MSG call on International Community to Understand

Foreign Minister of Fiji, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola:Fiji now holds the chairmanship of the MSG.

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

The outgoing Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Chairman, Vanuatu Prime Minister, Mr. Kilman Sato has called on the international community to understand the Melanesian way.

The call was made following the reconciliation ceremony between Vanuatu and Fiji Government and the MSG Special Summit in Honiara on Wednesday.

The ceremony was organised by the Solomon Islands government to break the impasse between Vanuatu and Fiji over the MSG chairmanship.

There was a small leaders summit held in which they officially endorsed the chiefs’ declaration that Fiji now holds the chairmanship of the MSG.

 Mr. Sato stated that, the handing over of MSG Chairmanship to Fiji will cause criticism from the international community.

“But for us the people and Government of Vanuatu we believe in what we did today (Wednesday).”

“We believe in Fiji to take MSG into the next level for the good of the Melanesian people and the region,” Mr. Sato said when giving his final remarks during closing dinner hosted by the Government of Solomon Islands.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of Fiji, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola affirmed to the MSG members that Fiji will move MSG to the next level, “we are taking this chance very seriously.”

Mr. Kubuabola thanked the MSG members for accepting Fiji’s situation and their issues.

He also stressed that Fiji needs a change which they are working on it according to their timeline.

“We know the international community did not accept our road map for change but we believe they will understand our reform agendas,” Mr. Kubuabola said.

Mr. Kubuabola however said Fiji is encouraged by the reconciliation ceremony.

“This is a historic occasion, it should be a beacon of hope for the future, not only when dealing with MSG issues but for similar challenging issues in the wider Pacific Islands region,” Mr. Kubuabola said.

Gov’t gives ultimatum to public solicitor to explain

Esape: Jimmy Lusibaea's lawyer heads towards the waiting plane. (Photo: supplied)

Editor's Desk

The Government has written to the Public Solicitor urging him to “fully explain to Cabinet by December 17, 2010 the circumstances surrounding the unplanned departure of Mr. Robert Cavangh” from Honiara yesterday.

Mr. Cavangh represented former Fisheries Minister, Hon Jimmy Lusibaea MP, in the recent criminal case involving the MP. The lawyer was to have represented Hon Lusibaea MP in his appeal case yesterday (see story page 3), but he was nowhere to be found.

The Public Solicitor and another lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Office, Mr. Edward Cade, later told Cabinet in a briefing this afternoon that Mr. Cavanagh had “had a heart attack” which required medical attention in Australia.

In the letter to the Public Solicitor, Hon Minister for Finance and Treasury, Hon Gordon Darcy Lilo MP, who presided over Cabinet yesterday, said information had come to light that Mr. Cavangh “did not have any health issues or concerns/complication that warrants his absence” from court yesterday.

“Therefore Cabinet is of the opinion that Mr. Robert Cavangh might have been pressured by his employer(s) to leave this jurisdiction on the excuse that he was seriously unwell.

“As mentioned above, Cabinet has learned from Solomon Airlines, after it has obtained reliable advice from ASPEN personnel’s that Mr. Robert Cavangh was well, fit and had no medical or health issues prior or leading up to yesterday, the day Hon Jimmy Lusibaea’s bail hearing was to take place in the High Court,” the two page letter said.

“The conduct of Mr. Robert Cavangh and that of his employer(s) has serious implication for the rule of law and quite seriously undermine the criminal justice system in this country, not to mention the constitutional and legal rights of Hon Jimmy Lusibaea,” the letter said.

“I therefore call on you, as the Public Solicitor to fully explain to Cabinet by December 17, the circumstances surrounding the unplanned departure of Mr. Robert Cavangh when he was supposed to appear in court and represent his client, Hon Jimmy Lusibaea on December 10 (yesterday),” it said.

Meanwhile separate briefings provided to Cabinet showed Mr. Cavanagh was “fit and well” to travel.

Mr. Cavanagh traveled on a commercial flight to Brisbane yesterday afternoon.

Cabinet has also received photographs of Mr. Cavangh wearing an Akubra hat and walking unaided to the aircraft.

In one photograph, he was seen talking on his mobile phone as he walked towards the aircraft, again, unaided.

HIV CASES INCREASE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS

By Jennifer Kusapa
National Express Reporter

The number of confirmed HIV and Aids cases in Solomon Islands has increased by two more to a total of (15) fifteen.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Dr. Lester Ross, officialy announced yesterday the increase by confirming that two (2) new HIV positive cases have been confirmed in the country.

Speaking during the official launching of the World AIDS day Dr Ross said that the situation the country is facing is alarming and this year the country has two new HIV positive cases.

“I have the responsibility on behalf of the Solomon Island National AIDS Council to announce an additional two newly HIV diagnosed cases”, said Dr Ross.

Dr Ross said that from those two additional cases it brings to a total of 15 cases of HIV positive in the country.

He said that there is no room for self satisfaction because despite positive developments in the country, the situation is continuing to increase at an alarming rate because sexually transmitted diseases in the country is significantly high.

He said that the HIV Aids virus was being transmitted through sex and so is STI and if the country recorded high in STI the population out there is at risk of the killer disease HIV.

He said that everybody must recognize the importance of changing behaviour all Solomon islanders must be equipped with confidence and motivation to initiate some change in your lives.

Dr Ross said that the two new HIV positive cases brings 15 cases and that number speaks
Loudly about the possibility that there are likely to be more positive cases out there that are not tested for the virus.

He then called upon the people of Solomon Islands to come forward and do the testing because if you are tested before you can proven negative.

NCRA IS BACK

Editor's Desk

The National Coalition for Reform and Advancement [NCRA] Government is back, strong, consolidated and focused, Prime Minister Hon Danny Philip said today.

Prime Minister Philip was speaking to members of the media following a brief reconciliation ceremony in Honiara this afternoon.

In the ceremony, stringed shell money was exchanged between the former minister for Forest and Research and MP for West Guadalcanal, Hon Bodo Dettke MP and Prime Minister Philip, in front of other Cabinet Ministers and Government Backbench.

The Chairman of Government Caucus Hon Martin Magga MP and his Deputy and MP for West Honiara Hon Namson Tran both contributed a tafuliae [stringed shell money] each on behalf of Caucus.

Twenty Government Ministers as well as Backbench MPs were in attendance.

“The ceremony this afternoon shows that the National Coalition for Reform and Advancement [NCRA] Government is back, strong, consolidated and focused,” Prime Minister Philip said.

“It shows we have customs and tradition that are just as effective in settling differences,” he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Philip told the ceremony that “coming back together is not a sign of weakness.”

“It is a sign of strength,” he said.

He thanked each of his Ministers who were ready and willing to work through the difficulties as they did in the last few days.

“It’s impacted on all of us, but we’ve come out of it. I want to thank each one of you,” he said, naming each of the Ministers who went out of their way to ensure the NCRA government remained intact.

