Latest News Archive October 2012

The Solomon Island Government has launched a pilot project that could have far reaching benefits for the Pacific region.

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands, CBSI, warns the general public of certain forged documents circulating in Honiara.

The Government of Solomon Islands and development partners today opened the West Guadalcanal road, boosting connectivity between West Guadalcanal and Honiara.

PFF, Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS-- Another attack on a journalist in Papua New Guinea has been condemned by regional media monitoring body the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF.

The Opposition Leader will seek a High Court Declaration that his No Confidence Motion on the Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo is still valid.

Police say more arrests will follow after an outbreak of violence in the town of Gizo.

Leader of Opposition Dr Derek Sikua has filed a case in the High Court seeking a review of the Proceeding of the National Parliament on Friday October 26.

Thirteen people have been arrested in Gizo after police reinforcements were sent to deal with civil disturbances between two groups over the weekend.

The Taskforce on Political Integrity and Stability in Solomon Islands last week presented its reports to the 6th Premiers' Conference in Kirakira, Makira-Ulawa Province.

The Chief Pharmacist of the National Referral hospital, Julie Zinihite, has thanked the Rotary Club of Honiara for the timely donation of a brand new two door refrigerator, to be used for storage of highly sensitive cancer medicine.

Dr Derek Sikua, the mover of the motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo, failed to show up to Parliament, the motion was subsequently defeated.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has formed a partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to coordinate energy security strategies around the vast Pacific region through a unified approach.

The motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has been deferred to later this afternoon.

SPC, through its Forests and Trees team in the Land Resources Division (LRD), has organised a two-day regional workshop in Nadi, Fiji, on forest carbon rights in Melanesia.

Solomon Islands stunned Thailand 4-3 yesterday in a warm-up match for next month's Futsal World Cup.

Solomon Islands has been ranked in the Top 10 hot destinations for 2013 in Lonely Planet's latest travel guide.

An academic and lecturer of Pacific studies says a Pacific model of conflict resolution could have been adopted by Solomon Islands during its ethnic tensions instead of a South African model.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo is reportedly facing a second no-confidence motion, second in less than two months.

Does the high cost of living in New Caledonia have the same impact on women as on men?

Axiom Mining is in a trading halt pending release of the outcome of litigation in a Solomon Islands court.

The Solomon Islands Government has reshuffled three of its Ministers and appointed two new backbenches following the sacking of two of its Ministers over the weekend.

The Solomon Islands-Australia scholarship alumni network is ready for action with the constitution finalised to guide the operation and activities of the alumni.

The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon. Gordon Lilo Darcy, last week joins fellow Solomon Islander government and business leaders in Brisbane, Australia for the fourth meeting of Australia Solomon Islands business forum.

The Solomon Islands national futsal team, Kurukuru are continuing to show improvement as they build to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012, falling to recently relegated Spanish National League side Carnicer Torrejon just 3-0 on Tuesday.

A national survey in Solomon Islands has shown that people are frightened of the return of killings and the appearance of guns in the community.

Inland Revenue has announced that it is becoming very concerned over the high level of outstanding taxes and the large number of over-due tax returns owed by Solomon Island taxpayers to the Government.

The EU-funded, SPC-implemented, DevFish2 project funded a training workshop on small fishing operations (SFO) from 11 to 20 September 2012 in Kiribati.

The Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services has revealed that it is working with neighbouring Papua New Guinea to recall local doctors working in PNG hospitals.

The Solomon Islands Central Bank has issued a statement on the deadline of old coins currently in circulation.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, says it is providing funding support to the current underwater fiber communication cable project by the Asian Development Bank.

In the Solomon Islands' province of Isabel, police morale is up and community confidence is growing, much to the support of RAMSI's Participating Police Force, the Royal Solomon Islands Police and the communities.

Its progress as a national development project may seem slow to Western eyes but for the past two years, officials behind the Auluta Basin Oil Palm Project have navigated through the contentious issue of landownership on the island of Malaita, Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands Ministry of Finance has assured the heads of Government schools that their school grants will be paid early this week.

Solomon Islands will be one of the countries who will benefit from a new Pacific Risk Resilience Programme that will focus on strengthening governance mechanisms for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation at the sub-national and local levels.

