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YOUNG PHOTOJOURNALIST USES LENS TO DRIVE CHANGE

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A young photojournalist, Mr. Lachlan Eddie, is utilizing his skills in photography to drive change in his community. He is an emerging photographer with a passion to work with people in every work of life. His five years in the photography industry have been shedding light on the voiceless, especially young people, women, and children.

He is being recognized in the media industry as an imminent photojournalist working with the Solomon Star Newspaper Company. He also joined the One More Shot team of photographers in the Solomon Islands to raise funds for a sick person with cancer who later went to diagnose in Fiji.

Lachlan lives by the common motto: Pictures tell a thousand words. Through that, he is determined social change can happen through photography, and it is an avenue the country needs to support young people with.

He said, “The changes I want to see in this country is, we need to support our filmmakers, writers, photographers and content creators in advancing their dreams and skills in terms of building a huge hub for youths.”

“Currently the country has Dream Cast Hub but it is too small to accommodate more aspiring youths who want to be involved in writing, photography, videography, content creator and many more.”

“These bunches of visual artists have contributed much in some changes in our communities and societies as well as the country as a whole,” he said with a smile.

Lachlan started his photography skills after buying a Haus phone at Noro Telecom. He used the Haus phone to capture photos and posted them on his Facebook account. From there the love for photography developed. 

He said, “I follow my Uncles, Navo Philip, Jayson Philip, and others to renovate some staff house and warehouse at Rinngi. When we got money from our contract, I manage to buy a Haus phone at Noro Telekom. After that, I started to capture some pictures and uploaded them to my Facebook account. From there my love for photography started to develop.”

“The interest in photography skills continues to rise. I shoot landscapes and portray photos, and posted on social media. As people commented on my photos it impresses me to continue to capture more pictures and continue to upload.”

“One day I send a friend request to a person from Norway but living in Australia. He is a professional photographer. His name is Kristian Melgard. He married Rossy from PNG.

We were close friends, and then one day, my friend Kristian after seing all my photo uploads on Facebook, he asks me. Lachlan, you seem interested in photography. “Would you like to study photography online?

Then I replied to him yes. Later Kristian registered my name and paid my fee to study photography online with the Shaw Academy, an online photography class.

Not only that, but his friend Kristian also bought him a Nikon D90 Camera and Sigma 17-50mm lens which boosted his passion for photography to sour to new heights.

Reaching this far, Lachlan commended his mother for the dedication, determination, and belief that rested on him. She is the one behind him to find his dreams in photography and graduated in Media and Journalist.

He said, “I was raised by a single mother and have grown up living my childhood life at Ughele village with my mother. I got the name “Lachlan” from a white man called Lachlan Shyves who came to Ughele in the western province, and live with the Chief of Ughele called Willie Lianga.”

My mum was a house girl for chief Lianga and his wife late Dyrin. My mum got married to my stepdad so I live with my grandfather Eddie Hoe who is a farmer and fisherman. He supports our family by selling his produce from his garden and fishing.

Lachlan is excited that despite the difficulties encountered during his entire childhood, he continues to receive support from his mother, grandfather, and close relatives.

Lachlan aims to be a lawyer. However, plans were changed when he dropped out from form six at Beulah Provincial School and no financial assistance to study law at the University of the South Pacific.

Thus, he decided to change his career pathway and went to study journalism and media at Solomon Islands National University. After completing the course, he went back to his home village to support his mother.

In 2017 he went back to Honiara, searching for a job in his qualification in journalism and media.

Currently, Lachlan work as a photojournalist with the Solomon Star Newspaper Company supporting the newsroom team. While with the newsroom team, he was fortunate to learn from Charles Kadamana.

“I learned some tips from Charles on how to shoot photos for the newspaper. It was my first time to know that newspaper pictures are different. Newspaper pictures tell a story and catch people’s attention.”

“Newspaper pictures are to attract the reader to buy the paper and as a photographer, you must select good pictures for a front page. Kadamana left Solomon Star. Solomon Star Manager wants me to take up the photography work replacing Charles Kadamana. It was a big challenge for me.”

“I am still young and new to the photographer department where Kadamana has left to me. Working in a Newspaper Company is not an easy task because you have to meet deadlines. But I slowly adapted to the work because some Solomon Star journalist supports me to do my work.”

