Politics Archive September 2016

Taiwan’s bid for meaningful participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization was publicly backed by officials from the Solomon Islands during recent meetings with Ho Shu-ping, deputy director-general of the Civil Aeronautics Administration, in Montreal, Canada.

Police in the Solomon Islands are preparing to carry guns, a key milestone before they take back full responsibility for law and order in their country from Australia.

The Parliamentary Opposition Group says that it remains convinced that the Minister of Finance has breached section 52(1)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act –PFM.

The Solomon Islands representative in Geneva, Switzerland, has repeated calls for Indonesia to allow a UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to visit West Papua and Papua Provinces.

Divers in the Solomon Islands have recovered 50 unexploded World War II bombs, including a 250-pound explosive.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has pledged extra support to adequately resource the Steering Committee which was mandated to oversee the country’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS).

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, and Australian Minister for Education and Training, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, have announced that 82 Australian University students will come to Solomon Islands in 2017 under Australia’s prestigious New Colombo Plan.

Students from Betikama, St Joseph’s Tenaru, St Nicholas College and Selwyn College have shown off their public speaking and critical thinking skills at the third annual G'Day Solomon Islands Great Debate, which took place in Honiara yesterday.

The Parliamentary Opposition Group has commended the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) for their quick response in restoring law and order in Auki following confrontations by disputing parties to a land case.

The establishment of the cabinet sub-committees is illegal and should be abolished, the Opposition Group strongly suggests.

More than 120 students of the Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) were awarded qualifications in 13 skills areas at the APTC graduation ceremony held on 6 September at Maranatha Hall in Honiara.

The Pacific Coalition on West Papua (PCWP) is gaining momentum with the addition of two new members and the confirmation of the membership of two other parties who indicated their profound support for the initiative since its introduction in Honiara, Solomon Islands in July this year.