Solomon Islands Gov’t receives K3.0 Million from the Papua New Guinea Gov’t For Education Grant Assistance

The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Mr Bernard Bata’anisia

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Mr Bernard Bata’anisia today received a cheque of K3.0 million (SBD8.4 million) for payment of tuition fees for the Solomon Islands students currently studying at various tertiary insitutions in PNG.

The K3.0 million Education Grant Assistance for the 2010 academic year is part of the K23.0 million pledged by the PNG Government in 2006 to assist the Solomon Islands Government in the construction of its Chancery in Port Moresby, as well as provide assistance in sponsorship and training of selected Solomon Islands students in PNG tertiary institutions and colleges.

The Acting Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ambassador Lucy Bogari handed over the grant funding to Mr Bata’anisia during a short ceremony in Waigani.

The Acting Secretary said that the Government of PNG was very pleased to extend the assistance to its closest neighbour and friend. The grant assistance continued the Government of Paua New Guinea’s previous commitment of providing technical assistance to Solomon Islands. The assistance is also in direct response to a request made by the Solomon Islands Government.

The Assistance also honours the commitments on cooperation agreed between the two countries under the Memorandum of Agreement relating to existing Development Assistance to Solomon Islands signed in 2006.

Upon receiving the Grant Assistance, His Excellency Mr Bata’anisia expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government to the people and the Government of Papua New Guinea for facilitating the Grant Assistance.

“Education and training has linked our two countries together and further strengthening of our bilateral ties”, Mr Bata’anisia said.

He said there are about 285 students in 2010 who are sponsored under this grant assistance with the numbers continue to grow over the years because of the Grant Assistance.

“The assistance will no doubt go a long way in meeting the manpower and the training needs of Solomon Islands”, Mr Bata’anisia said.

Mr Bata’anisia said Solomon Islands is a young and developing country and such training of its human resources is a top priority for the government.

“Therefore the contribution of the Paua new Guinea Government in our endeavours is timely and appreciated by the Government and people of Solomon Islands”, he said.

He said the K3.0 million funding will go towards meeting the cost of tuition fees for the students while part of the funding assistance will go towards the funding of the new Solomon Islands High Commission Chancery in Port Moresby.

S.I wants urgent actions on climate change

Hon. Peter Shanel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade. (Pic Solomon Times)

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.
In New York (UN Headquarter)

Solomon Islands Foreign and External Trade Minister Mr. Peter Shanel made an urgent call from the 65th United Nation General Assembly for enhanced measures to be taken on combating climate change among other highlighted issues.

“It is critical that we must have a clear path of stabilizing green house gas emissions.”

“Solomon Islands supports Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) call to reduce temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius and to bring down green house gas concentration to well below 350 parts per million,” Mr. Shanel said in his statement before the Assembly’s high-level debate on Monday.


Referring to the legally binding agreement on climate change which set to be held in November in Cancun Mexico, Mr. Shanel said, the necessity of reaching the climate change agreement “cannot be over-emphasized.”

Mr. Shanel said our planet is already absorbing more heat and getting warmer.

He added under the current trend, science tells us that the temperature will further increase by 4 to 7 degree Celsius by the end of this century, threatening the survival of many including Solomon Islands.

Noting there is limited atmospheric carbon space left, Mr. Shanel stressed a carbon budget approach is an option to prevent the climate from reaching irreversible levels in a just and fair manner.

Our country, he said, “it takes into consideration development needs, our shared responsibilities and rights towards meeting the demands of the health of our atmosphere.”

Also highlighted in his statement before the UN General Assembly, Solomon Islands is to some extent off track in terms of meeting its 2015 Millennium Goals.

Mr. Shanel told the Assembly that our country have its special situation that demand special international attention.
In this regard, Mr. Shanel stressed, “Solomon Islands call for a special category for Small Islands Development States (SIDS) within the UN system.”

Meanwhile, in his statement Mr. Shanel acknowledges United Nations outreach to Solomon Islands this year by convening a UN National Competitive Recruitment Exams in December.

