6.3 quake fails to spark tsunami

A 6.3 MAGNITUDE undersea earthquake has occurred 107km West – North west of Kirakira, Makira Province at 4:02pm yesterday afternoon the Meteorological Services office in Honiara has confirmed. Following the earthquake, the Weather office said there is no tsunami threat to Makira province and its nearby islands. “An undersea earthquake of magnitude 6.3 occurred at…

Tourism facilities here ‘below par’

MANY of our tourism accommodations are well below standards, according to the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) Andrew Nihopara. Nihopara told journalists in a press conference during last Friday’s ‘Tourism in Focus’ event in Honiara. Tourism in Focus event is to create the opportunity for the tourism institutions such as the…

VIRUS ACTION CALL

Gov’t urged to protect nation from coronavirus OPPOSITION leader Matthew Wale says he’s alarmed by the lack of government action to date in protecting the country from the coronavirus.  Wale said incoming passengers and airport workers have confirmed that up to Sunday 26th January 2020 there have been no active steps taken by the Ministry of…

Live band concert for Aust kicks off

THE first “Iumi Tugeda Fo Australia” live Band Concert has kicked off yesterday at the Town Ground Rugby Stadium in Central Honiara. Government’s Special Committee for Australian Bush Fire Victims in partnership with Friends of the City, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, MECCDMM, Honiara City Council, HCC and Honiara Band…

Solomon Islands drops two points in CPI

RNZI: TRANSPARENCY Solomon Islands says it’s disappointing but not surprising that the country has dropped two points in the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index, which was released last Thursday. The flagship research product of Transparency International, the index offers an annual snapshot of the degree of corruption by ranking countries and territories from zero to 100…

Female MPA warns sea travellers

MINISTER for Women & Youth in Western Province Oelyn Muala has appealed to every transport owners/providers and the province’s travelling public to make informed decisions before travelling between islands by canoe. She highlighted that it is important that decisions on travelling arrangements must be made by both women and men before they can travel between…

Gaena’alu members Korea bound

A GROUP of 4 boys from the Gaena’alu Movement of Komuvaulu village in the Weather coast of Guadalcanal has left for South Korea, on Sunday.  In an interview held at the Honiara International airport, the Movement’s General Secretary David Cornelius said the group is travelling on a ‘cultural exchange’ program. He said the Gaena’alu movement…

$5M BUDGET CONFINED

Govt’s 2020 tourism budget is too small: Tuamoto By IAN M.KAUKUI IF the government wanted to see real changes in the Solomon Islands tourism sector, it should have doubled the SBD$5 million budget for the 2020 financial year. Tourism Solomons chief executive officer  Josefa Tuamoto made the statement in a short press conference at the…

GG recognizes US commitment here

GOVERNOR General Rt Rev. Sir David Vunagi has acknowledged the United States commitment to Solomon Islands development aspirations over four decades since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations on the 9th of October 1978, Solomon Islands and the United States. Speaking on the occasion of the presentation of credentials by her Excellency Mrs. Erin Elizabeth…