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Women leaders want security treaty cancelled

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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National Council of Women (NCW) president Ella Kauhue

BY MAVIS N. PODOKOLO 

WOMEN leaders want the next government to cancel the controversial security treaty Honiara signed with Beijing this week.

“The security agreement is not done in the interest of our country,” National Council of Women (NCW) president Ella Kauhue told reporters yesterday.

“It’s an agreement negotiated and signed for the interest of the DCGA government and China’s Community Party,” she added.

“So, a new government that comes in after next year’s election must terminate it.”

Kauhue stated although DCGA had gone ahead and signed the agreement in the face of widespread public opposition, her organisation will not stop talking about it.

“Our next step is to reach out to our women partners across the region,” she said.

“This is a big, big issue that does not concern Solomon Islands alone.

“It’s a regional issue and one that will have implications on regional security.

“So we will be in touch with regional council of women organisations to decide and consider our next response to this.”

NCW member and chief executive officer of Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) Ruth Liloqula said in signing the agreement, Sogavare has just given away the sovereignty of this nation to the Community Party of China.

“So, I don’t know what sovereignty they were talking about when they mentioned that this was a sovereign decision,” Liloqula said.

“Didn’t the prime minister realised that the very sovereignty he was talking about protecting was the same sovereignty that he had just given away to China?” she stated.

Liloqula backed Kauhue’s call for the next government to dissolve the agreement.

She said the agreement was shrouded with secrecy and that women were not consulted on it.

“I believe China drafted the agreement and forced it on the DCGA to sign.”

Liloqula said the arrangement is a reflection of just one man and the government that he leads.

She added that it was sad to see the security agreement dividing the government, instead of uniting it.

Rose Isukana, another senior member of NCW, the sovereignty of this nation has been hijacked by a government that cares less about its people and neighbours.

“Just look at the arrangement and the manner it was signed. It was done in all secrecy,” Isukana said.

“So sad that the government simply don’t want any inputs from our people in an agreement that will affect us all,” she added.  

“If this framework agreement is for this nation why are you hiding it, why?

“For us women, our call won’t stop here we will go beyond our borders and will continue to raise our voices on behalf of women, youth, children and People with Disability and those who are not happy about this security agreement.”

Gizo vendors defy call

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Market at KHY area still striving

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

MARKET Vendors are continuing to defy provincial orders not to sell their products at the KHY area in Gizo, locally known as the Buni area.

Vendors continue to crowd the area since the stop notice was issued last week.

A vendor spoken to said most vendors have decided to sell their products at the Buni area because of two reasons.

Their first being, the Buni area attracted many customers and second reason is that, vendors pay less market fee and sometimes there is no market fee at all.

“Most of us found that we get lots of customers when selling our products at the Buni area compared to when we sell at the Gizo Market – meaning we get more money to help our families,” the vendor said.

In his public announcement last week, Acting Chairperson of WPDC, Patrict Toiraena said selling of fish, cooked food and betel nut is prohibited at the area.

He said fish vendors so as those selling cooked food and betel nut must go either to the Gizo main market or Banana Valley to sell their products.

GIZO Market Manager Moffat Maeta shared similar sentiment saying the province has provided market facilities and that market vendors must use authorized market places such as the Gizo and Banana Valley Market Facilities to sell their products.

He said the closer of KHY area as a market is good news as the decision will finally encourage vendors to use the Gizo and Banana Valley Markets.

“I think if the KHY area is fenced for any further development, then our market vendors will come back to their right places for market, that is Gizo market and Banana Valley Market,” Maeta said.

He said there is no reason to protest against the province’s decision as the province has already provided the venues for vendors to sell their products.

This paper understands that two attempts have been made to stop vendors from selling at the Buni area.

The area was sealed by barbed wire during the first attempt, however the barbwire was not able to scare off vendors.

Solomon Airlines spells out plans to keep it operational

Written by
Mavis Podokolo
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Solomon Airlines airbus

BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO

SOLOMON Airlines has taken a step into resizing and restructuring the company by undertaking a thorough review to enable it to fly people during these challenging times.

