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Prime Minister witness launching of 2022 – 2032 Pacific Regional Culture Strategy.

Written by
Ben Bilua
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Prime Minister Sogavare with other leaders during the launching

BY BEN BILUA
Suva, Fiji

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare was among other Pacific leaders to witness the launching of the 2022 – 2032 Pacific Regional Culture Strategy.

The event was held at the Grand Pacific Hotel and was blessed with the presence of Fijian President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.

President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere launched the strategy making it an obligation for forum leaders to implement the vision and objectives of the strategy in their respective countries.

Delivering the keynote address, Ratu Katonivere says Pacific Island countries have cultural allies that would be instrumental in addressing challenges and threats are looming hard in the region.

Prime Minister Sogavare and President of Fiji Ratu Wiliame Katonivere during the launching

He emphasised that it is crucial that for forum nations to embrace shared community and contribution to sustainable development.

“Fiji like many other countries in Pacific is progressing its work its work towards national cultural policy.

“I believe all of us gather this evening, that mutual goal for united blue pacific and ensuring that the work we do benefits our region and strengthens our relationship as a Pacific family.

“Across the Pacific relationships are at our heart of our identities. Our challenges are so great, that cooperation is not an option but it’s the necessity,” Katonivere says

The strategy aims at preserving, reviving and at the same time supports sustainable development by applying a people-centred approach to science, research and technology across the Sustainable Development Goals by interweaving science, technology and innovation with cultural wisdom and indigenous knowledge.

Forum Leaders who witnessed the launching

Solomon Islands was part of the discussion, drafting and finally launching of the strategy.

Earlier this month, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele led a delegation to the Pacific Foreign Ministers Meeting in Suva to endorse the strategy.

Manele was accompany by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Fiji His Excellency Joseph Ma’ahanua, Pacific and Regional Organisation Branch Assistance Secretary, Janice Kemakeza and Second Secretary to Solomon Islands High Commission in Fiji Madolyn Yalu.

MARA welcomes former deserter into its ranks

Written by
Samie Waikori
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Auki provincial town of Malaita.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

THE Malaita Provincial Government this week received the Provincial Member for ward 26, Alick Junior OfoOfo back to the executive fold.

The MPA was one of the engineers of MARA government but deserted them to the non-executive during the no confidence motion last year and now is back with the ruling provincial government.

His was met with overwhelming salutations from the members of the executive and was sworn-in as the new provincial minister for agriculture and livestock.

Premier Daniel Suidani thanked the MPA for the heart he has to work together with government for the people of Malaita province.

He said the re-inclusion of minister OfoOfo came upon his personal conviction as a leader for the people of Dorio district and Malaita province. 

“The MPA came and asked if MARA government could take him back as an executive member and we agreed.

“I see working together as a team is an important aspect of the leadership of MAR$A government to serve the people we represent,” Suidani said.

He said the inclusion of OfoOfo will fill the seat vacated by MPA for ward 28, Claudio Te’efi who recently resigned to contest the West Kwaio by-election.

In terms of numerical strengthen, MARA government is currently with 17 MPAs and the non-executive is with 14 MPAs.

SIPPA trains youth on family life education

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Participants and their facilitators

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

ABOUT 20 young people from rural Guadalcanal are being trained with the Solomon Islands Planned Parenthood Association on Family Life Education.

It is a first of its kind for SIPPA to roll-out the programme under the United Nations Fund for Population Activities to equip young people with information about Family Life Education.

Jack Martin, senior programme officer Youth/CSE of the International Planned-Parenthood Federation, said the programme is a transformative agenda for six countries in the Pacific including Solomon Islands.

Jack Martin of IPPF Fiji

Mr Martin said the programme is to equip young people with information about Family Life Education curriculum for Out of School; the custodian of this curriculum is the Ministry of Health and Medical Service and SIPPA implements the programmes.

Martin said in Solomon Islands almost 20-35 percent of the population are young people and there are lot of problem affecting them and one of which of teenage pregnancy.

Facilitators explaining to the participants

“We see now in the Solomon Islands a lot of young people are becoming parent themselves, they are not yet independent to look after themselves but they become parents and that adds pressure onto already our family circle, already the pressure on families is quite big so if you have young people again, there is complication for young people, if young person and children have children’s complications will happen children born to young parents will have some issues too,” Martin said.