“We welcome this engagement as it provides the opportunity for successful citizens to fill our national quota of international civil servants serving our family of nations,” Mr. Shanel told the President of the 65th session of the General Assembly on Monday in New York.

Opposition urges gov’t to speed process.

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Editor's Desk

The citizens of this country are anticipating hearing and seeing the government’s policy framework and its budgetary plan for the next four years.

Member of Parliament for Small Malaita constituency Mr. Rick Hou echoed the same sentiment expressed by other opposition members; about the timing of the government’s policy framework and budgetary plans to be known as soon as possible.

Mr. Hou firmly questioned the time frame taken by the government to come out with its priorities and the budget.

“How long is the enough time for the new government to formalize its policy framework and the national budget taking into consideration the time frame from August 2010 into April 2011,” Mr. Hou questioned the government in parliament yesterday.

He added that the time frame should be sufficient for the government to put in place their priorities and the national budget.

Mr. Hou said after parliament passed the 2010 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2010 and the Motion of Resolution the government is expected to seriously put forward their policies and their plans for the 2011 national budget.

“We cannot wait another eight months for this budget and our people are waiting tirelessly to see the budget,” Mr. Hou firmly told the government side yesterday in parliament.

On the same issue, Member of Parliament for Auki/Langalanga Matthew Wale said our people want to see the government that is fully functioning.

“A government that is financed, a government that is looking after their interests,” Mr. Wale said.

It was widely expressed on the floor of the parliament by the opposition members that the people of this country wanted to see the Government’s 2011 budget as soon as possible.

The Member of Parliament for North East Choiseul Mr. Manasseh Sogavare also challenged the government to accelerate the process to get the 2011 budget before parliament for parliament’s scrutiny.

Mr. Sogavare however, commended the development partners for their contribution towards 2010 budget and hope to see the same contribution to the 2011 national budget.

Meanwhile, Mr. Philip confidently told parliament yesterday that the new government policy framework is in the final stage and “we will launch our policy on Monday next week.”

RAMSI prepares to leave Solomons Shores

LEAVING: Australian soldiers walks  off the Hercules at the Henderson International airport

By Daniel Flitton in Honiara
Sydney morning Herald

Australian officials here have begun planning for the eventual exit of its multimillion-dollar regional police and security mission.

It comes as the newly elected Prime Minister, Danny Philip, declares he hopes the country can stand alone within five years.

Mr Philip said the seven-year Australian-led intervention, known as RAMSI, could not be expected to remain forever.

''We'd like to be free, we'd like to do things on our own, but we cannot impose on ourselves a situation of doing things ourselves until we're properly prepared.

"But at the same time … we are making sure the day RAMSI will exit from Solomon Islands will be hastened as well, so I think we will be looking at another five to six years.''

RAMSI was first deployed in 2003 and at its height involved more than 2000 troops and police from across the region, most of them from Australia.

Now mostly a police and civilian presence, 187 Australian Federal Police officers are deployed across the country and officials hold finance and legal roles in the government.

Australian funding for the mission is due to expire in 2013, and a special ''transition committee'' has been set up to manage the draw-down.

The RAMSI deputy special co-ordinator, Justin Fepulea'i, said the committee has so far held an internal discussion between Australia and New Zealand and was yet to engage the Solomons government.

He said a five- to six-year timetable to wind up the mission was ''reasonably realistic'' but foreign assistance in the country was likely to continue in other forms.

‘‘[It] is a balance between getting out too early, with the repercussions that might flow from that, against the risk from staying too long, and having people start to question why you are still here.''

The mission has been criticised by some local politicians as a breach of national sovereignty and an attempt at re-colonisation.

However, Mr Philip said he was sure the Australian-led force would gladly leave if asked.

He said people were entitled to cast judgment on members of his government but the fluid nature of politics in the nation, with about 18 political parties fighting for 50 seats, made maintaining a coalition difficult.

He acknowledged his ragtag coalition government suffered an international image problem.

