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.