SOLOMON Islands has collected about $157,268 from a total of 156 passport renewal applications in Australia from September 21 – December 23, 2020.
This came about after a collaboration work between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Affairs and Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Immigration and Labour (MCIIL), where they posted Immigration Officers to Consulate in Brisbane and High Commission in Canberra.
Minister Jeremiah Manele said to renew passports, an application costs $1,145(AUD187) while an application to replace lost or damage passport is $1,488(AUD243).
He said should the fees be reviewed upwards, the Government could be collecting further more funds.
“I am pleased to announce an Immigration officer will soon be leaving for New Zealand to carry out similar task working in the country’s High Commission in Wellington.
“We hope more revenue will be collected from our nationals living in New Zealand,” he said.
A 66-year-old man who accidently killed a 39-year-old at Yandina in 2017 following a row over the price of a packet sugar has been sent to jail for six years.
Abrahma Kevaru was sentenced by High Court judge Justice Leonard Maina for one count of manslaughter.
The court heard that Mr Kevaru on July 8, 2017 accidently stabbed the victim in Yandina, Russell Islands.
On the day of the incident the deceased gave his son $50 to buy five packets of sugar at the Kevaru’s canteen.
The son went to the canteen and Kevaru’s wife served the boy; she told him that if he bought two packets of sugar the price would be $8 per packet and once five packets of sugar, the price would be $10 per packet.
The son bought five packets of sugar and went back to their house without any change; upon seeing no change and being told about the price variance, the deceased told his son to return the packets of sugar and refund the money.
However, when the son went to the canteen the accused did not want to refund the money; the son went back to his father and told him about it.
It was at that time the deceased was not happy and came to the accused to request refund.
When the deceased approached the accused, the accused was peeling cassava with a small knife outside his house and the deceased came arguing in front of the canteen’s counter.
It was when the accused approached him in front of the counter, the deceased pulled the accused’s shirt; at that time the accused was still holding on to the small knife in his right hand.
Court also said that it was that time as a result of their struggle the small knife inflicted onto the deceased’s chest.
Justice Maina said the Doctor’s report confirmed that the deceased died from the injury on his chest.
Therefore, after assessing ,considering all the circumstances of the case, Maina imposed six years sentence for Kevaru.
EIGHT men alleged to have involved in the death of a 50-year-old man on Utupua Island on December 22, 2019 return to court for mention.
This is the case against Ishmael Nipwae, Nickson Kabitene, Hendry Roto, Samson Muanivi, Josses Miave, Michael Mupio Charles Tanen and a juvenile.
All eight are facing one count of murder each relating to an incident on December 22, 2019 at Aveta bush-garden on Utupua island Temotu.
Police in Lata were alerted about the incident and the men were arrested and remanded in Lata Correctional facility however, since their charge is a serious charge, their case was transferred to Honiara so that they secure legal counsels to represent them with their case.
The men then transported to Honiara and their case is currently heard at the Honiara Magistrate Court.
THE case of a man charged with possession of firearm at Guzo Point in June last year, will appear again before Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison.
Alfred Maefalea was arrested on June 6, 2020 at the Guzo Point following police discovery of a firearm inside his vehicle during the early hours of that day.
He entered a not-guilty plea in the previous occasions and a trial was conducted on his case.
Police said after they discovered the gun in his vehicle, he was immediately apprehended and escorted to the Central Police Station watch-house with the fireman, where he was formally arrested and placed in police custody.
He was charged with one count of possession of firearm without license contrary to section 5 (2) (a) of the Firearms and Ammunitions Act and was taken to court for a remand application.
Police said the Honiara City Response Unit (CRU) was on a routine patrol in the Kukum area when they came across a car parked in the Guzo Point area along the Kukum Highway.
On checking the vehicle, officers discovered the driver asleep in the driver’s seat and believed to be drunk. They also discovered a modified point-22 firearm wrapped in a bag in the boot of the suspect’s vehicle.
Officer In-charge of the Reforestation Unit of Auki Forestry, Mr Rony Aiwewe helping students of Gwaigeo CHS during one of the School Tree Planting programmes in 2018.
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
With Malaita’s reforestation boom, permanent nursery sites are being proposed for the substations in the province.
In-charge of Reforestry office in Auki, Mr Ronnie Aiwewe told this paper forestry nursery site is an important component of any reforestation programme.
