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.
MALAITA provincial government is implementing 13 new PCDF projects despite its disqualification for the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) programme for the financial year 202/2023.
Provincial Minister for Finance and Treasury under MPG, Nelson Lenty confirmed this in a revised budget speech that was defeated by the non-executive by vote last week.
“I would like to highlight that for this year 2022/23, MPG is implementing 13 new projects.
“Retention payments for five (5) completed projects are also included in the budget which are still awaiting the completion of their six months deferred liability period,” he said.
On the same note, Lenty announced eight approved projects that removed from the 2022/2023 financial year due to MPG’s PCDF disqualification.
“I want to affirm to my honourable colleagues that eight approved projects for 2022/23 financial year have been removed due to the recent MPG’s PCDF disqualification.
Lenty clarified that reason to remove the projects was due to insufficient fund to construct all the intended projects.
The Minister however said despite that the government is co-funding $100,000 to the province’s PCDF capital projects.
Lenty said the figure represents around three percent of the total PCDF revenue, and such contribution to the province’s own development is essential as part of the assessed performance measures.
He said under the arrangement, MPG expects to provide budget for 3%, which is a 2% less than the required contribution margin of 5% of the PCDF.
Lenty said provincial governments receive 1 mark for contribution above 5% and two marks for contribution above or equal to 7%.
“We expect to get zero (0) mark for this performance measure in the upcoming PCDF assessments possibly towards the end of January 2023,” he said.
However, Lenty said Malaita province is looking forward to another round of assessment whilst they hope to passes all the minimum conditions.
Groundbreaking ceremony of the new design of the Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre.
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
The new design of the Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre project worth $150 million aimed at providing high quality birthing and care services for Naha and surrounding communities was launched on January 23rd.
Speaking to the event Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana said the Naha project has been a long time coming.
Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Togamana Delivers his remarks.
“Its establishment will be a first for Solomon Islands.
“The establishment of this Birthing Centre will be a first for the country and will enable high quality birthing services to be provided to mothers and their babies in modern, safe environment outside of the National Referral Hospital.
“This Birthing centre will have capacity for up to 1500 low risk deliveries per year and this will greatly assist with reducing the workload on the National Referral Hospital Delivery Wards and the National Referral Hospitals over-workers midwifery staff,” Togamana said.
Unveiling of Signage by all speakers of the launching ceremony.
He said the new Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre will provide for the broader Naha ward community as well, through provision of primary health services for all, in a modern, new facility.
“The new Naha facility will be the first Urban Health Facility built to meet the requirements of the Ministry’s Role Delineation Policy, which is the major policy initiative of my Ministry aimed at providing quality, affordable health services closer to where people live,” Togamana said,
He said $150 million has been provided by the Australian Government for this project.
The Signage of new design of the Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre.
On the same note Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Dr Lachlan Strahan says this project is really important to him as he approaches the conclusion of his time in the Solomons.
Strahan says this project was unveiled by the Australian and Solomon Islands prime ministers in 2018 – “so in fact it is a prime ministerial initiative”.
Australian High Commissioner Lachlan Strahan delivers his remarks.
“This project is important because it is about the health of the community Honiara. This project is indeed very much a signatory project of our Solomon Islands Infrastructure Program (SIIP) programme.
“This facility will be accessible for people with disability and also we will be having more spaces for patients to feel comfortable. In the end it is all about making sure that people in this city especially the women receive the best possible medical care.
“It is also a very much corner stone of our health program here in Solomon Islands,” he said.
Naha Clinic Head Nurse Sr Lucy Maena says the ground breaking ceremony marks another chapter for the Naha health centre.
Naha Clinic Head Nurse Sr Lucy Maena.
Maena said Naha clinic is one of the busiest clinic in Honiara Country Council and serves a huge catchment population in east Honiara. Yet, the size of the clinic remains the same and cannot provide a conducive waiting area for clients and also transporting sick patient to the National Referral Hospital cost a lot of money.
“With the new re -designed health facility my staffs are looking forward to work in the high classic quality health facility and to provide the much needed quality care for clients.
“We are so excited and looking forward to work inside the new facility upon its completion,” Maena said.