Its Fisheries Minister is a former militant facing murder charges and the minister in charge of forests is the owner of a logging company.

But Mr Philip said defeated candidates always sought to dredge up the past of the victors.

''There's a bit of frivolity in it, there's not seriousness in it. It's a little bit of smear campaign.''

Mr Philip said he was aware allegations of corruption could shake the confidence of foreign aid donors.

Meanwhile he said women are absent from the 50-member parliament because of a stigma in the society that regarded men as better politicians than women.

He said he would support a move to reserve 10 seats for women in parliament if that was the outcome of a constitutional and electoral review.

Journalists welcome Fiji Times sale but question future editorial policy

The Fiji media panel at the Oceans, Islands and Skies conference in Suva: Alumeci Nakeke (from left), USP head of journalism Shailendra Singh, Dawn Gibson and Ricardo Morris. Photo: David Robie/PMC

Pacific Scoop

Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Suva

Three editors and journalists today welcomed news of the sale of the Fiji Times to a local Fiji business as good for environmental journalism reporting in the region.

But they reserved judgment on the future independence of the newspaper under future owners Motibhai.

Speaking at the global Oceans, Islands and Skies conference at the University of the South Pacific in response to an address about “iconic media environmental images of the Pacific – a challenge to corporate media” by Pacific Media Centre director David Robie, the three editors and journalists were relieved that the 141-year-old newspaper would survive the controversial media decree ultimatum.

A Fiji Times environmental campaign. A strong part of its profile. And now?
Mailife magazine editor Ricardo Morris said: “The Fiji Times has been part of our lives since I was very small.”

He said it was the one newspaper in Fiji that had the financial and reporting resources to respond to major natural disasters in the country and to report on them.

But Morris questioned whether the paper would be able to afford to continue that role when it is taken over by the Motibhai Group on September 22.


Independence ‘unclear’
“It is too early to say about the editorial independence of the paper,” he added. “That’s still unclear.”

Former Fiji Sun journalist Alumeci Nakeke, who started the newspaper’s “green page” environmental section and is currently with the Seaweb project, called for ongoing strong reporting by the Fiji Times on environmental issues.

She cited the daily coverage on climate change and environmental issues as one of the strong points of the current newspaper.

Dawn Gibson, journalism and literature student and former editor of Wansolwara, said there would not be much immediate change to the Fiji Times in light of the current censorship climate.
“But I think it will be positive change for the reporting of climate change,” she said.

She said the Fiji Times had been forced to become more focused on human interest issues, including climate change, in the post-coup environment.

The military-backed regime imposed a Media Industry Development Decree in June. This gave media companies three months to divest foreign shareholdings higher than 10 percent and to sell to local interests.

Highest circulation
The Fiji Times is the highest circulation English-language newspaper in any Pacific island state.

Murdoch’s News Ltd announced in Sydney yesterday that the Motibhai Group would buy out the newspaper but reportedly without the central city property holdings in Suva.

The Fiji Sun today reported that Motibhai chairman and chief executive officer Mahendra Patel, who had previously been a director of the Fiji Times would name the new management team on September 22 when the import company takes over the newspaper on September – six days before the decree deadline expires.

Patel told the Sun that his company had bought the “entire operations with the real estate”.

http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2010/09/journalists-welcome-fiji-times-sale-but-question-future-editorial-policy/#more-9946

Boost Pacific climate change ‘frontline’ coverage and analysis, educator tells media

David Robie speaking at the creativity and climate change conference in Suva, Fiji. Photo: Shailendra Singh/USPhttp:

Pacific Scoop
Report – By Pacific Media Watch in Suva

News media need to boost their coverage and analysis of Pacific environmental issues to meet the critical challenges facing the region, says a journalism educator.

Associate Professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre, told a creativity and climate change conference at the University of the South Pacific this week that most media were not doing enough about the issues.
With up to 75 million Asia-Pacific climate change refugees being predicted by 2050 by many science reports, news media needed to urgently “up their game” on environmental reporting.

