Home Blog Page 698

Tadai-Sahalu leaders oppose extension of parliament life

Written by
Admin
-
0

CHIEFS and traditional leaders from the Tadai and Sahalu House of Chiefs in the North West Guadalcanal Constituency have voiced their opposition to Government’s proposal to extend parliament life.

The two houses of chiefs gave a resounding ‘No’ to Government’s intention to extend the life of the 11thparliament, or any future parliament to five years for that matter.

In a joint meeting yesterday, the two houses of chiefs inked reasons supporting their resolution.

“Representing our communities and people, we the Chiefs of Tadai and Sahalu House of Chiefs stand united in saying ‘NO’ to the Government’s intention to extend or defer the life of this 11th Parliament, or any future Parliament to 5 years for that matter,” a joint statement signed by all the chiefs states.

“We say that the current Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sogavare has lied enough, making empty promises after empty promises on matters important to the people of this nation, more so, our people and our way of life.”

The group further adds that as if empty promises are not bad enough, the PM now even saw it fit to upgrade his callous approach by choosing to use the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings and the State Government proposal amongst the many reasons cooked up as basis for seeking extension.

“These are policy proposals that a lot of our grievances depend on hence the manner in which the Government handles them is important to us. Does the PM and his Government think we are dumb so as to fall prey to this ploy?” the group questioned.

The chiefs then stressed that the timing for the consultations on the proposal is clearly nothing less than a fuss, adding that the fact that there is no budget allocated for the General elections in the 2022 budget rules out any likelihood that views expressed by the people on the proposal will be considered.

“As traditional leaders of this country, this is bad politics and leadership, and must be detested in the strongest of terms. Our people have suffered long enough and continue to be haunted by the tragic events of the 2000 ethnic tension.

“The suggestion that the Government will somehow address wounds that remained open for more than 22 years is not only negligent but also disrespectful to many of our families that had suffered. It is too good to be true to say that the Government can deliver on the long outstanding State Government proposal in one year.

“This proposal was on the table for many years now with successive governments giving it little attention.  Any child can see that the Government suggestion is silly.

“Sogavare has been in power as PM for 4 terms previously. 

“What has he done in those 4 terms to deal with these matters and the many reforms promised, if they were important to him as PM of the country? 

“Nothing much except a lot of lip servicing and a bit here and there. 

“How then can anyone trust that the same Sogavare is going to do differently in the one year extension sought?

“Whether it is 1, 5, or 10 years, we have concluded that this Government will never deliver on these important matters.

“It is regrettable these important national issues are being used as a smoke screen once again to cover the true intentions behind the urgency of the proposal.

“For long our people have cried to the Government to deal with over exploitation of our natural resources and land issues.

“To date no reform has been undertaken in the Ministry of Mines and Energy, lands and other related ministry to address the negative impact of these laws on our customs and way of life.

“Our concerns are deep and serious, and are rooted in the many demands that our leaders had put to successive Governments in the past.  For the PM to now promise delivery in one year is laughable.

“The way things are going we strongly feel it will be in our interest that this Government leaves office at the earliest.

“Contrary to promises of the return of alienated land, we are seeing the Government pushing to further deprive our traditional owners of their customary rights over the foreshores of Honiara City; the promised benefits to our people from the Mamara – Tasi – Mavo Housing Scheme development is already looking to be doomed leaving us high and dry, and the dwindling economy is killing whatever opportunities our people had enjoyed in the past.

“These are reminders that our calls had fallen on deaf ears all these years and to say, one year will provide solutions is simply deceiving.

“This is 3 years in government and despite the promise of 13 bills, only one was passed in that time. 

“Where are the land reform bills promised? Are they going to be brought into force together with the TRC list of things to do, the State of Government list of things to do and the SPG 2023 list of things to do?

“Are all these going to be done in the one year sought?  We are not convinced and are truly saddened.”

In the wrap of their meeting, the chiefs unanimously concluded that the grounds for the proposal therefore do not carry any weight at all, adding that there is no urgent need to extend the life of Parliament.

They also noted that important as they are, the SPG 2023, TRC findings, reforms, or the State Government proposal, are all government business that can be carried forward.

“We the Chiefs of Tadai and Sahalu House of Chiefs are opposed to the Constitution being amended on the reasons given.

“These are not the personal businesses of the PM and his Cabinet Members so that they can ask for extra time to complete them.

“The Government is not running an Association but a country. The voice of the people must be heard.

“The proposal is unequivocally rejected by our two Houses of Chiefs,” the chiefs added.

Noro road on World Bank list

Written by
Ben Bilua
-
0

BY BEN BILUA

Gizo

NORO road has been named one among five road projects enlisted to be funded by World Bank.

Noro road was listed alongside four projects; Kolofe1, Kolofe2, Su’u Harbor, and Bira Bridges all of which are in Malaita province.

