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PM says he held back from sacking SIBC management

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says he has held back from sacking the management of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).

This was after SIBC did not make profit since 2018 and other infringements PM Sogavare decided not to reveal in Parliament on Tuesday.

As a result, Sogavare omitted SIBC from the schedule of the State-Owned Enterprises Act and it continues operating solely under the Broadcasting Act Cap 112.

In response to MP for Small Malaita Rick Hou, Sogavare said the only actions left is to sack them.

“I will not do that.

“As rightly observed by Hou, I called the CEO and discussed the analysis with him.

“He was shocked. What he said, thank you very much, it is within your right to take any actions against us,” Sogavare said.

“I said please go and start and address the concerns of government.

“Government is here. If you hear anything, come and seek clarification from right ministries before broadcasting,” he said.

Further to that, Sogavare said SIBC has not ceased operations, rather more control has been given to government.

He said it might not be a permanent arrangement.

However, Sogavare said maybe in long term, look at SOE Act because some of the SOE run to $200m to $300m in their accounts.

He said they only pay $5 million for dividends and should do service.

Sogavare said SOE improves governance issues.

He said it is good, have role to play, but not make service they want.

“At this point of time, decision stay like this,” he added.

Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale asked what is the government’s level of control in transition period over SIBC editorial policy.

Sogavare said they will not go to extend to tell everything government want to say.

“We are concern about certain things we are not happy.

“In the Broadcasting Act, I can report to Parliament,” he said.

However, Chairman of Public Accounts Committee, Douglas Ete said the idea of SOE is a structural adjustment programme of Government.

He said it is not wrong that Government thinks that way.

“Either privatising or get the Act to Parliament and repealed it.

“And get an Act that is open so that it is not seen that the Prime Minister is controlling SIBC because seemingly in this arrangement, government take it off from SOE because of the many reasons Prime Minister had said,” he said.

Ete believes this SIBC Act is too old and obsolete.

He said it is not good for the Prime Minister to summon the Board member, it would be seen as dictatorial approach and they don’t want it.

“Can government take a white paper to Parliament to discuss it before we canvass it for repealment and amendment of SIBC Act?” he asked.

Sogavare said when come to issues of good governance, SOE stand out clearly.

He said SOE introduced in 2007 on very reasons, level of control political government has over the bodies.

“Before introduction of SOE, people in government stayed in the Boards and helped to destroy the bodies.

“It is a serious big problem, we were saved by the introduction of SOE,” he said.

Sogavare said 90 percent of old issues of governance, get right people in Board and run this organisation.

He said maybe white paper on all SOEs because before they became SOEs, they are service delivery arms of the government.

Togamana: study done on effects of vaccines here

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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By EDDIE OSIFELO

MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services has carried out a study and investigation into side effects of vaccinations administered in the country.

Vaccines studied include AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Sinopharm.

Minister Dr Culwick Togamana confirmed this in response to Member of Parliament for West Are Are, John Maneniaru in Parliament on Monday.

  1. AstraZeneca – 522 reactions, serious – 4 recorded, hospitalisation -4, death-0;
  2. Pfizer – no immune side effects, hospitalisation – 0 and death -0;
  3. Sinopharm – 61 show some reactions to vaccination, serious – 0, hospitalisation– 0 and death-0.

However, Togamana said he was extremely disappointed with no evidence of death.

He said there are malicious misinformation spread in the media and some renowned citizens about vaccination.

“This is extremely sad,” he said.

“All vaccinations are approved by World Health Organisation. There are studies done elsewhere,” he said.

Furthermore, Togamana said 51 percent of 18 years above have completed fully vaccinations of two doses.

“After five to six months, you can take your first booster shot, follows by second booster shot after four months.”

However, Togamana said 63 percent of people in Malaita Province have not taken any vaccination.

FAKE NOTES ALERT

Written by
Press Release
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CBSI: counterfeit banknotes circulating again

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) is urging public to be on high alert and to look out for fake banknotes following reports of a high number of counterfeited banknotes being intercepted by Honiara residents.

Reports reaching CBSI indicate that residents, especially local businesses have been receiving fake banknotes of the latest print (or issue) in the denominations of $100, $50 and $20 notes.

The reports highlighted clear intent by perpetrators on victimising the local business owners in Honiara and the public at large with fake money.

