SPTO: The South Pacific as a travel destination will be under the spotlight again, this time in the United Kingdom with five Pacific national tourism representatives travelling to four densely populated British cities. The South Pacific Tourism Organisation, funded by the European Union’sPacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Project, will be taking representatives from Fiji, Papua…
New Zealand has been traditionally and culturally aligned more closely to Polynesian states than Melanesian countries. The country’s interest in building business ties with Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu is relatively recent when compared to the historic links that Australia has had with Melanesia. In the past couple of years, New Zealand…
THE Governor of Central Bank Denton Rarawa has clarified that Central Bank of Solomon Islands is not an agent of Pan Oceanic Bank to receive its Letters of Credit(LC)but only facilitates to ensure stability in the economy. Speaking during a press conference yesterday Mr Rarawa clarified, that after Westpac Bank closed all logging company accounts,…
The Parliamentary Entitlements Commission (PEC) has elaborated on its decision to reduce the $400,000 terminal grant for 50 members of the now dissolved Ninth Parliament. Members of the Commission decided to reduce the terminal grant to $200,000 because of the following reasons. The recommended $400,000 could impact heavily on the national economy and the government’s…
The new government formed after the November 19 national general election has a huge big taskofweeding out corruption in both the political level and private sector. Former ombudsman and private lawyer John Smith Pitabelama uttered the statement on Monday. He said corruption is becoming endemic in every sectors. There this can only be addressed if…
CARETAKER Prime Minister’s Party has announced their group will contest twenty constituencies in the upcoming general elections. Called the Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA), Party leader Gordon Darcy Lilo said he was proud to make the announcement. He said SIPRA will contest the following constituencies; Central Kwara’ae, Central Honiara, North New Georgia, South…
Future Choiseul MPs need to work together with their provincial government to bring back national interest to the Choiseul rural populace. John Smith Pitabelama the owner of the Gizo-based JSP legal service made the statement in an interview on Monday. Our three current outgoing MP’s Manasseh Sogavare, Connelly Sandakabatu and Elijah Doromuala failed to work…
North Guadalcanal Chief, Benedict Garimane, is calling on the Attorney General to explain whether or not it is legal for former Members of Parliament to continue to have access to state funds. Chief Garimane claimed some of the MPs of the dissolved Ninth Parliament continue to buy building materials and dish out state funds to…
Maneka launches campaign in North Guadalcanal Intending candidate for North Guadalcanal Samson Maneka launched his campaign strategy on Monday at Pitukole, North Guadalcanal. Mr Maneka outlined his campaign platform to the crowd who turned up. “My aim is to focus on infrastructure, quality health services, empowering of families, agriculture, recognizing people with special need and…
Ministry of Health and Medical Service wants to see a smoke free society in Solomon Islands. This came after high number of population, especially youths and women have engaged in smoking, which can caused heart attack, stroke and cancer. Others are exposed to second hand smoking, which they inhale it from someone’s smoke. Acting Permanent…