MPs urged to show loyalty

LOYALTY is a virtue that all members of parliament should possess, a school teacher Peter Tahiliu says. Mr Tahiliu was referring to the seven ministers who resigned last week from the DCC government. He said the seven showed no loyalty to their leader Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. He stated loyalty is a virtue that can…

USP health week ends

THE University South Pacific Solomon Islands Campus Health Week & Family Day ended yesterday with a directors’ Zumba held at the Multi-purpose hall. The week-long event, which provided students and staff the opportunity to discover that they live a healthy lifestyle, has been described as worthwhile and notable. The one-week event brought together staff and…

Deputy Speaker’s post vacant

THE position of the deputy Speaker in the National Parliament has been left vacant. This followed the elevation of Central Honiara MP John Moffat Fugui to become Minister for Education. Mr Fugui was the deputy speaker until this week when he was sworn-in to take up his ministerial appointment. Speaker of Parliament Ajilon Nasiu, announced…

Renbel assembly to meet Nov 6

RENNELL and Bellona Provincial Assembly meeting is rescheduled for 6 November 2015 to give time for the premier and his three executive members to attend. They failed to attend the meeting when it opened on Thursday. The Office of the Speaker said they want all members of the provincial government to attend the meeting, particularly…

Gov’t commits to reforming mining

MINES and Minerals minister, David Dei Pacha says the government will review the Mines and Minerals Act. Mr Pacha said the main areas of focus in the reform program cover the processing, negotiations, compliances, royalty and managing and protection of the environment from effects of mining. He pointed out that the reform will thoroughly take…

Bishop Mason: We are not ready for mining

THE country is not ready for mining, says Anglican Church of Melanesia’s bishop and Isabel Paramount Chief James Mason. He made the observation during this week’s National Conference on Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative.  The British-based bishop Mason: “I felt that there’s no justification for the poor land owning tribes who were always the losers in…

No confidence vote withdrawn

LEADER of Opposition Jeremiah Manele had withdrawn a no confidence motion he had submitted to move against Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare in parliament. Speaker of Parliament Ajilon Nasiu had announced in Parliament the withdrawal of the motion at the start of yesterday’s meeting. The withdrawal was made shortly after a High Court ruling by Chief…

All roads end somewhere

But not necessarily where you want to go IN my last official meeting in July, I made it clear that the hire and fire of political appointees is the prerogative of the government of the day. “As such, I am prepared to exit as I am not above the government. But I also raised the…