Part of the burnt-out China town from the recent riots. Photo supplied.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
PLANS to reconstruct the burnt down Chinatown in Honiara is still on going between Chinese Association, land title-holders and the government.
Rioters torched down most of the buildings in Chinatown following the anti-government protest on 24, 25 and 26th November 2021.
Malaitans staged the protest against the Sogavare led government as resentment towards the diplomatic switch from Taiwan to China in 2019.
More than 100 Chinese nationals left to their homeland before the New Year after they lost their businesses in the flames.
A spokesperson for a Chinese group in the country said the reconstruction of Chinatown has to be discussed because it belongs to various title-holders.
He said they are communicating with titleholders and the government to come up with a plan to rebuild Chinatown.
The spokesperson asked if the reconstruction is to rebuild Chinatown before the burning or turning it into a shopping mall like.
“We think it would be a good idea to turn the place into a shopping mall, but it would need a lot of work and money.
“We need to get understanding with titleholders and work with Government or otherwise will cost about $80 million to more than $100 million,” the spokesperson said.
But the spokesperson believes if there is a whole shopping mall, Chinatown will be seen as a landmark in this country where people can enjoy their leisure time.
Furthermore, the Chinese group said it is quite concerning to see most shops at Chinatown selling just the same goods in most shops before the riot.
The spokesperson said the group wants to see a movie theater, games centre, food courts and super markets in any malls built like in overseas.
Police Commander for Malaita province, Lesley Kili
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
MALAITA Provincial Police will have a new commander, he is Lesley Kili, from the Baegu region on north east Malaita.
Currently, Kili is in Auki commanding the joint Honiara police operation and will take office within the next two weeks.
He told the local media yesterday that his contract is effective as of 7th January 2022, and after the current operation in Auki he will go back to Honiara, settle some family matters before coming back to Auki.
“I’m happy to come back and be a police commander and serve my people as a man from Malaita.
“My posting is already effective and my aim is to interact with the people and communities in the province.
“I’m not a kind of person who will sit-down in the office all the time, but a person who will get out to the people where they are and work with them.
“As a leader, this is what I have to do for my people and I’m looking forward for cooperation from the people and communities in the province,” Kili said.
He also announced that the provincial police will have a new Operation Manager, he is Chris Laegalia from Fiu on West Kwara’ae.
Kili said both are Malaitans and they will be here to lead and support policing work in partnership with the people for the good of the province.
Fleet Solomons Company Managing Director Kensley Manu, left, formally hands over the $300,000 worth Outboard Motor engines to MP for Temotu Vatud Constituency Freda Rotutafi Rangirei and CDO Justine Tanema.
Member of Parliament for Temotu Vatud Constituency (TVC) Freda Rotutafi Rangirei has received 11 15-horse and two 40-horse power outboard motor engines (OBM) from the Government Preferred Supplier, Fleet Solomons, a locally owned company.
The engines will go towards the constituency’s fishing and transportation project, which costs more than $300,000.
Communications and Public Relations Unit (CPRU) officers under the Ministry of Rural Development witnessed the official handover in Honiara last week.
Rangirei upon receiving the outboard motor engines acknowledged the local supplier for their timely response in supplying the much-needed engines for her constituency.
She also acknowledged the Ministry for Rural Development for its role in administering the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) programme so that it reaches its intended purposes.
“As I have said the funds used for this fishing and transportation project comes from the Constituency Development Fund programme.
“CDF has helped a lot especially when we try to improve the livelihoods of our rural people in the respective constituencies,” Rangirei expressed.
She further added that under CDF she was able to support individuals, families, communities, and churches in her constituency for the past years as an MP for Temotu Vatud.
“My priority for the past years and I will continue with it this year 2022 is putting more resources into my constituency human resources funded by CDF programme and other related funds.
“I believe CDF programme has played a vital role in improving the lives of our people but the onus is on individual MP leaders to do the right thing by improving the livelihoods of our rural people,” she added.
Rangirei also commended MRD for administering the CDF programme.
