FORMER MEF MEMBERS SAY THEY WILL NOT ATTEND CEREMONY
SIBC News, JuLY 1, 2008 - Members of the former Malaita Eagle Force, MEF, say they will not attend the Reaffirmation Ceremony on the Continuous Process of Repentance, Forgiveness, Reconciliation and National Healing tomorrow.
A spokesman told SIBC that this is because the government had failed to pay them the rehabilitation package it promised.
The spokesman says the former members of MEF have been waiting for the last nine years for successive government to fulfil that promise.
He says the former MEF have helped protect Honiara and its people during the ethnic tension and a goodwill package should be paid to them.
The spokesman says true healing can only be achieved when such justice is done.
He says former members of MEF would welcome a round table discussions on the issues.
TEMOTU PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT BOYCOTTS CEREMONY
SIBC News, JuLY 1, 2008 - The Temotu Provincial Government will not participate in tomorrow's Reaffirmation Ceremony on the Continuous Process of Repentance, Forgiveness, Reconciliation and National Healing.
Premier Johnson Levela says there is not need for the ceremony tomorrow because Provincial Premiers have agreed last year during the Lake Tegano meeting that their provinces are committed to reconciliation.
He says the Province is also unhappy about government's non commitment to projects in the province and failure to address the demands of a Honiara based Temotu group over an incident early this year.
"My Government is unhappy at present over the way the Coalition for National Unity and Rural Advancement, C-NURA, government dealt with a major issues which happened in January this year, where 50-thousand dollars was paid on the street to some people."
DONORS QUESTION GOVT'S RECONCILIATION PLAN
SIBC News, July 1, 2008 - Donor partners have questioned government's intentions towards reconciliation and rehabilitation in last Friday's consultative meeting.
In a joint statement, the donors questioned the absence on any mention of the proposed Truth and reconciliation Commission in the Reconciliation and Rehabilitation section of the Medium Term Development Strategy.
They've also mentioned that the government's time line for the establishing and functioning of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as very challenging given the government's intention to set the Commission by December this year.
The donors have also questioned why there are no mentions in the section of activities to support the rehabilitation of former combatants.
They've also requested the government to specify outcomes and activities to former combatants, including conflict or tension reduction activities which would take place in other activities such as employment creation and youth activities.
But they've agreed that reconciliation is a cornerstone to development and that it involves nationally owned processes.
The donors believed that reconciliation of communities and individuals previously involved in conflicts should be based on development of communities themselves with a view to develop positive perceptions towards each other and their communities.
DEPUTY PM SPEAKS ON CORRUPTION
SIBC News, JuLY 1, 2008 - Deputy Prime Minister Fred Fono says there's no clear definition as to what amounts to corruption in various societies.
Speaking at the launch of an United Nations development program, Pacific Centre Report of Corruption last night in Honiara, Mr Fono said various societies see things differently.
He says classic examples include the Kerekere system in Fiji, the wantok system in Solomon Islands and the unemployment payment in Australia and other Western societies.
Mr Fono said the Western Society will see the Kerekere and the Wantok system in giving goods as corruption while the free handout to unemployed in Australia and New Zealand is seen as legal.
He says when members of Parliament in Solomon Islands give help to youths and other marginalised groups in their constituency they are regarded in the eyes of western societies as corruption but when this is done in Australia, New Zealand and other countries, this is legal.
Mr Fono says a line should be drawn to determine what is corruption and what is not.
He however says it is the normal understanding that when corruption takes place in government circles, the poor gets the brunt of all these.
Mr Fono says the fight against corruption should be targeted in all sector including, government, the public sector and non government organisations.
TELEKOM EXECUTIVE OFFICER RESIGNS
SIBC News, June 30, 2008 - The Chief Executive Officer of Solomon Telekom, Martyn Robinson, has resigned after 17 years on the job.
Reports say the Telekom Board has accepted the resignation of Mr Robinson with three months notice of termination following a nationwide strike by employees to have him removed and the position filled by a local.
Mr Robinson has agreed to stay in the position for three months to hand over to his successor.
Meanwhile the Board has named Mr Robinson's Deputy Loyly Ngira as Chief Executive Elect and this appointment should be confirmed by October first 2008.
FREE EDUCATION EXPECTED NEXT YEAR
SIBC News, June 26, 2008 - Solomon Islands will introduce free basic education next year.
Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua, in his recent provincial visit to Isabel told the people there that the free basic education will cover standard one to form three, under the current education system in the country.
Prime Minister Sikua said school fees currently paid by parents will be offset under funding from the Republic of China or Taiwan.
He said the Ministry of Education is currently working on figures for the school fees, to be submitted to the Taiwanese Embassy.
Prime Minister Sikua said the funding from Taiwan will be handed out to the schools as grants.
