CHOISEUL Provincial government has reconciled and ready to move on with the province’s business after the motion and election of new premier.
Speaker of Choiseul Province, Greg Sokeni said a brief reconciliation ceremony occurred after the voting of new premier.
This occurred between the ousted premier and the newly elected Premier, Benjamin Harrison.
He adds that both leaders also exchanged words of encouragement to each other after the declaration of the voting.
Sokeni said the election of new premier and deputy speaker was done peacefully without any disturbance from the public.
“The voting was done through a secret ballot and the results are as follows; we have two candidates for the premier post and the result was 10/6 in favor of Harrison.
“Only one candidate was nominated for the deputy speaker’s post as such the winner was unopposed,” he said.
Sokeni said swearing in of the premier, deputy premier and executive portfolios have been completed on Monday.
He said the next task is to facilitate an Assembly meeting as soon as possible so that the leaders can table the province’s review budget for the remaining months of this year and next year.
Participants and facilitators with kava chips now sun dried on a raised bed after washing and processing demonstration.
THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through its Western Province Extension Division has successfully conducted a four-day series of farmer training on piggery and kava for members of the Sirubai Voko Tribe Association (SVTA).
SVTA is a community-based organization in South Vella La Vella Island, Western Province.
Funded by SVTA, the series of trainings ran from 11th-15th October, 2021 at Valapata community with the aim to equip existing and interested pig farmers with knowledge and skills to boost their pig production for improved profitability and also impart them with the right skills and knowledge on kava cultivation practices to guarantee they produce quality kava for local market and overseas export.
Kava roots and chips being cut in required sizes and sorted before sun drying.
The series of training also provided an opportunity for the farmers to share experiences and learn together especially on pig farming and kava production techniques and at the same time able to attained technical recommendations from MAL officers for guaranteed farming improvement.
Senior Livestock Officer for Western Province, Margaret Telemahau said the trainings were very successful with farmer participants acknowledged MAL for the knowledge and skills shared that would certainly support them on ways to improve their pig and kava production.
One of the women group did a presentation during the piggery training.
“The training were conducted in series, like we conducted kava training from 8:00am – 4:30pm during the day while training on piggery we started it off after 4:30pm till late each day,” Telemahau said.
“It was a success and we manage to complete the trainings successfully,” she added.
“Piggery farming has been recognized as one of the profitable undertaking among our rural farmers.
“This enterprise has proven to be one of the most important livelihood alternative.
“Generally, pigs are reared for pork, considering the increasing trend of pork consumers in our country during special occasions.
“Piggery farming will certainly take an industrial form of livelihood in Western Province in the future if piggery farmers around the province (Western province) see the potentials and roles piggery enterprise plays,” Telemahau said.
Demonstration on kava harvesting
Meanwhile, on Kava she said the training was very important to ensure farmers are entrenched with practical capacities to produce quality kava for the local market as well as export market.
“It is an important training because the knowledge and skills acquired will help them to improve and practice proper ways of kava harvesting and processing.
“Kava training involved both theory and practical and farmers have learned a lot from the field demonstrations,” she said.
Telemahau also took the opportunity and congratulated SVTA for being a role model and taking the lead in the initiative to ensure its members organized themselves and trained on practices to boost their farming for improved productivity and profitability.
She also thanked SVTA for its funding support towards the training.
Telemahau added that MAL Extension Division in the Western Province is looking forward to support SVTA with more similar trainings in the future.
Total of 47 participants including men, women and youths who are members of SVTA attended the series of trainings.
Kava roots and chips being cut in required sizes and sorted before sun drying.
Topics covered for the piggery training include; animal welfare; pig and the community; planning piggery project; pig management/ system of pig keeping; disease and parasites; feeding and different breeds of pigs while kava theory and practical sessions include management, harvesting, washing, sorting, cutting and sun drying.
SVTA (Sirubai Voko Tribe Association) consist of family members of the Sirubai Tribe, South Vella La Vella Island.
The association (SCTA) works closely with Community Based Organisations (CBO), NGOs, Government Ministries and communities with the vision towards self-reliant community, fostering good governance, healthy lifestyle, maintaining of food security and natural resources management with the mission strive towards sustainable natural resources management where people are secure in terms of food securities, socio-economic activities and having a healthy life.
THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) through its Isabel Extension Division has successfully concluded a three-day training on kava pre-processing for farmers from Keregu, Haevo and Buma villages in Isabel Province from 13th-15th October, 2021.
The training was part of the ministry’s (MAL) willpower to impart kava growers in and around the country with necessary knowledge and skills to produce quality kava and ensure farmers meet requirements for overseas market.
It involved both theory and field demonstration activities.
Kava trainer and MAL Extension officer for Isabel Province Casper Manelugu said the training was a success.
“Farmers who attended these demonstration trainings stated their gratitude to the Ministry of agriculture and Livestock for possibly making these training available to their doorstep. It is the first of its kind especially concerning this new introduced crop since it was introduced in the country,” Manelugu said.
He said the training was very important because it equip farmers in and around the country with the same aspect on kava management and its quality assurance to make sure farmer growers meet the requirements and demand for international market.
The three days kava field demonstration training includes; field management; harvesting; sorting; washing; drying; grading and storage.
“It was a successful training and it was obvious that a good number of kava farmers had learnt a lot from these two days field demonstrations and have enjoyed the activities especially during the session such as pruning, harvesting and washing.
“Some of the participating farmers have never access to such pre-processing field demonstration training, therefore they have voiced out their appreciation to MAL for reaching out to them with the practical training,” Manelugu said.
MAL through its Extension Department is anticipating to provide further similar trainings to support farmers within the area in the future.
Manelugu thanked participants for their time and commitment proven during the trainings and also acknowledged MAL management through its Extension Department in Honiara for the continuous support to the Isabel Western Province Extension Division.
Cabinet agrees to decrease period spent in quarantine.
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
CABINET has agreed to decrease quarantine period for travellers who wish to enter Solomon Islands by modifying it into three categories according to COVID-19 risk profile of countries, says Dr Jimmie Rodgers.
Dr Rogers Secretary to Prime Minister said this modification is also carried out on quarantine requirements and the pre-departure requirement for travellers.
He stressed this modification was made in three folds.
The first one is whatever changes set in place will still be able to protect our country. Secondly many countries are now reopening their borders and this means quarantine conditions must be made slightly more attractive so that people and investors can come into the country. And thirdly is to commence re-generating the country’s economy so, these three are balanced and are currently focused on.
Rodgers said for the categories initially there are five but now the Over Sight Committee has narrowed it down to three.
“The first category is people traveling from COVID free countries now need to do one pre-departure test within 72 hours of arriving in Honiara and there quarantine period reduced to seven days from the current 14 days mandatory quarantine period,” he said.
Rodgers said when they are in quarantine they will only have one test on day six or seven and if the result returned negative they will be discharged.
“Now if some one is from COVID-free country and comes into the Solomon’s from a moderate risk country that person will be quarantined for 10 days and will have two tests. If that person comes through a high risk country that person on arrival will be quarantined for 14 days and will have three tests. This is what the regulation mentioned,” he said,
In addition Rodgers said for moderate risk countries and now Fiji is part of this there is one pre-departure test required within 72 hours of arrival and then 10 days quarantine after arrival and during the quarantine will be having two tests one within 48 hours day two and last one between day 10 and nine.
“If test results returned negative the person will be discharged. If however the person from a moderate risk country come through a high risk country then the person will be quarantined for 14 days and will have three tests before discharged,” he said.
Rodgers further adds the final group is from high risk countries with high rate of community transmission.
He said they must present two pre-departures tests one between day nine and 11 before departure and one within 72 hours of arrival in Honiara.
He said on arrival they will have 14 days quarantine. Currently this group will go through 21 days quarantine and will have three tests that will take place on day 13 and 14, if tests returned negative they will be discharged on day 14.
“So, the reason for the decrease of quarantine periods is because of the requirement of full vaccination. If travellers are not fully vaccinated they will be denied entry into the country except if they are exempted under the regulations”.
“Very importantly for each of the categories there will be risk assessment done by health and the IC will increase pre-departure requirement or post-arrival requirement depending on the risk.”
“If the risk is picked up before there will be changes to keep the country safe,” he said.
Rodgers said the most important part of the decision by the cabinet is that it is now a mandatory requirement that any one 18 years and above who want to come into the country must be fully vaccinated meaning they can only travel into Solomon Islands after having two doses of vaccine except for Johnson vaccine which is single dose.
And they can only travel four weeks after the final dose, so that is mandatory there is no exception except in very few circumstances that are defined in the regulation.