Describing some of the environmental indicators confronting the region and the failure of Australia and New Zealand to adopt more radical carbon emission reduction targets and to give greater support to adaptation strategies in the Pacific, Dr Robie told the conference developing nations in the Pacific were in the frontline of global climate change.

News media needed to adopt “frontline” news reporting and analysis strategies to challenge policy priorities.

The survival of countries such as Kiribati, Tuvalu and remote parts of the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea and Tonga were at stake.

Climate change had the potential to have an impact on almost every development and poverty issue in the region.

Part of solution?
“So where does the mainstream media fit in the middle of this complex scenario and the digital technologies revolution? Is the media part of the problem or part of the solution?” Dr Robie asked.

“For the most part, it is probably part of the problem. The relentless pursuit of ratings, short-term circulation spinoffs, the dumbing down of content and ruthless cutting back of staff are examples of this.

“And there are many instances of poor editorial judgment or downright sensationalist opportunism that accentuate this problem.
“These frequently overshadow the times when the news media does a credible job and puts in considerable effort over public social justice and environmental issues and other agenda-setting reports such as climate change.”

Dr Robie talked of several innovative information initiatives on climate change and the effective use of social and independent media that challenges mainstream “sluggishness” on the issues.

He praised the experimental new media project headed by the University of Technology, Sydney, based on the website Reportage-Enviro www.reportage-enviro.com which is linked to the Global Environmental Journalism Initiative (GEGI) – run cooperatively by several international journalism schools – and Pacific Scoop.

Climate refugee film
One of the highlights of the conference was the screening of the new film There Once Was an Island : Te Henua e Nnoho directed by New Zealander Briar March, which tells the story of an isolated Polynesian community on Takuu Atoll in the Mortlocks in Papua New Guinea losing their culture and their homes as some prepare to relocate in Melanesian Bougainville more than 250 km to the south-west.

They are among the first of the climate change refugees in the Pacific and their on-screen story was greeted with emotion by the audience.

//pacific.scoop.co.nz/2010/09/boost-pacific-climate-change-frontline-coverage-and-analysis-educator-tells-media/#more-9967

Lusibaea warns illegal vessels: Minister for Fisheries is Serious

Jimmy Lusibaea.

Editor's Desk.

NEWLY appointed Fisheries Minister Jimmy Lusibaea has sent a clear warning to all foreign fishing vessels found fishing illegally in our waters that would be prosecuted if they are caught.

The warning came after Minister Lusibaea served letters to a number of foreign fishing vessels which have been alleged to have fishing illegal in the country.

Last week six Chinese fishing vessels become the first victims after the minister served their agents with letter to answer for the actions.

They could face prosecution if found guilty.

The action by the newly appointed Fisheries Minister shows how serious he is on obligations entrusted to him.

Reports said last week, Minister Lusibaea executed letters to Chinese agents of six fishing vessels alleged to have fished in Solomon Islands waters without prescribed licenses.

“These six vessels and the two vessels that were arrested and charged early in the year, were eight vessels covered under the letter of comfort issued by the Director of Fisheries who is currently on suspension since in January 2010,” the report said.

Under the Western and Central Pacific Commission (WCPFC) Convention, a State can seek listing of a fishing vessel suspected of Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing in its territorial waters including the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the WCPFC Blacklist of IUU Vessels.

The report added that Solomon Islands is seriously pursuing the listing of the six Chinese vessels on the WCPFC Blacklist.

Minister Lusibaea praised the leadership shown by his Ministry staff in their commitment to see that the Chinese vessels be held responsible for any offences committed in Solomon Islands waters.

“I am excited to see different ministries and regional institutions working together for common good of the country.

“Our letters to the vessels’ agents will give a strong signal to all other owners and agents of fleets fishing in our waters that they must abide by our laws and I’m expecting this from all fleets.

“I have been briefed also that FFA member countries are working together to strengthen cooperation on Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of our regional fisheries resources against IUU under one of our regional treaties, in this case, the Niue Treaty.

“This initiative received my full support,” Minister Lusibaea said.