World Bank is expecting to dish out USD130 million dollars as it stepped up its assistance in Solomon Islands.

According to Work Bank, first on the development project list is Roads and Aviation projects worth USD 89 million.

Aim and objectives of these project are to improve the country’s safety and security in the aviation sector as well as enhancing climate resilience.

World Bank Resident Representative for Solomon Islands & Vanuatu, Annette Leith said the project will address critical issues in air transport infrastructure to improve service delivery for communities in need, as well as improving important international links to support Solomon Islands’ tourism sector.

“Providing reliable, climate resilient transport connections is a major challenge in Solomon Islands and a key obstacle in addressing uneven development and opportunities for communities across the country,” she said.

Island Sun understand that Noro road is in very bad state and this project will address the issue and at the same time improve services deliveries within Noro.

Noro plays an important role in the country’s fishing industry accommodating two tuna processing plants which provides employment opportunities and also contributes significantly toward the country’s economy.

Students call for fairness

Written by
Admin
-
0
Students at SINU

ABOUT 26 students from Malaita Province doing their bachelor programmes under SIG scholarships at Solomon Islands National University (SINU) call for “fairness” from the government.

This after the National Scholarship Division (NSD) at Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority (SITESA) refused to grant them extension in their scholarships to complete their programmes this year.

One of the students said the Students Academic Service at SINU has endorsed their letters for extension under the SIG scholarship.

However, there is slowness by NSD staff to act on their letters for about three to four weeks now, preventing them from registration.

“We feel some of the officers in NSD have targeted us following the riots and lootings last November.

“However, none of us are part of this riots,” student said.

The student said it being a practice since restructure in 2019, when NSD granted extension to students who applied.

“Why they target us?

“We are bit worry otherwise become practice in office because we care about national unity,” one of the students said.

Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Dr Franco Rhodie said he is not aware of the issue.

However, Dr Rhodie said there is a process at SITESA to grant extension to students.

He said it is best for the students to present their cases to SITESA for deliberation.

Filualea calls for cooperation on implemented national projects at Malu’u

Written by
Samie Waikori
-
0
The current construction of a national wharf project for Malu’u provincial sub-centre in the northern region of Malaita province.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

MEMBER of Parliament for North Malaita, Senley Lewi Filualea calls on resource owners in the constituency to continue providing support towards the implementation of national projects at Malu’u provincial sub-centre.

He said the establishment of Malu’u as one of the provincial sub-centres in the province was done by the government and it is always committed to support the idea.

Filualea said as a regional sub-centre for northern region, the government is supporting the construction of Malu’u wharf project that will soon be completed.

He said another project is Malu’u fisheries project that has completed with the support of both national government and donor partners, and ready to begin operation.

Filualea also said that CEMA will soon reopen at Malu’u as it “only awaits minor works to be done to begin its operation. This is another good news for farmers within northern region of the province”.

He said there is another project for Malu’u sub-centre which is the construction of a new Malu’u market facility to be funded by the Australian government.

Filualea said this series of projects portrays government’s commitment and support to its people of north Malaita and the northern region of the province.

He said services will provide by these projects when completed will have huge benefit on people and will contribute to enhance economic activities in the province.

 On that note, Filualea said that “in order for the projects to benefit us, it’s all about our commitments, collaboration and efforts to achieve them and our development aspiration”.

Manele pushes to delay LDC graduation

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
0
Opposition Leader, Jeremaiah Manele
Foreign Affairs Minister, Jeremaiah Manele

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele is pushing for Solomon Islands to delay graduation from the Least Developing Countries in 2024.

Manele did that at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva, Switzerland from 12-15 June.

Special Secretary to Prime Minister, Dr Jimmy Rodgers confirmed to media in a press conference on Wednesday the delay is because covid 19 has destroyed us in the last two year.

“We are not able to fulfil some of the requirements that we are able to fulfil before we graduate in 2024,” he said.

Manele also joined other Foreign ministers of other Pacific Island countries to present a collective case get exemptions in the international trade and WTO.

Rodgers said WTO is a rule based organization that determine trade rules.

“WTO renew trade rule and Minister is there so that Solomon Islands situation is on the map so the trade rules agreed on the global level, they conscious of our constraint and apply trade rules that apply to US and other countries.

“Basically the whole Pacific Islands are looking at Small Islands States kind of trade rules that exempted us as groups of small island countries,” he added.

Manele is expected to travel to Kigali, Rwanda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting which runs from 20-25 June.

Dr Rodgers said at the forum in CHOGM, Solomon Islands will use the platform to look at bilateral relations with some commonwealth countries like India for instance and other bigger commonwealth countries.

Furthermore, he said at the forum, there will be discussions on climate change, climate financing, Non Communicable Diseases, how to address trade in the Commonwealth.