Meanwhile, Rangirei confirmed that many in her constituency had already benefited from similar projects in the past and some more will get support under the current batch with others in the years ahead.
“Fishing and transport is paramount and I will continue to support them through such projects to help them improve their livelihoods,” she said.
She also stated that transportation between their remote Islands is very difficult and challenging therefore she also wants to address this need under the CDF programmes SIG Support to Constituency Development (SSCD) project.
Constituency Development Officer Justin Faka Tanema on that matter further added that the recipients have been identified with schools amongst those to benefit.
“Our office will also receive fiberglass boats from one of the governments preferred supplier, JQY soon for each outboard motor engine,” he confirmed.
He urged the recipients to look after their outboard motor engines and boats and use them for their intended purposes.
Mr Tanema assured the people that the engines will be delivered with the rest of other projects to the constituency this month.
MRD the administrator of CDF programme also continues to work very closely with the approved preferred suppliers making sure they deliver materials what is expected of them.
Fleet Solomons Company Managing Director Kensley Manu who handed over the OBMs, thanked MRD for engaging his local company.
Fleet Solomons Company had won the right to supply the engines under the MRD’s preferred supplier arrangement in 2021.
Manu said this is not the first time as he had already supplied OBMs to Temotu Vatud constituency in the past.
Fleet Solomon’s also delivered development projects materials to Malaita Outer Island and Temotu Pele constituencies last year.
“Therefore, I would like to register my sincere appreciation to the government through MRD for their trust and confidence not only to work with our constituencies but seeing it fit to support our local companies,” he added.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Alan Daonga thanked the MP for Temotu Vatud Constituency for her continuous commitment towards supporting and improving livelihoods of people in her constituency.
He said making sure rural people participate in such socio-economic activity to improve their livelihoods is important.
Daonga again acknowledged the continuous active commitment of TVC MP and her project team and constituency officers in delivering such socio-economic improvement project in the constituency that would surely ease transport in and out of the constituency as well as engage in more economic opportunities or activities.
MRD is responsible for the coordination of the rural constituency development fund programme in close collaboration with 50 constituencies towards delivering tangible development results in rural areas.
MRD is fully committed to seeing that all rural Solomon Islanders become meaningfully participate in development activities to improve their social and economic livelihoods.
THE New Zealand (MFAT) funded Multipurpose Hall upgrade project is expected to be officially opened next month.
Honiara City Council (HCC) Head of Sports Division Fox Henry Qwaina confirmed yesterday saying the official opening is put down for the last week of February 2022.
Qwaina had revealed last year that a number of upgrades will be done to the existing sports facilities around the Hall and the gym facilities.
The upgrade project had seen the Multipurpose Hall extended east wards while a Youth Center, a performance stage plus a futsal and tennis court were built west of the Multipurpose Hall.
“There is the football court there. The open netball courts and basketball courts will be upgraded. The old gym inside will be replaced with a new set of necessary gym equipment which the project from New Zealand MFAT will be financing,” Qwaina explained.
“The eastern end of the Hall there is also plans to create a catering or restaurant area there that can help my division make money for the good of women, youths and sports.
“The futsal area there will have enough space to cater for two right sized lawn tennis courts when no futsal competitions are happening.
“New gym space and the Youth Hub at the western end there is also the performance center there which can be used by music and cultural groups to their performances,” he adds.
Qwaina meanwhile confirmed that the new gym at the eastern end of the Multipurpose Hall has welcomed its new sets of gym equipment’s which were set up inside the gym yesterday.
Head Coach Felipe Vega Arango talks to the members of the training squad during their training. PICTURE ISN FILE
National Football Team trains on
BY ELTON LONARATHA JNR
Two players of the Solomon Island national team training squad have been omitted after breaching team rules set by Head Coach Felipe Vega Arango.
The two players are Bobby Lesly and Timothy Maearasia who were name in the national teams’ training squad during the announcing of the first 25 men squad by coach Felipe Vega-Arango on July 27th 2021 at the SIFF conference room.
