FORMER PREMIER IN POLICE CUSTODY By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN FORMER Guadalcanal premier Stephen Panga is in police custody after he was found guilty of abuse of office, last Friday. He has been remanded awaiting sentencing tomorrow. Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika in his judgment said Panga appeared to have fulfilled his intention to obtain $10,000 from a client.…
LOCAL kava farmers in the country are benefiting financially from the lucrative kava industry due to global demand. Last week farmers from from Umulana village at the border of West Kwara’ae and Fataleka in the highlands of Malaita received $46,950 from Varivao Holdings Ltd on Wednesday. During the same week local kava farmers from Santa…
THE Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Saturday announced a 5-day visit by Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Minister Jeremiah Manele beginning September 8 amid speculation of a possible switch in political allegiance by Honiara to Beijing. “MOFA warmly welcomes Jeremiah Manele, foreign minister of the Solomon Islands, our Pacific ally, who is scheduled to…
THE Sogavare-led government remains focus as they continue to wait for the report from the bi-partisan taskforce on whether to switch from Taiwan to China. Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Jimmy Rodgers stated this when he appeared before the Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) hearing on the issue, Wednesday. “I believe Prime Minister Sogavare is aware…
THE Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has miserably failed its members and the Melanesian people of West Papua who are fighting for their freedom. That’s the view of Opposition leader Mathew Wale. Wale joined a local gathering of West Papuan supporters in Honiara yesterday to call for the liberation of West Papuans from Indonesian rule. The…
The Office of the Leader of the Opposition has condemned and expressed concerns over the appointment of Silver Dunga and Fred Soaki to the Ministry’s Lands Board. In a statement on Wednesday the Opposition stated that these appointments especially, the appointment of Mr. Dunga is strongly being condemned for he was implicated in some of the…
A new roads and aviation project worth $433M that is set to benefit the country was officially launched by the government and donor partners in Honiara yesterday. The Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project (SIRAP) will upgrade Malaita’s road network and provide improvements to Honiara international airport and Munda airport in Western province. The project is…
‘Can we manage China’s appetite for our natural resources?’ By ANDREW FANASIA CHINA is certainly eyeing Solomon Islands raw materials to boosts its economy and sustain its 1.4 billion people but are we capable of managing it? This question was raised during the Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday when the head of ministerial delegation…
The Minister of Finance and Treasury Harry Kuma has launched the 2020 budget process on Monday. At the same time he called for wide-ranging support from development partners, the private sector, NGOs and ordinary people to support the Government in this endeavor. This is the first National Budget since the formation of the Democratic Coalition…
* Officer jailed for bribery* Police questioned on delay of case* Submission on armed robbery case Officer jailed for bribery THE on-suspension police officer, who accepted a $200 bribe from bus driver and his conductor back in 2015, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment. Nelson Isogeto was convicted of one count of accepting bribe after…