Latest News Archive April 2013

The chief executive of Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII) is asking who will be liable for the consequences of the leaking of a report into ethnic tensions quelled by international military intervention a decade ago.

Landowners at the Guadalcanal Plantation Palm Oil Limited, GPPOL, have threatened to close off access to their land due to the company's failure to meet their demands.

The Government has expressed disappointment over the unofficial release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) by the editor, Fr Terry Brown.

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) has sent its condolences and deep sympathies to the family of Late Walter Nalangu.

Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Fr Sam Ata, says that the release of the TRC Final Report is done “without the knowledge of the commission and is a breach of the TRC Act.”

The Executive and Members of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) has mourned the unexpected passing away of the Association’s Vice President, the late Walter Nalangu.

News release - MANILA, 24 APRIL 2013 - On World Malaria Day, 25 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Western Pacific urges Member States to remain steadfast in the fight against malaria to preserve the gains made and eliminate malaria as a public health threat.

The report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has been released unofficially by the editor of the report, The Rt. Rev Dr. Terry M. Brown.

Women Peace building Leadership Program participants from West Papua, Papua New Guinea, Bougainville and Solomon Islands were yesterday given a rare glimpse into the work of two leading women’s advocacy organisations in Fiji.

Solomon Islands aims to produce 20,000 metric tonnes of cocoa by 2020 under a new Cocoa Policy to be launch by the government on Friday 26th April 2013 at the Honiara Hotel.

Many people associate the Wogasia Festival, celebrated every year on Santa Catalina Makira Province, merely with its spectacular spear fights.

Dr John Konam is a familiar face for many local cocoa farmers. The unassuming agricultural scientist from PNG has been working in Solomon Islands for the past three years, helping the country’s farmers to improve their cocoa production.

The Chovohio Midstream Association in the Gold Ridge area is serving the St. Barbra Mining Company a two weeks’ notice to meet its compensation demand or access roads to and from the company mining site will be blocked.

The Solomon Islands will have a brand new Voters List for the 2014 Elections thanks to an electoral provisions amendment bill passed in the March sitting of Parliament.

The Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services says the dengue fever outbreak is still active and is not showing any signs of slowing down.

Solomon Islands are keen to bolster its relationship with Great Britain after 35 years of Independence.

Solomon Airlines has donated four buckets with a total of 46 litres of paint to the Rotary Club of Solomon Islands for repainting of the maternity Ward or any other ward the Rotary Club believes may assist the National Referral Hospital.

The Solomon Islands Embassy in Taipei (ROC) together with the Solomon Islands Students Association (SISAT) received cash donation of around SB$73,000 and boxes of brand new and second hand clothes, blankets, shoes and toys on the 18th of April from the Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) in Kaohsiung, South Taiwan.

Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) has accused the Government of behaving irresponsibly with its budget.

Solomon Islanders are being forced to change their food production and consumption habits due to climate change.

A former Solomon Islands Prime Minister has been given the honor to speak about the humble beginnings of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) after 25 years of the organisations inception during the upcoming MSG Silver Jubilee Celebration in Honiara next week.

The Solomon Islands Government says it hopes to have tough new anti-tobacco laws in place by the end of May to coincide with World No Tobacco Day.

There are significant challenges ahead if the Pacific Islands are to improve the competitiveness of their agricultural exports, and supply a greater proportion of domestic demand with locally produced food, particularly in urban areas.

Teachers in the Solomon Islands have returned to work after settling their ongoing pay dispute with the government.

There is outrage over the four fold increase in entitlements to members of parliaments (MPs), many say it is untimely and unjustified.

One of the world’s largest chocolate producers, Kraft-Cadbury, is seeking 10,000 tonnes of cocoa from Solomon Islands.

A reconciliation ceremony between Solomon Islands students at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, and families of a Fijian involved in a stabbing incident on 10th March has averted ill feelings between the parties on Sunday 14th April.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has withdrawn the Prime Minister's Pension and Benefits bill 2013 on the floor of parliament.

With little more than a bush knife and an axe between them, a group of young Solomon Island boys between the ages of nine and 18 years have taken food security into their own hands.

The Solomon Island Government’s policy to build Economic Growth Centers (EGC) at strategic locations around the country is aimed at fostering meaningful engagement between the government and rural communities.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has welcomed dengue fever specialists from Australia and New Zealand who have arrived in the country to assist local authorities in efforts to fight the current dengue fever outbreak in the country.

The Solomon Islands National Government stated that it is committed to ensuring all citizens have equal access to quality education.

Kosrae has a new set of tide and sea-level forecasts available, based on measurements from a new water level sensor funded by the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change project at the Lelu Marina, Kosrae.

New Zealand will also be supporting the Solomon Islands in the fight against Denghue by sending its medical staff to the Solomon Islands following the outbreak.

Solomon Islands national carrier, Solomon Airlines has opened a temporary terminal in Munda as construction work continues on upgrading the Munda runway to international standards.

The Solomon Islands National Teachers Association is standing by its position that its members will go back to classes when the government pay off teacher's re-leveling and arrears.

The Solomon Islands Police have taken over the control of policing in the Shortland Islands following the withdrawal of RAMSI Participating Police Force from the Lofung Post.

The World Bank and the Solomon Islands Government have signed a grant agreement to help improve services for those affected by gender-based violence.

The Solomon Islands, as a developing island nation, has one of the highest urbanisation rates in the region, and the basic service infrastructure is struggling to cater for the influx of people from the provinces to the capital, Honiara.

Solomon Islands will soon criminalize People Smugglers and Human Traffickers once its new Immigration law is fully enforced.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr today announced that Australia has sent a medical team to Solomon Islands to assist with the dengue fever outbreak.

At least 20 additional seasonal workers from Solomon Islands, including 3 females and 17 males have been recruited under the Labour Mobility Scheme to work in Australia’s horticulture industry.

In Temotu Province, one of the unique things that people in Grasiosa Bay are known for is the weaving of banana fibre into hand bags, which they call Topla Birpi.

The University of Queensland has joined industry partners in a program designed to help ensure a major mining project takes account of the needs of Solomon Islands communities and the environment.

Education, jobs, access to water and sanitation are among the priorities Solomon Islanders have told the United Nations Development Programme to focus on beyond the Millennium Development Goals.

The OFC Champions League has continued this afternoon with an exciting 2-2 draw between tournament debutants Solomon Warriors and Fijian champions Ba in front of a large crowd at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Islands High Court has sentenced a Vietnamese national to four and a half years for unlawful wounding of a crew member of a fishing vessel.

The petition against the Solomon Islands Government’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Bill 2013 was defeated in parliament last week after it was tabled and debated.

Solomon Islands Ministry of Health, UNICEF and Non Government Organizations have participated in a recent Community Led Total Sanitation (CTLS)to improve sanitation.

Members of the Solomon Islands Teachers Association, SINTA, across the country continue to remain on strike despite warnings issued by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development to resume classes.