On Police Radar

Senior Ministers and a top official face arrest within days TWO senior Government Ministers and a top official are facing arrest in a matter of days, police insiders told Solomon Star, Saturday. One of the two Ministers could be arrested as early as tomorrow, Monday 01st August. The Minister allegedly faces 21 charges relating to…

Seasonal job surge

SEASONAL WORKERS’ SCHEME NUMBER TO ECLIPSE 5, 000 BY DECEMBER THE number of Solomon Islands nationals joining the seasonal workers’ scheme in Australia and New Zealand is expected to eclipse 5, 000 by December this year, according to government projections. Senior government officials told a news conference in Honiara two days ago this projection is…

GOV’T DENIES FULL CONTROL OF SIBC

THE government is not taking full control of the national broadcaster, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Cooperation (SIBC) but merely removing it as State Own Enterprises (SOEs). This means its operation and functions will be guided by Broadcasting Act established in 1977. Special Secretary to Prime Minister Albert Kabui made this clarification during a Press conference at…

RSIPF CPP officers completed third batch of training conducted by the PRC police

The third batch which consists of 21 Close Personnel Protection (CPP) officers of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) have completed two weeks training on close protection. The Very Important Person (VIP) training was conducted by the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) police instructors and were issued with certificates and excellent participants certificates. The…

MAMARA HOUSING SCHEME DELAYED

A REVISED policy on Public Service Rental Scheme in line with the Mamara project was delayed citing there are important issues needed to be addressed relating to new rental scheme. This was highlighted by Minister of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration Frederick Kologeto in Parliament when responding to question raised by Opposition Leader Mathew Wale…

$3B PAID, NO PROGRESS

Government reports show constituencies received $3 billion in RCDF grants from 2015-2022 THE nation’s 50 Constituencies were paid Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) grants of almost $3 billion over the past eight years, new government reports have revealed. Former Permanent Secretary, George Kosui posted details of the funding grants on social media this week. These…

Govt continues encourage COVID-19 Vaccination

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has encouraged the country to get vaccinated. Despite experiencing low-level community transmission from COVID-19, and the risk of importation of COVID-19 through international arrivals including possible new variants of the diseases, he said COVID-19 vaccination remains the main preventative strategy against COVID-19 in Solomon Islands. He said the government therefore continues…

MALAITA MPA RESPONSES TO PREMIER SUIDANI

MALAITA Provincial Assembly [MPA] Member for Ward 11, Elijah Asilaua, has rubbished claims that he bribed Baegu Council of Chiefs to reverse an earlier decision which blocked project funding by China and investment in the area. Premier Daniel Suidani last week accused Hon Asilaua for influencing the Council of Chiefs to change their mind. The…

ILLEGAL DESTRUCTION

Authorities appear to have acted illegally to burn harvested Beche-de-mers POLICE and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources appear to have acted illegally by burning an estimated ton of beche de mer on 30th June 2019, almost a year after the Court of Appeal ruled the country no longer has the law to impose…