WHAT is known today as the National Development Fund (NDF) is essentially a discretionary fund controlled by the Prime Minister. It began in the 80s. Every government budget up to 1996 contained a discretionary vote in the Prime Minister’s Office. At the time it was just a million dollar a year. The discretionary fund, as…
A COURT Sentence for a man who breached the lockdown after walking to King George Sixth market area, East Honiara on Monday will be handed down this afternoon. This followed the sentencing submissions and mitigation on the matter of the 25-year-old man yesterday before Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea. The accused had pleaded guilty to…
CHAIRMAN of the National Disaster Operations Committee Loti Yates said in the event that COVID-19 breakout happens in the Western Border they can manage the situation. “But it will be a huge challenge logistically and financially for the government,” he revealed this in response to a question on how the government will respond with a…
Confidential report paints a grim future of SINU A CONFIDENTIAL report on the on-going saga at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) has painted a grim future for the nation’s first tertiary institution if the government does not intervene. The Solomon Star has obtained a copy of the seven-page report, which among other things…
The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Matthew Wale, has rubbished the response by a faceless official within the PMO to his statement on the $200,000 PRC funding under the shameful so-called National Development Funds. “Of course you expect that kind of response from political operatives, whose interest is only their jobs and not wider national interest”,…
A dollar you invest in preparedness can actually save you seven to eight dollars of response in any disaster event. Therefore staging a simulated lockdown is not that cheap and easy but it prepares the country for any future disaster event that can cost us million dollars if we are not prepare. All the country…
A TOTAL of 32 arrests were made during the 36 hours simulation lockdown within the Honiara Emergency Zone. This was according to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Assistant Commissioner and Operation Commander Covid-19, Mr Simpson Pogeava in a press conference yesterday at National Disaster Management Office (NDMO). Mr Pogeava said these arrests were…
THE Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement wishes to correct the leader of the Parliamentary opposition’s media statement claiming that the Prime Minister’s $200,000 NDF is not for development but for political expediency. This is not true. The NDF was first established by the ROC when they provided these funds for discretionary use by the Prime…
THIRTEEN people have confessed to breaching the lockdown exercise that ends at 6am Tuesday, when they appeared at the Honiara Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday evening. The group which consists of 12 males and a female had pleaded guilty to one count of restriction of movement, a charge under the State of Public Emergency. One of…
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has expressed disappointment at several incidents of rock throwing at NRH vehicles and workers including illegal roadblocks in Honiara during the lockdown period. In a statement yesterday MHMS condemns such outrageous and cowardly acts in the highest possible terms. On Sunday night a health land cruiser was…