THE voir dire hearing of an alleged leader of the defunct Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM), who was accused of planning to burn down state-owned buildings in Honiara in 2023, will commence next Tuesday. A voir dire hearing is conducted to determine a question of law, including the admissibility of evidence. Whilst it is typically held…
A LARGE number of employees from the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) in Honiara turned out to vote in a secret ballot held at the Trade Dispute Panel’s (TDP) courtroom at Town Ground on Monday. TDP Chairman Willie Vaiyu said, voting began at 9am and continued until 4pm, with many SIPA workers participating throughout the…
THE Western Province Premier Billy Veo has announced a first scholarship to be offered under the province’s sister relations with China’s Fujian Province. Premier Veo made the announcement on Monday at the Western Provincial Assembly Meeting held on Imagination Island. “While the finer details are still to be worked out, I am pleased to announce…
THE Western Provincial Government (WPG) expects to collect an estimated revenue of $36,733,592 this financial year – 2025/2026. Finance Minister Ronnie Ghemu announced the expected revenue collection for this financial year when he tabled the province’s $36 million plus budget estimates at the Western Provincial Assembly meeting held on Imagination Island near Gizo on Monday.…
GIZO Bahai Local Spiritual Assembly (LSA) in the Western Province has successfully hosted an Institutional meeting last week. The meeting brought together the members of LSA to discuss key aspects of spiritual and community development. The gathering, held at the Bahai Centre in Gizo Jah Mountain, attracted a diverse group of attendees, including LSA Community…
THE Gizo/Kolombangara Constituency (GKC) has officially handed over solar accessories and equipment to the Gizo St Luke Diocese of Anglican Church of Melanesian (ACOM), Western Province in an effort to improve lighting system for the church and its facilities. The handover ceremony took place at the Diocese Compound in Gizo last Friday and was officiated…
THE Papua New Guinea (PNG) music artists, who performed at the Aelan Riddim Music Festival (ARMF) in Honiara last Saturday night at the Pacific Crown Hotel, shared their ‘memorable’ experiences from the event. Two of the five artists spoke to Paoa FM in a video interview at the Jackson’s International Airport in Port Moresby upon…
THE 4th China Medical Team (CMT) this week paid a courtesy call on the Health and Medical Services Minister Dr Paul Popora Bosawai, Permanent Secretary Mrs Pauline McNeil and members of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Senior Executive Management Team. The 4th CMT arrived in the country last weekend. Minister Bosawai, on…
ITS a relief for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services as it announced the arrival of a crucial consignment of blood bags which were delivered last week, to the National Medical Stores. This new stock comes after a shortfall that resulted from a specification error during the procurement process that affected reduced blood supplies…
Team One members of Guadalcanal’s 2024-2025 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, HIES, have completed all their enumeration Areas within Malango ward and will soon move on to Vulolo, Ward 19. This week the team is completing their questionnaires, synching them and waiting for checks and rejects from the National Statistics Headquarter. Their last Enumeration Area…