“There is more room for improvement. I want to thank God for his ultimate support towards my work. He is our Lord and he deserves to be praised,” he said.

Besides working as a photojournalist, Lachlan created a personal Facebook page early this year. He called his Facebook page Matazonga Photography. Mata means-Eye Zonga-Accuracy. So Matazonga means Eye Accuracy.

If you an aspiring photographer, Lachlan encourages you to keep shooting and shooting and also teach yourselves from lots of photography tutorial in YouTube.

Looking to the future, Lachlan plans to own a photoshoot studio and ID Photo studio. His major challenge currently is, machine to print photo ID.

Plans for my photography In the future I want to run a photoshoot studio and ID Photo studio because some people ask me to shoot their ID photo but I don’t have a machine to print the photo ID.  

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

2 TO TALK $4B

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Solomon Islands National Parliament

By EDDIE OSIFELO

MEMBERS of Parliament will have only two days instead of three to debate the $4 billion budget.

This was after the Speaker of Parliament, Patterson Oti adjourned the first day of debate yesterday to 9.30am today.

This leaves only today (Friday) and Monday for the MPs to debate on the budget speech made by Minister of Finance and Treasury, Harry Kuma on Tuesday.

Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale had asked for the adjournment because the Public Accounts Committee report was just tabled in Parliament yesterday.

Wale said it is good to allow time for MPs to read and formulate their presentation.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare agreed on the request seeing that the first response has to come from Leader of Opposition to start the debate.

However, Sogavare said the number of days for the debate has to reduce from three to two days because of the adjournment.

As such, the Speaker granted the request made by Opposition Leader.

No tours this year for GG

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Eddie Osifelo
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Governor General Sir David Vunagi

By EDDIE OSIFELO

GOVERNOR General, Sir David Vunagi will not undertake any provincial and international tours this year.

This was after the Ministry of Finance and Treasury not allocating any budget in the $4 billion budget currently before the Parliament for debate.

According to Public Accounts Committee report tabled in Parliament yesterday, the Office of Governor General did not submit any bid to the Budget Unit this year.

This is due to the redirection policy of the Government that there will be no bid submissions accepted from ministries for pay roll and other charges expenditures.

Only Baseline Budget was given.

“This will affect the Governor-General in performing some of his roles and functions such as community visit to the provinces as a symbol of national unity and leadership.

“Further it also affects his role to undertake international state visits, and also to undertake medical treatment overseas,” OGG said.

PAC gives government 20 recommendations

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National Parliament of Solomon Islands

THE Public Accounts Committee has made 20 recommendations to the Government after it completed its hearing on the $4 billion budget which was held from March 22-31.

A total of 257 witnesses appeared before the Committee to give their testimonies.

The report of the PAC was tabled in Parliament yesterday.

The recommendations are:

Recommendation 1

  1. The Committee urges the Central Bank to exercise regular supervisory and prudential oversight of DBSI.
  2. The Committee recommends that the composition of the DBSI Board be reviewed so that Board members are truly independent of both the Government as owner and the Central Bank as regulator and not include political appointees.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that:

  1. The Government provides further capital injection of $50 million to DBSI to enable it to provide further loans to SMEs and rural investors.
  2. The bank enter into international banking arrangements to enable foreign currency transactions to facilitate forestry accounts and transactions.
  3. DBSI develop transparent guidelines to avoid refinancing of non-performing loans from commercial banks.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development prepare a Cabinet paper to seek further assistances to boost the economy through productive sector under the ministry to fund specified crops for processing.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends:

  1. That the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock needs to review the Biosecurity Act to enable the ministry to be more effective in controlling our borders against foreign pests.
  2. That the existing threats to Biosecurity of, coconut rhinoceros beetle, Asian bee and giant African snail, are adequately funded to seriously address the need currently experienced in the country.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends:

  1. That the Ministry of Public Service continue to coordinate with the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to resolve the dire need for functional review of the OAG and allocate to the Office the required manpower.
  2. That the Government allocate funds to the OAG to secure the AG’s residence from ongoing encroachments of settlements.
  3. Expedite the appointment of the Auditor-General.