So, the training that is currently underway will equip young people and they share to other young people in their own communities the importance to being informed and aware of the complication of teenage pregnancies

He said the training was conducted as a result of the request made by the Solomon Islands Government under the UNFPA due to the high rate of teenage pregnancy, as from recent data Solomon Islands.

SIPA refutes claims against CEO

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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CEO of SIPA Mr Eranda Kotelawala.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

SOLOMON Ports has refuted allegations CEO Eranda Kotelawala shipped out company vehicle during his recent travel overseas to attend to his mother’s 100 days celebration.

Solomon Ports when responding to queries on the claim said the vehicle in question was not a company vehicle, but Kotelawala’s private car.

“We would like to refute claims he took the company vehicle with him when he left for his home country,” Solomon Port said in a statement.

“The truth is he never took any company vehicle with him,” the statement added.

“The company vehicle in reference to was parked at his official parking spot here at the SIPA headquarters during the whole duration of his leave, and to commemorate his mother’s 100 days.

“That was his own private vehicle, not a company vehicle. His official company vehicle is still here.”

SI Ports said the Rav4 was his private and has nothing to do with SIPA and not in any way connected to SIPA.

Meanwhile, CEO Kotelawala also said the vehicle was his private vehicle.

“It was my personal vehicle and it was sold here, there was nothing purchased from Ports,” Kotelawala said.

CEO Kotelawala has already returned to the country and has resumed normal duties as of Monday this week.

Voter queries sharing of housing materials

Written by
Admin
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A voter has questioned the distribution of materials to constituents of Small Malaita constituency under its housing project.

This after the voter missed out on benefiting from the Rural Constituency Development Funds (RCDF) for the last two years.

The voter, who asked not to be named, claimed only supporters of the Member of Parliament, Rick Hou have collected authorisation letters from the Constituency Office to collect materials from the supplier, JQY.

“This is really unfair to the people of Small Malaita.

“The distribution of the RCDF should not be politicised but open to every voter that applied,” the voter said.

The voter urged the Constituency office to approve letters of other voters who applied for projects as well.

However, Constituency Development Officer, Terry Brown said the distribution of materials is based on a policy.

Brown said under the policy, the Constituency provide materials to constituents who have timbers to complete their houses or constituents that build their houses and could not complete them.

He said each chairperson of the 12 zones in the constituency have to submit lists of recipients to the Constituency office for approval before distribution takes place.

“We provide materials for 10 to 12 houses in each zone,” he said.

Further to that, Brown said it is hard to identify who are the supporters of the MP or not because of the new electoral system where counting is based on batches and not individual ballot boxes.

“If anything goes wrong in the distribution to recipients, then the zones’ chairpersons should know,” he said.

Suafa tribes set path for development

Written by
Samie Waikori
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current development happening on Suava area

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

HISTORY has been made for the first time after the 12 tribes of Harifafa and Bubuni tribal lands within the Suafa bay came together after years of court battles.

This happened over the weekend in a reconciliation ceremony where representatives from the tribes came together and assured each other to work together for the development of Suafa bay.

Premier Daniel Suidani who was the key guest at the reconciliation described this as a milestone that sets a bench mark for other land disputing tribes in the province to follow-suit.

He said in pursuit of Suafa Bay for development, MARA government has recently signed an MOU with the tribes and came the reconciliation linking them.

Suidani said for the last 30 years or so, tribes in Suafa bay have not come together as one people to due to land disputes amongst them.

“Now, the tribes and people of Suafa have restored them and came together as one and are ready for development,” he said.

Suidani said MARA government has valued the heart of the people and despite issues between them they have agreed to unite as one and work together.

“What we had witnessed at Suafa Bay is setting related ground work in order to be ready for development,” he said. 

According to Suidani, Suafa Bay is amongst other areas in the province the MARA government is working with to ensure they are prepared and ready for development.

He said this is the only magic to development “prepared them by addressing issues relating to your people, tribes and resources” and investors will have confidence to work with you.

Suidani thanked the people and 12 tribes of Suafa Bay for the efforts and commitment to come as one, assuring the MARA government support towards development aspirations of the people of Suafa.

