TWO Solomon Islands men working under the Pacific Labour Scheme in Australia have involved in a brawl at Camp Moogerah in Queensland at 2am on Sunday.
Solomon Islands High Commissioner in Canberra, Robert Sisilo, confirmed the incident, adding one is in hospital while the other is in police custody.
Sisilo said he is still waiting for details from relevant authorities.
Reports claimed one of the men, who was believed to be under the influence of alcohol, stabbed another boy.
This resulted in the arrival of an ambulance and police intervention.
Island Sun has sent an email to Labour Mobility Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade but has not received any reply before the paper went to press last night.
The incident came following the recent involvement of three Solomon Islanders in a fatal car crash in Queensland.
It was reported then that two men age 34 and 39 years have died while a 24-year-old was recovering in Brisbane hospital.
Recently, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade encouraged Solomon Islanders to be good ambassadors when working in Australia.
Minister Manele recently told Parliament that the labour mobility arrangement is the priority of the government because it relieves the pressure on unemployment in the country.
Furthermore, he reminded those selected to take seriously not to just earn income for their families and country but to be good ambassadors.
Manele said there were feedbacks from their employers that they practiced littering and sleep late for their work in the morning.
Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale recently encourage the government to send more workers to Australia to make use of the 12,500 spaces offered by Australia government for Pacific Islands countries.
Chairman of the Oversight Committee Dr Jimmie Rodgers
BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
COVID-19 risk for Solomon Islands is greater than ever before since the delta variant of the virus is just next door, says Dr Jimmie Rodger, secretary to the Prime Minister.
Rodgers highlighted this at the recent radio talkback on COVID-19 updates.
“The new delta variant of COVID-19is just looking next door to us meaning the risk in Solomon Islands is greater than ever before.
“I said this because I see it with my own eyes on how the pandemic is actually going like a wild fire in Fiji, am saying this because am currently living here in Fiji.
“It is very difficult to stop the virus, if it reaches our communities.
“Our second intention of course is whenever it comes into the country it must be stopped and contained at the quarantine facilities and eliminate it there.
“We also push on vaccination and also on corporation of people to make sure the under 18 years are protected from the virus as well,” he said.
Rodgers said the delta variant is affecting many countries and that is why the government is very careful.
“The key message here is those who are eligible to vaccinate, please get vaccinated and reduce movement.
“Non vaccinated people are the ones that are dying early,” he said.
WHILE the country is preparing for a 36-hour lockdown, 19 people are serving their mandatory quarantine at government funded stations.
Jonathan Taufiariki, deputy director to National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in a radio talkback confirmed this.
“We have 19 quarantiners serving their mandatory quarantine periods. Of the 19, seven are serving their mandatory quarantine period in Nila, Shortlands Islands, Western Province.
“Eight are Olympians who have returned back from Japan and other four coming from Papua New Guinea who are all quarantined in Honiara,” Taufiariki said.
He said at the moment, Camp Management, the body looking after quarantine stations, is managing five quarantine facilities declared by the national government.
“These quarantines stations are GBR, SA apartment these two are located in the Henderson area. The other three quarantine facilities are hotels these include Heritage Park Hotel, Pacific Casino Hotel and King Solomon Hotel. So in total we have five quarantine stations in Honiara,” Taufiariki said.
He adds, in Western Province there are three and one in Choiseul province.
THE issue of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) is an ugly legacy of World War 2 Solomon Islands is still experiencing its effects to this day.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare highlighted during the launching of the UXO package support from the Australian Government at the Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, Friday last week.
Sogavare said Solomon Islands like all other Pacific Island countries which have had this war fought on their shores, remains heavily contaminated with UXO, both on land and sea.
“We are amongst one of the worst affected countries in the Pacific and this terrible legacy continues to have a devastating impact on people’s lives up to this day,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said it is sad to highlight that in the past years alone Solomon Islands continued to experience loss of lives.
He said earlier this year an UXO took the life of two young Solomon Islanders. Prior to that two foreign nationals who were tasked to work with this UXOs also lost their lives.
The Prime Minister said the Government sees this as an ever-present danger to the well-being and safety of our people.
