Latest News Archive September 2013

The University of Fiji has appointed former Solomon Islands Attorney General Julian Moti as its first Professor of Law.

The Solomon Islands Telekom Workers Union has issued a 28-day strike notice to management, citing dissatisfaction with the organization's planned restructure exercise.

Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Solomon Islands Delegation to the 68th UN General Assembly meeting in New York has held talks with officials from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government on Friday to discuss enhanced cooperation in the renewable energy sector between the two countries.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will lend US$10 million to SolTuna Limited, a tuna processor located in Solomon Islands, to support expansion of capacity and enable the local economy to benefit more from the income generated by the tuna industry.

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) yesterday unveiled the new $50 banknote at an event attended by a number of VIPs including the Finance Minister Rick Hou. This is the first denomination of the new family to be launched; the rest of the new banknotes will be issued over the course of the next few years.

Deputy Prime Minister and Head of delegation to the 68th UN General Assembly, Manasseh Maelanga has conveyed Solomon Islands gratitude to the Government of Cuba for its vision and willingness to assist the country to train its medical doctors.

Solomon Islands has supported a global call for the complete elimination of all Nuclear Weapons and other weapons of mass destruction at a High Level meeting on Nuclear Disarmament during the 68th UN General Assembly in New York.

The Australian Pacific Islands Business Council is organizing a forum in Brisbane next month, bringing together business leaders in Australia together with Solomon Islands officials in an effort to show that the country is open for business.

Regional experts in land and marine survey and management commended the work of the AusAID-funded Pacific Sea Level Monitoring (PSLM) Project at the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Symposium in Suva last week.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has encouraged participants of the Regional Youth Parliament to prepare themselves “to become future productive leaders.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the Marshall Islands today discussed ways to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and the Pacific island nations.

The Special Task Force to the Goldridge Royalty Payment scandal has recommended that investigations into the role played by individuals and government officials, implicated in the embezzlement, be carried out with immediate effect.

The Joint Civil Society (JCSG) is seeking permission from relevant authorities including the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force to hold a public forum on the ‘Peoples Petition against Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo’ later this week.

Solomon Islands have called for a permanent UN presence in the country in order to truly understand the post conflict and recovery situation here.

Solomon Islands bow out of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti at the group stage for the fifth consecutive time after losing a 7-6 thriller to El Salvador in Papeete today.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo was presented the Gold Ridge Royalty payment investigation report this afternoon.

The Solomon Islands Delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga has arrived in New York on Saturday to participate in the UN General Assembly meeting which starts on Monday.

Unconfirmed reports state that the soon to be appointed Police Commissioner, Mr Peter Aoranisaka, was involved in a car accident at the town ground area over the weekend.

The Constitutional Reform Unit (CRU), within the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, strongly refutes an article carried by Sunday star suggesting the Final Plenary of the Congress has been cancelled due to lack of funds.

A visiting Australian volunteer surgical team will spend two weeks in Western Province later this month providing free consultations and treatment for people with medical or general surgical conditions.

An incredible comeback from Argentina at the Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti has dampened Solomon Islands hopes as they finished 8-5 in a high-scoring affair which saw six goals produced in a five minute period at one stage.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has officially opened the 5th Solomon Games in Tulagi, Central Province yesterday.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has announced his Government’s commitment in establishing major sporting projects in the country.

After much speculation and anticipation the new Police Commissioner has been named. He is Mr Peter Aoranisaka from Marau Sound in East Guadalcanal.

Eight Solomon Islands public servants are reported to have been fired over a US$1.4 million dollar government fraud.

Head of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA)says the organisation's vessel day scheme (VDS) has doubled revenue for member countries but is still to reach its full potential.

The Joint Civil Society Group has completed the proposed “Peoples' Petition” and will be endorsing it in their meeting tomorrow.

The Guadalcanal Provincial Police in Solomon Islands have arrested a man in relation to a looting incident, where equipment worth over SBD$3 million (US$420,000) were stolen.