The duo omission comes following the ‘No village competition’ rule set by Coach Arango during his second press conference held at the SIFF conference room on December 1st 2021.
Coach Felipe had made it clear during that press conference, that no players are allowed to go home and participate in any village competitions during the holiday break.
The Head Coach had made it clear that the priority of players named in the training squad should be for the national team as they continue preparations for the upcoming OFC Preliminary competition for the FIFA World Cup in March.
With only two months left to prepare, Waneagu United FC front-man Bobby Lesly and the TSL six-time champions, Solomon Warriors FC goalkeeper Timothy Maerasia are out of the training squad.
Lesly and Maerasia omission come after both players made their decision to leave the national team training squad and go home to participate in their village’s competition during the holiday break.
National team coach Felipe Vega-Arango confirmed the duo’s omission to SunSPORTS after their training session on Monday at the Lawson Tama Stadium.
“This is life and everybody has to make their own choices and I have to respect their choices,” the Spaniard said.
“For me it’s too simple, like if your give me the choice to choose between the national team and the village games, I’ll choose the national team as always.
“It’s a matter of representing your country in the national level and in world-class football,” Coach Arango said.
He said his current focus is to worry about the current team, train them and hopefully build a team that will perform at a high level.
“At the current moment, to be honest we don’t really need them,” said Felipe.
“Who decide to go, them or me? Secondly, we have the rules that everybody follow and do they show respect to the team? Actually not.
“But I don’t really care because they are grown up people and in life you made decision and all decisions have consequences.
“They have stated a very clear decision that the village games is more important than the national team and that’s fine, I respected their decisions so for me I don’t need to bring them back for it will be not that fair for the others,” he added.
MEMBERS of the public in Auki have demanded the immediate departure of the patrol boat from Auki wharf by 6pm yesterday evening.
The demand was raised during a meeting at Auki held between the commanding officer leading the operation to Auki, Lesley Kili, Acting PPC Malaita, Eddie Koto and Auki Operation Manager, Michael Ramosaea and members of the public.
The people expressed fear stating the presence of the boat and an operation team in Auki continues to cause fear to the public, especially on women and children.
They said people have mixed-reactions about the operation with rumors of lethal weapons on board causing women to stop coming to the Auki market to do their businesses.
They also raised that the failure to clarify the intentions of the operation gives people differing views on the intentions of the team in Auki.
They say there is an ongoing political tag of war between the National government and the Malaita Provincial Government, and the arrival and presence of the team in Auki is a provoking act to them and their government.
People went as far as asking the police whether their coming is politically motivated and that they want an explanation.
They said there is no chaos in Auki as they continue to support the Auki police maintain law and order.
They then demanded an immediate departure of the patrol boat and the Honiara team by 6pm yesterday.
Responding to the demand, Commander Kili said he values the demand raised and will consult with colleague officers on the ground and the Police Commander on the matter.
He said as long as decisions are made, he will also consult the premier and the message will be conveyed to the public of Malaita in Auki.
“I am the commander of the operation currently in Auki and at any time I could call off the operation as long as I see it fit,” Kili said.
He explained that the operation is not concerned with arrests or threats of people with guns as rumors have suggested.
“We are only here to maintain law and order after an incident in Auki last Thursday.
Kili further adds that the patrol boat and police are owned by the government and the government is owned by the people.
He said their coming is purposely to protect people and properties and to ensure the people enjoy peace and normalcy to go about their daily activities.
He however, said they will only listen and act according to the demands raised; as it will set a bad precedence for future assistance and that is what people must understand.
By 7pm last night, Patrol Boat Taro is still berthing at Auki wharf.
Tubi logs lying on the sea front at Korona log camp.
OFANI EREMAE
WHEN Malaysian loggerRichard Kong Sing Ngea pleaded guilty in December 2020 to the illegal harvesting of Tubi trees in Solomons’ Isabel Province, tribal leader Wilson Tohidi was thrilled.