Chinese Police assist sick children of officers

Written by
Press Release
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China Police and RSIPF officers visit in assisting police family

Six Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) families were visited over the weekend by two groups of China Police Liaison Team (CPLT) officers.

The groups were led by Commissioner Zhang GuangBao and Chief Instructor Yin Wei together with Chinese embassy staff accompanied by RSIPF Welfare Officers on 8and 9July 2022.

Most of these families have children with little health problems, so officers of CPLT visited them and assisted these families with goods and schoolbags.

Chinese Police assisting a local family

They had a conversation with them and expressed sympathy for their situation.

Team Leader of CPLT Commissioner Zhang Guangbao said RSIPF officers work very hard and play a very important role in the safety and security of Solomon Island.

 They are good partners and good friends with CPLT.

The team is deeply concerned about the RSIPF colleagues who have difficulties and try to provide some support.

 The assistance to each family is for friendship and goodwill. Hope they enjoy the support

Chinese and Local Police assisting a sick child

. Commissioner Zhang encourages them to overcome the difficulty and wishes them recovery from their sickness.

The police officers, who received the assistance-expressed appreciation to the CPLT Team and acknowledged them for their kindness.

 They will remember what the Chinese colleagues did for them and wish for the bilateral police cooperation and friendship to have more fruitful results.

Bomb blasting at Alligator Creek

Written by
Press Release
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A EOD officer displays the shell after safely rendered.

Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team will conduct a live demolition of bombs at Hells Point, in the Alligator Creek area East of Honiara today.

Officer In-charge (OIC) of EOD, Inspector Clifford Tunuki says, “The Hells Point Demolition Range in Central Guadalcanal will be active from 8am to 2pm (13 July 2022).

 “Fishermen, farmers, hunters and the general public in the Henderson area, Alligator Creek and Tenaru School areas are kindly warned to keep out from Hells Point while the Operation is in progress. Safe evacuations of people and road blocks will be enforced within these areas from east Henderson to Tenaru School bus stop.

“This is our normal weekly EOD task aimed to reduce the number of Unexploded Ordnances stored at the site to a minimum level.

“The Air Traffic Control Tower at the Honiara International Airport will coordinate the firing of each serial. An EOD Operator/Technician from the RSIPF EOD Team will be posted at the control tower during this operation from the actual times of the demolition and completion time.”

CHINESE ATTACKED AT GOLD RIDGE SITE

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Police arrest 11 in relation to incident

By EDDIE OSIFELO

ELEVEN people attacked a Chinese worker at Gold Ridge mine site in Central Guadalcanal last Thursday, leaving him in serious condition.

Guadalcanal Police have arrested the 11 suspects; they are remanded to appear to face their charges in court.

Reports Island Sun obtained said the 11 suspects attacked the Chinese worker because they were angry over payments and repatriation packages.

However, Benjamin Afuga of Goldridge Communities Investment Ltd (GCIL), a landowner group that holds 10 per cent share in Gold Ridge Mining Ltd (GRML), told Island Sun the attack has nothing to do with the mine’s operation.

Rather, Afuga said it was a criminal attack committed by drunken youths.

“These drunken youths forced their way through the pit gate,” Afuga explained.

“The two China Railway workers (who were attacked) were on their way to the Pits when the group stopped them,” he added.

“On the way the youths stopped the vehicle so the two contractors stopped and got off, but when they were about to take off, one of the youths them kicked the vehicle.

“It was when the two workers came out to enquire that they were attacked.

“The youths took off with the vehicle but abandoned it when security chase them.

“The vehicle sustained damage and the two expat workers received injuries.”

Afuga said the GRLM management will meet over the incident today.

Meanwhile, Guadalcanal Police have also arrested two suspects that disturbed the work of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on Monga bridge in east Guadalcanal.

GP police made the arrest following an early morning raid at the village, however other suspects fled the scene.

Hong Kong listed Wanguo hold the majority shares in GRML, which was shut down during the ethnic conflict.

According to past media reports, Wanguo has contracted state-owned China State Railway Group $825 million to complete the works over several phases.

