcomes the new Declaration, which endorses the target of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

Dalipanda  expressed this Political Declaration will enable Solomon Islands as a country to intensify and accelerate her National HIV response, to safeguard that the national response is fully integrated into the broader Agenda for Sustainable Development, and ultimately to end the AIDS epidemic.

This report was launched last year and it had presented the achievements of the country in the effort to meet its commitments as per the 2016 United Nation (UN) declaration.

Limited health facilities and poorly trained health workers contributory to STI and HIV

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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0

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

LIMITED laboratory testing amenities and poorly trained and resourced health workforces in rural areas contributory risk factor to both Sexual Transmitted Infection STI-related morbidity and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) transmission.

This was revealed in the 2018 Solomon Islands AIDS monitoring report under Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) National HIV and STI program.    

“Inadequate laboratory testing facilities and poorly trained and resourced health workers in many settings especially rural areas make confirmatory diagnosis of specific infections difficult to ascertain,” the survey revealed.

The study stressed, however, inclusive syndromic diagnosis and management of suspected STIs and a number of observation activities provide a strong indicator of this significant contributory risk factor to both STI-related morbidity and HIV transmission.

Furthermore, the study stressed that the high prevalence of STIs indicates that certain risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex with multiple partners are widespread, which in turn poses a significant risk for the exponential transmission of HIV.

Demand for high speciality services, human resources and care increase at NRH

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

DEMAND for high- speciality services, human resources and care have been increasing at the National Referral Hospital, says Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana.

“The demand for high- speciality services, human resources and care has been increasing, so the Ministry will need to step up the care at various clinical, non-clinical and supporting services,” Togamana said.

He said the health ministry is aspire to achieve hospital systems, infrastructure and processes that are of a high standard and quality to ensure health care that people need and demand can be meet.

Togamana adds the Ministry’s vision for health as documented in the National Health Strategic Plan 2021 to 2031, is to ensure all hospitals are accountable for meeting the health care need of the people.

“To achieve this vision, the NRH and our Provincial health facilities must be provide the necessary support (resources) which is an extremely difficult challenge to attain without support from development partners, such as your government,” he said.

Togamana echoed the above sentiment at the official handing over event of the National Referral Hospital Molecular laboratory.

Auki public query new Malaita govt policy launch promise

Written by
Samie Waikori
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Members of public in Auki are questioning when the new provincial government under Premier Martin Fini will launch its policy framework.

The men say they Malaita public would like to know the political roadmap for the province since it is now three months since the new government came into power.

Their spokesperson said during the 2022/2023 revised budget meeting, Premier Fini announced in his keynote address speech that the policy will be launched in a matter of two weeks.

The spokesperson said that two weeks has long passed, and there is still no policy launched as promised.

He said shortly after the revised budget meeting, the assembly convened its full assembly meeting and again Fini announced the launch of the policy in a week time.

The man said still nothing happened and since then the policy is yet be to launched.  

He said that this is the policy in which will direct the province and it must establish now considering the limited time MNGFR will lead the province.

The man said it’s time to work and such important document must prepare in time so that MNGFR have time to translate the policy.

On that note, he called on the technical group within MEDI that tasked with the formulation of the policy to speed up with the work on the policy.

The man said being without a policy is like a captain without a course to navigate its vessel and that the ship will just wander.

He said Malaitans don’t want to be wandered with the development aspirations they have and they want a course to navigate their ambitions forward.

Court acquits man of electoral offences

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE man who was alleged of registering seven times at seven different registration centres during the voter registration in 2018 has been acquitted by the court due to no evidence when it comes to the defendant’s true identity.

Alif Vai is charged with seven counts of obtaining registration by false pretence contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code [Cap 26].

Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison said there is no evidence at all when it comes to the defendant’s true identity.

He said Prosecution does not provide any evidence that those names and particulars were false.

“A proper birth certificate should have been provided to confirm his names and birth date, his parents and where he is from pursuant to the relevant Act. In the absence of a birth certificate, a relative could have been called to properly identify him” Hollison said.

The Crown’s case is that from the 8th of September to the 20th of September 2018, the defendant made registration in various electoral registration centers here in Honiara. The defendant procured for himself registrations for seven constituencies for the 2019 National General Elections. On these occasions, he allegedly used different names to obtain registrations. In order to be registered as a voter or an elector, an applicant must fill out a form called “FORM B”. The details in this form would then create the voter identification card.

That Crown alleges that the defendant claimed to have resided in seven different constituencies in Solomon Islands. The defendant allegedly gave false representations to the registrations clerks by giving different names in order to obtain registration under the National Electoral Provision Act [Cap 87]

The Crown avers that there is documentary evidence which would support the proposition made by the Crown in its case.

Hollison after assessing all evidence and documents provided before the court not satisified with the Prosecution that the defendant by false pretence obtained registrations under various constituencies under the said Act in various dates in 2018 as alleged in counts 1 through to 7.

Therefore, he acquitted the Alif Vai of the Electoral offences.

Influenza H1 increasing

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Chairman of NHA and Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Jimmie Rodgers.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

INFLUENZA H1 a flu like illness is reportedly increasing in Honiara and other parts of the country.

This was confirmed by the Secretary of Prime Minister Dr Jimmie Rodgers on behalf of the Ministry pf Health and Medical Services in a press conference yesterday.

“Health has recorded increase in flu-like illness in Honiara and parts of the country. NRH molecular laboratory following testing has detected Influenza H1 since last month.

“This is a different strain from Influenza H3 which was detected and has been circulating in August last year. Therefore, the current increase of flu like illness in the country.

“Such flu like illness can be life threatening to persons with asthma, and other respiratory illness as well as underlying health conditions,” Rodgers said.

He said to avoid catching these flu viruses and prevent it from spreading – public are advised to implement similar measures to that practiced for COVID-19.

“Washing of hands, coughing into the elbows and wear masks in public and crowded places and avoid close contacts with persons experiencing flu and cough,” Rodgers said.

He adds that dengue is also circulating and presenting similar symptoms such as acute fever so ensure you get tested for dengue and malaria.

Rodgers said the Ministry will be increase testing across its sentinel sites.

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