“Though we are limited in our capacity, we continue to strive to provide the best training possible to our disciplined force to deal with this legacy of a conflict that was not of our own making,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team (EOD) is the only specialized Unit mandated to deal with UXOs.
He said though they are limited with resources, they continue to do a great job under challenging circumstances.
“They have at times continued to bring high repute to their expert field amongst their pacific peers, and for this I wish to salute them for the work they do each day to keep our people safe,” he said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said conducting explosive clearances operation and awareness activities to our communities is an important but dangerous job.
“These men and women continue to put their lives at risk to ensure that we enjoy a safe and secure environment free from UXOs,” the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Sogavare said as a Government, they are tasked with ensuring the security of the people, and will continue to accept any support that aims to protect and keep everyone safe.
27 lives were lost on the MV Taimareho in April 2020 when the ship sailed through rough weather.
BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE case against the directors, General Manager, captains and the West Are’are Constituency shipping company has adjourned to October 5 due to technical issues.
The case was mentioned yesterday at the High Court for plea but since the defence raised some issues regarding the charges against the defendants, the case adjourned.
12 defendants are charged in relation to the sea tragedy involving MV Taimareho causing the death of 27 people at sea in April 2020.
The defendants are charged under the shipping Act 1998, which includes sending an unsafe vessel to sea, Vessel going to sea without a valid certificate, taking an unsafe vessel to sea, disciplinary offence, failing to keep an official log book, failing to notify the principal surveyor of change in condition of a vessel and not complying with the convention international on standards of training certification and watch keeping for seafarers.
They are Michael Roy Galo (ship master) Joe Malepa and Stephen Waina’a (captains) Shipping Directors are Esther Hoasihere, John Bosco Houanihunu, Lawrence Hunumeme, Stephen Maahanua, Aaron Oritaimae, William Parairato and Aloysius Poiohia and the General Manager Cypriano Taamora.
ATTORNEY General Muria John (Jnr) calls on the public and especially people residing inside the Honiara Declared Emergency Zone to respect and adhere to the lockdown orders, which will come into effect next Sunday, 29th at 6:00 pm and cease on Tuesday, 31st at 6:00 am.
“Lockdown orders are valid and constitutionally sound,” Muria said.
“This has also been confirmed by the High Court of Solomon Islands in Mitoro v Regina Criminal Case No. 1 of 2021,” he added.
“Failure to follow the lockdown orders is a breach of the law and you will be arrested and charged,” Muria said in a radio talkback show.
Director of the National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates, also explained during a media briefing over the weekend that the simulated lockdown will be inconvenient for our communities but heightening our preparation and response capabilities for COVID-19 and especially the Delta-variant is paramount is at this stage.
He kindly urge Honiara residents to accept and listen out to media outlets for the simulated lockdown as frontline agencies conduct case scenarios to test their response mechanisms.
The revised COVID-19 Lockdown Plan was updated to provide guidance to emergency responders attending to suspected covid-19 cases in the communities, and limit public movement to restrain transmission of the virus.
The plan provides the overarching framework for managing lockdowns in a location of interest.
It specifies the governance arrangements, the roles and responsibilities of responding agencies as well as the continuation of specific essential services during the lockdown period.
The lockdown plan is supported by a series of Terms of References and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for frontline agencies.
Any person breaking the Lockdown Order will be liable to a maximum penalty of SBD$15,000 or face imprisonment for 5 years, or both, under the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No.2) Regulations 2021.
The lockdown is only for the Honiara Declared Emergency Zone from Aligator Creek to Poha.
Police teams will set up 10 checkpoints inside the emergency zone and mount surveillance operation.
More than 500 police officers will be deployed during the lockdown exercise operation next week.
COVID-19 Police Operation Commander Simpson Pogeava says the lockdown will start at 6pm on August 29, finishing at 6am on August 31.
Mr Pogeava says police are supporting the Ministry of Health and Medical Services as the leading agency to test their response capabilities should there be any community transmission when borders reopen.