Ngea’s admittance of guilt, Tohidi believes, should prompt the Solomon Islands Government to seize the illegally felled logs and return them to landowners.
His tribe, Tohidi insists, is the rightful owners of the logs.
As expected, Government acted promptly to seize the 10,000 cubic metres of Tubi logs that lined the Korona log pond on the resource-rich island of San Jorge on the southern tip of Isabel.
But to Tohidi’s shock, after taking hold of the logs, the Government turned around that gave them back to Ngea’s logging company, Sunrise Investment Ltd, to export on its behalf.
The decision infuriated Tohidi and his tribesmen, who felt betrayed by a government that supposed to serve their interest.
“It’s a betrayal by any government in the highest order,” Tohidi, who is also chairman of the San Jorge Island Resource Owners Association Trust Board, said.
“As landowners we have the first right of claim to those logs. They are logs that were illegally cut down from our land,” he added.
“How could the government seize our logs and then give them to the very person who was trying to steal them at the first place?
“Where’s the justice and the fairness? Whose interest is this government serving?
“No wonder they refused to intervene when I first alerted them about the illegal felling.”
With no one to turn to, Tohidi and his tribesmen took to the Solomon Islands High Court and filed a case challenging the government’s decision, while staking their right over the Tubi logs at the same time.
Deliberate & illegal felling
Sunrise Investment Ltd, a Malaysian logging company notorious for its lack of respect to local landowners, was issued a five-year licence in 2018 to operate on Korona land on San Jorge.
This is land owned by Tohidi and his tribesmen.
But Sunrise’s logging licence does not include the felling of Tubi, scientifically known as Xanthostemon, a rare and endangered tree species, which under local environmental laws, is export restricted.
The company’s licence only allows them to log other commercial species.
However, after cutting down all the loggable tree species on Korona, Sunrise started felling the restricted Tubi trees.
Despite complaints and reminders from the landowners and the Isabel Provincial Government, Sunrise failed to listen.
Tohidi took the next step by writing to Government authorities in Honiara, requesting they step in and stop the illegal felling.
After three months and with no action coming from the Government, Tohidi and his tribesmen decided to stop the illegal Tubi harvesting by going to the court.
By this time, according to Tohidi, around 10,000 cubic metres of illegally felled Tubi logs, estimated to be worth tens of millions of dollars, were lying inside the Korona logging camp.
Wilson Tohidi
Besides seeking damages from Sunrise,Tohidi and his tribesmen obtained immediate court orders that not only put a stop to the illegal felling, but also prevented the Asian logger from shipping the logs out from Korona.
Tohidi addressed his letter to Dr Culwick Togamana, the then minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology.
The same letter was copied to the Director of Environment, the Attorney General and other relevant state authorities.
Togamana, a former University of the South Pacific (USP) lecturer, responded by instructing relevant officials to act on Tohidi’s letter.
But for some unknown reasons, no one took any action to stop the illegal Tubi harvest.
“We just cannot believe that these government offices chose not to intervene when I brought the matter to their attention,” a highly disappointed Tohidi said.
“Our suspicion was that someone up there was dictating the situation in favour of the Malaysian logger,” he added.
“I mean here is a situation where a logging company that does not have a licence to fell Tubi, yet it is openly doing it in front of everyone without any action from the Government.
“It was simply unbelievable.”
When contacted on the matter, Attorney General John Muria Jnr claimed his office was never informed.
“The Attorney General acts on instructions,” Muria said,
“Unless the Attorney General is instructed, there is nothing we can do,
“A request must be given to the AG from any ministry.”
Plot to seize the logs
Tohidi and his group said they found Togamana helpful, pointing out that the minister was sympathetic to their cause.
What they didn’t know was the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is plotting its own plan on how to deal with the logs.
As debate around the Tubi logs rages, Togamana found himself suddenly removed from the Ministry of Environment and shifted to the Health portfolio.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare took the decision while Togamana was out in the province of Malaita on official duties.
Government gave no reasons for Togamana’s removal, except that “it was a normal reshuffling exercise”.