Chairman of the Solomon Airlines Frank Wickham told this to local press yesterday.

He said this challenging time has also required as to look within the company in terms of resizing and restructuring the company.

“At the moment we are now undertaking a thorough review of the Solomon Airlines company’s structure. Our objective is to determine the right organisational structure now and as our Airlines moves forward as passenger, cargo and chatter service provide,” Wickham said.

He said “We must take into consideration that it will take several years for passenger demand to recover from covid-19 and that our business is not the same and indeed will not be the same for several years yet”.

On the same note Chief Executive Officer for the Solomon Airlines Brett Gebers said the company had looked at everything they do all the time and see if it is suitable in the environment that they working in right now.

Brett said one of the issue that they started looking at is that how easier it is to make bookings with Solomon Airlines given the situation with staff changes, procedure changes covid-19 restrictions etc.

“We are looking at how we restructure our reservations department, no bodies losing jobs but we are making sure it is easy for customer to phone and make a booking and make a payment on line with the aim to improving our services and for us to able to adapt in our new environment because we never know from one day to next of when is the new restriction will be imposed. But we see a brighter future part of that would be making it easier for people to buy tickets, one phone call and you get sorted out,” he said.

Home learning booklets to be distributed soon: Malaita EA

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Supplies of the “Continuity Learning Booklets” at Malaita EA office in Auki that will soon distribute to schools in the province.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

MALAITA Education Authority (EA) assures students, teachers and schools in the province that “distribution of home learning booklets will happen soon”.

The EA made the statement yesterday in response to a recent media report questioning the delay in book distribution.

According to the Malaita EA, supplies of the books have been received in Auki, but they are waiting for the remaining supplies from Honiara before they can begin with distribution in the province.

They said the supply received was only for schools in northern and eastern regions while supply for central and southern regions are yet to arrive.

Thus, they said that even then, the supply received was just three-quarter of schools in the two regions and an additional supply is needed.

For central and southern regions, they have very minimal supply in Auki and could be enough for only four schools in the two regions.

The EA said they understand the fact that the books were intended for school children/students to do home learning while schools are still close due to the current covid-19 situation.

However, they are waiting for the remaining supply to arrive before distribution.

They said any distribution now will not reflect a well-administer program while some schools will receive and others not.

The EA explained that the delay is between them and the Ministry of Education (MEHRD) and they are working on it.

The home learning booklet “continuity learning book” was produced by MEHRD with the assistance from Australia and New Zealand under the Education Sector Support Program (ESSP) in 2022.

The purpose of the booklets is to make sure school children and students from early childhood, primary and secondary schools to continue learn at homes while schools are still closed.

The beginning of a new voyage

Written by
Press Release
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Following the Central Islands Province Premier Stanley Manetiva’s handing over of a key for a new World Vision’s Office in Tulagi on 24 March 2022, the new voyage begins April 7th as World Vision sets sail its new Project’s Out Board Motor (OBM) for a test ran.

The test run of the new OBM displays World Vision’s commitment to continue reaching out to and supporting the well-being of children in the country, despite the hardships caused by the current pandemic.

“The OBM will be powered by a 40 Horse Yamaha Engine and used for the Central Islands Province Livelihoods Improvement Project (CLIP),” a statement from World Vision SI says.

“Through the hard work of staff and Provincial authorities, World Vision set up the new office space with funding secured for the CLIP Project, thanks to the European Union (EU), which is financing the two-and-a-half year project,” the statement added.

“The project’s team has also been recruited and is ready to roll out the project.

“Through its goal, which is to sustain economic and social resilience to the impact of COVID-19 and improve the well-being of families, the project will be implemented in ten communities in Small Ngella, which have a population of approximately 3,701.

“The project will engage with the communities on areas of fisheries, conducting training to improve knowledge on basic fishing techniques to improve the quality of products.

“While establishing producer groups to engage in sustainable livelihood activities, the project will also work to secure and link them to the market for their produce.”