He and Hon Dettke also apologized to each other. Other Ministers emphasized the significance of the reconciliation through the exchange of shell money.

RAMSI mourns death of PPF member

By Editor's Desk

The Australian Federal Police is today mourning the death of one of its members currently serving as part of the Participating Police Force (PPF) of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) is currently investigating the matter and has advised that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the member’s death.

The member’s next of kin are being notified.

The member, originally from Sydney, was employed as a Protective Services Officer with the AFP before deploying to Solomon Islands in April 2010 where he served with the PPF.

Lusibaea might lose Parliament Seat.

Andrew Fanasia Jr

North Malaita MP and Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Jimmy Lusibaea might loses his parliament seat yesterday after Presiding Judge, Justice David Cameron sentence him to 2 years and 9 months imprisonment.

Justice Cameron said Lusibaea’s 2 years and nine months is dim to commence on the 11th of March 2010.

The North Malaita MP was sentence following his guilty plea to one count of unlawful wounding (2 years) and one count of assaulting Police Officer in execution of his duty (9 months).

According to the evidence in the High Court, Justice Cameron said Mr. Robert Solo; a police officer was shot by Lusibaea on both knees when he was beaten and was unconscious and for assaulting Officer Sam Manakeha on the head with the butt of the pistol, when he was on duty at that time.

This was during the height of the civil unrest period on September 1, 2000 at the National Referral Hospital.

Meanwhile, Justice Cameron said the element of Lusibaea’s aggravating factor has overweight the mitigation factors presented in the court.

He said Lusibaea has carried a weapon (pistol) in the NRH area and shoot the victim in both knees, “Solo was helpless when Lusibaea shot him in the X-ray room.”

Justice Cameron added that Lusibaea did not respect the NRH at that time he committed the offence, and also he brought with him some of the members of the Malaita Eagle Force in the NRH premises.

“Lusibaea has also demand the police officer on duty, Manakeha and hit his head with the butt of his pistol,” Justice Cameron said.

Justice Cameron affirmed in court that Lusibaea’s mitigation factors did not justify the seriousness of the offence he committed.

Meanwhile, the courts decisions did not go well with his supporters from his constitution which resulted in Honiara being ‘stand still’

However, it is likely that Lusibaea will make an appeal against the decision to the court of appeal within the given 30 days.

This was done to protect his parliament seat if he wins the appeal in the court of appeal.

Opposition Bid to overthrow NCRA.

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Since the formation of the NCRA Government, the Opposition side has been throwing criticisms to destabilize and seeking ways to overthrow Prime Minister Danny Philip led Coalition.

Source within the Government said that this sort of on going actions by the Opposition group can best describe as ‘political scoring tactics’.

Government source revealed that NCRA Government has pledge to serve the interest of this nation and want to see the country is heading on the right direction.

Express news understands that, the Opposition leader, Mr. Steve Abana and his Deputy Mr. Matthew Wale also claimed in some of their media statements that members of the Government have involved in acts that are illegal and disrespectful.

“Such claims do not have any prove but only aim to discredit the hard work of the NCRA members,” the Source said.

The Source added that the Opposition will continue to misinform the public about what NCRA is preparing to advance this country.

The Minister for Finance and Treasury in the past week told the local media that NCRA is serious about its plan reforms, “the reforms will certainly put this country in the right direction.”

However, the Opposition side is keeping an eye on these reform agendas which was stated in NCRA policy statement.

On Monday this week, Express news received from a Source close to the Opposition group that they (Opposition) is planning ahead for the first parliament sitting next year to push a ‘vote of no confidence’.

Meanwhile, in the most recent issue, Opposition group claimed that the NCRA Government has already used the Ministry of Fisheries as bait to pull in any interested member from the Opposition side.

This was after the Minister for Fisheries; Mr. Jimmy Lusibaea was arrested to face the court and waits his sentencing today.

Recently, the newly proposed body, Bureau for Social and Economic Reform (BSER) is another issue which the Opposition verbally attacked mercilessly.

The BSER came under attack after the local media published the 2010 budget which the BSER was included in the past recent week.

However, the Permanent Secretary Special Duties for reforms and projects, Mr. Luma Darcy on Monday this week said that the newly established Bureau of Social and Economic Reform is yet to be approved.

Meanwhile, the country is yet to see tangible development after NCRA took the office.

Express news understands that the on going battle between the Government and Opposition regarding different political issues have already distort the trust of the Solomon Islands citizens towards their national leaders.

OPPOSITION SUPPORTS TRC EXTENSION REQUEST

Editor's Desk.

The Opposition urges the Danny Phillip-led National Coalition for Rural Advancement Government (NCRA) to extend the term of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission mandated to establish the truth about the ethnic tension and foster reconciliation between the aggressors and the victims.

Opposition Leader, Steve Abana made the call following the announcement by the National Unity, Peace and Reconciliation Minister, Hon. Hypolite Taremae in the media yesterday of a possible extension of the term of the TRC by the NCRA Government.

Mr Abana said the Opposition supports the commission’s request to the government for the extension to ensure it completes the challenging task of bringing together the victims and the aggressors to tell their accounts of the petrifying experiences they suffered and had inflicted.

He said he understands that some victims are holding back due to fear of retaliation by the aggressors or their relatives and on the other hand, some aggressors are reluctant to come forward for fear of prosecution and this challenging task cannot be accomplished within a span of only two years.

The Opposition Leader said Solomon Islands must establish the truth behind the tension and reconcile those that suffered from the violence then and their perpetrators if it wants to restore national peace and unity.

Mr Abana said the NCRA Government must demonstrate its commitment to ensuring the return of lasting peace and unity in the country by approving the request by the TRC and also providing sufficient budgetary allocation to the Ministry for National Unity, Peace and Reconciliation for the work of the TRC in the 2011 budget.

BUDGET CLARIFICATION LEAVES MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS: WALE

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Deputy Opposition Leader Mathew Wale has commended the Permanent Secretary Special Duties for reforms and projects and the Director of the Policy and Evaluation Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Luma Darcy and Mr Peter Boyers for their efforts in trying to clarify the budget submission for the newly established Bureau for Social and Economic Reform.

However, Mr Wale said the clarifications have left more questions than answers to the valid concerns raised by the Opposition over this matter.
“ If the statement by Mr Darcy is true that the final costing for the newly established Bureau of Social and Economic Reform is yet to be approved, why did the Prime Minister’s Office submit it to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury for inclusion in the 2011 budget?

“The Office of the Leader of Opposition has confirmed with relevant officials from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury that the $4.8-million budget submission for the bureau’s 13 officers published by the local print media was final and not a mere discussion material.”

“If the bureau is not part of the Prime Minister’s Private Political Office, would the 13 posts in it be advertised by the Ministry of Public Service as required under the conventional public service recruitment regulation? The Opposition will be closely monitoring the government to ensure it abides by this regulation if indeed the bureau is not part of the Prime Minister’s Private Political Office,” he said.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said it was interesting to read Mr Boyers trying to defend the hefty budget for the Bureau of Social and Economic Reform by blaming the Sogavare and Dr Sikua regimes for the recruitment of some political appointees of the NCRA Government.