However, those closely following the Tubi issue believed Togamana’s removal was due to his sympathetic stand with Tohidi and his group.
Asked to comment on his removal, Togamana said the decision was the prime minister’s prerogative.
Then Health minister, Dickson Mua, was brought in to replace Togamana.
Within weeks, and much to Tohidi’s surprise, Mua used his ministerial powers and forfeited the illegally felled Tubi logs to the state.
The logging road that runs through the island of San Jorge.
He took the decision despite the case over the Tubi logs was still active before the court, and that the High Court had already ordered the logs not to be shipped out of Korona log pond.
Also, Togamae Lawyers, the law firm representing Tohidi and his group, had earlier wrote to Mua, seeking the minister’s indulgence that any forfeiture action must be made known to his client.
That letter was also copied to the Attorney General and the Solicitor General.
Although Mua had access to legal advice that he could consult on the state of the Tubi logs, he went ahead and seized the logs.
He then issued an order for Sunrise to sell them “on behalf” of the Government.
Logger with a track record
When Sunrise’s Ngea pleaded guilty to the illegal Tubi felling in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court in December 2020, he was ordered to pay a fine of SBD$50,000 (USD$6,232), the maximum penalty for such an offence.
He found little difficulty paying the fine. In fact, he paid it off at the rising of the court.
But this was not the first time Ngea and his Sunrise company were penalised.
Towards the end of 2020, the Foreign Investment Division ordered Sunrise Ltd and two other Malaysian logging companies operating in Isabel Province, to each pay SBD$1,000,000 fine for violation of their investment licences.
Sunrise has since pulled out its operation on Korona.
It has also lost its membership with Solomon Forest Association (SFA) over its illegal action on Korona land.
SFA president Johnny Sy said they took action against Sunrise, and another Malaysian logging company called Mas Solo Investment Ltd, after assessing the illegality of their logging activities.
Sy said their action paves the way for the Ministry of Forestry to cancel the felling licences of these two companies.
The office of the Commissioner of Forest has not responded to questions sent to them for comments about the illegal actions of Sunrise and Mas Solo.
Latest check in the Government’s Company Haus registry also confirmed Sunrise is now deregistered due to its failure to submit its annual return dues.
Minister Mua reshuffled again
Not long after he used his ministerial power to seize the logs, Mua was reshuffled again to the Ministry of Forestry only after three months.
Prime Minister Sogavare then brought in the late Titus Fika, a government backbencher, as replacement.
Like his predecessor, late Fika appeared to have come in with a set agenda.
As soon as he assumed responsibility, he issued an executive order for the sale of the Tubi logs.
He also directed the Director of Environment to issue a special export permit for Sunrise to sell the logs.
Under the sales arrangement, Sunrise Investment Ltd would receive 60 per cent of the proceeds, while Government would only collect $500,000 in good-will payment plus 25 per cent in duty.
When the Island Sun newspaper exposed late Fika’s export sale order in a front-page article published in February last year, the minister was quick to defend his decision.
In a statement the Office of the Prime Minister issued on his behalf, late Fika stated:
“The truth of the matter was that on 21 December 2020 after taking over, I issued an executive order for government bodies to facilitate the export by Sunrise Investment Ltd.
“The reason for this is because the Tubi logs were already vested on the state and become the property of the Solomon Islands Government.
Chief Eric Gnokro of Lelegia village infront of a pile of illegally felled Tubi logs at Korona, San Jorge.
“Funds are needed by the Government to conduct its business.
“As a responsible minister I have a duty to the Government to ensure government property is disposed of and funds paid to the Government.
“The choice to appoint Sunrise Investment Ltd is many, which outweighs the fact that it was the illegal logger.
“Primarily, Sunrise Investment Ltd has the capacity to quickly export the logs for the Government.
“The decision to appoint Sunrise Investment Ltd was seriously considered and we stand by it.”
Late Fika and the Government may have stood by their decision to seize the logs from Tohidi and his group and gave them to Sunrise.