He echoed the above statements yesterday during the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (OPMC) radio talk back show on COVID-19 update on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) in Honiara
SOLOMON Water needs about $60 million to provide sewages for key games facilities for the Pacific Games in 2023.
Chief Executive Officer, Ian Gooden revealed this during the 2021 Infrastructure Symposium at FFA recently.
Gooden said there are about 10 facilities that will require water and waste water servicing.
He said one is the accommodations and SIFF facility and the National Sports council ground.
“We need funding in the next 12 months,” he added.
Furthermore, Gooden said one of the impacts is the Kukum Highway project.
“We need sewage that will go under the road and from the Ministry of Fishery to Ranadi that is 1.4 kilometers of sewage that needs to be laid under the lane.
“That has not been taken into account and not funded. We are trying to work through that,” he said.
Gooden said they have a large sewage project for Ranadi that worth around $15 million US dollar and that includes deep sea ocean floor.
“Unfortunately, we are not funded for that, the project has been broken into four parts and would cost 20 percent to 35 percent more because we are forced to build in four different parts.
“The plan B is we continue to put raw sewage into the environment and vicinity of the SIFF and National Sports Council ground. That is not accepted to us and take us back to safe water and provisions,” he added.
In addition, Gooden said within their 30 years plan, they intended to build a new water treatment plan at Lunga worth around $50 million.
AN investigation is being launched after fake vaccination cards were reportedly discovered.
This as the country continues to face a slow vaccination rate.
Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Jimmie Rodgers confirmed this yesterday at a radio talk back show on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation.
“It has come to our notice there are vaccination cards that have been faked we are investigating the cards that have been sold to people and people are actually writing names and putting dates on those cards and they are fake cards,” Rodgers said.
He said “it is very important that when you have cards it must be a genuine card therefore”.
Rodgers uttered they are now working closely with the Ministry Foreign Affairs and External Trade to ensure the upcoming flight that will leave for New Zealand on this Wednesday night carrying 150 RSE workers on labour mobility must have authentic vaccination card.
“So, with MFAET we have requested to them that we will be checking 150 cards belong to 150 travellers to ensure they are authentic. Only those that hold authentic cards will be allowed to board the flight”.
“Those that have photocopy card will be disqualified to board the flight,” he said.
Rodgers said a call will be made to the 150 people within the next 24 hours for them to bring in their cards to be validated because if any fake card is picked out the whole future of the labour mobility programme to New Zealand might actually be endangered.
“We cannot risk that thing. So the message to anyone that might be holding a fake card please know that is wrong and that is illegal and if get caught you will be prosecuted and whoever supply the fake cards will also be prosecuted,” he said.
OF the 141 people booked to board the recent Fiji repatriation flight, eight people were disqualified from boarding the flight due to strict COVID-19 measures.
According to Dr Jimmie Rodgers Secretary to the Prime Minister ,out of the eight people one did not turn up to do COVID-19 tests so that person was denied the right to fly.
Dr Rodgers stressed that of the seven two daughters of a family of five were tested positive with COVID-19 and so the whole family members were not allowed to board.
He said one student was indeterminate, meaning the persons tests is is not a definite positive nor it is a definite negative, so for safety it is regarded as positive so the person plus the person’s roommate was also denied to board.
“So, that leaves us with eight people unable to come over on the recent Fiji repatriation flight .Which means only 132 passengers boarded the flight on the 29th of October 2021,”Rodgers said.
He reiterated that on that flight 105 adults were all fully vaccinated ,27 children not vaccinated and also of that group of 105, 22 were positive previously fully recovered , tested negative and fully vaccinated.
“So that is to assure the public inside the country that no one came on that flight that is positive of COVID-19 everyone negative, of course the children cannot be vaccinated but all 27 of them tested negative of COVID-19,” Rodgers said.
He stressed test results of this Fiji-repatriation flight is currently worked on at the Molecular laboratory at the National Referral Hospital.
“We are hoping that results will be all negative but of course the test within 72 hours does not give the status of COVID-19 on the day of the test,” Rodgers said.
HONIARA stands to benefit $500 million from Solomon Power five years $1 billion SBD capital programme from 2022-2027.
This is because it has a customer base of 23,000 people.
Solomon Power Chief Executive Officer, Donald Kiriau highlighted this during the 2021 Infrastructure Symposium at FFA recently.