Minister Manele will then travel to Lisbon, Portugal to attend the United Nation’s Ocean Conference from 27 June to 1 July.

Dr Rodgers said the Oceans conference is very important for Solomon Islands in two areas.

“In fisheries because right now fish is our biggest revenue earner right in the seas.

“But the revenue we get from fisheries is not as much as it could be,” he said.

Manele will complete his marathon visit abroad in Fiji for the Forum Ministers Meeting on 8th July.

This is in preparation for the Forum Leaders Meeting from 12-14 July.

Current flu not covid-19: Health

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
-
0
The roundabout at the Honiara City Council

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

THE current flu like illness transmitting and experienced by public in Honiara is caused by an infection and is not a covid-19 third wave, says Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Incident Controller, MHMS Dr Nemia Bainivalu confirmed to local journalists on behalf of the ministry of health.

“We received information that most of the public in Honiara have experienced flu like illnesses. Some presented to clinics and undergone covid-19 testing but they have their test results returned negative.

“So we (the ministry) believes this may be caused by an infection not really covid-19,” Bainivalu said.

He adds in terms of covid-19 variants in the country the existing once still remains the delta and omicron BA2 transmitting in the country.  

Bainivalu further stressed that latest samples collected detected no new and additional covid-19 variants circulation in the country

Malu’u AHC reports free covid-19 status

Written by
Samie Waikori
-
0
Malu’u Area Health Centre at Malu’u provincial sub-centre in the northern region of Malaita province.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

MALU’U Area Health Centre (AHC) in the northern region of Malaita province has reported free covid-19 status since the beginning of this month.

This is confirmed by the Community Health Nurse Consultant for Northern region based at Malu’u, Mr Lawrence Irobaea.

He said Malu’u AHC has not reporedt any case for northern region in contrast to one or two cases reported last month.

“Now covid-19 case at Malu’u has reduced even we didn’t record cases since the beginning of June,” Irobaea said in a recent interview.

He said that “initially” that was three months ago, they were shocked and even unable to manage the pandemic due to lack of preparation.

Irobaea said with support from Ministry of health and donor partners through the province health, the AHC was equipped with required resources to manage the virus. 

“We thanked the MHMS through the provincial health and donors for assistance provided through doctor, PPEs, covid-19 trainings and many more that boost our staffs to manage the virus,” he said.

Irobaea said Malu’u AHC was among other sub-regions in the province that had reported high number of covid-19 cases during its rage three months ago.

He said now Malu’u is free of covid-19, however community transmission is still active and people in the region must continue practising covid-19 safety measures.

Yesterday, the Incident Controller in the Ministry of Health and Medical Service, Dr Nemia Bainivalu has reported the activeness of covid-19 for the country.

He said from 28th May to 10th June 2022, the ministry has new cases of 307.

“In Honiara we have 10 cases, Malaita 9, Central Islands Province 11, Western Province and Choiseul 200 plus, Makira 12, Renbel 10 and Temotu nine,” Bainivalu said.

Nationally, there are 21,544 covid-19 cases.

Team to assess ESP

Written by
Admin
-
0

MINISTRY of Finance and Treasury has appointed a team to do an assessment on the $319 million Economic Stimulus Package.

The Government has come up with the ESP to response to impacts of the covid 19 and to recover the economy in the short to medium term.

Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Jimmy Rodgers told media on Wednesday based on answer of Permanent Secretary of Finance, that a team is now on it.

He said as soon as report comes in, Finance will assess it and present to Cabinet and after that make available to public on how the ESP has worked, the lessons learnt, is it the same kind of thing the we are going to do it again?

In March, PS Dentana McKini said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was tasked by the government to carry out a review on the government’s policy on ESP.

“There will be a report to be released in mid-week of April and there are a number of reports that they will be producing”, Dentana said.

He said more than 50 youths were also engaged by the government to conduct interviews in the provinces in 2021.

Dentana said they were not able to complete their assessments this year because of COVID-19 but have done follow ups with the beneficiaries of the ESP through phone interviews.

Family guilty of looting

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
-
0
Police officers tirelessly working to bring the riots under control. PHOTO: Mavis N Podokolo

…Sentenced for stealing goods during November riot

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A father, mother and their two children were convicted and sentenced for stealing items and goods during the November 2021 riot and looting.

In sentencing the family, Principal Magistrate Leonard Chite said it is an unfortunate case that involves a father, mother, and their two children.

The reason as to why they would indulge in such selfish and callous act was not provided by counsels, Chite said.

This is the case of defendants Pricilla Usui Mae, Jude Mae and Alfred Kingsley Mae and a 17-year-old juvenile son, all charged together with four counts of simple larceny, they pleaded guilty and conviction entered against all the defendants.

