Economy Archive June 2009

Senior officials from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands concluded their 3rd Joint Border Committee Meeting in Buka, Bougainville in Papua New Guinea last week.

Auki Police arrested and charged a man in his 40's over the weekend in relation to the death of a 24 year old man.

Disaster Authorities, officials from the Ministry of Health and the Solomon Islands Water Authority (SIWA) held an interagency meeting last Friday to discuss appropriate measures needed to counter the effects of the El Nino cycle.

The Constitutional Congress (CC) and Eminent Persons Advisory Council (EPAC) of the Constitutional Reform Program have completed a two-month review of the Draft Federal Constitution of Solomon Islands 2004 in a Joint Plenary on 26 June 2009 at the Red Mansion Inn Conference room.

The Auditor General, Mr Edward Ronia, has welcomed the completion of auditing work on the accounts of the majority of State Owned Enterprises (SOE).

Health Minister, Hon Clay Forau Soalaoi, stated in a recent interview that 'Traditional Healers,' have not yet visited his Ministry, despite many of them claiming that they have traditional cures for the killer disease HIV/AIDS.

The Christian Care Center received much needed bags of clothes from the Lady Charity Fund to support women and young children.

Australian Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, and Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, last week announced that Australia will more than double assistance for trade to developing countries through the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Solomon Islands may go through more critical economic crisis if the logging industry continues to decline.

Detectives from Lata Police have arrested and charged a 34 year old man from Noole village, in the Santa Cruz Islands, for murder, following an investigation into the death of his brother in the early hours of Thursday morning, 28 May 2009.

The ongoing debate concerning the proposed alluvial mining on Guadalcanal by Phoenix International (SI) Limited has generated much interest both within and outside of the Solomon Islands.

Police Detectives have arrested and charged local lawyer, Charles Wesley Levo, with 21 counts of Conversion and one charge of Money Laundering.

The Emerging Pacific Leaders Dialogue (EPLD) program for 2010 is now open for interested applicants in the region including Solomon Islands.

The Governor of Central Bank, Denton Rarawa, has again stressed that 2009 will be a challenging year for the country.

Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua yesterday offered as gift to the National Museum the carved wooden candle holder found by a retired US serviceman some 67 years ago.

The Minister for Home and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Hon. Peter Tom has assured the nation of the government's commitment to support Christian churches in the country.

As revenues from the logging industry falls, identifying an alternative source has become a huge government priority. The government is setting its sights on the fishing industry, an industry that has the potential to sustain the countries economy as logging declines.

The test results from the World Health Organisations (WHO) laboratory in Australia for the first suspected swine flu case in the Solomon Islands has returned negative.

The long cherished dream to have a permanent media training school in Solomon Islands has moved closer to reality with strong support from the CNURA Government.

The New Zealand Government will this week make a second payment of SBD$8.5 million to support the Solomon Islands Government commitment to Fee Free Basic Education.

The high level bilateral consultation meeting between the Government of Solomon Islands and the Government of Japan was successfully held on Wednesday 17th June 2009 at the Solomon Kitano Mendana Hotel in Honiara.

In what appears to be a strong push by conservatives within the current government, Caucus has decided to drop the Temporary Special Measures, TSM, seeking ten reserved seats for women in parliament.

Our Telekom has now extended its Breeze GSM mobile service to Malu'u, North Malaita and will be launching its Breeze GSM Mobile Service on the 29th and 30th June 2009.

A hand carved wooden candle holder from the Solomon Islands has been returned to Prime Minister Dr Derek on Saturday, 67 years after it was discovered at a location in the Gela group of Islands (Florida Islands) by a US Navy during World War II.

A modern and effective Customs Division that can maximize revenue collection is even more crucial to Solomon Islands in light of the current global economic crisis, RAMSI's Deputy Special Coordinator, Justin Fepuleai, said this week.

The RSIPF National Intelligence Unit have arrested and charged the driver of a boat that sunk some three kilometres away from Savo Island. The small outboard motor canoe, which had 12 passengers on board including women and children, was rescued by a Police boat on the late evening of 5 June 2009.

Detectives from the National Investigations' Fraud Section arrested and charged a man on 15 June 2009, for allegedly forging several cheques worth hundreds of thousands of dollars provided to the Guadalcanal Provincial Health Service Sector by the AusAID projects.

Royal Solomon Islands Police Force specialists from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit are investigating an incident in which two boys aged 7 and 11 were injured when the 20mm anti-aircraft rounds they were attempting to open exploded at Alligator Creek Wednesday morning.