The statement added the project will also work to strengthen financial literacy and enable community members to access financial services.

This includes training financial literacy and small business to ensure their skills on these important areas are improved.

Furthermore, the project will establish Saving and Producer Groups (SPGs) in partnership with the Anglican Church of Melanesia and Mothers’ Union, which are partners in the project.

“Saving is one of the key activities that World Vision Solomon Islands wishes to introduce to communities to ensure financial sustainability.

“Importantly, while the producer groups produce their products to sell at the market, a portion of their earnings will also be saved for household expenses such as school fees or medical bills.

“The model which World Vision is currently using is called Saving for Transformation (S4T).

“The model received many positive testimonies during the current COVID 19 outbreak, as it supported financial security during a time of difficult restrictions in place across the country.

“World Vision will be working with partners and other stakeholders to implement it during the project.”

The key partners are the Anglican Church of Melanesia and Mothers’ Union, while the stakeholders are Forum Fisheries Association, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, CIP Provincial Government, and People With Disability Solomon Islands (PWDSI), and other stakeholders will also contribute to the project’s goal.”

During the Easter weekend, WVSI Staff did a final set up at the Tulagi office and now ready for use.

APTC training gives Monica a job in Australia

Written by
Press Release
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Monica Wale

Gaining an internationally recognised qualification expands employment prospects for Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) graduates seeking employment in international labour markets. 

APTC graduates like Monica Wale from the Solomon Islands see value in pursuing Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) courses as a pathway to gain industry-relevant skills and prepare for the workforce.

Monica credits her training and Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) (CHC33015) qualification from APTC as the catalyst for progressing her career in Australia.

In March 2020, Monica was selected through the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme to work for the Mercy Aged Care Facility in Singleton Australia.

Two years into this role, she remains dedicated to her job looking after older persons working in Australia’s Aged Care Sector.

“I was a nurse aid for 19 years in the Malaita Province in the Solomon Islands, and aged care nursing is a bit different,” she said.

“APTC’s Individual Support course prepared me for this job in Australia, including how to speak and care for older persons, adapting to a different culture and environment and self-management,” Monica added.

The support Monica receives in her workplace has boosted her confidence to work independently.

She emphasises that having respect for and protecting the dignity of older persons and making them a part of the wider community, is important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The staff at Mercy Aged Care Facility are fantastic. They love to help and see people grow professionally and personally.

“It can be challenging working in a foreign country but I appreciate the support from the staff who continue to motivate and inspire me.

“We enjoy our work as aged care nurses even through difficult times like the COVID- 19 situation.” 

Despite the personal challenges she has gone through, Monica commends the PALM scheme for the opportunity to work in Australia and support her family back home.

She misses her family and is grateful for platforms like Facebook that keep her connected.

“It was challenging to hear that my beloved mum died when I was in Australia.

“I also lost my dad while I was studying in Fiji.

“I can’t forget the moment.

“Another challenge was missing my eldest son’s wedding.

“However, Facebook brings me closer to my family each time despite these sad moments in my life. I felt comfort this way,” she said.

She encourages women and youth to enroll in TVET courses for improved employment prospects in the Solomon Islands and to seek international labour mobility opportunities.

Monica joined three Solomon Islanders at Mercy Services.

The organisation provides community and in-home support to older persons, persons with disabilities, people affected by drug and alcohol abuse, the socially disadvantaged and families across various parts of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Lower Hunter region of NSW. – Source: APTC

Inmates celebrate Christ’s victory

Written by
Press Release
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Inmates receiving Holy Communion during the event.

As part of the Christian tradition, Rove Central Correctional Centre inmates joined the global family to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ last Sunday.

The event was held at St. Paul’s Chapel at the Correctional Centre.

“While serving time behind bars, inmates brothers and sisters were given the opportunity to leave their cells for a short period of time for the service,” a statement from Correctional Service Solomon Islands (CSSI) said.

“The tradition depicts the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection from the tomb,” the statement added.

“Inmates gathered for prayers, worship, sharing the Lord’s supper and singing of hymns to express their love and faith in Jesus, the Saviour of the world.