Recommendation 6

  1. The Committee recommends that the SINU Act be amended and that governance and the relationship of unions and management are clarified.
  2. The Committee urges the expedited appointment of a replacement Vice-Chancellor.
  3. The Committee recommends the Government study the option of establishing an institute of technology to take over the trades schools from SINU.
  4. The Committee urges MEHRD to seek external quality assurance assessment and accreditation of SINU course offerings.
  5. The Committee urges that the terms and conditions of award of scholarships be reviewed for affordability and incentivises and prioritises Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
  6. The Committee urges the Government to commission a study into Education financing.
  7. The Committee recommends the roll out of multilingual education (MLE) in primary schools.
  8. The Committee urges the Government to strengthen the apprenticeship program and give sole responsibility for it to SITESA.

Recommendation 7

  1. The Committee urges the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to liaise with the Governor of the Central Bank to collect the uncollected revenues of $300 million identified as “dead money”.
  2. The Committee is concerned at the slow pace of tax reform and urges the Ministry to progress these reforms in a more timely manner.
  3. The Committee recommends that exemptions granted to Mamara development be on capital items only.
  4. The committee recommends that appropriate packages of fiscal incentives are devised to attract quality and sizable investment in strategic sectors.
  5. The Committee urges CBSI to review the effectiveness and relevance of current monetary policy tools and consider options to strengthen the effectiveness of transmission of consequences of monetary policy to consumers.
  6. The Committee urges the Ministries of Finance and Planning to ensure that there is full disclosure in budget documents of donor funding through non-appropriated expenditures.

Recommendation 8

The Committee urges the expedited appointment of the Ambassador to the United Nations.

Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that the Government support the roles and functions of the Governor-General by allowing it to make budgetary bids for its Other Charges and Development budgets.

Recommendation 10

The Committee recommends to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services that any improvements to the current National Referral Hospital (NRH) and the proposed development of the new NRH must take into consideration the population growth and the aging population for the next 30 years so that structural designs are intended to last longer and can cater for the growing and aging population.

Recommendation 11

The Committee recommends:

That Government takes control of vaccine procurement and rollout.

That the Ministry of Health and Medical Services work with other government agencies, networks and stakeholders such as churches to help with educating our people about the vaccine and its roll out program to convince our people to get vaccinated.

Recommendation 12

The Committee recommends that the Government commission a review of National Referral Hospital to look at clinical governance and corporate governance with a view to the possibility of establishing an independent hospital board and urge the government to consider procuring technical assistance to undertake such a review.

Recommendation 13

The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Health and Medical Service carry out a Cost of Health and Medicals Services study in the Solomon Islands that is similar to the Cost of Policing done by RAMSI. This is so that an overall report on cost of delivering health and medical services can inform on the appropriate budget allocation.

Recommendation 14

  1. The Committee urges the Government to implement the forestry sustainability policy.
  2. The Committee urges the Government to strictly enforce the prohibition of logging beyond 400 meters above sea-level.

Recommendation 15

  1. The Committee urges the Government to review the arms capability of the RSIPF appropriate to border management.
  2. The Committee recommends that the Commissioner of Corrections consider options for community service by inmates.
  3. The Committee recommends the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Service undertake a peer review of the quality of police training.

Recommendation 16

  1. The Committee recommends that the Land Registry be reallocated to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey under the management of the Commissioner of Lands.
  2. The Committee urges the Government to expedite identification and acquisition of land for the resettlement of climate vulnerable communities.

Recommendation 17

The Committee urges:

  1. The Government to continue with the Henderson runway reseal/overlay and to seek additional funding for its completion.
  2. The Committee urges the Government to review the Telecommunications Act to further strengthen competition, improve quality, and reduce cost of services.

Recommendation 18

The Committee urges the Government to adequately fund the National Judiciary and its support services and to expedite reforms to strengthen the independence of the judiciary.

Recommendation 19

The Committee strongly urges the Government to allocate adequate funding for safe houses and support services for victims of domestic and gender based violence.