The 1st Australia Solomon Islands Business Forum will be held in Brisbane on Friday 10 July 2009.

Members of the public have been advised not to panic over the swine flu virus.

Four men are currently in hospital after sustaining serious injuries from an old WWII bomb explosion. The four were said to have tampered with the bomb when the incident happened east of the Honiara International Airport.

Honiara Police Forensic Officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding a female body found floating at the Ranadi dumpsite sea front yesterday morning.

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, today hailed the recent Solomon Islands Government - RAMSI Partnership Framework as an important milestone in the life of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

Solomon Islands health authorities have warned that an outbreak of the swine flu in the country will spread very quickly because of the people's behavior.

Work has begun to repair Gizo town road after it was severely damaged following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami which devastated parts of the Solomon Islands in 2007.

Unconfirmed reports from the National Referral Hospital say Quarantine Officers transported one person, allegedly infected with swine flu (H1N1) virus, to the hospital over the weekend from the Honiara International Airport.

The Australian High Commission is pleased to announce its support for water tanks and a kindy in Isabel province through the Direct Aid Program (DAP). Australian High Commission Third Secretary, Ms Amanda Davis, opened the projects during a recent visit to the province.

Police Harbour Patrol assisted Customs and Quarantine officers board a foreign fishing vessel on Thursday, 4 of June 2009 on a routine check on illegal activities, and have seized a large quantity of cigarettes and alcohol.

RAMSI Special Coordinator, Graeme Wilson, the outgoing Commander of the Participating Police Force, Denis McDermott, and other senior RAMSI officials appeared before Solomon Islands National Parliament Foreign Relations Committee 'RAMSI Review' yesterday.

Choiseul Province Premier, Jackson Kiloe, has urged the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology to assist provinces implement the National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (NBSAP).

The Minister for Health and Medical Services, and MP for Temotu Pele, Hon. Martin Maga, has been relieved of his ministerial duties on medical grounds.

The Civil Aviation of Solomon Islands and the Pacific Aviation & Security Organisation (PASO) yesterday presented to the CEO of Solomon Airlines, Captain Ron Sumsum, with the very first Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) Part 145 Certificate.

The veteran actor Earl Cameron has received his medal as a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

After two years heading RAMSI's Participating Police Force (PPF) and as Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF), Commander Denis McDermott was given a warm farewell at a formal ceremony at the Rove Police Parade Ground in Honiara last Thursday.

Parliament will elect a new Governor General on Monday next week, 15th June 2009.

Taiwan disbursed the First Payment of the Community Electrification Project for Rural Solomon Islands.

Allow me if you will, to respond to a pocket of seemingly organised criticism that is being peddled by a number of ill-informed and ultimately misguided personalities.

Recent trends in the Tropical Pacific Climate Patterns are now indicating early stages of a developing El Niño. Most of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) computer forecasts are supporting the development of an El Nino episode occurring in middle or towards the end of 2009 if these conditions continue to persist.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade today has clarified misleading media reports asserting excessive spending by Minister William Haomae during his recent attendance at the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers Meeting in Brussels last week.

The Integrated Framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade will soon embark on an awareness programme.

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force this week welcomed 11 newly graduated Police Prosecutors into the Jurisdictions of Solomon Islands court system.

Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua today expressed sadness over the death of a British World War 2 Coast Watcher, the late Martin Clemens, who passed away on Sunday 31 May in Melbourne, Australia, aged 94.

Isabel Province Premier, Rueben Dotho, says Isabel Province is politically ready to adopt a federal system of government.

The Minister for Health and Medical Services, Hon. Martin Maga, remains in the Intensive Care Unit of the Saint Vincent Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

President of ACP Council and Solomon Islands Foreign Minister, William Haomae, has presented traditional Solomon Islands' necklaces to his ACP colleagues as a gesture of appreciation for their support for his presidency.

President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council and Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon. William Haomae launched the second-five year review of the Cotonou Agreement on Friday at the 34th Session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, in Brussels, Belgium.

Spokesman for the former Malaita combatants, Andrew Nori, has said institutional failure has led to the social unrest and the eventual intervention by the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, RAMSI.

A new Asian Development Bank, ADB, publication released yesterday has said that Solomon Islands and Fiji remain the economies most at risk.

Two Solomon Islanders studying at the Fiji School of Medicine (FSM) have scooped the first prize in FSM's e-journal competition.