Bara returns from police meet

THE director of the Police Academy, recently promoted Superintendent Ian Bara returned after attending the annual Pacific Police Training Advisory Group (PPTAG) in Brisbane, Australia from 20 to 24 October 2014. The PPTAG participants are from the Pacific Islands Forum member countries. The inception of the PPTAG initiative is a recent move towards capacity development…

Party plans to set up two councils

THE United Democratic Party says it will set up two councils to deal with fresh disputes between provinces if it forms the new government after November 19 elections. Party Vice President and former Prime Minister, Danny Philip says the first is the Provincial Arbitration Council, which will deal with fresh disputes between the nine provinces…

ACOM members urged to vote

The Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) The Most Reverend David Vunagi, has urged all ACOM members who are eligible to vote to cast their vote come November 19. In his closing remarks during a ceremony to mark the All Saints Day on Sunday in Honiara, the Archbishop called on all ACOM members…

Teachers demand removal of headmaster

STAFF at Mercy Primary School at Burns Creek, east Honiara, are demanding the removal of the headmaster. Their demand was contained in a signed petition handed to the school’s education authority, the South Seas Evangelical Church education board, mid this month. They accused headmaster Simon Rilaua of misusing school funds. He was also accused of…

No reports of campaign disturbances reach police

POLICE yet to receive any formal disturbance report related to election campaign both in Honiara and the provinces. Commissioner of Police, Frank Prendergast clarified this amidst unconfirmed reports circulating of several incidents, which have already occurred this week whereby some candidates were chased, stoned, verbally abused by supporters of others. The most recent being on…

Measles cases drop in Malaita

CASES of measles in Malaita are reportedly going down. Kilu’ufi Hospital infection control department nurse in charge, Nixom Olofisau revealed this.  “In previous months, we’ve been recording 70-80 cases each week, but now it dropped to 30-40 cases,” Mr Olofisau said. “So cases are going down but no eliminated,” he said. Meanwhile, he urged those…

Beche-de-mer accused discharged

A MAGISTRATE last Friday discharged a man accused of leading a group that removed 59 bags of beche-de-mer at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources last October. Reginald Aipia was discharged after principal magistrate Jim Seuka dismissed the case on the basis it was instituted more than six months after the crime was allegedly…

447 set to contest

THE list of candidates to contest the November 19 elections has been finalised. Electoral Commission said yesterday a total of 447 candidates have been nominated to contest. The figure was revised from the 443 announced at the close of the withdrawal period last Saturday. The final list will be published in the papers in coming…