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Work on water treatment plant to start June

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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The Water source at Kongulai

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

WATER turbidity and shut-downs from the Kongulai source will become a thing of the past when work on a $130 million water treatment plant designed to address the issue is completed next year.

Solomon Water yesterday announced India-based firm REAN PCS Joint Venture has been awarded the contract to build the plant.

“This will be the largest and most complex project ever built by Solomon Water and we are thrilled to finally award a contract for it,” Solomon Water CEO Ian Gooden said.

“When completed, the project will significantly improve the continuity and quality of our water supply to Honiara residents and businesses without interruption,” he added.

Gooden said Solomon Water received five bids for the project.

“Construction should start around June and will run for 14 months and then the contractor will operate and maintain the plant for a further 12 months,” the CEO explains.

Rean Watertech, Solomon Water says, is a water company specialising in delivering water and wastewater projects.  

P.C. Snehal Construction Pvt. Ltd is an engineering and infrastructure company with over 40 years of experience. Both companies are based in India.

Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB), the joint venture will construct a water treatment plant up at Kongulai pumping station with a capacity to treat 15 megalitres (million litres) of water per day through the use of clarifiers and filtration.

Associated works include raw and treated water pump stations, pipe bridges, sludge ponds and site civil works and a new rising main up to the Tasahae reservoirs.

The joint venture will also train Solomon Water staff to operate and maintain the water treatment plant for a period of at least 12 months.

Kongulai water source supplies water to about 60 per cent of Honiara’s residents.

But because it’s an open source, when there’s heavy rain, the source becomes muddy, forcing Solomon Water with no option but to shut the source off.

This normally irks the public, attracting criticisms and unwanted commentaries against Solomon Water.

New scheme of service for government lawyers

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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The High Court of Solomon Islands. Photo by SIBC.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Justice and Legal Affairs is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government Lawyers Association (GLA) on their new scheme of service.

Minister Clezy Rore confirmed this when asked by Leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale during the Committee Supply of the 2022 Appropriation Bill 2022 in Parliament on Wednesday.

He said there was a submission made by GLA which has been taken onboard.

“We had a meeting with officials and come to compromise and expect to sign MOU on their scheme of service.

“The only difficult part is funding, we try to get Ministry of Finance to assure us funding is there then we get to sign the MOU,” he added.

Government lawyers working at the Attorney General’s Chambers, Director of Public Prosecutions, Public Solicitor’s office and Law Reform Commission have pushed a new scheme of service since 2012 where they threatened to resign from their work.

In the meantime, Attorney General, John Muria Junior said there is a review for the Judges term of condition as well.

“One was done in year before.

“We are working on one now by my office and I think should be sign by Prime Minister then their new term of conditions come into force,” he added.

Further to that, Muria Junior said they are also looking into the autonomy for our national judiciary to become an independent body.

He said they also plan to look into the pensions for judges as well.

Clinic to be built for PG athletes

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE National Hosting Authority will build a clinic at Panatina to cater for the visiting contingents for the 17th Pacific Games in 2023.

The Games will be held in Honiara from 19th November to 2nd December 2023.

Minister of Health and Medical Services, Dr Culwick Togamana confirmed this when asked by Member of Parliament for Small Malaita Rick Hou during the committee supply of the 2022 Appropriation Bill 2022 yesterday.

Hou expressed his concern on the state of the National Referral Hospital and space to accommodate the athletes attending the Games.

Dr Togamana said the clinic is specifically constructed, dedicated to the sporting athletes that come to address any injuries and medical needs.

He said only serious cases will go to the National Referral Hospital.

Solomon Islands is expecting to welcome over 5000 athletes and officials from 24 Pacific Island nations with over 3000 volunteers and contractors.

US dismisses assertions on SI

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

By EDDIE OSIFELO

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink has rejected assertion that US haven’t paid much attention to Solomon Islands since they removed their embassy in 1993.

Ambassador Kritenbrink clarified this when asked by Demetri Sevastopulo from the Financial Times in Washington during a teleconference with him.

Sevastopulo said he was just curious, some foreign policy experts say that the U.S. in a sense opened the door to China on the security deal with the Solomon Islands because it didn’t have an embassy since 1993 and may not have paid enough attention to the Solomons in terms of economic and diplomatic engagement. 

“In that context, I’m curious– in the Solomon Islands, Fiji, or PNG, was there any discussion about those countries getting involved in some way in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework that the Biden administration is going to unveil shortly?” 

However, Ambassador Kritenbrink said first, the United States has been and remains actively engaged across the entire Indo-Pacific region, across the Pacific Islands, and certainly within the Solomon Islands itself.

“And I can rattle off a whole range of activities from the 150,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines we’ve provided to the Solomons in the past six months, the Millennium Challenge Corporation threshold program that we have inked which is a four-year, $20 million program. 