The Hon Julie Bishop MP was sworn in as Australia’s 38th Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning at Government House in Canberra.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo last night welcomed regional delegates to the 4th Pacific Tuna Forum in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The Fiji government has rejected claims by Alfred Sasako that they had demanded that Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo explain his recent State visit to Indonesia.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) condemned in the strongest term an article by Alfred Sasako carried in the Island Sun, which falsely claimed that members of Solomon Islands delegation who recently visited Indonesia were given envelopes containing money.

The Joint Civil Society Group (JSCG) says they are concerned that recommendations of the Police & Prisons Commission, in assessing and selecting the new Police Commissioner, may be completely disregarded due to political interest.

The final stage of New Zealand’s largest single aid project has again been delayed in Solomon Islands due to bad weather.

Landowners in the Solomon Islands have successfully taken action in the High Court to stop logging in the country's biggest conservation area.

The National Government through the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) has released a SB$16.1 million Provincial Capacity Development Funding for Provincial Governments that are qualified for the funding.

'Our Telekom' has announced the release of funds totaling SBD$700,000 as part of its partnership with the national football federation, SIFF.

The Solomon Islands Government says a statement issued by Transparency Solomon Islands about a bill to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) being tabled in Parliament early next year is misleading.

The Solomon Islands National University's School of Education has closed most of its facilities and services to students funded by the Government.

Landowners on Kolombangara Island have successfully taken action in the High Court to stop logging operations and protect the Solomon Islands largest conservation area.

Fiji’s proposed new constitution falls far short of international standards of human rights law and is another step backwards in guaranteeing human rights protection for all, Amnesty International said.

Solomon Islands Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Mark Bell has welcomed regional delegates and observers to the 10th Anniversary meeting of the Pacific Islands Tax Administrators’ Association (PITAA) to Honiara yesterday.

Report on the investigation into the payment of the royalties to Gold Ridge landowners is expected to be presented to the Solomon Islands Prime Minister by the end of the week.

A joint look and learn team comprising officials from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Provincial Government, the Choiseul Provincial Government and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey have left for a mission in Fiji.

The Solomon Islands Government will send a 13 member delegation to represent the country at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York later this month.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has congratulated Australian Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott on his election victory on Saturday.

Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga has strongly condemned rumors of planned illegal activities by certain Civil Society groups attempting to overthrow the NCRA Government.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved the resignation of Frank Wickham, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and livestock.

Varivao Holdings Limited, a coffee exporter from the Solomon Islands, has significantly improved its production level with support from the European Union (EU) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community through the EU-funded Increasing Agricultural Commodity Trade (IACT) project.

Solomon Airlines has announced that flights to Gizo in the Western Province will recommence on September 22 following the scheduled completion of work on the Nusatupe airstrip.

The Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry is calling on the Government, Opposition and Civil Society groups debating over the media to sort out their differences and put the issue to responsible authorities.

The Indonesian Government has refunded in full the expenses paid by the Solomon Islands Government for Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo’s recent state visit to Jakarta last month.

The Minister of Finance and Treasury Rick Houenipwela announced that as of today the Government is introducing much stricter controls over the granting of duty and tax exemptions.

Tonga will begin trialling coastal protection methods to arrest beach erosion and buy more time for communities living near the coast to adapt to climate change.

The Solomon Islands Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration says it is investigating allegations that foreigners are finding ways of running businesses reserved for indigenous people.

Taiwan has rejected accusations it is engaging in chequebook diplomacy in the Pacific and buying loyalty from poorer countries in exchange for aid.

The Joint Civil Society Group (JCSG) is working on a petition against Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo – calling on the Prime Minister to resign.

The Solomon Islands saved their best for last as they booked their tickets to Tahiti 2013 with a glut of goals in the third period during today’s 6-0 victory over New Caledonia at the OFC Beach Soccer Championship 2013.