The Fisheries Permanent Secretary, Dr Christian Ramofafia, has confirmed to Solomon Star that the letters will be sent to the respective agents soon.

He further said that SIG is requesting China for a bilateral discussion on the matter with the intention to settle the matter outside of the WCPFC process.

Minister for Fisheries (Hon Jimmy Lusibaea) to Face Charges Soon

Minister for Fisheries Mr. Jimmy Lusibaea

Editor's Desk

The Solomon Islands Member of Parliament for North Malaita and Fisheries Minister, Jimmy Lusibaea, will appear before the High Court later this year for offences he allegedly committed in 2002.

The SIBC reports Jimmy Lusibaea will face charges of attempted murder with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault on a police officer and discharging firearm in a public place.

The charges relate to an incident which took place in September 2002.

High Court Registrar, Gavin Withers, confirmed that the case has been listed for a hearing commencing on November 15th.

Mr Withers says another person will also be facing charges which form part of the same case file.

The registrar says he is not prepared to disclose the identity of the victims in the case.

The Grand Survivor of Solomon Islands.

FEATURE with Andrew Fanasia Jr.

He is known as the ‘Father of the Nation’ The Rt. Hon. Sir Peter Kenilorea 67, son of the Solomon Islands and one of the most senior statesmen of the South Pacific.

“Today (Wednesday) I finally retire fully from my official capacity in parliament since myself and the former pioneer colleagues form the first governing council in 1974,” Sir Peter echoed in his last speech in the Parliament on Wednesday before his successor Allan Kemakeza and the 9th Parliament Members.

Sir Peter was born in 1943, according to his own people in East Are’ Are in Malaita he was called an araha a name given to a secular leader. Although the name applied to traditional leader, it summarizes what Sir Peter means to the nation of Solomon Islands.

A simple village boy chosen for modern education, he was an early student attending the elite King George VI School at that time in Malaita Province, and then trained in New Zealand as a school teacher. In 1971 he transferred from teaching to the public service, at the request of the British government of his islands, which wanted to accelerate training for the leaders who would take the then Protectorate through to independence. He rose through a variety of jobs from Assistance Secretary of Finance to become a District Commissioner.

In 1976 Sir Peter was elected to the Legislative Assembly, which he became Chief Minister and the first Prime Minister at Independence Solomon Islands in 1978-1984, a position he held three times. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. In 2000 he returned to the Parliament as a Speaker which he declared his retirement on Wednesday after serving his two terms.

In 1991, he resigned from Parliament, and 2000, he spent three years as Director of the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency, a regional diplomatic post based in Honiara. In 1996 Sir Peter become the nation’s Ombudsman for five years, in 200 he played a vital role in negotiating the peace process during the political crisis years, 1998-2003.

Sir Peter a leader with integrity has traveled the world, having visited seventy nations during his career.

He is also a very religious leader and family man of eight children with one wife Lady Margaret Kenilorea, his family is at the core of his life and has never lost sight of his origin. The son of a South Seas Evangelical Church pastor, Sir Peter is intensely a Christian and is an important lay preacher in his church SSEC Honiara Central Church.

Sir Peter hopes to return to his home in East Are’ Are after retirement to help his chiefs record their history of his people and their genealogies.

Sir Peter Kenilorea retire officially from Politics (Pic Supplied)

Sir Peter Kenilorea is a grand survivor of Solomon Islands politics and the nation’s elder statesman, an old-school Pacific leader who survived and brought up a large family only on his salary, with never a taint of corruption.

Sir Peter has been constant in holding this nation to the letter of the National Constitution, mounting many important private court cases against the Government when it has abused its authority under the Constitution that he helped design and was instrumental in introducing.

In 2008 he published his autobiography, ‘Tell It As It Is’, which was launched at the celebration to mark the 30th independence anniversary. His book is one the very few autobiographies of Pacific islanders leaders and one of only two or three of prominent Solomon Islanders.

When Sir Peter echoed his final words in the Parliament on Wednesday he said, “I like to think that I at least gave my very best attempt doing that, if I failed in that regard in the past I ask your forgiveness for I am only but a human who is just as prone to frailties that mankind share in respective of what society one belongs to.”