“CBSI would like to reiterate over again that any use of fake money or counterfeit currency for purposes of purchasing or acquiring legitimate products or services, is in effect a criminal act, and any group or individual found to be doing this activity is liable for prosecution,” the bank said in a statement.

“Members of the public may call in at the Central Bank during working hours to obtain a leaflet on the security features of banknotes. The security features may also be consulted on the Bank’s website at https://www.cbsi.com.sb/currency/cbsi-banknotes/,” it added.

“CBSI strongly encourages the general public to continue to report any such incidents of counterfeit money being used or if you have in possession a fake banknote, make sure to take it to your nearest commercial bank branch, police station or to the CBSI office in Honiara.

“All citizens must be on high alert at this time in the country, and be on the lookout for certain groups or individuals going around with fake money, and using them on unsuspecting people.”

According to CBSI, the latest fake note being confiscated is the new $100 issue with the serial No: A/3476154.

CBSI is the only authority under Solomon Islands law that is allowed to print and issue legal tender currency (banknotes).

Gizo market vendors undergo disaster resilience training

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Market vendors pay close attention during one of the presentations yesterday

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

TWENTY five market vendors in and around Gizo are currently undergoing Community Resilience to Climate and Disaster Risk training.

Officials from Western Province’s disaster committee are also part of the training.

In an interview with Island Sun Gizo office, the National Project Coordinator, Market for Change Project Solomon Islands, Collin Potakana said the training is to ensure markets have disaster plans making sure disaster respond plan guarantee vendors and customers’ safety in the event of natural disasters.

He said similar training is also underway at Munda.

“These are the first training we carry out under component four of Market for Change program. Component four of Market for Change Project focuses on Infrastructure development and Resilience to Climate and Disaster Risk training.

One of the trainer speaking to the participant during his presentation yesterday

“At the end of these five days training, we are looking at drafting a disaster response plan for Gizo and Munda Market.

“Another objective is to establish a disaster committee for Gizo and Munda Markets. This committees will make sure outcomes of this trainings are implemented effectively,” Potakana said.

He said the training is led by officers from National Disaster Management Office in collaboration with Market for Change Program and participants will be introduced to hazards, risks, vulnerability and simulations that would help participants master the knowledge.

Potakana said similar trainings will be carried out on four market administrations; Honiara City Council who is responsible for Honiara Central market, Malaita Provincial Government the responsible authority for Auki market and Western Provincial Government who is responsible for Gizo and Munda markets.

Collin Potakana briefed the media about the training

“Towards the end of August, we will facilitate the training for Honiara Central Market and around September we will reach out to Auki market with similar training,” he said.

Potakana said there is a very high demand for the training but he believes that knowledge is passed down from the training and will be passed to community level as most participants comes from communities.

He acknowledged Australian Government for funding the program and also NDMO for supporting the program in delivering the trainings.

Potakana also acknowledged Western Provincial Government, Gizo Market management and Munda Market management for allowing the training to run smoothly.

One of the participants, Clera Miurel who represents Saeragi vendors’ said the training is an eye opener for her.

Clera Miurel speaking to the media

She said she learned lots of new knowledge in relation to disaster resilience and disaster management.

Miurel said the training helped her to realize the importance of preparedness and disaster management.

“I’m very happy to be part of the training. I’ve learnt a lot during today’s session (yesterday) and I’m hoping to learn more in the next three days,” she said.

Miurel said disaster preparedness is very important and such training will help not only vendors but communities to better prepare for disaster.

She said she will make efforts to share the knowledge obtained from the training with her community and also vendors.

Cyber crime bill to be ready end of this year

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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National Parliament of Solomon Islands

By EDDIE OSIFELO

ATTORNEY General, John Muria Junior is hoping to see the draft of the cyber crime bill ready before the end of this year.

The Bill aims to deal with cyber bullying, money laundering, and the use of electronic medium to commit crimes.

It would make it illegal to use electronic means to coerce, to intimidate, to harass or cause substantial emotion distress to anybody and people in this country.

Muria Junior said there are number of ministries that came together to form a taskforce and the police is one of them.

He said the whole policy or rational behind the bill encapsulates development on the law of privacy, data protection, child online protection, admissibility of electronic evidence on what define threats online.