But Solomon Islands High Court judge Justice John Keniapisia said the decision is not only immoral, but an “intervention in the court process”.
Judge hits out at ministers
He subsequently declared the minister’s action illegal and gave the landowners the right to sell the logs.
In his ruling of the case Tohidi and his group filed against the government action to seize the logs, Justice Keniapisia hit out at Mua and late Fika over their decisions to seize and logs and gave them to Sunrise Ltd.
“Mua’s decision to seize the tubi logs while a case the landowners filed is still before the court amounts to ‘interference in the court process’,” Keniapisia said.
He pointed out that the Government has touched on and interfered with this case three times – first Mua’s forfeiture order, second Mua’s sale order condition and third Fika’s executive sale order.
Keniapisia also pointed out that the owner of Sunrise Ltd, Richard Kong, had pleaded guilty and fined in the Magistrate’s Court over his illegal action.
Yet, the judge said the Government saw it fit to give Kong the right to sell the logs and receive 60 per cent of the sales proceeds.
Keniapisia said the law was very clear on such issue.
Law cannot assist a criminal
“The law will not lend its aid to a man who find his cause of action upon immoral or illegal act,” he stated.
“Or the law will not lend its assistance to enforce something that is unlawful and contrary to public policy – in this case felling Tubi without permit is the unlawful act,” he added.
“Public policy rational here is that investors/people should not be encouraged to tamper with the law, knowing that Government and the Court will be on their side to somehow get away and benefit from tampering with the law.”
He said the effect of the ‘sale order conditions’ by the Government is to assist Sunrise to recover its operational cost.
“In effect the minister is employing a formula of 60 per cent operation cost to investors, which is normally applied by courts to benefit investors, in cases of illegal operations, where there are claims for trespass and damages.
“But Court would normally attach conditions to the 60 per cent.
“One condition is there must be expert evidence to verify the 60 per cent cost.
“Whilst the minister can assist a law breaker to benefit from the breaking the law, the Court cannot.
“Nothing more, nothing less.
“The fundamental reason is that the court is the custodian of the law.
“The minister may be a law and policy maker, or the implementer of law and policy but not necessarily or primarily a custodian of the law.
“As the custodian of the law, I will say, I cannot or Court cannot assist Sunrise to benefit from breaking the law.
“If I do, I will be opening the flood gates because investors will know that they can break the law and can still get their share from breaking the law.”
Criminal logger tobenefit, not state
Furthermore, Justice Keniapisia said to allow Sunrise to sell the Tubi logs on behalf of the Government and get 60 per cent of the proceeds does not make sense.
“If it is true that the Government owned the Tubi and only engaging Sunrise to sell them for and on behalf of the state, then what is there to show for in terms of monetary benefit to the state from the sale order conditions?
“The sale order conditions do not benefit the state, in terms of money earned into the public wallet.
“The 25% to the state in the sale order conditions is a statutory due – tax. Ministers do not have to order that. It is a statutory obligation of investors.
“But that is really a peanut share, if you consider the total proceeds from the sale ($9,000,000).
“And goodwill may be inapplicable, where the state is said to own the Tubi.
“If the state owns the Tubi, why is it paying itself goodwill again? Does not make sense.
“The only benefit is to Sunrise, the 60% operational cost, based on a standard court formula, but without verification like the Court would normally do.
“So I can imply that where there is not monetary benefit to the state, or minimal monetary benefit only, what the minister is really trying to do is to assist Sunrise – a law-breaker – to benefit from breaking the law.
Again whilst the minister may be free to do that, the Court is not free to do that.”
Justice Keniapisia pointed out that Mua and late Fika’s interference was “quite deliberate”.
“Deliberate because the ministers knew that a dispute on the illegal harvest of Tube was pending before the court.
“Yet they decided to take away the very subject matter (Tubi) of the pending dispute.”
In dismissing the ministers’ orders, Justice Keniapisia gave Tohidi and his tribesmen the right to sell the logs under an arrangement to be made with their lawyer.
Court decision welcomed
“This was exactly the decision we have been waiting for,” an elated Tohidi said.
