PNG investor eyes Gold Ridge mine

A Papua New Guinea investor is reportedly eying to purchase the Gold Ridge mine in central Guadalcanal, and create a joint venture with landowners. Australian firm St Barbara is the current owner. The mine was closed since April last year in the wake of the flash floods that hit Guadalcanal and Honiara. It has not…

Sub-regional hub needed to tackle child labour

Child labour and trafficking is a cross-cutting issue in the Pacific Islands that needs a sub-regional hub to seriously look into and find ways of addressing the issue. International Labour Organisation sub-regional director David Lamotte highlighted this at the close of an ILO sub-regional Child Labour and Trafficking in Nadi, Fiji, Friday.  “We all want…

New footage shows Indonesia atrocities

New video footage showing the bloody aftermath of the Paniai massacre in West Papua highlights the urgent need for Indonesia to hold an independent and transparent investigation into the tragedy, says Minority Rights Group International (MRG). In December 2014, four unarmed Papuan teenagers were killed and 17 more Papuans were injured when the Indonesian army…

Except for one thing

Water woes for Kobito residents   Residents of Kobito 1, 2, and 3 and Gilbert Camp on the outskirts of east Honiara have almost everything basic things they need in life. Except for one important commodity – clean piped water in their homes. This is not a new problem though. Handy Saelea, 27, a resident…

Respect our police

Public urged to be sincere when reporting rape cases  THE public is urged to respect the work of police and stop abusing the services of the law enforcement institution. Director of Public Prosecutor Ronald Bei Talasasa issued the warning yesterday in light of the latest acquittal of a rape accused after the alleged victim decided…

Officials visit crime scene

A HIGH Court judge, court officials, prosecutors, defence lawyers, and the accused visited a murder crime scene outside of the Honiara Central Market in the early hours of Friday. The visit, taken under tight security, was made between 2am and 3.30am. It was part of the proceedings of a murder trial in which four men…