“I can talk about the U.S. Geological Survey and USAID and their programs to help monitor the Savo Volcano,” he said.

“Certainly, we can talk about our past provision of unexploded ordnance clearance assistance and how we’ll continue to expand that, and the many other things that we’re doing.  

“So, we’re certainly engaged, and of course I should mention the five-year, $25 million SCALE program as well,” he added.

“So again, that’s just one small snapshot of some of the things that we’ve been doing in the Solomons, and I think you’re aware of our broader engagement across the region, highlighted most recently by Secretary Blinken’s stop in Fiji in February,” he said.

US response unclear

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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ASSISTANT Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, at the US Department of State Daniel Kritenbrink.

By EDDIE OSIFELO

UNITED States of America has not come out clear on any military response or sanction if China is going to build a military base in Solomon Islands.

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink explained this during the teleconference with international media on Tuesday.

Andrew Tillett from the Australian Financial Review in Canberra, Australia, asked (Kritenbrink) who told the Solomon Islands Government that the U.S. would respond if there was a Chinese military base in the Solomons. 

She reiterated that Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison described it as a red-line issue. 

However, Ambassador Kritenbrink said he is not going to speculate and not in a position to talk about what the United States may or may not do in such a situation. 

“But again, our purpose in going to the Solomons was to explain to our friends there our approach to the region and the steps we’re taking to step up our engagement across the Pacific Islands, the specific programs and activities that are ongoing in the Solomons and that we expect to expand and accelerate in the months ahead, but also to communicate in a very candid way the concerns that we have about this security agreement that they have concluded with China. 

“And again, we outlined that of course we have respect for the Solomon Islands’ sovereignty, but we also wanted to let them know that if steps were taken to establish a de facto permanent military presence, power-projection capabilities, or a military installation, then we would have significant concerns and we would very naturally respond to those concerns,” he said.  

“So, again, I’m not going to speculate what that may or may not involve, but I think our goal was to be very clear in that regard. 

“And I think as we noted in my remarks a moment ago, and I’m sure you saw the statement that we released from the White House at the end of our trip, Prime Minister Sogavare did reiterate his specific assurances on each of those three concerns: that there would be no military base, no long-term presence, and no power-projection capability, something that he has said publicly,” he said.

“And again, we made clear we will follow those developments closely in consultation with our regional partners, and I’m confident when we hold our strategic dialogue session in September, we will have the opportunity to discuss these issues further, along with the many other issues I’ve outlined here tonight,” he said.

Covid-19 admittance at NRH declining, says Togamana

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Health Minister and team talks to a mother admitted at the NRH Golden Ward during local community transmission.

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

The number of patients who end up being admitted at the national referral hospital is slowly declining, says Health Minister Culwick Togamana.

Togamana this week said this, explaining:

“In terms of hospitalization, our National Referral Hospital COVID-19 ward has already started to record decline in the number of patients admitted for COVID-19, from 22 patients on Sunday, 17 patients on Monday and 14 patients as of today. These are patients admitted because of being sick with COVID-19.”

Togamana adds that there are also patients across other wards who have tested positive for COVID-19 as well.

“Over the weekend there were 87 patients who tested positive. This has now reduced to 54 as many also returned to negative,” he said.

Togamana says the Central Field Hospital that was put on standby to house any surge in patients still remains empty with zero patient.

He adds, province hospitalisation is also declining with COVID-19 admissions less than five patients for provincial hospitals (Kiluufi, Gizo, Buala and Kirakira).

“These hospitals and those in other Provinces have not recorded any resurge of cases and hospitalizations as yet, which could mean the 2nd wave is still very much contained in Honiara,” Togamana said.

Gizo vendors welcome new jetties

Written by
Ben Bilua
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President of the Gizo Marker Vendors Association Lauretta Nalasa speaking during the launching of the jetties

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

GIZO Market Vendors Association (GMVA) has acknowledged World Bank and Western Provincial Government for the major upgrading of access to Gizo Market.

The Association made the acknowledgement after the opening of two new jetties which brings the total number of jetties in  the Gizo Market to three.

President of the Association, Lauretta Nalasa said the completion of the three jetties is a great relief for vendors as the jetties will provide safe access to offload products at the market.

“Looking back three years ago, I can say that our vendors from nearby Islands were indeed faced challenges trying to offload their products and bring them to the market. It was even more difficult when there is low tide, vendors have to carry heavy loads for quite a distance before reaching the market.

“At times, some of our vendors’ products were spoilt just when trying to reach the market.

“These jetties are a game changer and I must say that we are very pleased with the facilities,” she said.

Nalasa said management of the jetties will be tough but she is confident that Gizo Town Council will help to make sure the facilities are in good condition for longer period of time.

