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No confidence vote withdrawn

LEADER of Opposition Jeremiah Manele had withdrawn a no confidence motion he had submitted to move against Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare in parliament.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…

Performance policy for officers

STAFF members of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Disaster Management and Metrology this week attended a workshop on Performance Process and Attendance Management Policy and Procedures (PPAMP). The workshop is part of the DCC government new policy on Performance Process and Attendance Management Policy and Procedure PPAMP as it aims at familiarising public…

London trip for Pacific 8

PACIFIC Islands tourism operators will have a chance to market and promote their products at the World Trade Market 2015 at the ExCel in London from November 2-5. A statement from the South Pacific Tourism Organisation this week said eight national tourism offices and private sector operators from Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Vanuatu, Solomon…

Call to improve Visale health centre

Chiefs in North West Guadalcanal, Saghalu ward has called on the Catholic Arch Diocese of Honiara to give allow donors to develop health centres in Visale mission station. Speaking on behalf of the chief’s, elderly chief Joseph Kokobi said, they want the Church to work together with donors, communities and interested to improve health centre…

SINU journo students on excursion

ABOUT 17 journalism students undertaking media studies at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) attended the weekly police media conference as part of their study. The excursion was made to Rove headquarters, West Honiara yesterday to observe members of the main stream media attending a press conference called by the Police Commissioner Frank Prendergast. The…