Recommendation 20

The Committee recommends:

  1. That the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology liaise with HCC to ensure that appropriate development consent was obtained in the developments encroaching the Mataniko riverside and appropriate remedial action is taken to enforce the law.
  2. That a project to be undertaken to clean up the Mataniko river.
  3. That the Government commission a study on the need to establish a climate fund.
  4. That the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology devise a plan and protocols for the relocation of communities vulnerable to sea level rise.
  5. That the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology propose amendments to relevant laws to clarify governance for tubi.

Gov’t working on relocation guides

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Eddie Osifelo
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Marovo lagoon. PHOTO: UN PHOTO

By EDDIE OSIFELO

TWO ministries are working together with international immigration to come up with relocation guidelines.

Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey are working on this course following concerns of people living on low lying islands in the country affected by sea level rise.

According to the Public Accounts Committee report tabled in Parliament yesterday, Ministry of Environment said currently, there is a team assessing in the Reef Islands to see issues people are facing.

“This needs a whole of government approach.

“At the moment the ministry is focusing on providing a second safe home,” Environmental Ministry said.

However, traditional donors like Australia and Asian Development Bank are involved directly in relocation of people affected by climate change in the country.

The High Commission informed the PAC that their assistance is channel through infrastructures projects which take into account climate change issues.

However, their programs will not directly involve in the relocation of vulnerable communities. SIG did not ask direct assistance in the climate change space but all programs build in climate change safe guards,” AHC said.

Further to that, ADB confirmed that they have an allocation of US$5m grant to assist communities on natural disaster which can be dispersed in two days, however this assistance does not directly involved the relocation of vulnerable communities.

“The bank is a strong supporter of renewable energy to address climate change. It takes serious measures to mitigate and address natural disasters, responds to disaster risks, mitigate disaster risks and health related risks,” ADB said.

Death of Chinese suspicious: Police

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Police investigators at the Naha Police Station in East Honiara are investigating the suspicious death of a Chinese national inside the compound of the Top Timber Company at Ranadi, April 7, 2021.

The deceased from Guandong Province in China, was employed by the Top Timber Company as the Grading and Consultation Supervisor. He resided at the Top Timber compound where the incident occurred.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Honiara City Superintendent John Matamaru says, “An initial report states that in the early hours of 7 April 2021, the deceased was seen by a neighbor arriving back home with a female in his car.  Few hours later the same witness saw the deceased and the female leave his house and drove out in his vehicle from the Top Timber compound. Later at about 5am the same witness saw the deceased arrive back alone and went straight into his house.

“At about 7am the deceased’s house girl went up to the deceased room and knocked on his bedroom door but he never answered.

“At 1.30pm on 7 April, a male colleague went to check on the deceased after he failed to answer his phone. The body of the deceased was discovered in his room after his colleague managed to enter with the key located in the car of the deceased.

The body of the deceased was transported to the National Referral Hospital by the St John Ambulance where he was pronounced dead by a doctor.

 “I want to appeal to members of the public living near and around the area of incident to come forward with any information to help police with their investigation into this sad incident,” says PPC Matamaru.

–POLICE MEDIA

5 arrested over arson

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Police at the Tetere Station in Guadalcanal Province have arrested five suspects following an arson incident that happened at Teubala Village, North Guadalcanal on April 5, 2021.

An initial report on the incident say a group of people from Tuebala Village went to Ghavagha Village to ask compensation in relation to an assault incident that happened at Tuebala on April 3, 2021.

It is alleged that while they were still negotiating the compensation, a group of people from Ghavaha, armed with knives, spears, stones, attacked the group from Tuebala. They continued to attack and chase them towards their village at Tuebala. It is further alleged that the attackers burned down nine dwelling houses and six kitchens at Tuebala.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Guadalcanal Province Chief Superintendent Alfred Uiga says, “The matter was reported at the Tetere Police Station and officers attended and conducted investigation.

“Five suspects were arrested on 7 April in relation to the incident and placed in the cell at the Tetere Police Station awaiting further dealings and remand applications.

“I call on both parties in the incident to refrain from any further retaliation and allow police to investigate the matter. I appeal to members of the communities at Tuebala and Ghavaha who may have any information about the incident to come forward and supply the information to investigators at the Tetere or Henderson police stations.”

–POLICE MEDIA

Beulah hits out at gov’t over education policy

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Biula School Board members

BY BEN BILUA
Gizo

BEULAH Provincial Secondary School Board has questioned the government’s post covid-19 Education Policy saying many boarding schools are suffering as a result of government’s failure to honor its policy.