He said unless the political appointees referred to by Mr Boyers continue to serve the new Danny Phillip-led government under their contracts with the previous governments, then he is either naïve or trying to mislead the public on the matter.

“As far as political appointments are concerned, employment contracts of political appointees of any ruling political government are terminated at the end of its term in office and the next political government makes political appointments at its own discretion.

“It is apparent that the appointees referred to are supporters of certain politicians in the NCRA Government and their appointments with the two previous governments were through these same connections.”

Mr Wale said as with this budget submission, the Opposition will need as much time as the NCRA Government to discover its own mind as to what the bureau is and its logistical implication adding the NCRA Government will have been in power for eight months when the 2011 National Budget will be presented to Parliament next April.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said the Opposition is concerned that NCRA has a habit of making proposals it has no idea about and referred to the proposed Forgiveness Bill as another classic example.

OPPOSITION SLAMS TORA’S QATAR TRIP

Editor's Desk

Opposition Spokesman for Police and National Security, Walter Folotalu has expressed grave concern over the recent trip by the Minister for Police and National Security, Mr James Tora for an Interpol meeting in Doha, Qatar.

The trip is believed to have cost the state around one million dollars.

Mr Folotalu said according to information obtained from the Ministry of Police and National Security most of the money for the trip had to be taken from the police’s operational budget.

He said Minister Tora himself on many occasions said the police lack logistical support by way of equipment, vehicles and Out Board Motor powered canoes.

He said despite Mr Tora’s seemingly concern about the lack of logistics in the Police Force, he managed to squeeze funds allocated for such purposes to attend a meeting though important, is not as vital as the force’s operational requirements.

Mr Folotalu believes the availability of logistic equipment will enable the Royal Solomon Islands Police to carry out its operations more effectively and efficiently.

GOVERNMENT HITS BACK AT ABANA

Editor's Desk
Writer David Tuhanuku

The Acting Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga has called on the Leader of Opposition Steve Abana to grow up and stop his cheap political tactics of massaging half truths, gossips and rumors in his ongoing campaign of creating confusions in a desperate bid to topple the current NCRA Government.

In making the call on behalf of the Government Mr. Maelanga described as “childish and utterly rubbish” claims which Mr. Abana has made in the media that the government had began marketing the Minister of Fisheries Jimmy Lusibaea’s portfolio as he awaits his sentencing on Wednesday this week.

“Mr. Abana’s latest media stunt has also earlier displayed his immature attitude through the criticisms he’s made against the Government’s proposed Bureau for Social and Economic Reforms, using just one document without bothering to find out more about the proposal before going to the media.

He has done it again by manufacturing this unfounded gossip and rumour that the Government is trying to sell a colleague’s portfolio.” Acting Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga said.

As the matter is before the court it is irresponsible and a possible case of contempt of court for Mr. Abana to try and force a debate on a matter that is before the High Court and the Government will not be dragged down the gutter to comment on a matter pending before the court.

“All of us Ministers in the NCRA Government are simply keeping our fingers crossed while we await the outcome of a court case involving a dear colleague, and if the Opposition Leader sees fit to bring up such non-issues for political expediency, then he better back off from this dangerous play.”

“Your game is too small for this government, we’ve got a country to run, and that is the difference between your Opposition and those of us serving in the current NCRA government.”

Mr. Maelanga said that never at any time would members of the government be involved in acts that are disrespectful, as the Opposition Leader had claimed and wrongly assumed, and which are dangerous for the government.
“While at the same time we don’t want to be seen as lacking contingency plans in the worst scenario case.”

He said: “It was obvious that the opposition leader, having sensed the great sensitivity of his accusations, went to great lengths to balance a story he has manufactured for political reasons, by trying to balance it with a commendation for Minister Lusibaea’s outstanding performance in his capacity as minister for fisheries. This is hypocritical and cynical,” he said.

“Coupling a positive statement with a negative statement and assuming the public feeds from such contradictions is but a careless piece from the perfect creationist.”

The acting Prime Minister said one can infer from the opposition leader’s statement that we are still more worried about the government’s numerical strength.

“Who better be more worried about the numbers than the opposition themselves, given their grand plan to push a motion of no-confidence during the April 2011 sitting of parliament where the final score will be 26-21 in our favor. ”

DARCY CONDEMN OPPOSITION CRITICISMS ON BSER

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

The final costing of the Government’s proposed Bureau for Social and Economic Reforms (BSER) will ultimately be determined by the final structure and status which the NCRA Government decides the Bureau should take.

“And what the NCRA Government will decide should be the primary role and functions of the Bureau; will eventually provide the final shape of the Bureau’s manpower requirements and structure as well as its status.” This is according to the Permanent Secretary - Special Duties; responsible for Reforms and Projects, Luma Darcy.

To get to the final outcome and the final product of this important NCRA Government’s policy initiative, will take a lot of prior and inclusive consultations, planning, and internal discussions which the NCRA Government has already initiated, Mr. Darcy said.

Mr. Darcy made these clarifications in response to criticisms which the Opposition Leader Steve Abana made in the media last week, based on a document which the local media has claimed to be a budget submission seeking SBD$4.8 Million for the staff of the proposed Bureau for Social and Economic Reforms.

He said the document which the Opposition Leader Mr. Abana was referring to, was just one of a range of documents which are basically internal NCRA Government discussion papers on the proposal.

Mr. Darcy also said that if the Government eventually established the Bureau, the level of remunerations which the senior staff of the Bureau will have; will depend on qualifications and work experience; but this will also be ultimately determined by the status and role of the Bureau as determined by the NCRA Government.

“That will in turn, determine what their required qualifications and work experience, and job descriptions will be. Their job descriptions will ultimately determine their level of remunerations and it will be there and then that we would decide whether or not the remunerations are justified by their job descriptions. While it is good to have Opposition input in this matter, perhaps last week’s criticisms of the Bureau by the Opposition is somewhat premature,” Mr. Darcy said.

The Director of the Policy and Evaluation Unit in the Prime Minister’s Office and former MP for West New Georgia and Vona Vona, Peter Boyers, has also spoken out in support of giving the NCRA Government the opportunity to fully explore the concept with the view to eventually adopting the proposal to establish the Bureau.

Mr. Boyers, also a former Finance and Economic Planning and Aid Coordination Minister, believes that there is a need to have a centralized process to provide an overall coordination mechanism for the executive government.

“Given my own experience, I believe it is timely for the NCRA Government to review our long standing assumption that government ministries are capable of effectively coordinating their activities relating to government social and economic reforms, in situations where there are cross-cutting issues that require the coordinated involvement of more than one ministry in order to get things moving and achieve outcomes in a timely manner,” Mr. Boyers says.