“Also, Freedom of Information, to deal with areas of law,” he said.

Further to that, he said it is difficult to define communication, how to capture technology like verbal, written, nonverbal, gesture?

He said those are current work that are going on.

In addition, Minister of Communication and Aviation, Peter Shanel Agovaka said cyberbullying is very imminent today in Honiara.

He said this is to do with sending messages by means through texts, SMS to someone, and hacking to someone’s personal data, being rude or mean to someone online, spreading secrets and rumours about people online.

“These are cyberbullying, it causes social effects on people, and it is something government would like to address by creating or coming up with cybercrime bill.

“We start with sim card registration,” he said.

Shanel said Sim Card registration is very important in that way they are able to track people down who are causing cyber bullying online, actually find the numbers and find who they are on the registered Sim Card.

The draft Bill will go through caucus and Cabinet before being tabled in Parliament for deliberation with Bills and Legislative Committee and first reading, second reading and passage of it.

5 months gap in learning this year

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Lanelle Tanangada former Minister for MEHRD

By EDDIE OSIFELO

STUDENTS in Primary and Secondary have experienced five months loss of learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister of Education and Human Resources, Lannell Tanangada confirmed this when asked by Leader of Opposition, Mathew Wale in Parliament yesterday.

Tanangada said so far there is limited data to study the questions on loss of learning experience by the students both in Primary and Secondary schools during the covid 19 pandemic.

“Nonetheless there has been significant impact of covid 19 on students learning.

“We could estimate loss of learning experience by students in terms of number of hours, days, weeks, months and years of no face-to-face instructions,” she said.

“For example, this year alone, there were five months of loss of learning experienced by the students.

“Loss of learning could also be expressed in terms of curriculum coverage,” she said.

Tanangada said the subject contents, knowledge, skills and attitudes that were associated with the subjects’ students did not learn during the closure of schools.

“In summary closure of schools resulting from Covid-19 pandemic had impacted on instructions and teaching and learning time.

“We know there was loss of instructional time as well as welfares of students. Students were affected psychology. They become anxious. They are worried about their education and long for a time the schools were open. They thought about their exams they were supposed to sit to progress to the next level of education and students were uncertain about their future and whether they would continue and complete their education,” she said.

“So, the overall closure of schools caused by covid 19 has had devastating impacts on our students learning.

“In other words, students experienced huge learning loss during the covid 19 period and they would need to catch up with their learning to be recover,” she added.

Parliament continues at 9.30am today.

Malaita aware of monkey pox

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Director of Malaita Health, Dr Rex Maukera.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

Malaita is aware of the new virus spreading globally, the monkey pox, and is prepared to resist it should there be community transmission in the country.

DIRECTOR of Malaita provincial health authority, Dr Rex Maukera says the Ministry of Health (MHMS) through the provincial health is aware and monitoring the trend of the virus globally.

“Nothing yet aware for now, however, if there is need to step up program, we will liaise with the mother ministry to roll out monkey box programs,” Maukera said.

He said at the moment the provincial health is rolling out measles and rubella campaign in the province also in preparation for a reported outbreak in the region.

Maukera said covid-19 programme is still ongoing and next month they will roll out a covid-19 integrated vaccination for the province.

He also noted that just recently the provincial health had resumed normal health services for all health centres across the province.

Maukera said this is after the covid-19 era that charged the country since the beginning of this year, and even the past two years of covid-19 preparation.

Frontliners query covid-19 allowances

Written by
Samie Waikori
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BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services is being asked when it will pay frontliners their June covid-19 allowance.

A front-liner, who is a staff under Malaita provincial office, makes this call through this paper in anonymity.

The person said staffs under Malaita provincial health and several others under MPG are still waiting for their June allowance.

The frontliner said although delay in covid-19 allowance is not new, it is affecting them; and it is unfair since they have fulfilled their side faithfully by working, only to be treated such way by MHMS.

The person said front-liners’ frustration on the matter has all along been buried, and it’s time responsible authority to tangible about it.

SIBC NOT UNIFYING!

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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0
Prime Minister Sogavare during the recent PIF meeting

….PM explain reasons for broadcasters’ omission as SOE

By EDDIE OSIFELO

THE Prime Minister has accused the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) of deviating from its purpose of uniting the country.