Principal of Beulah PSS Frank Nagu said the government needs to explain its side about the free education policy announced last year in response to covid-19.

“Last year the government announced that there will be free education for students, but the issue here is, schools’ needs funds to sustain students in term of foods among other school needs.

“We are yet to see the government subsidizing cost of foods for schools, especially boarding schools.

“I want to highlight that students’ survived on school fees to pay foods and to stop students from paying school fees does not make sense unless the government reaches out its support to subsidise cost of foods,” he said.

Nagu said most parents have relied on the government policy on free education with burden rested on school board to look for alternatives to feed the students.

He said the government needs to explain to the people especially parents on how the free education policy works and the responsibilities that requires smoothly roll out the policy.

Member of the Board, Freedom Tozaka shared similar sentiment saying that boarding schools have faced challenges due to government ignorance.

“Someone is hiding behind these policies and it is high time that these policies must be properly scrutinized for the betterment our education system.

“I feel that school boards are performing the responsibilities of authorities at the national level in an effort to offer education for all.

“It is sad that school boards are struggling alone in this matter – meaning our education system needs greater political will to see its policies implemented,” he said.

Tozaka stressed that the issue of poor results year in year out is the result of pure negligence from responsible authorities.

2021 Easter most peaceful: Police

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

POLICE Commissioner Mostyn Mangau has described this easter celebration as peaceful better than previous Easter seasons.

Police are commending the public for such good behaviour.

He said a number of reports received by police were low with no major issues or incidents happening.

Though one incident recorded in Makira regarding the death of a 70-year-old male after a boat sunk on April 2, 2021 while travelling from Kirakira to Santa Ana, throughout the provinces citizens celebrated Easter peaceful.

Therefore Mangau thank the churches and the general public for their good behaviour and also for organizing events and games where youths were involved and engaged during the Easter season.

“I wish to thank the churches and sporting organisations for organising activities to mark the long Easter weekend keeping our youth preoccupied with a positive frame of mind.

“I appeal to all good citizens of this country to continue with such good behaviour during celebrations of any sort. Your police is there to support you and make sure we are all safe during any celebration,” says Commissioner Mangau.

–RSIPF

4 months jail for indecent assault

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A man from Kia in Isabel province has been sentenced to eight months but will only serve four months in jail for indecently assaulting a woman at Varagia in Isabel province on November 28, 2019.

Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison in sentencing the accused said in this present case, there was no physical touching and the court is of the view that this case should be considered and categorised as one of the least serious cases of indecent act, and it should be in the lower end of the spectrum in terms of its severity.

However, this sentence should serve as a warning to each and everyone in this country that exposing one’s private part to another person without the consent of that other person amounts to an indecent act.

“Sexual offences and violence must be contained and curtailed at all costs and respect must be accorded to our vulnerable groups such as children, girls, women and the elderly.

“The defendant must learn from his conviction and his present incarceration for the purposes of his reintegration into the community upon his release in due course.”

Hollison said the offence of indecent act was committed at night when the victim was alone at her kitchen preparing food. She refused the defendant’s sexual advances and went and sat under her house in which he followed her. He pulled out his private part in a manner that is disrespectful, impolite and wrong in custom.

Hollison also said the present case has a few aggravating features and the facts confirmed that no physical touching was involved between the defendant and the complainant, and in the absence of any evidence that the victim was traumatised.

“I am of the view that section 44(1) of the Penal Code [Cap 26] should be invoked and the sentence shall be partially suspended. The defendant shall serve only 4 months in prison whilst the balance of the total sentence shall be suspended for 12 months,” Hollison said

Hollison also said in his sentence that victim’s husband was away in Honiara at the time of the incident. She reported the incident to her husband and her husband took the matter up with the chiefs.

On December 4, 2019, the chiefs and the Crime and Prevention Committee of Varagia Village held a meeting concerning the matter against the defendant. The defendant admitted to what he did to the complainant. The Panel gave a decision for the defendant to pay compensation within the time and there the matter was reported to the Police on March 16, 2020.

The accused also paid compensation of $500 and has reconciled with the victim and her husband.

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