Mr. Boyers said that Mr. Abana’s concern about cost is premature and if the Opposition is so concerned about political appointees and the cost to tax payers, the Opposition must bear in mind that political appointees recruited under the Sogavare and Sikua led governments cost tax payers between SBD$2.5 to SBD$4.5 Million.

“As a matter of fact, some of the political appointees now serving under the current NCRA Government’s political unit in the Office of the Prime Minister were first recruited by the Sogavare and Sikua led Governments.

CASH DONATION DEPOSITED INTO GOV’T SYSTEM: DR SIKUA

By Editor's Desk

Member of Parliament for North East Guadalcanal Dr Derek Sikua has announced that the cash donation of one million Japanese yen he received on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government from the Japanese Solomon Islands Friendship Association (JSIFA) when he was Prime Minister was safely deposited into the government system.

Dr Sikua made the announcement in response to the headline of the Solomon Star last Saturday whereby the President of JSIFA, Mr Kiyoshi Takahama questioned the whereabouts of a cash donation the association handed over to him for a Solomon Islands students’ exchange programme with Japan when he was prime minister.

The former Prime Minister who is now a member of the Opposition Group in Parliament confirmed personally receiving one million yen in cash for a student’s exchange programme from Mr Takahama when the former Japanese Charge d’affaires in Solomon Islands and members of JSIFA visited the country in 2008 and paid him a courtesy call.

He said soon after receiving the money he directed the Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr Chris Hunupauro to convert the money into the local currency and he did so at the Mendana Hotel after being refused by all three commercial banks.

Dr Sikua said that one million yen when it was converted into Solomon Islands currency was only $75,000.00 and that money paid immediately to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury by the Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister to be deposited under a particular head for travel under the Prime Minister’s Office upon advice from relevant government officials as it was insufficient to meet travelling expenses for four students to travel to Japan as proposed by the JSIFA.

“Being a responsible national leader I had done my part in ensuring the total amount of money received from the currency conversion was paid to the relevant government ministry to be deposited under the head it thought appropriate and I am pleased to be given this opportunity to clear my name off any assumption of misappropriation that may rise following the publishment of the news article questioning the whereabouts of the money,” the former Prime Minister said.

ABANA APPLAUDS LUSIBAEA OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE

Mr Lusibaea

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Opposition Leader, Steve Abana has commended the Member of Parliament for North Malaita, Jimmy Lusibaea for his outstanding performance in his capacity as the Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources.

Mr Abana said he was impressed with reports from the Ministry of Fisheries And Marine Resources about Mr Lusibaea’s performance and he believes should the North Malaitan MP be given the opportunity to complete his parliamentary term, he would excel in his leadership role.

He said one of the outstanding achievements of the ministry under the leadership of Mr Lusibaea was the successful negotiations with Japan, Korea and Taiwan from the 26th of October to the 11th of November that resulted in an agreement to double the access fees for foreign vessels to fish in Solomon Islands waters next year.

The Opposition Leader said according to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, this was the first time the country successfully negotiated doubling its fishing access fees and thus Mr Lusibaea deserves commendation by the government and people of Solomon Islands for this exceptional achievement.

“Mr Lusibaea’s outstanding performance and his continued assistance to community groups touched many hearts and this speaks loud and clear of the totally changed person he is now to what he was during the ethnic tension.”

“Solomon Islands needs enthusiastic leaders like Mr Lusibaea who are keen to learn and to carry out their official obligations to the best of their ability,” Mr Abana said.

The Opposition Leader meanwhile said he was stunned by the attitude of some ministers and supporters of the NCRA Government offering the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources portfolio immediately after the North Malaita MP was taken into custody last week after pleading guilty to murder.

“It is totally insulting that some government ministers and supporters of the go ringing up some Opposition MPs offering them the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources portfolio despite the fact that he is yet to be sentenced.

“Such attitude clearly demonstrates that the government’s allocation of a ministerial portfolio to Mr Lusibaea was merely for numbers,” Mr Abana said.

OPPOSITION QUESTIONS POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS

Opposition Leader, Steve Abana

Editor's Desk

The Opposition has called on the National Coalition for Rural Advancement (NCRA) Government to come clean on the number of its political appointees following its announcement of the establishment of the Bureau of Social and Economic Reform.

Opposition Leader, Steve Abana said the Danny Phillip-led regime owes the taxpayers an explanation on the number of its political appointees because it is apparent that it has increased the number of political appointments in the Prime Minister’s Private Political Office contrary to its expressed intention to reduce it.

Mr Abana said documents obtained by his office show that the newly established Bureau of Social and Economic Reform consists of a Permanent Secretary post, seven directors’ posts and five administration posts and it is understood that these positions are all to be political appointments.

He said the pertinent question is whether this bureau includes the political posts of Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Special Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Director and staff of the Policy Unit and the Secretary to the Government Caucus.

Mr Abana said the documents show the 2011 budget submission for the bureau stands at a total of $4,838,479.15.

The Opposition Leader said if the bureau is exclusive of the posts of Press Secretary, Special Secretary, Private Secretary, the Director and staff of the Policy Unit and the Executive Secretary to Government Caucus then the number of political appointments and expenditures for these appointments by the NCRA Government has far exceeded that of all successive political governments since the introduction of the Prime Minister’s Private Political Office in 2005.

Mr Abana said this excessive political appointment exercise brings into question the NCRA Government’s commitment to reduce government expenditures for political appointments as announced over the national radio by the Finance and Treasury Minister, Mr Gordon Darcy Lilo.

He said the taxpayers would also be interested to know whether or not the Economic Reform Unit in the Ministry for Finance and Treasury would be merged with the proposed Bureau of Social and Economic Reform Unit. The Economic Reform Unit engages overseas technical advisors and public servants.

The Opposition Leader said the NCRA Government needs to come clear on the issue of political appointees as taxpayers are entitled to know if there has been a drastic change in its policy on this matter.

Kaua Passes Away After Long Illness

By Editor's Desk

Hon. Toswel Kaua, MP for Baegu/Asifola, passed away early this morning at the National Referral Hospital.

Reports say that Late Kaua suffered medical complications early yesterday morning and was rushed to hospital.

The Late Toswel Kaua was a long time public servant, rising through the ranks to the position of Secretary to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

He later resigned and contested the 2006 elections, which he won comfortably. He was later re-elected on 4 August 2010.

Late Kaua held several key portfolios, serving as Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs from 21 December 2007 to 2010 and as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Service from 3 May 2007 to 10 November 2007.

He was also Minister for Agriculture and Livestock from 18 October 2006 to 3 May 2007.

Late Kaua was born on the 28th of August 1947 in Lau Malaita Province.

West Papua: Journalists become targets for ‘playing with fire’

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Rebecca Leaver

The naked body of reporter Ardiansyah Matra’is was found, his arm tethered to a tree, in the Gudang Arang River in West Papua.