Labor's $9.9bn deal for regional Australia

Labor's day: Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan are all smiles after claiming a narrow victory over the Coalition. (AAP: Alan Porritt)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By online political correspondent Emma Rodgers

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she will pump almost $10 billion into regional programs after today scraping back into power with the support of two key independents.

Ms Gillard has pledged to work tirelessly for the Australian people and says she will try and find common ground with the Coalition as Labor heads into its second term in government.

Two independents today broke the political deadlock by giving their votes to Ms Gillard in a Labor minority Government. She has advised Governor-General Quentin Bryce of the developments.

After more than a fortnight of suspense, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor revealed their intention to give Labor their crucial votes, meaning it has secured the 76 seats needed to rule.

The third independent, Bob Katter, had earlier decided to support the Coalition but it was not enough to install Tony Abbott as prime minister.

The two independents decided to back Ms Gillard after securing a $9.9 billion package of regional programs across several areas including infrastructure, health and education.

"Labor is prepared to deliver, stable, effective and secure government for the next three years," she said.

"Let our Parliament be more open than it ever was before.
"I know that if we fail in this solemn responsibility, we will be judged harshly when we next face the Australian people."

Ms Gillard also confirmed she offered Mr Oakeshott a ministry position but she says he has yet to make up his mind.

Speaking earlier, Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor cited broadband, regional education and climate change as factors at play in their decision making.

Mr Windsor also said he felt the Coalition would be itching to head back to the polls if it formed government.

"There's been background noise and a little bit louder than background noise, that if there's a hung Parliament with the Coalition in government that they'd rush off to the polls as soon as they could," he said.

"And one of the things that we really want to do is try and get some longevity into this Parliament."

Mr Oakeshott said he felt Labor could offer more stability, but conceded he would cop flak from the Coalition for his decision.

"We are going to have a wow of a time and we are going to absolutely see anything and everything before this Parliament," he said.
Greens Leader Bob Brown says the independents have made the right decision and he looks forward to working with them.
"I think [the Parliament] is going to have a great deal of excitement about it," he said.

Today's result for Ms Gillard comes 17 days after the federal election resulted in the loss of a swag of Labor seats in Queensland and New South Wales, leaving both major parties short of a majority for the first time since World War II.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/07/3005179.htm

DEAL WITH FIJI IN THE PACIFIC CONTEXT: PM PHILIP

S.I PM Danny Philip embrace Fiji

Andrew Fanasia Jr.

Despite the strong stand taken by Australia and New Zealand against the Fiji interim Government to quickly return Fiji to democracy the Solomon Islands new Prime Minster, Danny Philip, said that his government will embrace Fiji’s situation.

Mr. Philip said this in response to a question raised during a recent media conference as to whether or not Solomon Islands good relationship with Australia and New Zealand would affect Solomon Islands stand on the Fiji situation.

Speaking to the media during a press conference with the New Zealand Foreign Minister Mr. Murray McCully on Monday, Mr. Philip said that the Fiji situation is a very vital and sensitive issue to be dealt with in the context of Pacific.

“What my government is saying is we are going to be more practical in our relationship with Fiji,” Mr. Philip said at the press conference on Monday.

Mr. Philip said that the Solomon Islands government will continue to hold consultations with the Fiji Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama in the near future.

Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth and the Pacific Islands Forum after reneging on earlier promises to restore democracy.

Mr. Philip however said his government took a bold stand to have dialogue with Fiji government leaders and also helped them to achieve their objectives in the light of democracy.

“We want to see Fiji come back into the Commonwealth family and our Pacific Forum in the near future,” Mr. Philip said.

When asked about Australia taking more constructive role to open any dialogue with Fiji.

Mr. Philip said he did not want to criticize Australia over what they said about Fiji.

“But Solomon Islands have its own policy on how to engage and to address and help Fiji to come back into the Commonwealth and the Pacific Islands Forum.