Moreover, the new re-designed health facility is larger with 34 beds, x-ray, ultrasound and operating theatre, dental, ear and eye health, large birthing suits with bath room, laundry and garden access, community pharmacy and larger room and family space.
A contractor will be confirmed in the coming months and construction is expected to be completed in 2025.
Solomon Water has swiftly launched an immediate investigation into the cause of current brackish water affecting Noro residents, Western Province.
In a statement yesterday, Solomon Water warned customers against using the affected water for drinking, food preparation, cooking and consumption whilst swift action is taken to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Brackish water or brack water is when salt water is mixed with fresh water. It is saltier than fresh water, but not as salty as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water.
Solomon Water has also issued an apology to its customers for the inconvenience and assured them that they working to resolve the problem.
“Solomon Water would like to extend our sincerest apologies to our valued customers in Noro, for the recent issues with brackish water.
“We regret the inconvenience and concern this has caused and want to assure you we are taking immediate action to respond to the problem.
“We are working to identify the cause of the brackish water and to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
“In the meantime, we advise customers to take all necessary precautions and avoid using the affected water for drinking, food preparation, cooking and consumption.
“We understand the importance of clean and safe drinking water and Solomon Water is committed to providing our customers with the highest level of service.
“We will continue to work diligently to restore the water supply to its normal quality.
“We appreciate your patience as we work to resolve the issue.
“For updates and further information, please contact our customer care service in Noro or in Honiara.” Solomon Water statement said.
Malaita Provincial Minister for Finance and Treasury, Nelson Lenty .
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
MALAITA provincial government is looking forward to a disappointing audit report for 2022/2023 financial year.
Provincial Minister for Finance and Treasury, Nelson Lenty confirmed this in his revised budget speech last week.
“Sadly for 2022/23 financial year, we will expect increase in audit issues due to uncontrollable spending without appropriated budget,” he said.
Lenty said compared to past financial years, there has been a progress in the province’s audit issues, although some reports are yet to be received.
“I understand that the audit report for 2019/20 financial service is yet to receive by the executive. For 2018/19 audit report, we have managed to top reduce audit queries from 29 issues to 19,” he said.
Lenty said for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, MPG is still waiting to receive its audit reports for the respective financial years.
On that note, he urged the PS(Ag) and team to follow-up with the Office of the Auditor General to speed up the auditing process and fast track the reports as soon as possible.
OUTSPOKEN leader of Western Province, Jeffrey Wickham has called on the central Government to stop bullying provincial governments.
He said all the regulations and requirements placed to provincial government not only hinder provinces to progress but also affect the core function of provinces to serve their people.
“I’m quite dumbfounded with all these requirements. For example, the regulation on financial compliance requirements.
“Provinces have done their best year in and year out to fulfill this requirement. Failure to do so means provincial governments will be penalized.
“Provinces will not be entitled to some of the funds under the Ministry of Provincial Government.
“This requirement or regulation is a clear example of action taken by the central government to derive provinces from their ambitions,” Wickham said.
He said such regulations or compliance should also be enforced to all government ministries.
“While provinces are subjected to this regulation, I see no reason as to why government ministries are pardoned to do the same.
“What I’m trying to say is that, Government Ministries and other State Own Enterprises must also produce their audit report every year.
“I’m certain that Government Ministries and SOE are worse than province when comes to misuse of funds,” Wickham said.
Jeffrey Wickham Member for ward 16 in Western Province.
BY BEN BILUA
Member for ward 16 in Western Province has cautioned the new provincial government not to allocate projects to failed contractors.
Speaking in Assembly last week, Jeffrey Wickham said there are lots of failed provincial projects because contractors were either fake or incapable of implementing projects.
He said the issue behind the fail project is not due to shortage of funding but contractors lack of transparency and accountability.
“I made this comment because I know. When I was the provincial secretary I came across lots of incomplete provincial projects.
“Reports I received were similar. Similar in the sense that most of the contractors were not doing a good job.
“This must be changed. Again, this must be changed because if we continue to exercise such practice, we are wasting the province’s financial resources,” Wickham said.
He said there are good contractors with good reputations where the provincial government can utilize.
Wickham said it is time to critically look into which contractor can deliver best outcome for Western Province.