He braved months of harassment for his reports on illegal logging.

News reports said he had been tortured but police deny this and claim his death to be suicide.

His death joins a growing list of violent acts against journalists in the Indonesian province once known as Irian Jaya.

“Ardiansyah Matra’is was my friend and we worked together,” said Wensislaus Fatubun, who worked as Matra’is’ cameraman before his death.

Fatubun said: “We were approached by a member of Kopassus (the Special Forces Command of the Indonesian government). Ardiansyah got very paranoid after Kopassus kept contacting him.”

Weeks before his death he reportedly accepted an invitation by a group of people claiming to be journalists to help them investigate illegal logging.

Family threatened
According to the Asia-Pacific arm of the International Federation of Journalists, the group were members of Kopassus who threatened him and his family if he did not stop reporting business deals.

A text message he received, translated by the Indonesia news website Kompas, said: “To cowardly journalist, never play with fire if you don’t want to be burned. If you still want to make a living on this land, don’t do weird things. We have data on you. . .be prepared for death.”

Matra’is also faced threats from the West Papuan independence movement known as the OMP, according to Australian-based Nick Chesterfield, of West Papua Media Alerts.

This independence struggle is Indonesia’s biggest unresolved territorial dispute after East Timor gained independence in 1999 and the Aceh conflict being resolved in 2005.

US Congress held a committee hearing in September into the reports of human rights violations from Indonesian military and security personal towards the people of West Papua called: Crimes against humanity: When will Indonesia’s military be held accountable for deliberate and systematic abuses in West Papua?

“West Papua is like a mountain of gold sitting on a river of oil,” said Chesterfield.

“Journalists are killed or put in danger when they hold information about the many business deals.

No other option
“Anywhere journalists report fearlessly they are a target. But most journalists in West Papua simply put up with it, they have no other option,” he said.

Foreign journalists need a government permit to work in the province – which is rarely granted. In June, two French television journalists were detained after filming a human rights rally.

Baudouin Koenig, 54, and Carole Lorthiois, 27, were accused of violating their visas.

Koenig wrote in The Guardian later: “I came to Indonesia to draw the portrait of the greatest emerging power of the G20 members and largest Muslim state in the world . . .

“For a month, I travelled freely. I worked without restriction on topics as sensitive as sharia law, terrorism, corruption, the slaughter of communists in 1965 and the state of the economy.

“And so, in possession of a valid press card and journalist visa valid, I arrived in Jayapura, the capital of West Papua.

“A mere few hours after my landing, I touched the limits of freedom of the press. I was arrested while filming a student demonstration in favour of autonomy and democracy. After eight hours of interrogation, the bureau chief of immigration cancelled my visa and sent me back to Jakarta for immediate expulsion.”

Suspicious death
The suspicious death of Australian journalist Mark Worth on January 15, 2004, in a hotel room in West Papua, is still yet to be properly investigated.

Authorities concluded he died of pneumonia but colleagues have urged the Australian government to conduct a more thorough investigation.

Worth, 45, died two days after the Australian Broadcast Corporation premiered his damming documentary on Indonesia’s violent response to the West Papuan independence movement, Land of the Morning Star.

Former Papuan politician Clemence Runawery told AAP questions remained unanswered about his friend’s death and has likened it to the Balibo Five – the Australian-based journalists murdered in East Timor in 1975.

“The Indonesians knew Worth was following us, they didn’t like it,” he said.

The availability of local information through the West Papuan media is also limited.

Military owners
Local papers, such as Cepos Cederawasih Pos and Tifa Irian, both in Indonesian, are owned or run by ex-Army or Indonesian politicians.

“Cendrawait Pos occasionally get some good stories,” said Chesterfield, “but it is still run by ex-military men. They are not an open slate for reportage.”

Smaller local papers have been set up and funded by church groups, such as Tabloid Jubi and Bintang Papua, where local people are trained to be reporters.

“They are run as proper media outlets for the community rather than the traditional Javanese controlled media. The idea was to get more people reporting on their community,” said Chesterfield.

The intention of West Papua Media Alerts is to give local journalists a voice on the international stage.

“Our hope is that we have a really robust citizen media that can deliver accountability,” Chesterfield said. “We want to stop people from being afraid of speaking out.”

Rebecca Leaver is a journalist with the Newspaper Publishers’ Association publication PANPA Bulletin. This article is republished with permission from the November edition.

http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/

Forau criticize NCRA Overseas Trip.

The Leader of Independent Group, Mr. Clay Forau Soalaoi has expressed concern over the number of overseas trip undertaken by the NCRA Government. (Pic: Supplied)

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

The Leader of Independent Group, Mr. Clay Forau Soalaoi has expressed concern over the number of overseas trip undertaken by the NCRA Government since coming into office in August this Year.

This concern surfaced after the Independent Office sees that NCRA Government has been making too many unnecessary trips such as one which was led by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Manasseh Maelanga to attend a Floral Exhibition in Taiwan.

During the last Parliament meeting the Prime Minister told the Parliament that only overseas trip that will bring in tangible benefit to the country will be allowed, “however even that seems to have gone with the wind,” Mr. Forau said.

“I am calling on the Prime Minister Mr. Danny Philip and his Ministers to restrict their overseas trips to those that absolutely necessary,” Mr. Forau said in the press statement today.

Mr. Forau said there is no apparent justifications for the Mr. Maelanga to attend a floral exhibition while there still a lot of things to be attended to at home.

Mr. Forau also revealed in the press statement that another obvious unnecessary trip is the Prime Minister’s trip tomorrow, where he is expected to attend a Symposium on YEOSU, Korea Expo 2012, the World Ocean Forum and a program on Peace and Development organized by Universal Peace Federation.

Mr. Forau said the Universal Federation is headed by the famous Reverend Moon of Korea.

On his return PM Philip will again traveling to Fiji to hold a bilateral talk with Fiji’s Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama, and later attends graduation at Fulton College.

The Independent Office said in the press statement that it would be appropriate for the Minister of Education to attend such occasion rather the Prime Minister.

Raised in the press statement, Mr. Forau said another issue of concern is that the NCRA Government is still to translate their ambitious policy document into workable programs, “as without the translation it will be difficult for Ministries to implement them.”

The translation of government policies into priority programs is important for the budget process as Ministries programs must be costed out for any budget to be realistic.

“The country needs to know how much the policies will cost the taxpayers,” Mr. Forau said in the press statement yesterday.

He added that the NCRA Government will soon be in the office for 100 days and apart from high number of overseas visits, it will be hard to see what has been achieved.

According to the press statement, the Independent Office believes that NCRA Government has taken more overseas trips in a short time than any previous government.

Mr. Forau however, calling on the Government and the Opposition Group to address National Issues rather than pursuing personal interest or political scoring.

MSG TALKS IN DECEMBER

By Gov't Communication Unit

Solomon Islands will host a special Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) meeting in December said the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Danny Philip.

