OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Wale has questioned the state of the health care system in the country.
Speaking at the sine die motion in Parliament on December 15, Wale said the state of the country’s healthcare system is still of great concern.
“We have no idea how many preventable deaths occur in our health facilities.
“If we cared to know, perhaps government can start to address the deficiencies that allow such preventable deaths,” he said.
“As it is, I get the sense that the ministry of health merely shrugs its shoulders as if to say ‘it is what it is’, without any real intent to be better.
“Issues of adequacy of budget allocations, timely procurement, proper storage, distribution and tracking of medicines, surely are well within the ability of the ministry to excel in its management,” Wale said.
He said these should never contribute to preventable deaths.
“It is never good enough to run out of reagents for lab analysis,” he said.
Further to that, Wale said management of health professionals to ensure maximum attendance at work should be well within the ministry’s ability.
“That these continue to be issues must be great concern to all of us.
“This is an unacceptable situation that must not be allowed to continue,” he added.
“But I don’t get the sense that they are being properly and substantively addressed.
“If at NRH these remain serious issues, then we are to assume that at more remote health facilities these issues may be more exacerbated,” he added.
Counting officers carry the ballot boxes to the counting room.
Counting continues in Western elections
BY BEN BILUA
ELECTIONS in Western Province has ushered in new members into the Provincial Assembly with wealth of experiences in the government system.
Jeffrey Wickham, Gideon Tuke and Edward Ngava are familiar names within the public service and state institutions.
Wickham is a long-serving public servant who has worked as a Permanent Secretary in government ministries, including the Ministry of Communication and Aviation.
He was also Secretary to the Prime Minister at one stage before taking up the role as the Provincial Secretary of Western Province – the job he held until his retirement this year.
Ngava was once an active member of the Solomon Islands Football Federation before becoming a councillor at the Honiara City Council.
He is also a person with huge experience in politics and governance.
Tuke was a senior administration officer of Western Province and the province`s operation will not new to him.
These new MPAs were the first to be announced after counting yesterday.
Results obtained by Island Sun before the counting was suspended are as follows:
Jeffrey Wickham – ward 16
Edward Ngava – ward 21
Gideon Tuke – ward 3
Kenneth George – Ward 14
Gordon Zebo – ward 19.
Island Sun could not get the results for ward 15, ward 18, and ward 1 yesterday but will keep our readers updated on the counting today December 16 stories.
Participants-with-a-banner-taking-the-lead-during the parade to mark the international day against corruption.
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
Honiara marked the international day against corruption on December 14.
The event was aimed at calling for action and raising awareness against corruption.
Assistance Secretary Policies and Programme, Philip Manakako when delivering his remarks said according to the Solomon Islands National Against Corruption Strategy 2017, corruption continues to be a serious problem in Solomon Islands.
Manakako said it has affected the effectiveness and efficiency of the public service and the ability of the government to provide goods and services to its citizens.
“Corruption is driven by many factors including: weak institution, weak law enforcement, captured elites and low trust in state institutions. But, ultimately it is driven by greed,” he said.
Assistance Secretary Policies and Programme, Philip Manakako
Manakako said addressing corruption is a priority of the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) and since the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act and Whilst Blower Protection Act 2018, the focus was on supporting the work to established Solomon Islands Independence Commission against Corruption (SIICAC).
On the same note he calls on everyone to unite against corruption.
“We must unite against corruption –as the theme for the 2022 Anticorruption Day rightly states. We must work and walk together to defeat corruption. We must champions and take ownership of this fight.
“People of Solomon Islands deserve better and we owe this country to our children and the future generations. The challenges, rests with our current generation of decision makes form the highest office to parenting role in our homes, development partners, Non-governmental Organisations, Civil Society, “Churches and each citizen, young and old, women and men, boys and girls to make a united stand against corruption,” Manakako said.
He said the decisions made today and actions people took will shape and will determine Solomon Islands.
“The decisions we make today, and the actions we undertake, will shape and will determine a Solomon Islands we are leaving to our children and their children.
“Let us Unite against Corruption. Let us leave a legacy for our future generations that we can be all proud of, and a legacy that will help chart the course of this country going forward free from corruption,” Manakako said.
SIICAC Director General John Kouni.
Solomon Islands Independence Commission against Corruption (SIICAC) Director General John Kouni said this is the first year that the SIICAC is taking the lead as the statutory mandated independent body of the government, to lead the international anti-corruption day celebration.
“We are humbled to witness the display of willingness on your respective parts, to be active partners in our common fight against corruption,” Kouni said.
He said corruption is one of greatest threats to the country’s development. A challenge to attaining country’s desire to achieve joy, peace, progress and prosperity.
“Today (yesterday), is an opportunity to critically reflect and consider what decisive steps to take as well as coordinate efforts in dealing difficult moments when men and women of goodwill and unparalleled vision gathered in the face of great challenges to curve a new course and blueprint for the future,” Kouni said.
A man guilty of assaulting another man with a knife on June 4, 2022 has been sentenced to eight months in jail at the Honiara Magistrate Court.
Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi imposed the sentence yesterday on Carlos Waihunu after he pled guilty to unlawful wounding charge in the previous occasion.
Prosecution said the victim was drunk and arguing with other people when Waihunu approached them to stop drinking and told them to have a rest.
It was at that time the victim became aggressive and then argued and the incident of unlawful wounding was committed by Waihunu.
Prosecution said the incident occurred at Marble Street in Central Honiara.
The allegation says Waihunu struck the victim’s back knee which caused injuries.