Pogeava says from the police operational perspective, there will be six sub-zone boundaries from Poha Bridge in North West Guadalcanal to Alligator Creek in the Eastern side of Honiara International Airport. Within those sub-zones, there are 10 checkpoints within Honiara and part of Guadalcanal policing jurisdiction.
He says police are working on other essential services to be exempted during the lockdown.
“I kindly ask everyone to prepare ahead for this lockdown. Stock up your homes with food and other necessities to keep you for that period.
“Be mindful, though it is a lockdown exercise but police will arrest and charge those who breach it. I ask you, my good people in Honiara, to stay home during the lockdown. Other essential services will be exempted and work during the lockdown period to attend other essential services,” says Pogeava.
A yacht anchoring off Selwyn Bay, Ugi island, Makira-Ulawa province is causing a scare.
Kirakira police yesterday told the paper the principal of nearby Pawa school had raised to them concerns of this yacht and the scare it is causing on surrounding coastal communities as well as staff and students of Pawa.
Kirakira police say they have alerted authorities in Honiara, and are standing by for any order from the capital.
Community rumours reaching Kirakira police say the yacht had run into some mechanical problem, thereby forcing it to drop anchor.
Provincial Police Commander advises surrounding communities not to go near the yacht as the country is currently in State of Public Emergency.
The yacht carries two male foreigners; the description of the yacht is white in colour with the name Vivre, and one mast.
Peter Kenilorea Junior with members of the Paehusi landholding with their certificate
THREE customary landholding groups in Masupa Village in the East ‘Are’are region of Malaita Province received their certificates of land recording completion in a hand-over ceremony yesterday,
The Customary Recording was carried out under the Customary Land Act and preceded by public awareness dialogues and consultations, boundary mapping and reconciliation between customary landholding groups’ members.
Minister Avui and East Are’Are MP with delegates on arrival at Masupa village
The main purpose of the Customary Recording Programme was to record the land rights of customary landholding groups.
It also allowed recording their genealogy which is now officially recognized and subsequently will be registered in the Repository of the Central Land Records Office of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey.
Minister Avui with members of the Huniharu landholding group with their certificates
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey (MLHS), Ishmael Avui, congratulated three landholding groups, including the Rarirahuta, Paehusi and Huniharu of East Are’ Are, for receiving their certificates of completion of the Customary Land Recording process under the Customary Land Recording Act.
“I strongly believe that the recording of customary land will spread throughout Malaita and other provinces and communities. The fire has started here in East Are’ Are, and the DCGA Government will help to fan the flame so that it will spread throughout other parts of Malaita and other Islands in the country,” Minister Avui said.
Minister Avui speaking at the Masupa handover ceremony
“Thank you to the East Are’ Are House of Chiefs and other tribal elders for supporting my Ministry in successfully rolling out the programme,” he added.
“On that same note, I would like to thank our development Partner UNDP for their financial and technical support to this great and historical achievement.
UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands Mr Berdi Berdiyev with members of the Raroasi landholding group members
“Such assistance is never easy to get, but I can assure you it will go a long way to drive development in the rural areas of Solomon Islands.”
In his welcoming remarks, UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands Berdi Berdiyev expressed his appreciation to members of three customary landholding groups in East ‘Are’are for their partnership with the Government over last 10 months to complete the recording.
UNDP Country Manager in Solomon Islands Mr Berdi Berdiyev speaking at Masupa
“Having land rights recorded grants the landowners the right to utilize land for development that will benefit not just one person or family or a group of individuals, but everyone in your communities in years to come,” he said.
Berdiyev further emphasized that the customary recording process supported by UNDP is an important initiative which contributes to development and peace of Solomon Islands.
“The development and implementation of the customary land recording in Solomon Islands is a critical pillar of the National Development Strategy, and with the approach to leave-no-one-behind, I am positive that the recording will play a pivotal role in building and sustaining peace and reducing land-related conflicts and disputes in Solomon Islands,” he added.
Children and women joined the celeberation
With the Sustainable Development Goals as a guiding thread, UNDP works to promote peace and inclusive societies by supporting and partnering with governments, civil society organizations and people to participate in processes to prevent conflict and sustain peace.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.