Mr Philip said the meeting, set for 15th December in Honiara, should see the transfer of the chairmanship from Vanuatu to Fiji in a traditional reconciliation ceremony that is likely to also involve traditional chiefs from both countries.

Mr Philip said his government is honoured to host the event upon request from the current MSG Chair, Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Edward Natapei.

Mr Philip, whose National Coalition for Reform and Advancement ((NCRA) government assume power after the July elections said the engagement of Fiji is one of his government policy and the MSG meeting is in line with his views on approaching the Fiji issue.

“My government’s policy is not to isolate Fiji. In dealing with Fiji’s problem, we must also engage Fiji in our discussions”, Mr Philip said

Mr Philip said that while his government do not condone the delay in the return to democratic elections in Fiji, the isolation of the country may do more harm than good in helping Fiji achieve that outcome.

Mr Philip said the MSG as a regional bloc may represents the best forum to engage Fiji on its path of return to democracy and he is keen to see the meeting successful.

Mr Philip said the founding pillars of the MSG builds on the Melanesian countries’ common cultural ties and that the MSG would seek to tap on these unique links to help resolveFiji issues.

“With MSG, we try to accommodate Fiji culturally”, he said. “MSG will find its own ways and methods to address Fiji’s issues with Fiji, not without it.”

Mr Philip said this approach is the Pacific way of doing things, and he only regrets that Australia and New Zealand failed to understand this.

He said MSG’s approach on the Fiji issue is not “rebuffing the principles of the Pacific Islands Forum” but isolation of Fiji needs to be reviewed.

“We do not believe that the isolation of Fiji will solve Fiji’s problem. It is still after all a Pacific island country just like any other”, he said.

Mr Philip said Solomon Islands is honoured to be the host to this particular event which he says will be a historical event.

PM READY TO LEAVE FOR KOREA

Prime Minister Danny Philip. (Pic: Andrew F. Jr)

By Government Communication

PRIME MINISTER PHILIP ATTENDS AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON EXPO 2012 YEOSU KOREA AND THE WORLD OCEAN FORUM 2010, BUSAN, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, 14 TO 17 NOVEMBER 2010.

Prime Minister Danny Philip will deliver a special speech on global ocean issues at the World Ocean Forum, which gets underway in Busan, Korea from November 14.

The Prime Minister’s delegation leaves tomorrow to attend the Forum on the theme, “Climate Change and Ocean Challenge – Towards the Era of Blue Economy”. The event provides an opportunity to reassess global efforts and call for best practices and wisdom on climate change and ocean challenge.

Prime Minister Philip will be one of the key speakers at the opening ceremony of the Forum on Monday 15 November 2010.

The Forum is one of two international engagements the Prime Minister will attend while in Korea. The other is the International Symposium on Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea being held in the capital, Seoul, and runs for two days from November 18.

There, the Prime Minister will deliver an address on ‘Peace and Development’. The three-day event is organized by the World Federation for Peace.

Solomon Islands Honorary Consul in Korea, Mr. Young Ju Park will also meet and host the Prime Minister and his delegation in Seoul.

The Prime Minister’s delegation to Korea includes, the Minister for Rural Development; the Secretary to the Prime Minister; and an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The trip is funded by both the Korean and Solomon Islands Governments.

While in Korea he will also have meetings with Korean Investors especially those who are keen to invest in our fisheries sector.

The week-long trip is funded by both the Korean and Solomon Islands Governments. The Prime Minister’s delegation will return on 24 November 2010.

OPPOSITION DEMANDS TERMINATION OF PAYMENT CULPRITS

By Editor's Desk

The Opposition calls on the Prime Minister, Mr Danny Phillip to identify culprits who are responsible for raising a payment voucher from the Prime Minister’s Office to fund lobbyists of his NCRA regime.

Deputy Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale said the Opposition has received confirmed reports from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury that it received a payment voucher from the Office of the Prime Minister to pay up the NCRA Government’s cronies for their lobbying services prior to the prime minister’s election but it however halted it.

Mr Wale said the Opposition is concerned that the Government had to meet claims by the political cronies of the partners that form the NCRA Government just because the payment voucher was raised by the Prime Minister’s Office. “We believe such claims should not be met with public funds”.

“We wonder if the Prime Minister had any knowledge of the payment raised from his office. If he did and allowed it, then he is complicit. IF on the other hand, the Prime Minister has no knowledge of it, then the Opposition is concerned that this instance, like his residential tenancy debacle, demonstrates that the Prime Minister is not in control of his own office.

“The fact that the payment voucher was raised and issued from the Prime Minister’s Office is a serious breach of public trust. Had it not been for the vigilance of officials in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, this illegal payment would have been made,” the Deputy Opposition Leader said.

He said the Prime Minister must take full responsibility in identifying the culprits behind this deplorable scheme to squander funds from the state coffers for political expediency and must terminate them immediately and also announce their names.

Mr Wale said the officials from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury must be commended for their vigilance and taking the right decision to halt the payment because state finances should not be used to fund political hangers-on.

WALE REFUTES DARCY LILO’S ALLEGATIONS

Editor's Desk

Deputy Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale has refuted the allegation by the Minister for Finance and Treasury, Mr Gordon Darcy Lilo that the Aoke/Langalanga MP ordered the diversion of a Solomon Airlines domestic flight in order to connect to an international flight.

Mr Wale said the allegation was an outright lie by Mr Darcy Lilo in a desperate attempt to divert public attention away from the valid concerns he raised about the unlawful actions by the Gizo/Kolombangara MP.

“This allegation by Mr Darcy Lilo is an outright lie. I suppose his allegation was that I used my influence to direct the bosses of the airlines to order the diversion.

“Only the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the airlines and the Chairman of the airlines board have the power to order the diversion of any of the airlines aircrafts. I did not apply any pressure nor ordered the airlines to do anything as I don’t have the power to do so, neither does Mr Darcy Lilo.

He said the truth of the matter was that the Solomon Airlines ordered the diversion of that scheduled domestic flight from Seghe to Honiara to Auki and then back to Honiara to be connected to an international flight.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said he was booked to travel from Auki to Honiara to travel on that international flight, but the airlines cancelled the domestic flight and did not inform him of the cancellation.

He said he rang up the CEO and the Chairman of the airlines’ board expressing to them that the cancellation was wrong based on the airlines’ policy and that it had affected his overseas travelling.

Mr Wale said it is a policy of the Solomon Airlines that when it has a valid international ticket at any domestic port, flight to that port must not be cancelled and basically the diversion was made to correct that mistake.

Lilo Warns Wale over SOE accusations.

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Minister for Finance and Treasury Mr. Gordon Darcy Lilo has urged the Deputy leader of Opposition Mr. Matthew Wale to be very careful and come out clean in the way that he deals with accusations over State Own Enterprise (SOE) matters.

Mr. Lilo makes this statement in a press conference yesterday after he was accused by Mr. Wale over the SOEs matter.