“There’s not a lot they can do in the Correctional Centres.

Inmates escort Commissioner Gabriel Manelusi and his delegation to St Paul Chapel at Rove Central Correctional Centre, Honiara.

“Just because of their crime committed, sin and attitude problem, it doesn’t mean they are exempted from the celebration to mark Christ’s victory and hope for humanity.

“Wherever we are, Christ paid the penalty for our sin on the cross.”

During the service, inmates were encouraged to reflect and embrace the death and resurrection of our one and only Saviour Jesus Christ.

“Regardless of our status, we all are experiencing a lot of challenges and difficulties in life.

“Therefore, let the Easter message of triumph and victory, give us hope, renewal and newness in life.”

Inmates celebrate the victorious succession of Jesus Christ from death.

The statement said protocol wise and in cultural tradition, 10 selected inmates in red ordinary cloths escorted the CSSI Commissioner Gabriel Manelusi and RCCC Commandant and management to St. Paul’s Chapel for the service.

Supervising Commandant RCCC, Lawrence Meke acknowledged the Commissioner for accepting his invitation to participate and witness the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection with the inmates.

Sogavare promises to disclose China security treaty

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare

BY JENNIFFER KUSAPA

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the controversial security treaty with China will be made public after further consultations with Beijing.

Sogavare stated this when responding to Opposition leader Mathew Wale in parliament yesterday.

Wale had suggested to Sogavare that since the agreement had now been signed, it should be made public so that Solomon Islanders would see and know what’s in there.

In response, Sogavare said this would be done but only after further consultations with China.

The prime minister would not say how soon that would be when Wale pressed him on that.

Earlier yesterday, he confirmed in parliament the agreement had been signed after the Chinese Foreign ministry broke the news to the world on Tuesday during its regular press conference.

Foreign Affairs ministers of the two countries signed the treaty recently.

He said the Government has taken a sovereign decision to broaden its security cooperation with more countries guided by the country’s National Security Strategy (NSS).

Sogavare asked all friends and partners to respect the sovereign interests of Solomon Islands which the country had subscribed to under the Biketewa and Boe Declarations on regional security.

“I ask all our neighbours, friends and partners to respect the sovereign interests of Solomon Islands on the assurance that the decision will not adversely impact or undermine the peace and harmony of our region”.  

“Let me once again reiterate that Solomon Islands Security Cooperation with China is guided by the country’s Foreign Policy of ‘Friends to all and Enemies to none’.

“Solomon Islands do not have any external adversaries nor is the framework directed at any countries or external alliances rather at our own internal security situation from within the state.

“It complements our (2017) Security Agreement with Australia,” Sogavare said.

He said Foreign Affairs minister Jeremiah Manele will visit some regional countries soon to assure our neighbours that the cooperation with China is about peace and wellbeing of Solomon Islands and the region. 

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday the security cooperation follows the principle of equality and mutual benefit, and is based on respecting the will and actual need of Solomon Islands.

He said the security cooperation aims at promoting social stability and long-term tranquility in Solomon Islands, which conforms to the common interests of Solomon Islands and the South Pacific region.

“The security cooperation is open, transparent and inclusive, and does not target any third party.

“It proceeds in parallel and complements Solomon Islands’ existing bilateral and multilateral security cooperation mechanisms.

“China stands ready to work with relevant countries to leverage respective strengths to form international synergy,” Wenbin said.

Opposition MP and Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Peter Kenilorea Jnr. told Radio New Zealand the government needs to make the security document public.

He said the Beijing-Honiara pact is not only a sovereign issue when it comes to security and geopolitics in the region.

The East Are’Are MP added the deal Sogavare has struck with China is a regional concern and countries in the region will continue to have a say on it.

Kenilorea said the signed copy of the agreement must be made available to know the details of what it contains and the implications it will have for the Pacific.

“It is that important that it should be made public. We have a security treaty with Australia, and that can be accessed online.

