Challenging the TRC’s findings

THE report of the Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission, all five volumes, have been released unofficially by the editor of the report, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Terry M. Brown and uploaded to the internet for all to see and read. Fr. Brown’s action in releasing the report has been variously described as un-procedural and…

A dirty city

NUMEROUS efforts to clean up the capital city have got us to nowhere. Honiara remains a dirty city! The recent trend in the way Honiara looks is this. At night, the streets look beautiful and attractive. That’s after the night workers cleaned and swept away the dirt that littered the streets and drains the day…

Gender and corruption

Are women less corrupt than men is a question a lot of people are asking today in many communities through- out this country.   Many are also saying that it good to give women the chance to be elected into Parliament so as to prove themselves to the people of this country whether they are different…

Policing a Clash of Cultures

Today, we publish chapters nine, 10 and 11of the new book “Policing a Clash of Cultures” written by former Police Commissioner Englishman FRANK SHORT. The Sunday Star has been given permission to serialise the book in its upcoming issues.   Part 9: The Police Force I Joined. The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force had its…

Give our locals the top job

GOVERNMENT’S intention to appoint a local to head our police force is not a bad idea at all. It is just about time we do that. We have highly capable, as well as respectable officers within the force who can take on that role. They have gone through various trainings provided by Australia and New…

Please, end the strike

THE second teachers’ strike has entered its third week. We still don’t know how soon this will end. The Government has warned teachers to resume duty or face disciplinary action. Teachers in Honiara met over this threat yesterday. They refused to back down and instead blamed Government’s ignorance for the situation. Except for a few…

Gov’t please, end the strike

SO our teachers have resumed their nation-wide strike action. And the Government has chosen to remain silent in the face of this national crisis. This is unbelievable. The least this nation expects of its leaders is to step out and tell them whether their children will return to their classes Monday next week or not.…

Holding back women hurts everyone

TODAY is International Women’s Day, and a perfect time to reflect on why it is so important to promote gender equality in the Pacific. In the last decade: womens voices are increasingly being heard and more women are entering the formal workforce. And in the Pacific, political leadership has endorsed the Pacific Leaders Gender Equality…

‘Check out the SI, Aus should rethink aid’

Australian Aid at all destinations should be reviewed, perhaps through a Royal Commission. For example I saw former PM Howard announce AUS$800 million aid for Solomon Islands but a later SMH report stated $600 million never left Australia. Google “phantom aid” and “boomerang aid”. Solomon Islands people virtually have no money. An experienced SI economist…