“I want him to come out clean in the way that he deal with himself as person with this SOEs,” Mr. Lilo said

Mr. Lilo told the media about an incident which right now put Mr. Wale into question in the way that he is dealing with SOEs as a leader.

“And can point to the time when he was declared a winning candidate for Aoke/Langalanga,” Mr. Lilo said.

He further said that he has obtained a report and need urged Mr. Wale to come out to the public and report responsibly in the way he has treated and behave himself in case of dealing with SOEs.

Mr. Lilo said the report was in relation to a particular diversion of the Dash-8 from Sehge in Western Province to pick Mr. Wale in Auki to Honiara before he board a plane in Henderson to travel overseas.

“Up to this day I will require the Solomon Islands Airline to tell me whether that particular diversion of that aircraft had ever been paid,” Mr. Lilo said.

Mr. Lilo stressed that if the leader of opposition did not pay that particular diversion of that plane, he falls within the category of disqualification requirement of the SOE Act.

The Act stated in one of the requirement that, (g) a person who has a history of failing to repay on time any money legally owned by the person to any SOE.

“I am still enquiring with the Airline to tell me what is the exact amount of that invoice that I believe he has not paid for,” Mr. Lilo said.

“And I urged Mr. Wale to tell the country if he has a clean heart to talk about the affairs of our country’s SOEs.”

As a leader, he added, and the citizen of this country is keenly interested to see the SOE of this country must be reform to ensure that they can produce the best result.

Mr. Lilo said NCRA Government is committed to ensure that the best interest of this country must be dealt with in the most responsible way.

Ill-treatment Claims.

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Local Employee Alleged Mal treatments from Foreigners.

Local employees working for a New Zealand contractor-McConnell Dowell Constructor Limited in Makira Province have alleged that they were frequently subjected to mistreatment by their foreign supervisors and managers.

McConnell Dowell Constructors Limited is currently undertaking road rehabilitation and bridge construction in Makira Province under the Solomon Islands Road Improvement Project (SIRIP).

The company’s camp was built in Kaonasugu which hosted all the bosses and also provided employment for close to 200 plus locals as work on the roads and bridges progressed.

Ellison Nahgo, a first permanent worker who was verbally terminated with no explanation last month stated in a report sited by Express that a lot of workers have already left their jobs because of lower esteem and anxiety within workers for not properly addressing their work nature in the value of their work output.

Local workers have expressed their feelings of slavery attitude the construction company trying to mould into their system of thinking and accepting a model of salary of SBD 300.00 in a fortnight, “the packet has no danger allowances.”

These, he said, locals are normally subjected to long working hours of work without being appropriately remunerated.

Nahgo said during the building of Kaonasugu Camp, Superintendent Mr. Peter Hill mentioned that the locals are expected to give the best of their ability during working hours during the cause of initial camp site construction.

“The initial month of Camp site construction was straight Sunday to Sunday, Good Friday, Saturday, and Easter Sunday; Easter Monday and also the State day 7th July was no rest days,” Nahgo said.

He added, SBD$4.00 an hour rates were truly maximized in 9 hours per day Mon-Sat and Sundays.

Nahgo said, the same rates all through out, no such thing as a back pay, no overtime pay, no housing allowance pay, no danger allowance and no dirty allowance.

The expatriate boss commonly use the motto ‘look to the future and forget yesterday for you are casual laborers and at the same time a slap on the face of the locals for no pay increase absolutely.

Compared with logging companies around Makira, a kitchen room and chefs are always around to provide food for their man power; this is completely different with McConnell Dowell Contractors Ltd, Kaonasugu camp.

Nahgo stated that a bottle of mineral water is forbidden for a black laborer or local site workers to drink off.

In one occasion, he added, two local workers were warned by Mr. Hill on the spot for drinking mineral water given by fellow work expatriates

Nahgo reported in a another occasion, the company hosted a big dinner for the Cadno group of engineers, however, all excess food was given to Waimapuru Secondary School, while the local workers were given noodles and taiyo instead.

The kitchen Supervisor Mr. Peter Steven told the local night sift group leader to accept whatever is given because they were told that they (local workers) eat low grade food in their homes.

According to the reports, Nahgo stated that expatriates uses very serious abusive words as a common verb in any speech used during work and off work hours.

Nahgo said they don’t respect their (Makira) culture by using F words to the locals.

It is stated that, even the local land owners and farmers have never been compensated for the damages caused to their cocoa and coconut plantations that road construction runs through.

Meanwhile, Express news was unable to reach the Company’s Office but will continue to contact them for the company’s side of the story.
Express news however understands that the full report of this matter is before the Labour division.

WALE ATTACKS STAY OF EVICTION ORDER

Deputy Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale

Editor's Desk.

The Opposition has denounced what it claims to be a high-level collusion not to execute a High Court eviction order against the Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Mr Lusibaea from the National Provident Fund-owned land at Ranadi.

Deputy Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale said the Opposition had established that the NPF Board in a meeting resolved to uphold a verbal directive by the Finance Minister, Mr Gordon Darcy Lilo to stay the eviction order against Mr Lusibaea and to offer him the property.

Mr. Wale claims that the Management of the NPF are opposing the NPF Board decision.
Mr Wale said this turnabout in the NPF Board after pursuing this matter through the courts over the past 12 months at substantial cost to Members is unacceptable and is a clear demonstration that the interests of Members are not at all a priority to the NPF Board.

“Initially the Chairman and Board were pushing hard for the case to be pursued and Mr Lusibaea evicted so the fund can proceed with its plans for the land but collusion at the political level and the extremely close links between the Finance Minister, Mr Lilo and the Earth Movers Logging Company of which the NPF Chairman is the General Manager has placed Mr Holmes in an awkward position to act in the interest of the Fund and its Members.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said when the Opposition took up the matter directly with the NPF Chairman, he denied the Board receiving any directive or pressure from the Finance Minister to pass the resolution.

Mr. Wale however claims that the Opposition been informed by that the verbal directive was given during q dinner meeting between Mr Lusibaea, Mr Lilo and Mr Holmes.

He said Mr Holmes justified Board’s decision based on the fact that the fund acquired and is holding on to too many non-performing assets and that the management was too weak to implement the plans for the Ranadi property.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said for Mr Holmes’ argument to hold water, a policy paper should be submitted to the Board to cover all so-called non-performing assets but this was not done.

Mr. Wale also claims that the justification was not raised during the Board meeting that dealt with the matter and that the way the matter was dealt with was not procedural.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said NPF is owned by its Members and the Board exercises its functions as trustee on behalf of members and therefore it (board) is obliged to always act in the interest of members but the Chairman and Board have failed their fiduciary duties in this matter.

“The interest of Members must always take precedence over any interest or direction by the government. To act otherwise would amount to gross negligence on the part of the Board.”

Mr Wale also implicated the Prime Minister on the issue and said the Leadership Code Commission must look into the matter.