“So why couldn’t this be and I will be calling for that signed copy to be made available so that all Solomon Islanders as well as a region can see what is in there,” he said.

A draft copy of the treaty was leaked two weeks ago. It’s not clear whether there are any major changes to the final draft.

Australia and the United States have been expressing concerns about the agreement over fears it may pave the way for China to build its naval base here.

But Sogavare argued the agreement does not cater for that, and that Solomon Islands will never allow for that to happen.

In Canberra yesterday, Australia’s Foreign Ministry says it is “deeply disappointed” that Solomon Islands has pressed ahead and signed a security pact.

It’s unclear last night whether a proposed visit this month by top United States officials to Honiara to dissuade Sogavare from signing the treaty will still go ahead now that the agreement had been signed.

$972.6M deficit in govt’s 2022 plan

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Press Release
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The National Government has planned for an overall deficit of $972.6 million in the 2022 Budget with total consolidated revenues estimated at $3.559 billion and total expenditures estimated at $4.531 billion.

Finance and Treasury Minister, Harry Kuma informed Parliament last week that out of the total consolidated revenue estimates, total domestic SIG revenue is projected at $3.053 billion.

The government is confident that the balance of $972 million will be externally and domestically sourced to ensure the fiscal stability and credibility of the budget is maintained.

 Of the forecasted $972 million budget deficit, government has already secured $563 million from its normal multilateral and bilateral partners, as well as from savings brought forward to 2022.

In terms of expenditures, the $4.531 billion in total consolidated expenditures consists of $3.050 billion in recurrent expenditures, and $871 million in development expenditures, of which $20 million will be budget support from the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). A total of $20.0 million is also budgeted as Contingency Warrant provision for the year.

Minister Kuma said the Government is conscious that the two shocks including covid-19 and the recent riots will severely impact the economy in 2022.

At the same time, the Government is also aware that as a developing country, we also have a very young population with increasing demand for quality social services, and more infrastructure development to boost growth in order to provide more employment opportunities.

—GCU

Wale: Are we prepared for 2nd wave?

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Press Release
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Opposition leader, Matthew Wale

OPPOSITION Leader Matthew Wale has queried government response plans on a looming second wave of Covid infections in the country.

In a statement, Wale said recent reports of 110 new Covid cases and increased hospitalization in Honiara in the last 72 hours is alarming.

The Opposition Leader said the fact that majority of the cases are re-infections also needs scientific explanations so that the public is made aware.

“We really need to know whether this is a new variant. I have been calling on the government in the past to purchase a genomic sequencing but it has fallen on deaf ears. We wouldn’t have to send samples to Australia if we had one in the country,” he said.

Mr Wale said government responses must be strategic and not panic driven as experienced during the first wave.

“We need to be made aware of government response plans if there is a second wave. We had experienced government failure and lack of preparedness during the first wave,” he said.

He said the government had issued a statement early this year that the country must brace itself for a possible second wave but failed to provide any modelling to counter this.

The Opposition Leader said experiences and challenges faced during the first wave including the current situation at the NRH, lack of oxygen, manpower, allowances of frontliners amongst others needs to be improved and addressed urgently.

“It needs to be addressed and not just to merely identify them as challenges,” he said.

The Opposition Leader said other countries have experienced surges in infections and deaths, some even on 4th waves.

Wale said the government’s planning must prepare for that.

“With the government’s “living with covid” approach and given the current situation at the NRH and provincial hospitals, lack of an alternative COVID facility, lack of any comprehensive strategy for Honiara and provinces, lack of planning for further waves of infections would be catastrophic,” he said.

Wale urged the government to pull up their socks that serious waves of infections are yet to come and serious decisions and strategies must be put in place to avoid an already terrible health crisis becoming even worse.

The Opposition Leader said government response plans for the second wave must be based on epidemiological data and modelling to show both past and current infection rates, fatality rate, recovery rate and future projections to inform the response strategy.

“Our fight against COVID 19 will only be effective if it is informed and driven by sound epidemiology taking into account the challenges from past experience and most importantly there must be political will to drive this,” he said.

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