MANY Solomon Islands seasonal workers engaged under the Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme are desperate to leave, citing harsh working conditions, low pay and unfulfilled promises to improve their welfare. Because of the situation, many local workers have absconded their original assigned work place. Some have described their experiences on one Queensland berry…
A NO-case to answer submission will be made in court next for three men on trial for allegedly attacking two men bush knives, resulting in one death, in Koivo Village in the Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Limited (GPPOL 3) last May. No date has been fixed as of yet for the hearing of the No-Case…
FEMALE cloth vendors in Auki, Malaita Province have raised serious concerns over the increasing number of people consuming alcohol in public spaces within the town. The women said, it has become common to witness both young and older individuals openly drinking in public areas, creating discomfort and fear among residents, particularly women and children. A…
A young man from South Vella, Western Province lost his life in a tragic drowning incident while out diving for beche-de-mer late Sunday night. According to relatives, the deceased and his first cousin, along with a group of boys, had gone on a night dive off Kimbiri in South Vella to look for beche-de-mer—a lucrative…
WESTERN Provincial Premier Billy Veo has issued a heartfelt apology to the people of Makira following the tragic death of young Stephanus in Honiara recently. Premier Veo expressed his deepest condolences to the grieving family and the entire Makira community, describing the incident as a senseless act of violence that has shocked the nation. “As…
Months into the 2025 academic year, parents and teachers in and around Honiara are voicing growing concerns over a homemade drug that has been circulating in schools and communities for years now. The drug, known locally as ‘Copen’ or ‘Scoop,’ is produced using tobacco and other household substances readily available in nearby shops. Once manufactured,…
Solomon Islands and Australia’s National Farmers Federation (NFF), the peak national body representing farmers and, more broadly, agriculture across Australia have reinforced the importance of the PALM worker scheme, in a landmark meeting that was held at NFF’s House in Canberra on Wednesday last week. “The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme, is the big…
THE Malaita Provincial Youth Council has officially established the Ward 24 Youth Council in West Are’Are, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to connect with rural youth across the province. The formation of the new council is part of a wider initiative to strengthen grassroots engagement and empower young people in remote communities. Malaita…
A wife under the influence of alcohol stabbed her husband with a seven-inch kitchen knife during a heated argument at Nggosi in West Honiara on Monday 26 May 2025. Officer Commanding Station (OCS) White River Police Station Inspector Doreen Vaea said the husband claimed his wife had an affair with another man, and this is…
AS Xiamen City in Fujian Province plays host to the 3rd Summit of the Foreign Ministers of China and the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) with bilateral relations with China, it is worth looking at the facts published by China Daily about this coastal city in order to appreciate its idealness as an international meeting venue.…