Mr Wale said the Opposition will mount a public interest legal case in the courts on the validity of the Board’s resolution and the Chairman’s actions.
He calls on the NPF Board to do the right thing to rescind the decision and resolve to evict the Fisheries Minister from the Ranadi land.

Malaitans urged to delete cargo cult mentality

By Editor's Desk

Opposition Leader, Hon Steve Abana has urged individuals and informal Malaita Movements to delete the “Cargo Cult” mentality from their brains as development talks between Malaita and Israel representatives continues in Auki.

Opening the Malaita Economic Development Planning Conference in Auki Tuesday this week, Mr Abana said the proposed Israeli-funded Malaita Economic Stimulus Package is not a “windfall of cash” to be given into Malaita.

He made the call in view of fresh misleading stories and beliefs circulating around Malaita that Israel will rescue Malaitans with cash handouts and boat-loads of cargo.

He instead clarified that the Israeli assistance package is aimed at improving the livelihood of Malaitans that are renowned for their spirit of hard work.

“In this regard, let me remind my good people of Malaita that this economic package is not a “windfall” of cash to be thrown into Malaita without “sweat and hard work”.

“In fact if anything, this is a stimulus package to stimulate the “working spirit in all Malaitans” recognized throughout the country but fast losing its reality as more and more Malaitans or Solomon Islanders move into a “handout mentality” unheard of in our traditional culture,” Mr Abana explained.

He said under the arrangement, Malaita is now dealing with people well renowned throughout the world their hard work, ingenuity and survival.

“We are dealing with inventors, investors and intellectuals of a high order. To think that they will bring bags of money and shiploads of cargo is a fallacy I wish to delete from the minds of all Malaitans,” Mr Abana said.

The Conference enters its second day on Wednesday.

A document to guide the stimulus package is expected to be discussed, developed and drafted throughout the conference.

It will be officially launched at the close of the workshop next Wednesday.

BLANKET FORGIVENESS OFFENSIVE: WALE

By Editor's Desk

Deputy Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale says granting of blanket forgiveness to perpetrators in the ethnic conflict will be meaningless and also highly disrespectful and offensive to the victims.

Mr Wale was responding to the views expressed in the Letters to the Editor column in the Solomon Star on statements he made at a recent media forum regarding the NCRA Government’s proposed Forgiveness Bill.

He said his statement that the government’s announced policy to pass a forgiveness bill is misguided was made on the following bases:

• Solomon Islanders appreciate the achievement of the cessation of active hostilities under the Townsville Peace Agreement (TPA). Unfortunately, that was the only achievement of the TPA. Militants continued to hold onto weapons and were terrorizing ordinary Solomon Islanders until RAMSI landed. The TPA was breached by all stakeholders, including the former militia groups.

• The government then proceeded to enact amnesty legislation which specifically excluded human rights violations, murder, rape (serious offences) from eligibility for amnesty. And for an offender to receive amnesty he/she still needs to plead for it – in other words, it too is conditional on disclosure of truth. This seemed to have been understood by the lead negotiators of the TPA. So it is consistent with the spirit of the TPA.

• the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was enacted to focus on the plight of victims of the conflict who have for the most part been neglected throughout the peace process because those who had the guns and power had the ascendancy then and were almost exclusively the focus of the peace process.

• The TRC Act is clear that any and all evidence presented by any witness cannot be admitted in any criminal proceedings against such a person. Therefore, it is in the interest of all perpetrators/offenders to come clean and tell all. If they give full and truthful disclosure then none of that evidence will ever be used against them. This, in effect, is the forgiveness that both the state and society will grant to offenders. It is forgiveness conditioned on full and truthful disclosures.

• It is important to understand that forgiveness by its very meaning is specific to a person or group of identified persons for specific wrongs. It is therefore essential that the offences and the identity of the persons seeking forgiveness are disclosed. There is no such thing as “blanket” forgiveness. If there is, it cannot be called forgiveness. The one forgiving must know who to forgive and for what wrongs. There is something dehumanizing about “blanket” forgiveness, as it assumes no human beings were involved. On the other hand, the one requiring forgiveness ought to seek and obtain it from specifically identified persons. This is simply because crimes/offences were committed by identified persons against specific persons.

• The role of the State, of course, in perpetrating any offences must also be addressed. And even in this, specific persons would have given decisions, directions, and commands that resulted in offences committed in the name of the State against specific persons. The State, per se, therefore cannot grant “blanket” forgiveness for all offences. If the State were to grant such “blanket” forgiveness”, it would be meaningless and it would be highly disrespectful and offensive to victims. Further, it would only serve to postpone further conflict as victims and their families will never find healing and closure from any “blanket” forgiveness. Try putting ourselves in the victims’ shoes, who desperately want healing and closure.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said further, the announcement is likely to have the adverse effect of discouraging some people who would otherwise likely appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as they will now prefer to wait for just such “blanket” forgiveness.

He said these are very foundational issues for the country and thus it must resist the temptation to pick easy options that may seem right for a few but only lead to more problems later on.

WALE CLARIFIES EXEMPTION TO BEMOBILE

Deputy Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale

By Editor's Desk

Deputy Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale has refuted the implication by the Finance and Treasury Minister, Mr Gordon Darcy Lilo that the granting of duty exemptions to BeMobile when the Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga was Acting Minister for Finance under the previous CNURA Government was a personal decision.

Mr Wale pointed out that the decision was reached in a meeting between the then Prime Minister, then Deputy Prime Minister, then Minister for Finance, then Minister for Planning, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and a Senior Adviser from the Economic Reform Unit in the Ministry of Finance.

He said indeed the new telecommunications company’s application was initially rejected by the Exemption Committee, however after much careful consideration, the senior Ministers and Officials in that meeting concluded with the resolution that the Finance Minister should proceed to approve the exemptions.

“The senior Ministers considered the overall impact of the investment on the country and economy and decided that there was an overwhelmingly strong case for government to support it by way of duty exemptions. Our Telekom was also informed of this decision, as required by the Act.

“Their decision was made in light of the following reasons:
• That the GST would still be payable at the time SBD11-million was payable
• BeMobile would forfeit the first installment of its performance bond.
• BeMobile’s launch programme was being held back by a stockpile of equipment at the wharf and the government wanted to ensure the company can launch as soon as possible and the exemption would assist in that direction
• The BeMobile investment is a $200-million investment that needed government support. In its bid document, the company stated it would not need duty exemptions. However, its application demonstrated it needed some government support.
• The entrance by BeMobile into the telecommunications market has had substantial impact on the cost of telecommunications. This is a substantial positive impact on the economy.
• The BeMobile investment has the potential to touch the lives of many ordinary Solomon Islanders by extending its network of mobile telephone services right to rural villages across the country, adding this is now happening,” Mr Wale said.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said soon after the decision was taken, the then Finance Minister went for medical examination in Australia and the MP for Aoke/Langalanga then became Acting Minister for Finance and implemented it.