“It is a victory for us landowners,” he added.
However, Attorney General Muria said the case the landowners took in the High Court against the Government’s forfeiture of the Tubi logs was done without the knowledge of the state.
“The Attorney General has appealed the court decision,” Muria said.
“The position of the Government is that because of the forfeiture, the State owns the Tubi and not the landowners.
“And since we have appealed the High Court decision, I will not comment any further.”
Sunrise had also successfully lodged an appeal in the Solomon Islands Appeal Court last November, preventing Tohidi and his group from exporting the Tubi logs as per Justice Keniapisia’s order, pending the appeal.
The Korona logging camp on San Jorge Island
The Court of Appeal is expected to hear the arguments over the ownership of the logs in its first sitting this year.
But Tohidi feared the economic value of the logs will diminish if they remain at the Korona seafront.
“That’s our fear. This is why we are asking the Government to allow us export the logs since we already have a buyer.
“But this government is not helpful. It continues to block our efforts to export the logs,” Tohidi said.
He said they’ve already secured a buyer, YangZhou JianPinYuan Wood Industry Co Ltd, who has offered to pay the logs for SBD$17.5 million.
On the other, the Sunrise Investment, which the Government wants them to export the logs, is selling them for only $9 million.
“So you can see that landowners who owned the logs will benefit more if we sell the logs ourselves compared to what Sunrise has offered the government,” Tohidi said.
“In fact we were already in the process of loading the logs last November on board a vessel for export when we received orders from the Attorney General to stop the loading.
“This is how far this government could go to stop our efforts.
“I don’t know who this government is really serving.
“As resource owners, we have the right over the logs and the government should assist us in exporting them,” Tohidi said.
Meanwhile, environmental activist Lawrence Makili, who has been closely following this case and other logging disputes in the country, said it was a shame to see the Government siding with a foreign logger when they should be standing up for the people of this country.
“The ministers’ actions and that of the government clearly show they care more for their logging friends than resource owners.”
Makili calls for the cancellation of the logging licence of Sunrise and other loggers who deliberately violated the country’s laws, and deport their owners.
“Let’s not allow these people to play around with our laws.
“A strong message needs to be sent out to these loggers.”
This article was produced with funding support from the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project (UNPRAC) and Pacific Anti-Corruption Journalists Network (PACJN)
A political appointee in the Opposition Office, George Kosui has accussed Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Robson Djokovic of falsifying his Curriculum Vitae to get his job.
Kosui claimed he carried out an investigation on Djokovic’s education background following their media argument this week.
He had questioned why Djokovic, who is also a nephew of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, is still being engaged by the government when he has a criminal record.
In response, Djokovic accused Kosui, an economist by profession, of simply repeating the same old rhetoric.
However, Kosui said he found that Djokovic’s claims in his CV that he has graduated with Bachelor’s Degrees (Credit) from the Queensland University of Technology, during the years 1991-1993 and 2012 – 2014, were untrue.
“The controversial figure, Robson Djokovic’s Curriculum Vitae came on the radar when his educational background was checked with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
“The checks revealed that Djokovic does not complete the courses and does not have any degrees as stated in his Curriculum Vitae,” he said.
Kosui said QUT has confirmed that Djokovic does not complete the courses, nor achieve any degrees as stated in his CV.
In addition, Kosui said the claim that he has studied Business Management, Applied Science and Law with claims that he was given credits was also misleading.
“Therefore, one would conclude that qualifications and academic achievements mentioned in the CV are perceived as false and grossly misleading,” he added.
Furthermore, Kosui said concerning his prosecution and conviction, Djokovic was convicted on a number of cases which range from drug use and abuse to other criminal offences.
His conviction as recorded by the Queensland Courts were as follows;
Kosui said as seen and proven by the documents, Djokovic has continued to deceive the Solomon Islands Public.
“His fake claims of achieving decent and recognized qualification is enough to get rid of him from the COS position.