Sometimes we tend to think that what Fiji is going through is their own business but that is not the case-as a Melanesian brother in the same cross cultural intimacy, we share some very significant facts,” Mr. Philip responded.

He further stated that, there are certain aspects of policy in the region we have ‘teeth for tat’ “but as small islands countries in the region it is always the culture in the pacific region that kept us intact.”

Meanwhile, New Zealand foreign Minister McCully said, “New Zealand Government position is that we do need to keep the pressure on Fiji to see that we do have as early as possible time for Fiji to return to democracy.”

“We want to see the rule of law, respect for human rights in Fiji- but it’s clear it will not happen over night,” McCully said in Honiara.

McCully made three visits to Fiji this year to hold talks with the Fiji Interim Foreign Minister Ratu Kubuabola in Suva before his visit to the new elected PM Mr. Philip of Solomon Islands on Monday.

The meeting comes amid diplomatic tension between the countries over the Fiji military regime's insistence to stay in power until at least 2014.
NZ Foreign Affairs Minister McCully however told Mr. Philip (S.I Prime Minister) that, his government will commit themselves to maintaining dialogue “because that is what good neighbors should do.”

Political Appointees Hunger Strikes.

S.I Prime Minister to appoint his political appointees

By Andrew Fanasia Jr.

It has taken so far the Prime Minister almost two weeks after Prime Minister’s election to announce its political appointees and this is still not clear.

Report reached Express News that most of the new Government‘s die hard supporters are aiming for the political appointments but are unhappy when the Government wants to reduced political appointments.

To be more specific, the source said that some of the members within the Independent group who have faithfully supported the formation of the new government were devastated by the stand made by the Prime Minister.

Express News understands that the day after Mr. Philip was sworn into the Prime Minister’s office, more than 20 plus members of the independent group and other government supporters visited the Prime Ministers office to ask for the political appointees post.

The stand made by Mr. Philip to reduce the political appointees’ posts was made in the light of cost reduction echoed by the new finance minister Mr. Darcy Lilo.

Mr. Lilo said that the government is looking at reducing their expenses in order for the country implement a tighten fiscal policy.

He said that past governments have expansionary fiscal policy policies which encouraged more government spending and less taxation.

Speaking to the media after he was sworn in Mr. Lilo said Solomon Islands must be extra cautious in its spending and taxation.

“I will make sure that government spending is only for activities that will create more investment, employment and improve infrastructure to improve the standard of living in Solomon Islands,” Mr. Lilo said.

TSI and ROC Ambassador agree that RCDF needs reform

Editor's Desk

The Republic of China (ROC) Ambassador, His Excellency George Chan and Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) Chair, Mr. Bob Pollard along with TSI Executive Officer Acting, Mr. Steward Tabo met on Thursday 11th August. The meeting was to discuss TSI’s concerns over the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) which has been funded by ROC overa number of years.

TSI had requested the Taiwanese Government to reconsider Taiwan’s support to the RCDF, claiming that the RCDF fuels corruption in Solomon Islands. The Taiwan chapter of Transparency International had also applied pressure on the Taiwan government over this issue, His Excellency acknowledged.

His Excellency George Chan acknowledged that the claims of corruption surrounding the RCDF were a great concern to Taiwan. This was particularly upsetting to him and his Government given the significant donor assistance that Taiwan has provided to the Solomon Islands, for example the construction of the National Referral Hospital and current funding for the expansion of the National Parliament complex.

While the Ambassador was not prepared to acknowledge that the RCDF has fuelled corruption, citing that no MPs had been convicted of corruption with the RCDF, TSI officers insisted that it would be better if Solomon Islands Government agreed for the Republic of China to put its generous donor assistance to other more productive causes
like education and infrastructure development rather than these discretionary funds.

At the meeting the Ambassador explained that the RCDF was not Taiwan’s idea or creation. The Ambassador also acknowledged that Taiwan does not provide such discretionary funds to its own Members of Parliament (MPs) in Taiwan.