He said he has officers stationed in the substations who are ready to help with rollout of the proposal.
Aiwewe said this would provide easy access for farmers to collect trees for planting.
He said currently farmers are travelling to Auki at their own cost to collect nursed seedlings to take home and plant.
Aiwewe said they rolled out the initiative last year with the help of MPG and it worked well for farmers upon feedback received from them.
He said the initiative on the other hand will boost reforestation in the province.
Aiwewe said his office has recorded growth in reforestation in the province and they thank the people for taking up the initiative despite lack of government support.
On that note, he said his office is also faced with limitations to fully execute and support the programme, but they will continue to partner with people to work towards their goal.
The deployment team preparing the floaters before dropping of weights at various depth along the coastal waters of Ahetaha
BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
AHETAHA Water Conservation Association recently completed a four-day CBRM awareness, concrete weight construction and floater deployment along 2.4km of coastal demarcation of conservation area.
Reason to carry out the demarcation is to protect dugongs, green turtles, sea grass meadows and nesting grounds in designated areas along Ahetaha coast within Manawai Harbour in East Are’Are.
The activity was AWCA’s fifth activity under its UNDP/GEF Small Grant Programme funding support. It is an establishment of the No-Go-Take Zone been executed from March 22-25, 2021.
AWCA rangers (L-R) Mr. David Hanuara, Dick Taka, Timo Kauraena and Stalin Tautona constructing the casing for the concrete weights.
AWCA Coordinator, Mr Eddie Haikau Huitarau said the activity was facilitated by Solomon Islands Rangers Office Technical and Professional, Mr Carlos Haikau and supported by five rangers of Ahetaha.
According to Haikau, the activity is very important not only for Ahetaha resource owners but for the wider communities within Manawai since there are several conservations recently established by the neighbouring communities and tribal groups.
Solomon Islands Rangers Association Technical Specialist – Mr. Carlos Haikau explaining the importance of CBRM
He said the activity was a significant step forward to the conservation and its communities as they are now aware of the purpose to deploy these weights and floaters within their conservation area.
Huitarau said the collaboration between AWCA and Solomon Islands Rangers Association comes at a right time as rapid population growth, climate change or even Covid-19 are putting pressure on people and communities’ access to nutritious sea food (protein) like fish and seashells.
He said the overall objective of the activity is to establish a formal conservation site to protect the endangered dugong and green turtle species found in the area.
The last floater to be deployed at the southern end of the boundary
Adding that this to support work undertaken in the land and seascape recognized and approved under the SGP Country Program Strategy (CPS) for Solomon Islands.
As it mandated by Solomon Islands government through CPS consultation with the Ministry of Environment and stakeholders especially; relevant to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) global species under threat within the Biodiversity Thematic Area.
Huitarau said secondly, the activity is to increase environment conservation knowledge in the rural communities relative to the marine biodiversity people rely on for their livelihood.
He said AWCA also recognized the importance of addressing the need to find alternative means to assist its traditional resources owners and users participate in a development pathway that is sustainable and build the capacity of its people in the management of natural resources through a Community Management Resource Plan.
PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare says there is a need to review the Constituency Boundaries as some provinces like Malaita and Guadalcanal are very big.
Sogavare revealed this when asked by Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale during the Committee Supply of the $4 billion budget in Parliament yesterday.
He said government is looking forward to the matter.
“It is a hot issue on the plate which we need to advance,” he said.
According to the Electoral Commission, the Solomon Islands Parliament consists of 50 members, directly elected from single-member constituencies on the basis of the first-past-the-post system. The Parliamentary term is four years.
The Constitution requires that a review of constituency boundaries be conducted by the Constituency Boundaries Commission at least every 10 years.
The most recent redrawing of constituency boundaries occurred in 1997 (increasing the number of constituencies from 47 to 50).
In 2009 the Parliament rejected a recommendation from the Commission to increase the number of constituencies to 67.
COUNCILLOR for Rove/Lengakiki ward, Edward Siapu has been elected the new Mayor of the Honiara City Council this morning.
The election run-off for the mayor post was between Siapu and Vura ward councillor, Reginald Ngati after councilor for Kukum ward, Robert Oge withdraw his candidacy prior to the elections.
The results from the vote count was Councillor Siapu 14 votes to Ngati’s six votes.