The case was reported to the police and the man was arrested and charged with one count of unlawful wounding.
Police Prosecution Service prosecutes the case in court.
THE case of a Bangladesh national accused of sexually assaulting a child under 15 years of age in 2021 will have his case mentioned at the Magistrate Court today, December 15.
His case will be mentioned before Chief Magistrate Emma Garo.
The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, is charged with three counts of persistent sexual abuse of a child contrary to section 142(2) of the Penal Code Cap 26 as amended by the Penal Code (Amendment) (Sexual offence) Act 2016 and one count of indecent act contrary to section 138(1) (a) and (b) of the Penal Code.
According to police the victim’s mother called in at Henderson police station and reported that her daughter was raped by a Bangladesh national in his bedroom sometimes in April last year.
The mother said she only knew of the incident when she heard stories from other girls about what happened to her. It was at that time the mother asked her daughter and confirmed that the accused did sexual acts on her about a week ago but she was afraid to tell anyone about it.
Hubert Fugui is representing the accused while the office of the Director Public Prosecution’s appears on behalf of the crown.
PMO assistance secretary, policies and programmer Philip Manakako.
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE Solomon Islands Independent Corruption against Corruption (SIICAC) office says it is working on memorandums of Understanding (MoU) aimed at fighting corruption.
That is according to Philip Manakako on behalf of SIICAC.
“SIICAC is currently working on a number of MoUs to outline how anti-corruption commission will work together with other existing integrity and enforcement Institutions to maximise the experience, expertise, share knowledge and information in the fight against corruption for a better future from Solomon Islands,” Manakako said.
He also said the commencement of consultation with Public officials, NGOs and Civil Society to support the roles of the SIICAC is welcoming.
“It is vital that public officials, NGOs and Civil Society across the country are made aware of the different national laws and integrity agencies that work in collaboration with the new Anti-Corruption framework brought about by the Anti-Corruption Act 2018,” Manakako said.
He said these sentiments during the commemoration of the International Day against Corruption.
DIRECTOR General of Solomon Islands Independent Against Corruption (SIICAC) John Kouni says corruption is one of greatest threats to our country’s development.
Speaking at the international anti-corruption day celebration yesterday Kouni said corruption is a complex social, political and economic, phenomenon that affects all countries.
“Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability, attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmire whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged,” Kouni said
He said that this is the first year that the SIICAC is taking the lead, as statutory mandated independent body of the government, to lead the celebration.
“The 2022 international Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) seeks to highlight the crucial link between anti-corruption and peace, security and development, at its core is the notion that tackling this crime is the right and responsibility of everyone and that only through cooperation and the involvement of each and every person and institution can we overcome the negative impact of this crime,” Kouni said.
Kouni acknowledged those who participated in the celebration yesterday displaying their willingness, on their respective parts, to be active partners in the common fight against corruption.
THE 50 members of Parliament will receive $6.8 million each next year in the form of Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
From the $6.8 million, $4.8 million will be projectised, to go through the preferred suppliers, while the remaining $2 million is for cash grants.
Minister of Rural Development, Duddley Kopu confirmed this when asked by Member of Parliament for East Are Are, Peter Kenilorea Junior during the committee of supply, in Parliament yesterday.
Furthermore, Kopu said about $80 million is allocated towards each constituency to apply for cash grants.
He said the $20 million in the Development budget that used to be supported by Peoples Republic of China (PRC), is replaced by Solomon Islands Government’s grant, where MPs can convert to cash grant.
Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete asked when each constituency will receive the $400,000 from PRC for this year.
Kopu said the delay is with the MPs who don’t retire their acquittals in time.
He added the ministry has managed to submit every acquittal to the PRC now.
Apart from that, he said $1 million is allocated to the ministry, where $500,000 are for reform and another $500,000 for monitoring and evaluation.
A total of $342 million is allocated for MRD in next year’s budget, with $261 million under Development Budget and $80 million for Recurrent Budget.
Returning Officer Patrick Toiraena assists police with offloading the kits.
BY BEN BILUA
COUNTING of ballot papers kicks off at three counting centers in Western Province.
The counting centers are, Seghe, Noro and Gizo.
Counting at Noro already started at 10 am today beginning with Ward 14, Ward 15, and Ward 19.
Police have established a no-go zone at the counting station to make sure the counting goes smoothly.
Police are also present at the counting center providing security.
Only counting agents and authorized officials who will carry out the counting are allowed to enter the counting center premises.
As planned, the Assistant Returning Officer will announce the winners as soon as counting on each ward is completed. Counting will continue until all the ballot boxes are completed today (December 15).
CLOSING submission on a murder incident alleged to have happened in 2020 is set for December 15.
James Tangasuna is charged with one count of murder in relation to an incident on June 14, 2020.
He entered a not guilty plea and a trial was conducted on his case.
Tangasuna was accused to have involved in the murder of a 50-year-old man at Keuna Village in the Marumbo area of West Guadalcanal.
The allegation said the accused and the deceased were both drunk and prior to the incident they had an argument.
It is alleged the accused took a timber and struck the victim twice. The first strike allegedly landed on the back of the victim’s head, and as the victim fell to the ground, the accused then gave the second strike which landed on the left side of his head including the left shoulder.
Police said the deceased fell unconscious on the ground with blood coming out from his mouth and nose. The deceased was then transported to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) for medical treatment.
Since the time of incident until his death, the deceased remained in a critical condition for eight days until he died on June 22 2020 at NRH.
Public Prosecutor John Wesley Zoze appears for the crown while Benham Ifutoo represents the accused.