The previous owner, Australian-listed St. Barbara, sold the mine for a nominal $100 to GCIL in 2015, which went on to secure interest from Australian-based Chinese company AXF Resources, and then Wanguo.

MEDIA CONTROL?

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Gov’t takeover of SIBC questioned

By EDDIE OSIFELO

CABINET decision to omit Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) as a State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) has raised more questions than answers.

The Government claimed SIBC has not been making any profits as required under the SOE Act 2007.

As such, the Government will now fully finance SIBC operation to broadcast information and education services to the communities around the country that have access to its AM frequency 1035 kHz and Wantok FM 96.3.

SIBC also operates Radio Happy Lagoon in Gizo, Western Province.

However, its Radio Temotu in Lata in the Temotu Province is currently not broadcasting.

Former Chairman of SIBC Board from 2018-2019, Robert Iroga said it is quite interesting to see Government taking this decision because SIBC has been making profits.

Iroga said under his leadership, SIBC had made $2 million profit.

“Maybe Government is blaming the situation on Covid-19?

“However, I am not aware if SIBC is in its bad state,” he said.

Iroga blamed the Government for not living up to its commitment on providing its subvention quickly to allow SIBC to meet is Community Service Obligation (CSO).

He said sometimes SIBC got its subvention very late.

Furthermore, Iroga said SIBC is also facing competition from other media organisations to get advertisements from Government because it is not a monopoly like Solomon Airlines and others.

He hopes the Government has a good intention to omit SIBC as an SOE otherwise it can be seen as a way of controlling the media.

Acting Chairman of the SIBC Board, Dr William Parairato said they will meet soon to discuss the government decision.

However, Parairato said SIBC has been performing well regardless of the challenges faced by any other organisation during the Covid 19 pandemic.

He said SIBC Board has a mitigation strategy in place to address the challenges.

Further to that, he said Government also supported SIBC on its CSO to allow SIBC to reach out to certain areas that are unviable to access the information and news.

Former Press Secretary to Prime Minister, Douglas Marau, said during his time at Office of Prime Minister the SIBC General Manager was summoned twice by PMO.

He said the reason being that SIBC has not given much publicity to the government of the day as expected.

“Sadly, I do not blame SIBC.

“Whilst I understand that the PM is the minister responsible for SIBC, the move to omit SIBC has only confirmed plans by PMO to take control of the national broadcaster,” he said.

Marau, now the press secretary of the Leader of Opposition, said taking control of the national broadcaster for political propaganda and launching a new government newspaper was the plan.

“In fact, I was tasked to head the proposed government newspaper.

“I submitted and presented the proposed newspaper to the PM before I left,” he said.

“The idea of having a government newspaper, radio or TV is in fact a good idea that myself and Director GCU George Herming personally involved in since PM Hou’s term.

“But the intention is not to punish the media industry and to put them on the back foot.

“However, it is likely a government newspaper would see a major cutback in government adverts in our daily newspapers,” Marau said.

“Our newspapers survive on adverts and not street sales and the government provides 70% revenue through adverts to our papers.

“Hope this will not be the case,” he stated.

President of Media Association of Solomon Islands, Georgina Kekea said MASI is concerned on the decision taken by the Government that can be seen as controlling freedom of press.

She said as the Government of the day, it should provide conducive environment for businesses to prosper and not to compete like running a radio, newspaper or TV.

However, Special Secretary to the Prime Minister, Albert Kabui explained that SIBC remains the national broadcaster as provided for under the Broadcasting Act.

In this case, Kabui explained that SIBC has not been viable and has always been seeking government for financial assistance.

By omitting SIBC from the SOE Act, the national broadcaster will now be fully funded by the government with the expectation of it to focus on providing public service to the country rather than profit making.

It is likely SIBC will also cut down its staff in the sales and marketing because the Government will pay their salaries and all staff in the departments.

Currently, the SOEs remaining are:

  1. Commodity Export Marketing Authority (CEMA)
  2. Investment Corporation Solomon Islands (ICSI)
  3. Solomon Airlines.
  4. Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA)
  5. Solomon Islands Postal Corporation (SIPC)
  6. Solomon Islands Water Authority (SIWA)

SIBC was established by an Act of Parliament – The Broadcasting Ordinance 1976.

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