Police charge Health ministry’s financial controller POLICE on Wednesday arrested and charged the financial controller of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in connection to the $10 million that was stolen from the ministry. Stephen Kido Dalipanda, from Choiseul Province, appeared in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court on 15 counts of false pretences. He was…
POLICE have located and arrested two of prosecution’s witnesses who failed to turn up in court to give evidence in a murder trial in the High Court. Their warrants of arrests were however discharged on Wednesday since the trial did not proceed. This was due to the defence counsel being reportedly sick. These witnesses will…
HONIARA City Council will have its sine die motion on Thursday to reflect on its achievement so far this financial year. This comes after they have tabled and passed the $39million Honiara City Council (HCC) Budget recently. Honiara City clerk Charles Kelly said 2016 has been a year of “a lot of ups and downs”.…
OPPOSITION Leader Jeremiah Manele wants to see investment in infrastructures distributed evenly to all the provinces in the country. Mr Manele made this call following government’s allocation of $244 million to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development in its 2017 Budget. Mr Manele said over the years Solomon Islands Government basically maintain existing infrastructures rather…
THE huge amounts of money paid to Members of Parliament this month are for constituencies. According to a Ministry of Finance and Treasury source, this is the final quarterly payment from the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) to MPs for their constituencies under the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF). Reports reaching Solomon Star stated that…
FIRST-Past-the Post (FPP) voting system which Solomon Islands has been practicing during elections since Independence is likely to be changed in the 2018 elections. An electoral reform team has been assigned to do consultation nationwide on election system and the electoral legislative reform. The new system being introduced by the electoral reform team as part…
MALAITA Province has expressed overwhelming support for the new Limited Preferable Voting (LPV) system following a two day consultation programme on election system and electoral legislation reform in Auki this week. Speaking at the closing of the programme on Tuesday, Malaita Premier Chanel Ramohia confirmed Malaita’s support for the LPV system. Mr Ramohia said Malaita…
THE OPPOSITION Leader Jeremiah Manele says the description by the government that the 2017 Budget is sustainable and credible is questionable. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Mr Manele said the $4.1billion budget’s credibility and sustainability depends on various economic variables that often are not realistic. “A balance budget does not necessarily mean that it is…
THE political impasse that shook the nation few weeks ago has calmed down following calls from political leaders to have the matter settle. A source within the government confirmed that “the impasse is over”. Therefore, he said there will be no disturbance to parliament proceedings, currently underway. The source thanked the Opposition group and other…
Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Julie Bishop joined women in Honiara in marking the first ever networking association for women of Solomon Islands on Tuesday. Pioneering members of the Solomon Islands Professional Women’s Network (SIPNET) –a platform for women to network, establish relationship, support each other and work towards common goals – were honoured…