RSIPF rescues person in West

A THIRTY-two (32) year-old male person was rescued by members of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) at the Gizo Police Station on Friday 20th November 2020 after his fibreglass boat was damaged in rough seas while travelling to Kolombangara Island in Western Province. An initial report on the incident said the 32-year old…

Tuition affordability at SINU, a challenge 

MAJORITY of students studying at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) were not able to complete their studies due to incomplete tuition fees.  The revelation was made by SINU’s Student President Body Fraser Seulu during the recent graduation ceremony of the Bachelor of Accounting and Business Entrepreneurship on Friday 20. “The majority of students studying…

PM: Only graduating students will return 

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says that only graduating students will be returning to the country from their respective overseas institutions this year.  Mr. Sogavare made the clarification during his nation-wide address on Monday. “The government has decided that only graduating students in overseas institutions will be repatriated this year,” he said.  “All continuing students will…

The people have spoken 

Dear Editor– Saturday 21st marked the end of 2020 by-election for Central Honiara and North East Guadalcanal. It marked the end of a period that culminated in two months of intense campaigning. In the heated battles, parties clung to strategies they calculated would woo the important component in the election process — the voters. However,…

Banning Facebook

Dear Editor – The Government’s determination to ban Facebook in the Solomon Islands is rather bemusing. On the one hand, it is true that a ban will not curb our people’s fundamental freedom of expression as provided for in our Constitution. But on the other hand a ban may unnecessarily cause hardship to many of…

Solomon-Cup official draw 

THE ten participating provincial teams for the Solomon Cup (S-CUP) tournament are being drawn into two pools of five. The official draw for the group phase of the Solomon Cup tournament was done at the SIFF Academy Conference room on Monday afternoon. Pool A, dubbed as the pool of death comprises the defending champion Malaita…

SINA’s action illegal

THE sit-in protest by the Solomon Islands Nursing Association (SINA) was prohibited and illegal.  This stern comment was echoed by the Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. Jimmy Rodgers during a talk-back show over the national broadcaster.  Mr. Rodgers said that under the COVID regulations; there is a provision that gives the Prime Minister Powers…

Boso calls for public support

OUTSPOKEN citizen Peterson Boso is calling on the general public to support his legal challenge against Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s and the government to temporarily ban Facebook in Solomon Islands. Speaking to this paper last night he said he wants to challenge the government’s decision in court. Sogavare had recently announced in Parliament that his…

Wale: Gov’t must address our economy

OPPOSITION Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Aoke Langalanga Mathew Wale urges the government to seriously address the country’s economy in this unprecedented time. He made these sentiments after Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare issued a statement on the ‘Government’s Redirection Policy and the 2021 Budget’ in the Parliament yesterday.  “While we welcome the statement…

STATE OF EMERGENCY EXTENDED

THE country is now under a third State of Public Emergency (SOPE) that will run for the next four months. This followed a declaration by Governor-General, His Excellency, Sir David Vunagi last night to further extend the SOPE. The extension was declared after the expiry of the country’s second SOPE yesterday – November 24, a…