Heads of mission briefed on MACFest

  Diplomatic Missions in Solomon Islands have been briefed on current preparations to host the 6th Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival (MACFest) in Honiara in July this year. The briefing at Mendana Hotel was conducted by the MACFest National Organizing Committee on Thursday. A statement from the committee said, this was to update the diplomatic…

Police safely remove bomb in East Honiara

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) has safely removed un-exploded bomb found at the Panatina Creek in East Honiara on Thursday, 05 April 2018. The RSIPF EOD responded to a report saying a bomb was sighted by children close to their home at Panatina. Officer-In-charge of RSIPF EOD, Inspector Tunuki…

London office costs $3.5m

The newly established London Mission cost government $3.5 million compared to $1.5 million cost for Brussels and $1.1 million office in New York this year. Speaking on the floor of parliament during the committee of supply, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Milner Tozaka said, the London mission cost $3.5 million because it is…

Parasi airfield sets to reopen

PARASI airfield in South Malaita, which has been closed for the past seven years, is now ready to take-scheduled flights. This was made possible after the government signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between three disputing parties that claimed ownership of the airport land in September 2017. “The Airport Taskforce led by the Ministry of…

Seven rescue seven at sea

POLICE in Lata, Temotu Province, rescued seven people, two women and five men, from a motorised boat when it ran aground on a reef at Cape Mendana on Santa Cruz Island in the afternoon of 3 April 2018. “Luckily when the police at Lata Police Station got to the scene after 5pm on Tuesday, the…

Printing error forces Parliament to adjourn

Parliament resumes meeting on Thursday after it was adjourned yesterday morning due to mistakes and printing errors in the copies of the 2018 Appropriation Bill 2018, which were distributed to Members of parliament (MPs). Parliament resolved into the committee of the whole house yesterday to look into the budget clause by clause, but could not…

Appeal for students to behave

PRESIDENT of the Solomon Islands National University Students Association (SINUSA) Reginald Ngati is appealing to students to behave well during the course of their sitting protest today. Mr Ngati said that if SINU council doesn’t want to address their demands, they will stage another peace sitting protest today and he wants every student to behave…

Tenants vacate Auki plaza

THE Malaita provincial government has finally enforced a High Court eviction order and removed all tenants illegally occupying the Auki plaza. The eviction order was enforced by Malaita provincial security officers and deputy provincial secretary. They instructed the tenants, who have been operating shops within the building, to vacate the plaza because it will be…