Varley to Guam for Police conference

Commissioner of Police Matthew Varley will leave the country this weekend to attend the Pacific Islands Police Conference  to be held in Guam next week. He confirmed this during his weekly press conference yesterday at the Rove police headquarters. Varley said Guam is hosting the conference for the first time and the annual event was…

PM praises landowners at major bridge opening

PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has highly commended landowning groups in North and North-East Guadalcanal for allowing their resources to support economic development activities in the country. Mr Sogavare made the comments when he joined the visiting President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao to open two new major bridges funded by ADB at…

Locals get their Canadian PR

TWO Solomon Islanders from Guadalcanal Province created history when they were handed their employment permit for Canada on Thursday. The duo Amelia Muse and Careka Volly are the first two Solomon Islanders to have been granted the permit under the Canadian government’s Immigration nomination program. They touched down at the Vancouver International Airport and were…

Private Sector meets with ADB President

The Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) and other private sector representatives were privileged to meet the Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao in Honiara this week. According to SICCI Chair, Jay Bartlett the visit by Mr Nakao to Solomon Islands “signifies and reinforces ADB’s ongoing high-level support to Solomon Islands”. “Because…

Ministry takes stand on ‘political’ scholarships

MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) will no longer extend their influence into the selection process for students awarded with scholarships under their respective constituencies starting next year. Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) Dr Franco Rodie revealed this to the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting yesterday. Dr Rodie…

MASI appoints new CEO

THE Media Association Solomon Islands (MASI) welcomes the appointment of Hilda Lamani to the position of CEO of MASI. The President of MASI, Deli Oso, previous press secretary to the Prime Minister and now a sub-editor for the Solomon Star newspaper, believes that Ms Hilda Lamani will bring a wealth of business management and financial…

$400k to destroy blue boats

BLUE boats destruction cost the government $400,000, according to information revealed during the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting on Tuesday. Permanent Secretary (PS) for Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) Dr Christian Ramofafia said the lowest bidder for the destruction of the boats is $400,000, thus government opted for the cheapest bidder to dispose…

PM meets ADB chief

THE visiting President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao officially meets Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in Honiara late on Tuesday. Mr Nakao arrived on Tuesday afternoon. At the meeting, the two leaders discussed areas of common interests, including, ways to progress sustainable development in Solomon Islands. A statement from the Government Communication Unit…

GOV’T CUTS OFF AMA UNI

THE Ministry of Education will as of next year stop sending students to AMA University in the Philippines. Permanent Secretary Dr Franco Rodie revealed this when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday. “We have finally decided to discontinue sending students under government scholarship to study at AMA as of next year,” Dr…