Working together on the next generation of infrastructure

Opinion by Shane Rosenthal, Resident Representative of the Asian Development Bank’s Timor-Leste Resident Mission Last week government officials, development partners and civil society groups will have met in Dili as part of an annual gathering to review achievements over the last year and consider priorities and plans going forward. Participants will speak about successes and…

IMF lowers 2014 global growth forecast

The International Monetary Fund has lowered its 2014 global economic growth forecast, warning of “negative surprises” from the United States and China and geopolitical risks in Ukraine and the Middle East. The IMF projected global growth of 3.4 per cent for this year, down from its April estimate of 3.7 per cent.  In 2013, the…

Condition of bigeye tuna worsening

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) this week released new assessments on the status of key regional tuna stocks – skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna – which show that skipjack and yellowfin remain in a reasonably healthy state, but bigeye, the mainstay of the tropical longline fishery, has now been reduced to less than…

PM opens office in Cuba

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has officially opened Solomon Islands Embassy in Cuba in a landmark event in Havana. The event described by Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz as “historic” saw the opening of the first Pacific Islands mission in Havana. “We are indeed pleased to be the first…

NEW TWIST IN AIRLINES’ WAR

Fiji refuses SI passengers entry AROUND 30 passengers from the Solomon Islands booked to travel on Air Niugini for Nadi, Fiji were stopped from travelling to Fiji yesterday.The passengers purchase code chairs from Solomon Airlines in the Air Niugini aircraft which runs a Honiara-Nadi route. Reports reaching the Solomon Star stated that Fiji Aviation informed…

Toddler drowns at FOPA pool

A one-year-old baby died at the FOPA evacuation centre at Panatina. Reports reaching the Solomon Star stated that the toddler from Malaita died after drowning in the artificial lake on Thursday afternoon. The report stated that the baby was found floating in the lake. The reports said the baby’s mother was away in town when…

Disaster risk management facilities given to SI

The Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) today delivered a new radio broadcasting transmission facility to improve Solomon Islands disaster early warning system through the National Broadcaster, SIBC. The Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Bradley Tovosia “turned the switch on” after receiving the equipment from Japanese Ambassador…

Former cop successfully argues punishment

A former police officer facing traffic offences has been given a lesser fine when he was re-sentenced in the Honiara Magistrates Court recently. Ubaldo Tiva paid a total fine of $700 in default of four weeks for the charges of reckless and dangerous driving and careless driving. He was fined a total of $1,500 after…