HOW does one evaluate RAMSI? I am not sure how, although there are various Reports, Consultancies and Surveys that have attempted to address this question. These Reports have endeavored to evaluate the effectiveness of RAMSI against the three pillars of its stated mission, namely, a) restoration of law and order, b) improving the machinery of…
WHEN girls are not assured the same opportunities as boys, whether one speaks of the level of ones’ education or which profession one would like to pursue, we as families, villages, societies and nations are short-changing ourselves. For when girls suffer such realities, economies deprive themselves of half their potential professionals — scientists, innovators, socio-economic…
Dr Patricia Rodie’s address to teachers on World Teachers Day I feel honoured and privileged indeed to be given another opportunity to speak to you on the occasion of this year’s World Teachers’ Day, organised by SINTA. May I take this opportunity to thank the World Teachers Day 2013 Organising Committee for inviting me to…
A response to discriminatory and defamatory statements against me I am a great believer in free speech and a free press but there are limitations imposed by the law of defamation as to what can be written and said. The law has generally been codified as ‘Defamation’ but some common law jurisdictions also distinguish between…
THIS is my response to a number of articles you published over the past few days on matters regarding the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA. Let me first confirm that in exercise of the powers conferred upon us, the Minister of Infrastructure Development and the Minister of Finance, by Regulation 14 (1) of the State-owned…
Ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting next week in Majuro, Marshall Islands, Fiji-based European Commissioner for Climate Action, CONNIE HEDEGAARD, writes about her reason for attending the Forum. THE Pacific region is on the front line of climate change. Its low-lying islands risk being swamped by rising sea levels and their inhabitants forced…
SIR Bjelke-Petersen, one-time Premier of the Australian north-east State of Queensland, once referred to journalists as chooks. And each time his government was under threat because of some issues raised by journalists publicly either on the airwave or in newspapers, he would say, “it’s time to feed the chooks”. News conference was his feeding time…
Our text for meditation this week is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your hearts, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (NKJV). Sometimes I feel I stack up all my failures and take roll call every night. I keep them…
Those of you who are familiar with historical and other related written records of the past will be able to realize that there has been a considerable preoccupation on research and studies relating to cargo-cult ideologies and practices especially in Melanesian shores. Some of these were expressed upon the foundations of extreme religious movements that…
It was Sir Peter Kenilorea, then Prime Minister, who declared at the flag raising ceremony outside the United Nations’ Headquarters in New York that as of July 7, 1978 Solomon Islands stands equal with all the other UN members. That was when Solomon Islands gained political independence from Britain after 83 years. Things were looking…