Latest News Archive February 2012

Acting Special Coordinator for RAMSI, Justine Braithwaite has said the 2011 People Survey has revealed that the majority of Solomon Islanders still support RAMSI's presence in the country, after nearly nine years.

Police have arrested a man in his 30's in relation to a fatal stabbing incident that occurred at the Point Cruz early yesterday morning.

Scholarships for Solomon Islanders to study in Australia next year are now open.

Development partners have agreed on the importance of coordinating better their national and regional level initiatives to strengthen democratic institutions and good governance in the Pacific.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has officially handed over its final report to Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo.

Temotu-Vatud Member of Parliament Clay Forau Soalaoi has been reshuffled from the Police Ministerial portfolio and has been sworn in as Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade.

The Western Province Premier, George Solingi Lilo, is to face a motion of confidence during the upcoming Provincial Assembly sitting which will start on Wednesday.

A threat seeking legal injunction to stop all Festival of Pacific Arts preparatory work is not in the interest of the nation.

'Gender mainstreaming must be taken seriously in all the work of the Marshall Islands government.'

The make up of the Solomon Islands U-23 squad and the man who will attempt to lead the players to the 2012 London Olympics have both been unveiled.

An Australian Trade Mission conducted a recent visit to Solomon Islands last week to explore potential trade and investment opportunities in the country.

A trial run to export various Solomon Islands local flowers to Brisbane, Australia for six weeks will begin in mid-April this year.

[24th February 2012: Majuro, Marshall Islands] "We have much to share and learn in return."

Villagers and environmentalists have expressed concern over reports a second company is planning on establishing a logging operation on Rennell Island in Solomon Islands.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has officially appointed a new Police Commissioner, ending months of speculation.

Previous attempts to intensify production of crops in the Pacific have not included adequate research and development (R&D).

Mark Kemakeza, the MP for Gela constituency, is awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of using public funds for his own benefit.

The European Union and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat yesterday signed a contribution agreement to the value of 1 million Euros to support Pacific island countries in their ratification and implementation of international Human Rights Treaties and the Rome Statute.

The price of petroleum products in 2012 is anyone's guess, but the effort to promote sustainable energy and energy security must continue, said Solomone Fifita, head of the SPC Economic Development Division's Energy Programme.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Land Resource Division (LRD) is organising a workshop to help Pacific Island countries and territories strengthen their production of valuable crops by better managing pests.

The Solomon Island's first Governor General, Sir Baddeley Devesi, was honored with a State funeral today in Honiara.

Auckland City piled in the goals against Koloale to stay unbeaten in this season's O-League.

Solomon Gold has acquired three new early stage exploration properties in the Solomon Islands.

A group of dedicated doctors from Australia have come together to plan, fund, and build a community health project in the Solomon Islands.

Solomon Islands first Governor General, Sir Baddeley Devesi, has passed away.

Creating commercial industries based on the unique heritage of the Pacific was the focus of a four-day workshop co-facilitated by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in Suva.

Take a trip to the Solomon Islands during the Australian winter this year with First Footprints, and experience an island nation rich in World War II history, alongside some of the most pristine diving and natural scenery over 992 islands.

The Acting Police Commissioner, Walter Kola, says only trained officers will use newly approved weapons.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, Denton Rarawa, is warning events from outside could spell trouble for the Solomon Islands economy, this year.

A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake shook the Solomon Islands late yesterday afternoon, but there was no threat of a widespread destructive tsunami and no reports of damage, US seismologists said.

MANILA, 13 February 2012 - WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office today urged its Member States to make a final push to address leprosy in the Region.

SPC is working with the Fiji Department of Forestry to build capacity in using very high resolution satellite images to map land and forest cover in Fiji.

Prices of local produce has jumped by as much as 200% in less than two months.

A Specialist Entomologists is currently in the country to determine whether the cocoa pod borer has established itself on the islands.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has sacked his Foreign Minister.

Solomon Islands Foreign Minister, Peter Shanel Agovaka, says Solomon Islands will not be involved in any chequebook diplomacy with Russia.

The founder of a new political party in Solomon Islands says it is aiming to ensure young people get the chance to complete their education.

It's not over yet, that's the warning issued by the Solomon Islands meteorological office (MET) this morning.

On 6 February 1947, the governments of Australia, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States of America signed the Canberra Agreement that established the South Pacific Commission, now called the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

The selling of Betel nut with Honiara Town has now been banned by the Honiara City Council (HTC), effective from Friday last week.

Solomon Islands and Russia are working together to fast track proposals for the establishment of diplomatic relations.

MANILA, 3 February 2012 - On the eve of World Cancer Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged governments to strengthen national control programmes, including by raising awareness, amid an alarming rise of cancer cases.

In the streets of Honiara, selling of cultural items to make ends meet is a common sight.

Solomon Islands have experienced a near doubling of confimred HIV/AIDS cases, in the last two years alone it has recorded 12.

DELHI, INDIA - At a forum today, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda outlined steps countries in the Asia and the Pacific region are already taking to protect shared natural resources and called for more private sector involvement in the building of green infrastructure.

The Solomon Islands meteorological (MET) service has issued a tropical disturbance watch this morning.

PFF, Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS-- Journalists in Papua New Guinea must be able to report the ongoing political tensions in the country without fear or intimidation, says Pacific media monitoring watchdog the Pacific Freedom Forum, PFF.

The Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil limited (GPPOL) has confirmed that it's had to send many of its workers back to their home province following a violent incident with locals.