The country of Solomon Islands was submerged in an absolute chaos and lawlessness during the days from November 24 to 26, 2021, as looters and rioters stormed the capital city of Honiara, rampaging and destroying shops, business, homes and properties. People were left homeless, jobless, and shattered without hopes for what tomorrow may bring for them. It was during these period that the defendant as a family individually went and stole good from four shops within the vicinity of Ranadi Industrial and commercial area. They returned and stacked the goods in a chicken coop. It was not until an investigation operation ensued that they eventually located and recover the stolen items.

Their participation according to the facts are that, on the date of offence, the defendants Jude and the 17-year-old son, were at their home at Abira settlement, when they saw a group of people along the road, some of them were carrying valuable items and were heading in land, while other were running toward Ranadi area. So, they joined those who ran towards Ranadi area. When they reached Ranadi area, the main road of Prince Philip High way was littered with valuable items or goods, thus the 17-year-old took 2 x 10kg bags of rice. He took the bags of rice at the footpath in front of Low Price Enterprise at Marine School area. Jude Mae, also collected some items. He took the items along the Main Road of Prince Philip Highway Road and the road at Panatina ridge, a chainsaw valued at $6,700.00, a grass cutter valued at $920.00 a Ryobi branded drill valued at $1,100.00 3 x packets of Stihl tools, a mighty seven branded riveter, 3 x M7 grinders, 1 x coil rope B- safe, a green spade, and 3 x miscellaneous metal items in a clear bag.

The mother collected the following from Low Price Enterprise at SINU marine school area; 4 x 10kg of rice valued at $360.00, and a carton Hard Navy biscuit valued at $103.00. As for Mr. Alfred Kingsley Mae, he went to work but was told that there was not work due to rioting, so he returned to their home at Abira Settlement and on his way to White store, he met a group of people carrying goods and someone told him that Big Chainsaw Ranadi store was burnt down, he then proceeded and followed the Tanakake Road and met a little boy who was sitting down with the chainsaw and told him to take it back home, so he did. He went back and helped Richard carry the 3 bags of rice and some sausages and chicken.

Magistrate Chite said the incident was committed by a complete family unit, except for the younger children who were at home.

“How can you parents teach your children to be responsible individuals when you have a totally wrong example for them. The most effective way of teaching is said to be from actions learned that parents does on a daily basis, and both of you have certainly did the opposite and, instead led to them to do wrong and illegal stuff. And on a greater scale, how can we change this nation, when these are the very people who we expect to lead in the years to come.

“If we are not careful, we playing with a ticking time bomb that if not curtailed properly these individuals will become notorious criminals”, Chite said.

Magistrate Chite after considering all the mitigations and sentencing submissions sentenced the father Jude Mae to nine months, while the mother Pricilla Mae and Alfred Mae sentenced to six months and the 17-year-old juvenile to three months and will be suspended for one year on the condition that he must not commit any offence punishable by imprisonment within the period suspended.

However, he further ordered that Pricilla Mae and Alfred Mae to be released from custody on conditions that they should not commit any offence for two years.

Public Prosecutor Myrella Cleven of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown, while Martha Manaka, Emy Rusi and Steven Weago of the Public Solicitor’s Office represent the defendants.

Honiara-Jiangmen city ties highlight of Wang’s visit

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
-
0
Honiara is the beating heart of the country's economy.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE signing of a sister relationship between cities of Jiangmen and Honiara was the highlight of the visit by the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Solomon Islands recently.

Chinese Ambassador to country, Li Ming stated this when he handed over 100 solar street lights to Honiara City Council on Tuesday.

Ming said a few weeks ago, the historical visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi yielded additional fruitful achievements to the people of both China and Solomon Islands.

He said during the visit, a total of 9 bilateral cooperation documents on visa waiver, health, civil aviation and tariff-exemptions have been signed.

“The highlight was the establishment of a sister-relationship between Jiangmen and Honiara cities, the first sister cities between our two countries.

“It has received warm welcome in China, especially in Jiangmen city, and will definitely set up a role model for other provinces and cities,” he said.

Furthermore, Jiangmen has enjoyed a time-honoured friendship with both Solomon Islands and Honiara city.

“According to history, one of the first Chinese nationals who arrived in the Solomon Islands in early 1920s was from the Taishan county of Jiangmen city.

“His family has lived in Honiara for four generations,” Ming said.

“Besides the historical connections, the two and half years after China and Solomon Islands entered into diplomatic relations also witnessed people to people exchanges between the two cities.

“I am robustly confident that, with a highly-complementary economic structure between Jiangmen and Honiara, and active participation by Jiangmen communities in Honiara, there will be more areas and new impetus for Jiangmen and Honiara cooperation,” he said.

1...697698699...1,663Page 698 of 1,663