A SECOND military aircraft from New Zealand arrived in Honiara on Friday with essential supplies for the relief and early recovery effort. Critical supplies delivered on the flight included sewerage and plumbing infrastructure necessary to improve Solomon Islands Water Authority capabilities; collapsible water bottles and brass taps to support water distribution; hygiene kits and mosquito…
RESIDENTS of Burns Creek settlement affected by the floods say the government must find land to relocate them. The settlement was one of the hard-hit areas in Honiara, although no one was killed. Most of them are now taking shelters in evacuation centres in Honiara. Pastor Richard Taloga said it’s time they move out from…
COLGATE Palmolive Fiji Limited on Friday donated personal hygiene products worth $80,000 to be distributed to flood victims. Company representative Romil Narayan said personal hygiene is important in times like this and he hopes the donation would assist toward that. “Our donation is to ensure victims’ health are protected,” he said. He said the company’s…
AN estimated 52,000 people remain affected in the worst-hit areas of Honiara and greater Guadalcanal following last week’s devastating floods which killed at least 23 people. The floods had caused severe damage to infrastructure and properties including 41 schools in flood stricken areas. The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) with support from humanitarian organisations, donors…
GUADALCANAL premier Stephen Panga says his executive has not been dissolved as the Solomon Star reported on Friday. “I want to inform my people of Guadalcanal and the public that my executive and provincial assembly has not been dissolved,” he said. “The order that came from the minister of provincial government follows a request for…
GUADALCANAL Provincial Secretary James Taeburi has been given powers to run the province. This was after the Minister of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) Silas Tausinga ordered the transfer of functions and powers from the Guadalcanal Provincial Executive to the Provincial Secretary. Permanent Secretary of Provincial Governments Stanley Dick Pirione said the Government has…
DEPUTY Police Commissioner Walter Kola has found himself in hot water again after damaging an official vehicle her was driving in an early morning accident on Friday. An eye-witness told the Solomon Star, Mr Kola slammed the government vehicle he was using into a post in front of the central police station. “I can say…
THE start of the economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiation was delayed mainly because Pacific countries were working on their market access offers, says the European Union. In reaction to critical remarks made at the Pacific-African Caribbean Pacific trade and fisheries meeting on EPA negotiations with the EU, Delegation of the EU for the Pacific head…
Economic growth in Solomon Islands is expected to pick up slightly to 3% in 2014, and remain steady at 3% in 2015 due to a fiscal stimulus from investment projects which will have a spillover effect on the economy, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) 2014 Asian Development Outlook report. The report shows growth…
A GOVERNMENT agency will begin monitoring the use of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards because of the abuse of telecommunication services, an official says. National Information and Communication Technology Authority chief executive officer Charles Punaha said since the PNG telecommunication market was opened up for competition in 2007, there had been no control measures in…