DROWNING IN THE RISING TIDE OF NCDs 

IN 2019 a 22-year-old Solomon Islander diagnosed with type 2 diabetes presented to the eye clinic with eye complications of diabetes called neovascularization retinopathy, a severe form of diabetic retinopathy. Her family was able to send her to Australia at that time for the urgent treatment of the blinding eye condition in a desperate bid…

Landowners accuses Solomon Water

KONGULAI landowners at upper Tamuni and Kongulai said the accusation made by Solomon water Chief Executive Officer Ian Gooding about the illegal milling operation is baseless and not true. They were responding to Solomon Water’s media statement that appeared in this paper on Monday. Solomon Water CEO stated that recent investigations by Solomon Water into…

DJOKOVIC LOSES CITIZENSHIP 

Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff loses rights to vote, faces $50, 000 fine or five years in jail THE Prime Minister’s nephew and Chief of Staff, Robson Djokovic, has lost the right as a citizen to vote in an election in the Solomon Islands, the High Court ruled, Friday. Djokovic faces a maximum penalty of…

98 remain in quarantine stations

NINETY-eight (98) person remains at the Honiara quarantine stations. This came after 77 have graduated from the quarantine over the weekend, Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Pauline McNeil revealed this early this week. “Since 77 people have graduated it leaves only 98 persons remaining at the quarantine stations.” She…

RSIPF decommissions patrol boat AUKI

The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) yesterday (4 March 2021) decommissioned the Patrol Boat AUKI after 30 years of service in Solomon Islands. The RSIPV AUKI also took part in several operations in the Pacific region. RSIPV AUKI will be handed back to the Australian Government.  Since commissioning in 1991, following the United Nations…

PHEB Consultation completed and finalization in progress

Consultations on the Public Health Emergency Bill (PHEB) has come to an end this week following the final consultation with officials from the parliamentary opposition and the independent group including Honourable Charles Sigoto, Member of Parliament for Ranongga and Simbo Constituency, and Chairman of the Medical Parliamentary Standing Committee, in Honiara.  With the recommendations received…

NDMO conducts baseline assessment on Tina River communities

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) with the Guadalcanal Provincial Disaster Office has successfully conducted a baseline assessment of downstream communities of the Tina River Hydropower Development Project, TRHDP site, Central Guadalcanal last week.  The baseline assessment involved the collection of socioeconomic and risk information, and conducting awareness and consult communities to establish an Emergency…

Wale welcomes ‘Health Bill’

THE assurance that the Public Health Emergency Bill (PHEB) will go before parliament at the upcoming meeting has been welcomed by the Leader of the Opposition Matthew Wale. The assurances were made by the Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM) Dr. Jimmy Rodgers and Attorney General John Muria Jr.  Mr. Wale made this comment following…

Gizo market receives sanitation items

THE MANAGEMENT and vendors of Gizo Market are the proud beneficiaries of sanitation supplies received this week. “The sanitation supplies were handed over through the UN-Women Organisation and funded by the Government and people of both Australia and New Zealand. It is a boost to our facility for both vendors and customers,” Market Manager Moffat…

Kwaibala rape suspect nabbed

POLICE in Auki, Malaita Province have arrested the suspect in relation to an alleged rape incident at Kwaibala river. Provincial Police Commander (PPC) for Malaita Province Inspector Stanley Riolo confirmed this to Solomon Star Auki. “The suspect has been arrested and put on remand and will be appearing in court soon.”  PPC Riolo said the arrest…