In Court with Assumpta Buchanan

* Melaba fine $5,000* Oto’s case moved to today* Tome’s trial, tomorrow Melaba fine $5,000   THE Inland Revenue Division (IRD) officer facing corruption charges has been fined $5,000 yesterday in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court. Leslie Melaba, 36, was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of official corruption. Principal Magistrate Tearo Beneteti imposed a…

More women top tuna day event

Local young women were winners in several competitions run by SolTuna as part of the World Tuna Day celebrations in Noro ov the weekend. The secondary school speech competition was won by Reena Padabelo of Gizo Community High School, with her winning speech about sustainability of tuna resources. Meanwhile, the winner of the tuna song…

Wine tasting and art exhibition staged

The wine tasting and Art exhibition hosted by Sullivans, McGuigan Wines and SICCI was a refreshing and invigorating experience according to participants during a recent event. Wine Connoisseur and McGuigan representative Muir Leggett ensured that the night was an informative and Captivating evening. A total of eight different wines were tasted by event goers. The…

$44.7M FUNDING

Taiwan releases payments for constituencies SOLOMON Islands Government last week received a total of SBD$44.7 million in funding support from the Government of the Republic of China (ROC) Taiwan for the 50 constituencies. The huge payout is to cater for some constituencies which failed to get their constituency development from last year while the bulk…

Police probes attack

  Police at Henderson Police Station in Guadalcanal Province are investigating an attack on four men at Naro Village in West Guadalcanal on 25 April 2018. It is alleged a 20-year-old man armed with a bush knife attacked four other men at Naro Village on the night of 25 April 2018. It is further alleged…

New Magistrates sworn-in

Two new magistrates have joined the magistracy after being sworn in on Thursday at the Honiara Magistrates’ Court. Leonard Chite from is now a Principal Magistrate and Luke Maka Sandy a First Class Magistrate after they were sworn in before Chief Justice Sir Albert in a ceremonial event at the High Court conference room. Also taking…

ANGER OVER PAYMENT

In-country gov’t funded students furious over allowance By CHARLES KADAMANA   Government sponsored students studying at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Solomon Island campus are frustrated over the delay in releasing of their allowances. Yesterday, about 60 students marched to the payment section of the Ministry of Finance to inquire about their allowances.…

PM meets new Japanese envoy

Prime Minister Hon. Rick Houenipwela early this week met with the newly appointed Ambassador of Japan to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Shigeru Toyama. This was during a courtesy call to the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. In his statement to the Prime Minister, His Excellency Shigeru took the opportunity to express his ‘deepest…

DSE: we are not part of West Papua trip

DEVELOPMENT Service Exchange (DSE) has rejected claims that it is “officially represented” in a government delegation that visited West Papua last week. The delegation, led by the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, John Usuramo, included chairman of DSE Inia Barry and other civil society activists. But DSE, the peak body…

CHOGM 2018 a success

* Hou: CHOGM 2018 a success* Prince Charles eyes visit here* PM returns with more positives   THE 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London is a “success”, Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela declared on arrival last Friday. Mr Houenipwela and Minister for Foreign Affair and External Trade Minister Milner Tozaka led the country’s delegation to…