Economy Archive April 2010

The police media has denied claims by Australian newspaper, The Australian which reported that "there is hostility among Solomon Islands police."

A former member of the provincial assembly (MPA) of Choiseul Province has blamed the Taiwanese government for releasing the $10 million dollars payout to the outgoing members of parliament.

Former Opposition Leader and East Choiseul MP, Manasseh Sogavare has condemned the decision by the CNURA Government for the payment of the entire Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF)for the country's 50 constituencies for 2010.

Veteran journalist Alfred Sasako says he welcomes plans by the Director of Public Prosecution, Ronald Bei Talasasa to take him and others to court for criminal libel and defamation of character.

A concerned student, writing from the University of the South Pacific's (USP) Laucala campus in Fiji, has called on relevant authorities to investigate allegations that students are trading in their passports for money.

Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Polycarp Haununu, is urging people to look out for the draft voters' list and help the Electoral Commission make a better list for the National General Election.

Solomon Islands government officials have joined the Australian and New Zealand diplomatic community to commemorate the ANZAC day in a dawn service at the Honiara Central Police station.

Solomon Islands will be able to have its own war memorial to honours the services and bravery of Solomon Islands Wartime Scouts and Coast watchers along the Point Cruz Wharf area by the 7th of August this year.

The Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua has withdrawn the Political Parties Registration and Administration Bill 2009 in Parliament this morning.

The Prime Minister has replaced the five cabinet ministers he sacked on Wednesday.

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Dr Derek Sikua has sacked five of his cabinet ministers.

Last week, the Australian High Commissioner, HE Mr Frank Ingruber, officially handed over five 1,000 Litre water tanks to the Huali community in Isabel province, Solomon Islands.

Representatives of 12 community groups gathered at the Australian High Commission this week for a handover of project funding for small community development projects spread across all provinces of Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands government says its laws donot provide for a ban on the dolphin trade.

The Solomon Islands Council of Trade Union, SICTU, the country's trade union umbrella body, will be meeting today to decide on a nation-wide strike in protest of the 11 percent salary increase to members of Parliament.

The Solomon Islands and New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme partnership will be strengthened by the signing of an Inter-Agency Understanding (IAU) between the Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade and the New Zealand Department of Labour this morning.

Munda Police have arrested and charged a 30-year-old man in relation to the death of young man from Rendova at Munda last Wednesday.

Solomon Islands is one of the eight Pacific island nations currently in Majuro, Marshall Islands, with the aim of tightening conservation measures on our tunas.

The local brewed spirit, Kwaso, is now becoming Solomon Islands biggest law and order problem.

The Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau has opened it's Australian Marketing Representative office.

Environmental organisation, Earth Island Institute, wants the Solomon Islands government to ban dolphin trading altogether.

The current Deputy Prime Minister Fred Fono, in an interview with Radio Australia, revealed that he will contest for the position of Prime Minister should he win the upcoming elections.

During a three-day visit to the Solomon Islands, UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Ms. Ligia Elizondo, met with key politicians in the country to discuss strategic national issues such as the upcoming elections, peace building, and the impact of climate change.

An expatriate from New Zealand was today fined more than $1,000 for a driving charge at the Magistrate's Court.

Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua is pleased with achievements made by the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in improving law and order and systems of Government after seven years of intervention.

It looked scary when villagers dressed like traditional warriors rushed towards Ms. Ligia Elizondo with spears and bush knives, but it was only part of Horobau's heartily welcome to UNDP's Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no tsunami alert or reports of damage.

Solomon Islands has described the Enhanced Consultative Mechanism (ECM) on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) as a very important process "to ensure transparency and effective implementation of the Partnership Framework between the Government and RAMSI."

UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Ms. Ligia Elizondo, is currently in the country on an official visit from 11-13 April.

Chairman of the Enhanced Consultative Mechanism talks on RAMSI, Bob McMullan, has said that the mission's exit strategy will not focus on a date rather it would be "through setting a series of performance benchmarks."

Imagine a woman lying unconscious and dressed in the tattered remnants of her clothing after a disaster. And imagine that it takes more time than necessary to give her first aid because the men in the search team do not want to touch her due to cultural codes.

The World Bank is calling for careful fiscal management from the Solomon Islands government as a decline in logging continues to impact on government revenues and foreign exchange receipts.

An initiative to strengthen democratic and governance institutions, accountability and transparency, and people's access to information in the Pacific region has been launched in Honiara.

The sixth consultative meeting between the Solomon Islands Government, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and the Pacific Islands Forum is underway in Honiara.

Australia will provide a further $15 million to innovative private sector projects in Solomon Islands to promote poverty reduction and economic growth.

The Enhanced Consultative Mechanism (ECM) between the Solomon Islands Government (SIG), the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and the Pacific Islands Forum yesterday held its sixth meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth Mr Ransford Smith is currently in the Solomon Islands on a five day visit.

Former premier of Western Province Alex Lokopio has appeared for final mention at the Magistrate's Court this morning.

Solomon Islands will benefit from a multi-million dollar telecommunications technical assistance project, aimed at assisting the newly established telecommunications commission, over a period of five years.

A Solomon Islands group will today leave for Shanghai, China to help organize an exhibition for Solomon Islands at the upcoming World Expo 2010 later this month.

The Customs and Excise today clarifies issues pertaining to Customs vehicle G 3440. The Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Nathan Kama described various reports on the vehicle in the Solomon Star as erroneous.