TSI affirmed to the Ambassador that it will continue to call on the Government to abolish the members’ discretionary funds, including the RCDF. TSI says that any new Government that is serious about reducing corruption in our country would show its real commitment by abolishing the RCDF. The Taiwanese Ambassador and TSI representatives ended the meeting by agreeing to TSI’s position that a reform to the Taiwan funding of the RCDF is urgently needed.

The Ambassador stated that they have all the records of former MPs’ spending of the RCDF and that he could make it available to TSI if the Solomon Islands government agrees to release them to TSI. TSI acknowledged that this would be appreciated as the former Ministry of Rural Development Permanent Secretary had denied TSI access to these
records.

His Excellency was aware of a number of cases besides RCDF where ROC funds had been abused, citing as an example ROC’s computer assistance to schools. Despite His Excellency’s suggestion at the time that the procurement arrangements were improper, his concerns had not been accepted. The Ambassador is disappointed that the people responsible for what appeared to be corruption had not been brought to justice and consequently schools had missed out on the wonderful opportunity provided by ROC.

His Excellency affirmed that Taiwan would continue to be a reliable donor to Solomon Islands and appreciates TSI’s concerns and commitment in trying to persuade the Solomon Islands Government to reform the RCDF.

TSI and ROC Ambassador agree that RCDF needs reform

Transparency Solomon Islands and the Republic of China (ROC) Ambassador in Solomon Islands agree that the Rural Constituency Development Fund needs urgent reform.

His Excellency George Chan and Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) Chair, Mr. Bob Pollard along with TSI Executive Officer Acting, Mr. Steward Tabo met on Thursday 11th August. The meeting was to discuss TSI’s concerns over the Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF) which has been funded by ROC overa number of years.

TSI had requested the Taiwanese Government to reconsider Taiwan’s support to the RCDF, claiming that the RCDF fuels corruption in Solomon Islands. The Taiwan chapter of Transparency International had also applied pressure on the Taiwan government over this issue, His Excellency acknowledged.

His Excellency George Chan acknowledged that the claims of corruption surrounding the RCDF were a great concern to Taiwan. This was particularly upsetting to him and his Government given the significant donor assistance that Taiwan has provided to the Solomon Islands, for example the construction of the National Referral Hospital and current funding for the expansion of the National Parliament complex.

While the Ambassador was not prepared to acknowledge that the RCDF has fuelled corruption, citing that no MPs had been convicted of corruption with the RCDF, TSI officers insisted that it would be better if Solomon Islands Government agreed for the Republic of China to put its generous donor assistance to other more productive causes like education and infrastructure development rather than these discretionary funds.

At the meeting the Ambassador explained that the RCDF was not Taiwan’s idea or creation. The Ambassador also acknowledged that Taiwan does not provide such discretionary funds to its own Members of Parliament (MPs) in Taiwan.

TSI affirmed to the Ambassador that it will continue to call on the Government to abolish the members’ discretionary funds, including the RCDF. TSI says that any new Government that is serious about reducing corruption in our country would show its real commitment by abolishing the RCDF. The Taiwanese Ambassador and TSI representatives ended the meeting by agreeing to TSI’s position that a reform to the Taiwan funding of the RCDF is urgently needed.

The Ambassador stated that they have all the records of former MPs’ spending of the RCDF and that he could make it available to TSI if the Solomon Islands government agrees to release them to TSI. TSI acknowledged that this would be appreciated as the former Ministry of Rural Development Permanent Secretary had denied TSI access to these
records.

His Excellency was aware of a number of cases besides RCDF where ROC funds had been abused, citing as an example ROC’s computer assistance to schools. Despite His Excellency’s suggestion at the time that the procurement arrangements were improper, his concerns had not been accepted. The Ambassador is disappointed that the people responsible for what appeared to be corruption had not been brought to justice and consequently schools had missed out on the wonderful opportunity provided by ROC.

His Excellency affirmed that Taiwan would continue to be a reliable donor to Solomon Islands and appreciates TSI’s concerns and commitment in trying to persuade the Solomon Islands Government to reform the RCDF.