“I think it’s about time the PM must respond to questions on employment of Robson Djokovic, a convicted criminal, drug user and addict and fraudster forgoing good governance principles?” he said.
“To me, I still hold the view that it is unwise and ethically unjustifiable to allow a foreigner with questionable background to hold a top job in the Office of the Prime Minister,” he said.
Asked for comments, Djokovic said Kosui’s claim was out of date and that he would respond later.
Earlier, Djokovic said his qualifications and curriculum vitae speak for itself.
He also accused the Opposition of attempting to undermine the leadership of Prime Minister Sogavare by using him as a “political scapegoat”.
Christmas cakes donated by the bakers for RCCC inmates on 25 Saturday, 2021
Showing sincere humanitarianism, cake bakers in Honiara donated 11 beautifully crafted and baked cakes to the inmates at Rove correctional centre.
A statement from the country’s correctional service (CSSI) yesterday said:
“RCCC inmates on Saturday 25, December 2021, celebrated with 11 cakes donated by SICA, SIFGA, Francis Sivita, Sharita Sivita, Charles Ha’amori, Lily Ha’amori, Neverlyn Rave, June Fakarii Keni, Virah Gorosi, Phillip Lui and Kathy Sevese Havea.
SICA and SIFGA members
“30 minutes visitation by the bakers gave the opportunity for them to share the festive season message to encourage inmates to think about their own life and made right decision in New Year 2022 when they release from Correctional Centre.
“On behalf of the CSSI Executive the Acting Commandant RCCC Chief Supt Bernice Wasia thanked the SICA and SIFGA members and the bakers for free of charge donation of Christmas cakes for the inmates.”
FLIGHT cancellation to Ngorangora Airport in Kirakira, Makira Ulawa province, may soon become a thing of the past now.
This was after Trades Transformation Company Ltd upgraded the grassy airstrip and expected to complete it in two weeks’ time.
Owner of TTC, Leslie Tarzan Holosivi said they have completed half of the 600-meter airstrip.
Holosivi said they will move to the other half of the airstrip to allow the Dash 8 and Twin Outter planes to land on the other side.
He said in the past if it rains, Solomon Airlines would cancel its flights to Kirakira.
“It is a big loss to Solomon Airlines.
“This time it does not happen because we complete half of it and plane can still land even though it rains,” he said.
The upgrading of the airstrip comes under Ministry of Communication and Aviation.
It is a $1.8 million project and a timeline of 6 weeks.
Ngorangora airport, which has been recently tarsealed. Photo by Julian Maka’a.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has announced during the Makira Ulawa province Second Appointed Day in Kirakira on 5th August 2021 that the tar sealing of the Ngorangora Airport was listed for the second phase of the current airport tar-sealing program.
“However, because the government does not own the land of interest – development partners are not comfortable in funding any proposed project on that land.
“Because of this, the government will soon consider a policy for the outright purchase of lands where strategic infrastructures are constructed,” he said.
Sogavare said once this policy is approved, the government will consider outright purchase of the land of interest at Ngorangora.
In the meantime, TTC also carryout emergency works on the Makira unsealed coastal roads after the Government through the Ministry of Infrastructure Development through the Central Tender Board (CTB) awarded the contract in April 29 2021.
This road network runs eastwards from Kirakira to Rawo and westwards from Kirakira to Wango covering a total of 69km.
Contract for this emergency project totaling $5.9 million was already mobilized on site in late May last year.
This is funded under the SIG Development Budget under the Economic Infrastructure Program (EIR).
Prime Minister Sogavare also highlighted constructing a sustainable wharf at Kirakira to serve the interests of business houses and the travelling public to and from Kirakira is vital.
The Kirakira wharf is part of the Land and Maritime connectivity Project (LMCP). Design and bidding documents for this project including the rest of the maritime package including the Kirakira wharf was compiled in May 2021 while the procurement of the Construction Supervision firm has been completed.
Sogavare also mentioned the Rawo and Warihito Bridges needs to be constructed because they are considered strategic to support cocoa farmers in that area to boost cocoa production.
