Makili calls for fewer loggers

REGIONAL Director Pacific Islands for US-based Earth Island Institute, Lawrence Makili, claims there is a bigger and hidden issue behind the government’s ministerial reshuffling this week. And he urged the government to quickly reduce the number of logging companies currently operating in the country and stop further applications. He also claimed the reshuffling exercise was…

Makili queries timber consultation process

THE Solomon Islands Sawn Timber Industry’s recent consultation with New Zealand Timber Industry has come under question from former Greenpeace forest campaigner Lawrence Makili. Mr Makili queried the process to establish a third party for certification of sawn timbers by farmers to overseas buyers, this must be done transparently.  “The way I see it, the…

Premier defends wealth

What I owned are from my sweat, says Renbel’s Singamoana RENBEL premier Collin Singamoana has defended his level of wealth, saying he was a businessman before going into politics. This followed accusations from west Rennell landowners that Mr Singamoana had accumulated so much wealth since he became the premier of the nation’s smallest province. The…

Father to stand trial for rape

THE court has found sufficient evidence against a father accused of raping his daughter in April this year in east Guadalcanal to stand trial in the High Court. Principal Magistrate Edwin Saramo made his findings during the short form preliminary inquiry into the case of the 65-year-old father from Temotu. Michael Holara of Public Solicitor’s…

Taskforce formed to probe fraud

A TASK to investigate into allegations that it had lost millions of dollars of legally due revenue as result of fraudulent deals by logging operators and customs&exercise officials will be formed. It was a move by the current government, the Prime Ministers Office announcement on Thursday. The investigation follows revelation by former Minister of Forestry,…

Lawyer ordered to explain absence

LAWYER of one of the men accused of robbing the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) at the Kwaimani Building last year has been ordered to explain his absence from court on August 20. The matter against the three accused, Severio Sulimae, Dilo Faiga and Security Officer Joe Silas has been adjourned for a few times now…

Senseless act, community suffers

Communities in and around Burnscreek East of Honiara are currently suffering the absence of water after a disgruntled member of the community allegedly chopped off the main pipeline supplying water to most households. The action described as a senseless act was believed to have happened after the Solomon Water staff undertook the water disconnection exercise…

Gold Ridge LOs demands royalty payment

GOVERNMENT has been asked by the Gold Ridge landowners to pay their outstanding royalty without fail. In a statement, the chairman of the Gold Ridge Community & Landowners Council Dick Douglas and landowners claimed they were assured by the Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare that the royalty would be paid as soon as possible because the …

Ministers sworn-in

Three of the six Ministers reshuffled this week have taken their oath at the Government House on Thursday afternoon. They are Duddley Kopu, Augustine Auga and Jimson Tanangada. Bodo Dettke is understood to be currently overseas, Freda Tuki on constituency tour while Bartholomew Parapolo was unavailable with no reason for his absence. Government House Private…