 Manasseh Sogavare made this statement when explaining the government’s decision behind the omitting SIBC as a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) recently.

Responding to a question from the Leader of Opposition in Parliament yesterday, Sogavare said SIBC is a statutory body and service provider that continues to receive fundings from the Solomon Islands Government.

“As a national broadcaster, SIBC is expected to conduct its business in such a manner that instils unity amongst our people.

“However, in recent times, that was not the case,” he said.

“In fact, in 2015, we came up with this National Broadcasting Policy 2015 that clearly outlines what is expected of the national broadcaster, bring country together, unity, issues that this country grapples with.

“We struggle to hold this country together,” he said.

However, Sogavare said they have seen recently SIBC has been broadcasting news that is inciting, allow anxiety in our public, mostly based on misinformation and in some cases deliberate lies.

He said the government was not even given the opportunity to respond to this misinformation and lies.

“The Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has brought this up with the Board and CEO of SIBC but to no avail.

“I had personal discussions with the CEO and officers have discussed with them that some issues they are broadcasting is dividing this nation,” he said.

Sogavare said but to no avail.

He said SIBC must abide by code of ethics but most importantly must abide by National Broadcasting Policy, should guide the way SIBC do its work.

Furthermore, Sogavare backed his argument for the basis of Government’s decision by quoting the preamble of Society of Professional Journalists.

SPJ believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. Ethical journalism strives to ensure the free exchange of information that is accurate, fair and thorough. An ethical journalist acts with integrity.

The Society declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their use in its practice by all people in all media.

The four principles are Seek Truth and Report It, Minimize Harm, Act Independently and Be Accountable and Transparent.

Sogavare said the National Broadcaster must at all times keep this in mind when discharging their statutory and professional obligations to our people.

He also used former United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt quote:

“Freedom of the press is essential to the preservation of a democracy; but there is a difference between freedom and license. Editorialists who tell downright lies in order to advance their own agendas do more to discredit the press than all the censors in the world.”

Sogavare said this is a real concern of the government where journalist reporting back to their editor with stories and news and it is the editor that decides what get printed and sets the agenda for public consumption and debate.

“I urge all of us to take heed of the observation of this great man,” he said.

Moreover, Sogavare used the words of former publisher of New York Times from 1931-1963, A.G. Sulzberger.

Sulzberger stated:

“Perhaps we out to ask ourselves just what freedom of press really is. Whose freedom, is it? Does it guarantee the right of the publisher to do what he wishes, limited only by the laws of libel, public order and decency? Is it only a special license to those that manage the units of the press? The answer is of course is no.”

Sogavare said now it is time to act that SIBC discharge its mandate in accordance with ethical journalist, especially when propagate by national broadcaster.

“We don’t have control of newspaper, because of that cabinet has agreed to establish government newspaper,” he said.

The Prime Minister also said SIBC had not been making profits since 2018 even though Government supported all along including Subvention grants from Office of Prime Minister.

He said SIBC will still operate under Broadcasting Act Cap 122, it has been doing since 1978.

Variana township development opens for investors 

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Mr Rosalio and Mulekopa posed with the Variana Township Development plan

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

VARIANA township development in West Guadalcanal is seeking local and international investors through partnership arrangement.

Chairman of the taskforce for Variana Township Development David Rosalio says the land has been registered and transferred to Tiaro Savulei Purchase Corporate Society and the committee has agreed to utilise the land as a commercial centre for West Guadalcanal people.

Rosalio said this township project was taken up to the Guadalcanal Provincial Government when Anthony Veke was the premier.

And Veke’s government gave the approval to develop the Variana Township concept.

He adds, the current provincial government is also well aware of this plan.

Rosalio said survey work has completed, now they are putting together efforts for the zoning of different sectors. These sectors include administrations, commercial, Industrial, residential, police, tourism, market, sport, health, education and also proposed road project.

He said in terms of budget, there is no budget set aside or allocated for this development but they are seeking assistance to support them with this township project.

“With this we invite investors to come. We are open for investors but must through a partnership arrangement.18 investors have already applied,” Rosalio said.

Chairman of the Tiaro Savulei land Purchase Corporate Society Vincent Mulekopa said the establishment of Variana Township will help a lot to people at West Guadalcanal and South Guadalcanal because it will provide employment and services will be available and easy to access.

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