"This is the first targeted training for government officials to undergo training on gender awareness and analysis to support them in their role to mainstream gender into public policy and programmes in Cook Islands."

The General Secretary of the Solomon Islands Teachers Association says it is highly likely schools will close because of the government's failure to prioritise the education sector.

The Royal Solomon Islands Police says the two escaped prisoners are believed to have reached their villages on the weather coast of Guadalcanal.

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court in the Philipines has stopped the re-exportation of 25 Solomon Islands dolphins to Singapore.

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands is one of the 19 new members of the international scheme called the Maya Declaration, that aims to improve and increase greater financial inclusion amongst the majority of the worlds "unbanked" rural population.

10 October 2012, CBD COP 11, Hyderabad India - Three Pacific island countries, FSM, Palau and Vanuatu have signed the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, with Fiji, the fourth country in the process of acceding to the Protocol.

A book recording conversations with some of the founding Pacific Islands Forum Leaders has been launched in the region at a ceremony held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji on 9 October.

Three communities from the Gizo and Kolombangara Constituency in Western Province, Solomon Islands are the recent recipients to Solar units and Out board motor engines.

Almost 18 months ago, the Kurukuru from the Solomon Islands defeated Tahiti 6-4 in the final of the 2011 OFC Futsal Championship to qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012.

The Solomon Islands Government is planning to pursue an offer by the United Nations for Solomon Islands police officers to join UN missions overseas.

Government House has released a statement revealing that the United States (US) consular to Solomon Islands, Keithie Saunders, is officially barred from any future programmes or events hosted by the Government House.

The Leadership Code Commission has fined former Prime Minister Danny Philip SBD$4,000 after finding him guilty of misconduct in office.

The Australian National University (ANU) has announced it will offer a revamped Melanesian pidgin and Creoles language course.

The National HIV Aids Council has now confirmed 17 positive HIV cases in the country.

6 October 2012, CBD COP 11, Hyderabd, India - The Pacific region has engaged in the course of international meetings to help save World biodiversity with the curtain raiser event in Hyderabad, India.

Police are expanding their search for two escapees from Rove prison - both convicted murderers and described as "possibly armed with light weapons and dangerous."

The entries are in, and the countdown is on! Listen to this year's Pacific Break entries from Solomon Islands.

PRESS STATEMENT - The remote island nation of Niue will access US$4,000,000 from the Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund for a significant national solar power initiative.

Prime Minister, Hon. Gordon Darcy Lilo has described his trip to the recent United Nations General Assembly in New York as a meaningful one for Solomon Islands.

A recent firearm incident in the Province of Makira, Solomon Islands had left police seriously concerned about the country's security.

Two Solomon Islands inmates had escaped yesterday morning while on rehabilitation work at the Rove Correctional Centre's joinery.

The Pacific region has recorded progress in the implementation of the region's strategy on disability since it was adopted in 2009.

Permanent Secretary for the Solomon Islands Ministry of Forestry, Jeffrey Wickham says the Poitete School of Natural Resources in Western Province will reopen in 2013.

The 2011 People' survey on Solomon Islands has shown little change since it was first conducted in 2007.

Malaita Maasina Forum has called upon the sacking of the National Provident Fund (NPF) Board of Directors for lending SBD$15m to the Tavanipupu Island Resort, in Marau, East Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.

The 3RD Regional Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry, convened by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community on 28 September 2012 in Nadi, Fiji, endorsed the Pacific Islands Regional Policy Framework for REDD+.

The Ministry of Planning and Aid Coordination says it is concerned that a number of health projects budgeted for in the 2012 Development estimates have not yet been implemented.

A science show hosted by the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment of the University of the South Pacific in Suva has opened in Honiara, Solomon Islands this week.

Monday 1 October 2012, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji. This year was declared the UN International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, and the initiative has three major goals to be achieved by 2030.

The Solomon Islands Sasape International Shipyard has announced its new General Manager yesterday as Ms. Rachel Ramoifuila.

A week-long evaluation exercise on the National Government's priority programs for 2012 starts today Tuesday 2nd October in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands has stated that it recognises the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Fiji.

The abuse of alcohol continues to be a serious and ongoing problem for the country of Solomon Islands.

The development of futsal in the Solomon Islands has received a boost with the donation of 20 balls, supplied by the Royal Spanish Football Federation and distributed by OFC.