Feeding the chooks to keep them quiet

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…

Transforming Failure into Trust

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…

Cargo mentality in Solomon Islands politics

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…

Insecurity looms as RAMSI pulls out

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…

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…

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…

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…