Poor attendance in parliament

THERE was an apparent poor turn out in Parliament yesterday believed to be connected to the political instability within the government following the removal of senior Government ministers early this week.  Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Douglas Ete resigned on Sunday after learning about the move to remove him. The parliament chamber was half full when…

PM calls Govt insiders cowards

PRIME MINISTER, Manasseh Sogavare describes as cowards, anonymous insiders of Government. Mr Sogavare said, this in reference to government officials who provided sources of information to media outlets about what they feel are corrupt and injustice decisions and actions government was embarking on as a matter of policy. But the Prime Minister had condemned such…

Homes burnt in reprisal attack

FIVE houses including a semi-permanent building were burnt to the ground in what police believed as reprisal revenge by relatives of a nine year-old girl who died following an attempted rape incident over the weekend in North Malaita. The incident happened at Arao village, West Baelelea. Aukli police said the burning of homes was believed…

Girl tells of rape

Girl jumped from moving vehicle to escape men A 24-YEAR-OLD girl yesterday revealed how she jumped from a moving vehicle to escape from being repeatedly raped. The girl, who cannot be named, told the Solomon Star of the incident that occurred in Auki town on the road next to the Seventh Day Adventist area on…

Landowner blames ministry

A WEST Rennell landowner has blamed the Ministry of Forest & Research for confusion on logging cases in the island, claiming three concessions overlapped on the same area were approved by the ministry, which saw the conduct of Timber Right hearings. Pautangata Hakatingisa’a said the Naone trail and the coastline were demarcated in three to…

Men urged to respect girls

MEN have been urged to respect women and girls and treat them as fellow humans. Founder and president of non-government organisation Hearts of Hope, Janet Justice Aihari made the call following the death of a nine-year-old girl in north Malaita, over the weekend. The girl was alleged killed by a man during an attempted rape…

Women’s group condemns killing

LOCAL Non-government Organization (NGO) Vois Blo Mere (VBM) has strongly condemned the killing of a nine year old girl in a remote village in Malaita, over the weekend. The girl died from serious injuries sustained after she was stabbed with an axe following an alleged attempted rape incident. Lisa Horiwapu of VBM, told the Solomon…

Vavanga: Rural communities first

RURAL communities need to be placed higher in the political agenda for social and economic development in the country. Guadalcanal Provincial Premier, Bartholomew Vavanga reminded his colleague premiers at the closing of their week-long conference in Honiara last week. Premier Vavanga said in terms of economic development, the important players or pillars are the rural…

Call to dissolve chief’s council

OUTSPOKEN land owner in Renbel Province, Jefter Tahungenga has lashed out angrily at the West Rennell Island Council of Chiefs, accusing them of failing to resolve mounting land disputes on the island. Mr  Tahungenga said  it is rather ridiculous to conclude why on earth the chiefs council of West Rennell had  kept very quiet and …