PANGA IS G-PROVINCE’S NEW PREMIER
SIBC News, May 6, 2008 - The Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly has elected a new premier.
Provincial member for Ghaobata ward Stephen Panga was elected with 12 votes, over another candidate David Rosalio who collected 8 votes. One ballot was spoilt.
Following his election today, Premier Panga, who is also responsible for Foreign Affairs, immediately named his new eleven-member executive.
Deputy premier is Bradley Tovosia and Abel Arambola is provincial Finance minister.
The others are Anthony Veke for Provincial Affairs, Patrick Koeolia for Agriculture and Fisheries and Jude Soni for Health and Medical Services.
The New provincial minister for Education is Ephraim Limanikua, Michael Liliau for Lands, Samson Churu for Natural resources, and John Irovia for Transport and works.
Elijah Uro is the new provincial minister for Sports, Youth and Women.
The newly appointed executive members will be sworn in tomorrow.
TALKS ON LUNGA LAND
SIBC News, May 6, 2008 - Chairman of the Russells Islands Plantation Estates Limited Patrick Wong believes that an amicable solution can be reached over the Lunga Land issue if they have dialogue with the National Government.
The issue of resolving Lunga land currently being held under leasehold by RIPEL was the subject of discussion at a meeting chaired by Mr Wong in Honiara today.
Despite inviting all Parliament members on Guadalcanal and other selected stakeholders to participate in the discussions, only the landowners on Lunga Tenaru land turned up for the discussions.
A spokesman from RIPEL had said earlier that the discussions were intended to formulate options on how best the issues concerning Lunga land could be resolved.
Mr Wong told the landowners that he is prepared to consider transferring the fixed term estate, provided issues he put forward be addressed.
Another meeting has been set for Friday in which the landowners and RIPEL are hoping Government representatives will attend.
SECRETARY GENERAL OF FORUM SECRETARIAT RESIGNS
SIBC News, May 6, 2008 - The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Greg Urwin has formally tendered his resignation to the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.
Reliable diplomatic sources have confirmed to PACNEWS that Mr Urwin’s resignation letter was received by the office of the Prime Minister of Tonga, the chair of the Forum Monday.
A senior government official told Pacnews that a formal announcement on the resignation would have to be made by the chair of the Forum, Dr Feleti Sevele.
Mr Urwin, who is completing his second term in office, is believed to have been forced to take this decision on medical grounds.
His second three year term in office is to be completed at the end of 2009.
The position will not be advertised publicly but will be made via a circular sent to all member governments to nominate a candidate.
A replacement for Mr Urwin is likely to be on the agenda of the annual summit of Pacific Leaders in Niue in August.
PACNEWS was reliably told that Mr Urwin who went to Australia for a routine medical check in December has been advised by doctors not to continue in office.
PEOPLE URGED TO GROW LOCAL FOOD
SIBC News, May 6, 2008 - The Honiara Custom Garden Association is advising people to grow local food in order to ease the burden of high inflation on goods sold in shops.
Jack Kalisto from the association says growing local food is something that Solomon Islanders have been doing for many years.
He says imported food like rice is a foreign food that's been introduced to the country not long ago.
Mr Kalisto rules out fears that the country is facing a food crisis because of the high price of rice.
He urges people to grow more local crops because it is sustainable and cheaper, just like people in the villages who rely on local food crops all their life.
Mr Kalisto says people in town can make use of any little space around their homes to grow vegetables and cabbages.
He says the Custom Garden Association can teach people skills on how to do organic farming.
STATE GOVERNMENT AND RESOURCES
SIBC News, May 6, 2008 - Choiseul Premier Jackson Kiloe says the federal system of government if adopted would give more autonomy to states to decide what to do with their resources.
While commenting on the recent government announcement of changes to the forestry regulation in the country, Premier Kiloe says States would benefit more from their forest resources under the new proposed system.
He says up to now only logging companies and the national government have been getting much benefit from the people's forest resources.
Mr Kiloe says the unequal distribution of finance as experienced in the forest sector is one of the main reasons why people in the country want a federal system of government.
"Right now to put bluntly, we are not benefiting from logging. People from the provinces are not benefiting from logging. The very little we benefit from is through licences, if they pay licences at all. But all the benefit goes to the national government. We are left with the environmental damages, we are left with even the social impacts of logging. The social impacts is much bigger than the environmental concerns that we are worried about."