Kiriau said under the programme, Western will get $80 million, Malaita -$80 million and Guadalcanal – $80 million.
He said Isabel will get $70 million.
Kiriau said Choiseul Province, Makira Ulawa, Temotu and Rennell and Bellona will share $40 million each.
He said only Central Islands Province will get $30 million under the programme.
In addition, Kiriau said there is estimate that only 17 percent of our population has access to electricity and only 72 percent of Honiara has access to electricity.
“So, there is an ambitious plan for Solomon Power to bring more of our people to access electricity because as we all know electricity enhances standard of living for everybody.
“On that note, Solomon Power is faced with a lot of issues and challenges particularly in bringing energy to our people. This includes the tyranny of distance, scattered islands and high costs of operations,” he said.
“We note that 40 percent to 50 percent of our costs is fuel.
“For Solomon Power, our key investment plans are guided by the following strategics over the medium term and in turn these are linked to our National Development Strategy, Our National Energy Policy and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Renewable Energy roadmap,” he said.
Kiriau said under these govern policies, Solomon Power aims to ensure 90 percent to 100 percent renewable energy for Honiara by 2030 and an ambitious 100 percent access to electricity by 2050.
“So, with our mid-year term plans 2022-2027, one of our key goals is Strategic initiative is that we realise the importance of diversify our reliable assets into more renewable energy solutions.
“So that is the only way forward that is Tina Hydro, Solar farms and hybrids solutions,” he said.
Furthermore, Kiriau said they have to ensure that their royal customers value their service and particularly a service that is safe and reliable.
“And thirdly an operational excellence model that supports strong performance, delivery and returns to stakeholders, government and the people of Solomon Islands,” he said.
Kiriau wish to thank their development partners such as Australia, World Bank, ADB, New Zealand and others for supporting Solomon Power with its ambitious goal of bringing more people into the greed.
CHOISEUL Province will elect a new Premier today following a motion of no confidence against the former last week.
In an interview with Island Sun on Friday, Speaker of Choiseul Province, Greg Sokeni says his office has received nominations for the Premier and Deputy Premier’s position.
He says the election of the Premier and Deputy Premier will be conducted based on the standing orders of Choiseul province followed by swearing in of the officials when time permits as the province is in dire need to proceed with its business.
Sokeni says one of the province’s important business is to appropriate the revised budget.
Provincial Assembly Hon Speaker Adrian Sinabule Gina
BY CHARLES KADAMANA
Speaker of Western Province Adrian Gina says he has been fair to both sides of the Assembly when he adjourned the last meeting to November 7 due to lack of quorum.
Despite the November 7 adjournment, 17 provincial members who are challenging Premier David Gina’s leadership on Monday this week held an Assembly meeting following instructions from the Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) Extraordinary Gazette Notice on October 14.
The ministry’s intervention has pushed the political impasse in Western province into the court for judicial review after Premier Gina challenged the order.
Speaker Gina said the bottom line of what actually happen was there were two notices issued to convene the Assembly meeting on 8 July and 28 August but prior to the day of the sitting on 28 August, five members of the executives resigned on 21st of August.
He said because of that he took time to get the position of the ruling government on their situation so he further moved the meeting to 21 September.
He said during that meeting only eight members of the ruling government attended while 18 provincial members boycotted it.
So, he invoked standing order 71 to get a quorum.
Under the standing order 71 it states that when at any time during a sitting (a) the Speaker determines a quorum is not present, (b) a member draws the speaker’s attention to the lack of a quorum the proceeding shall not continue until a quorum is present.
Based on that he adjourned the meeting to November 7.
“Right after I adjourned the meeting, they were caught by surprised and in respond they gave one petition and motion of no confidence but I already adjourn it.
“This is where the point of argument started.,” he said.
Gina said if they don’t agree on his decision the only place to sort out their disagreement is in the court.
“I cannot leave this office when these are still hanging on my neck,” he said.
Sharing his view on the litigation, leader of the non-executive group Ramrakha Talasasa said the Assembly is the right place to solve the political impasse and not the court.
He said the litigation will be time consuming and those who will suffer the most are the people of Western Province.
Talasasa said the public of Western Province has been a bystander with lots of questions pending answers.
“Just for public’s information, of course there are opportunities to go to court with these issues but we don’t feel that the court is the right place to address these matters.”
