Latest News Archive April 2010

Hundreds of excited young children came out to see the Queen's Baton Relay as it makes its rounds in Honiara.

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.

Press Release - Pacific Leaders and policy makers have been urged to come up with real solutions that will address challenges currently facing the small nations within the region.

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 People's Alliance Party, PAP, government will remove and radically change the budgetary framework as it is "a complete insult to the people of Solomon Islands."

Transparency Solomon Islands, TSI, has expressed concerns over the 10 million dollars payout to members of parliament dished out by the Republic of China, Taiwan, last week before dissolution of parliament.

PRESS STATEMENT - Tuesday, 27 April, 2010 - Government representatives and development partners in Kiribati have expressed appreciation for the Cairns Compact Peer Review currently underway in the country's capital, Tarawa.

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.

There has been mixed responses over the recent decision by Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua to sack key Ministers in his cabinet, as well as several backbenchers.

Speaker of Parliament, Sir Peter Kenilorea, has paid tribute to the outgoing members of the Eight Parliament of Solomon Islands for what he calls "mending the broken pieces of the Happy Isles."

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.

Press Release - Auckland, 18 April - Several Pacific islands have received recognition awards from the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium (SPWRC) for leadership in establishing whale sanctuaries in their national waters.

Press Release - Boosting agriculture, creating viable local food systems and protecting the vulnerable will have measurable impacts on improving Pacific food security.

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.

PRESS RELEASE - WE ARE WHAT WE EAT A radical rethink is needed on food if the Pacific is going to secure access to healthy, safe, high quality and nutritious food for all.

The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) yesterday acknowledged that the success of the Solomon Islands National Women's U-17 Team in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women's U-17 Championship came about through the hard work of many people.

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

The Taiwanese Government through its embassy in Honiara yesterday officially handed over 200 football balls to the Solomon Islands Government.

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.

Press Release - 21 April 2010 - Port Vila, Vanuatu - The challenge of food security in the Pacific region is not only urgent but enormous and the region must work together to develop practical and realistic solutions.

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.

Press Release - 4/16/2010 - 11 Pacific island countries are to meet in Samoa next week for a workshop to assist them in completing their fourth National Reports to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).

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 National Government last Friday bid farewell to former Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, the late Honorable Edward Huni'ehu (MP) during a funeral service at the Central Church in Honiara.

The Solomon Islands parliament still has three bills to address before the house stands adjourned sine die at this final week of sitting for the C-NURA government.

A new political party, the Reform and Democratic Party of Solomon Islands, launched its manifesto in Honiara yesterday.

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

Press Release - Tokelau, a territory in the South Pacific, declared its waters to be a whale sanctuary today, the eleventh such designation in the Pacific. The announcement took place at the start of a symposium marking the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium's tenth anniversary.

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

The Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill 2010 which was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday have sought to amend the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

The voter registration period of extension lapsed on the 12th April 2010 and the Electoral Commission is now in the second stage of voter registration.

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

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing program loan assistance of up to $26.8 million to Samoa to help the Pacific Island nation revive its economy in the wake of the global financial crisis and devastating tsunami of September 2009.

13 April 2010 - The Fijian government will be able to imprison journalists for up to five years, obliterating media freedom, if its Cabinet adopts a repressive draft Media Decree on Tuesday, said Amnesty International.

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.

Parliament has rejected the 2009 Constituency Boundaries Commission Report, CBC, which proposed to add 17 additional constituencies. Debate on the report went on until well after 8pm last night with a majority of MPs supporting the motion "to reject the CBC Report."

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Countries in the Pacific region are expected to post overall average economic growth of 3.7% in 2010, up from 2.3% in 2009, according to a forecast by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Minister for planning and aid coordination, Steve Abana, himself a key cabinet minister in the C-NURA government, has opposed the 2009 Constituency Boundaries Commission report.

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.

The Solomon Islands Football Federation is urging Provincial Football Associations (PFAs) who plan to send teams to the Our Telekom National Beach Soccer Championship to finalise the registration of their teams before the due date of Tuesday 20th April, 2010.

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.

As according to SeaWeb's latest update: April 6, 2010, Vol. 15, No. 7

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.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission, Waeta Ben Tabusasi has defended the 11% increase to the salaries of all members of Parliament, saying MP's have not received a raise in their salaries in the last few years.

A long time outspoken Member of Parliament, Hon. Edward Huni'ehu, passed away last night after long illness.

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."

Press Release - Six months after a rat eradication project began for the Aleipata Islands group in Samoa, a follow up visit after the operation reports no sign of the Pacific rat on Nu'utele Island.

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.

Solomon Brewery Limited has indicated once again that it aims to support the Marist Rugby Club as it kick starts its activities for 2010.

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.

The Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF) has called on Fiji's ruling regime to open up the time window given to the country's media for consultations on the draft of the country's new Media Decree.

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.

Parties forming the current Coalition of National Unity and Rural Advancement (C-NURA) government have agreed in principal that they will contest the 2010 national general elections under a common platform.

The Vice President of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) has voiced concerns over how the organization is being run, calling for major changes.

Severino Aefi has set an incredible example by single-handedly organising the SAS Football Excellence Easter U-18 Challenge. The competition grew out of Aefi's own Football School of Excellence Program which he runs at the SIFF Academy every Saturday.

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.

Secretary General of the newly formed political party, People's Federation Party, Ruddolf Dorah, says the 2010 national general election provides an opportunity "for a fresh start for Solomon Islands."

The Inquiry into the tragic sinking of the MV Princess Ashika in August last year has deemed the deaths of the 74 victims as senseless and that the causes of the disaster were "all easily preventable".