Malaita delegation now in town

Malaita Provincial delegation to participate in the Premiers conference in Honiara arrived in the capital yesterday. The one week conference officially starts tomorrow. The delegation is led by Premier Peter Channel Ramohia and his Provincial Secretary Rodney Fono. It includes the full Executive members of the Provincial Government. Premier Ramohia said the conference gives a…

Airline announces new service to Fiji

Solomon Airlines has announced it will commence operation of a new direct Honiara-Nadi service effective Wednesday November 4. This is still subject to Government approval. The Solomon Islands’ national carrier will utilise its flagship Airbus A320 on the route which is scheduled to operate Honiara on Wednesdays and Nadi on Thursdays. The new service builds…

No survey contract for Fiu

No surveyor has yet been contracted for the proposed Fiu Hydro Project in Malaita. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands & Housing Stanley Waleanisia made the clarification following social media speculation that a private surveyor has been selected. It was alleged a private surveyor was engaged for $6 million to do the job. It…

UN told to act on Climate Change

Islands States from the Pacific and Caribbean took to the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, to call for urgent action on climate change, with one leader warning that their people and culture face “potential genocide” from rising seas. “I speak as an islander who has walked the shores of many atoll islands,…

AWPA condemns Papua shooting

The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) condemns the shooting of two high school students in Timika on Monday the 28 September by the Indonesian security forces. The incident occurred around 19.30hrs. Caleb Bagau, aged 18, died while his friend Efrando Sabarofek, aged 17, was wounded in the chest and legs. He is receiving treatment at…

NZ television crew features West Papua

Māori Television’s Native Affairs story on West Papua was the first New Zealand television crew allowed into the Indonesian-ruled Melanesian region in 50 years. Given Indonesia’s strict policy on allowing access to foreign journalists, reporter Adrian Stevanon said their trip was a sign of change. “I think the achievement is that we are able to…

EU lifts yellow card on PNG

The European Commission has  confirmed its zero tolerance policy against illegal fishing worldwide by warning the Comoros and Taiwan that they risk being identified as uncooperative countriesin the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. At the same time, the Commission is lifting the yellow cards from Ghana and Papua New Guinea, which have…

Sogavare urges UN to address West Papua

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has called on the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council to do more in investigating and monitoring allegations of human rights abuse and violations in the Papua and West Papua regions of Indonesia. Sogavare made the call in New York Thursday in his address at the 70th Session of the United…

Boso told: You are not above the law

A MAGISTRATE on Friday hit out at a permanent secretary, describing her behaviour as “wayward” and acting as “someone who is above the law”. Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Kouhota delivered the hard-hitting indictment when imposing a four month suspended sentence on the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development, Selina Boso. Boso was earlier found…