She calls on market vendors to respect and share the facilities so that everyone can have equal benefit.

Two new jetties for Gizo Market

Written by
Ben Bilua
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PS of Western Province Jeffrey Wickham cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the jetties as other officials watched

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

GIZO Market vendors and officials witnessed the opening of two jetties at Gizo market yesterday.

Gizo Market now has three jetties for vendors from surrounding communities to offload their product safely upon arrival at the market.

Speaking during the launching ceremony, Permanent Secretary of Western Provincial Government, Jeffrey Wickham acknowledged the World Bank through Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement Project for the huge contribution towards livelihood of people in Western Province – especially Gizo and surrounding Islands.

He also acknowledged those who took part in the construction of the jetties as well as Gizo CAUSE Project office for supervising the construction work.

“Now boat access to Gizo Market is solved. These three jetties will provide easy access for our market vendors to transport their products to the market.

“It is our turn to look after these important facilities,” Wickham said.

He said there are more projects lining up under the CAUSE project and that is a good news for Gizo residences as well as people of Western province.

Clerk of Gizo Town, Charles Kelly shared similar sentiment saying that the responsibility is on users to take good care of the properties.

He said the completion of the two jetties is an end result of effective mission and vision that is to provide better access for boats to offload products at the market.

Kelly urges users to take ownership of the facilities so that they can provide long term benefits.

“Someone is losing money to help us build these jetties so as a token of appreciation, we must look after these facilities on their behalf and for our own benefits,” he said.

Gizo Market Manager, Moffat Maeta also acknowledged World Bank and CAUSE Project team in Gizo for delivering the much needed facilities for Gizo Market.

He said the two jetties will definitely address market vendors complains of proper access to the marker via sea transport.

“There is no other word that I can say but thank you World Bank, CAUSE Project Gizo team and Western Provincial Government for this very important gift,” Maeta said.

Gov’t backs airline with $6M

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Solomon Airlines airbus

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Government has supported Solomon Airlines with $6 million despite owing the airline an outstanding debt of $28 million in fees.

This is part of the government’s support under the State-Owned Enterprise recapitalisation.

Minister of Finance and Treasury, Harry Kuma explained this when asked by Chairman of Public Accounts Committee during the Committee of Supply of the 2022 Appropriation Bill 2022 in Parliament yesterday.

Kuma said they are well aware of the fact that Solomon Airlines is unable to pay those airport services.

He said it is the responsibility of one division, Inland Revenue Division.

However, he said the recapitalisation is the responsibility of Economic Reform Unit, which is responsible for SOEs.

“How can we compromise during these difficult times?

“Air service is important during this time to transport people and cargoes,” he said.

Kuma said Government see the need to support the airline rather than grounded it.

$4.5B BUDGET PASSED

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
National Parliament of Solomon Islands

By EDDIE OSIFELO

PARLIAMENT passed the $4.531 billion national budget without amendments yesterday.

The budget went through three and half days of scrutiny through the Committee of Supply before the motion was passed.

Recurrent budget gets a big pie in the budget with a total estimate of $3.050 billion.

This consists of payroll budget of $1.363 billion, $1.666 billion for Other Charges, and $20 million in Contingency Warrants.

The total expenditure for development initiatives of $870.9 million including $20 million development support from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).

The productive and resource sectors remain the priority of the government as they are potential drivers and enablers of growth.

The 2022 development budget allocation comprises of $541.8 million or 62 percent towards both the productive and resource sectors. Social sector is $179.8 million or 21 percent, and $149.3 million or 17 percent to the fundamental sector.

The remaining part of the budget include the Budget support, which is supported by donors.

Minister of Finance and Treasury, Harry Kuma tabled the 2022 Appropriation Bill 2022 last Thursday.

Kuma said the 2022 budget is a very tight budget and the government will need to realistically plan and prioritise its activities in order to achieve tangible outcomes within the 2022 financial year and avoid any commitments that will further derail government’s fiscal situation.

In this regard, the government has taken a drastic decision to reduce the overall SIG expenditure within the SIG revenue estimates in order to maintain fiscal stability and affordability of the government fiscal plan in 2022.

GCU said this is to ensure funding is always readily available to pay all government suppliers on time.

The DCGA in the 2022 Budget has refocused its key policy commitments towards three key priority areas including the COVID 19 response to effectively control and manage COVID19 transmission in Honiara and provinces, Reconstruction of buildings destroyed during the recent civil unrest including support to affected businesses and Implementation of economic response measures to support economic recovery and growth.

The government has committed $180.6 million under respective implementing ministries to support response to COVID-19 community transmission in Honiara and provinces.

This is an ongoing support towards the roll out of COVID -19 vaccination, improve medical infrastructure and quarantine sites to contain threat in communities, improving resourcing and capacity of frontline personnel to respond effectively to curb community transmission.

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