He said the initiative is expected to encourage parents to send all their children to school, to attain basic education.
PM STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
SIBC News, June 30, 2008 - Prime Minister Doctor Derek Sikua has emphasised the importance of freedom of information which nations of the Pacific region need to securely accommodate.
The Prime Minister says freedom of information contributes significant values to social and economic development of the countries.
While advocating his Government's appreciation of the Forum Secretariat for its commitment to implement the Pacific Plan in relation to freedom of Information, Doctor Sikua pointed out that many countries in the region including Solomon Islands are free countries.
He says the main enduring reason is that they are democracies. Dr. Sikua says the central doctrine to democracy is the guarantee of human rights.
The Prime Minister says freedom of information is just but one of those human rights.
Doctor Sikua says his government is fully aware of the importance of freedom of information and good governance which is about transparency and accountability.
Prime Minister Sikua points out that while the government supports the media's right to freedom of information, it should also be realised that the same right is also vested with the right to report responsibly.
Prime Minister Sikua was speaking when he officially opened the Regional Freedom of Information workshop in Honiara this morning.
The three-day workshop is being organised jointly by the United Nations Development Programme Pacific Centre and the Pacific islands Forum Secretariat.
Delegate representatives from 10 Pacific Island Nations are taking part in the seminar.
REAFFIRMATION CEREMONY ON JULY 2nd
SIBC News, June 29, 2008 - Honiara will feature what might be the largest ever reaffirmation and forgiveness ceremony to be staged in the capital between former rivalries from Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces.
The ceremony will take place at Lawson Tama Stadium starting 7 AM on Wednesday July 2nd.
The Prime Minister, Doctor Derek Sikua and the Acting Governor General, and Speaker of Parliament, Sir Peter Kenilorea are expected to participate in the full day's event.
Other official dignitaries will include, the Chief Justice, Sir Albert Palmer, Ministers of the Crown, Provincial Premiers of Malaita and Guadalcanal, Lord Mayor of Honiara city, Leader of Opposition, members of the diplomatic corps, church leaders, chiefs and community leaders.
The Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace says the reaffirmation ceremony is part of a continuous process of repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation and national healing for Solomon islands.
The ceremony will feature, worship in prayer and singing, shaking of hands and exchange of traditional gifts among different tribal groups.
The Royal Police Band is expected to lead the singing and the parade of different groups during the ceremony.
SAMOAN POLICE OFFICER REFUSED POLICE INTERVIEW
SIBC News, June 29, 2008 - The investigation into the fatal accident that occurred on Friday 13 June 2008 involving off-duty RAMSI officers from Samoa is expected to be completed in the coming days.
The Detective that travelled to Brisbane to interview the Samoan returned to Honiara today.
Police Media Office says that when they attended the hospital in Brisbane, the Samoan refused to cooperate and declined to be interviewed by the Detective from the Solomon Islands Police Force.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Peter Marshall, says he's disappointed the Samoan did not cooperate with Police but still expects the investigation to be finished this week.
Police Media office says a brief of evidence will be delivered to the Director of Public Prosecutions for his consideration later this week.
WILD PIG ATTACKS HUNTER
SIBC News, June 27, 2008 - A wild pig left a hunter of Paichichi village, North west Guadalcanal unconscious for more than 24 hours before he was picked by villagers the next day.
SIBC's Correspondent John Toki says Kasiano Kere went hunting last Thursday morning when he was attacked by a wild boar inflicting serious injuries to his body.
He says the loss of blood through injuries left Mr Kere unconscious at the scene.
Mr Toki says Mr Kere remained unconscious for a good part of Thursday and when he regained consciousness, he crawled more than two kilometres to a hill where he called for help the next day.
He was taken to Kohimarama clinic for initial treatment before being transferred to the National referral Hospital where he is currently recovering.
A CALL TO AMEND LAW TO FIT LOCAL SITUATION
SIBC News, June 28, 2008 - A community leader in Aola, East Guadalcanal, Charles Gatu encourages ministries administering resource-based acts to amend relevant sections to ease the task of adopting current laws in the new state government constitution.
Mr Gatu says many of the resource-related Acts originated from the British laws and are not applicable to Solomon Islands way of life.
He says classic examples exist within the Mines and Minerals Act, the Forestry and many more in the lands act among others.
Mr Gatu says these clauses should be amended under the current system of government so that when the country adopts the state government constitution, these laws need not to be re-written.
Mr Gatu says many of these acts does not encourage Solomon Islanders have full access and benefit from resources they believe its theirs under customary ownership.
He says government ministers and permanent Secretaries should thoroughly go through these acts and have them amended.
Meanwhile Mr Gatu call on Provincial Constitutional Reform groups to visit as many communities as possible to gather relevant information from local people whose lives and well being will be affected if laws are not changed.
