Main Menu

Tuesday, January 17th, 2017

 

Sound investment important to national economy

THE Chairman of the Government Caucus and Member of Parliament for Central Kwara’ae, Jackson Fiulaua says sound investment incentives are important to the country’s economic development. Mr Fiulaua made the statement in light of criticisms against a Cabinet decision to impose a zero duty on bauxite exports from the country. “Sound investment incentives will derive needed revenue to the national purse, to the provincial governments and will ascertain the creation of job opportunities for nearly a thousand school drop outs, school leavers and graduates every year,” Mr Fiulaua said. HeRead More


SICCI applauds Government’s push to Submarine Cable Project

THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) has applauded the National Government for taking forward the submarine internet cable project that is expected to start work next month. SICCI sees the significance of the cable investment and has welcomed the announcement made earlier this month of a contract with manufacturing giant Huawei to implement the project. The Cable initiative is long overdue and the sooner the project is implemented the better it will be for the economy. It will unlock many opportunities for the country and bring withRead More


Shaggy is coming to town again!

APPARENTLY one visit to the Solomon Islands was not enough for Mr Lover Lover (Shaggy) Orville Richard Burrell, famously known as ‘Shaggy’ will be making his second trip to Honiara on February 16, 2017. This was confirmed by the Events Manager of the Heritage Park Hotel, Bradford Hepponstall. The reggae-dancehall artist is known for his hit singles ‘Boombastic’, ‘It Wasn’t Me’ and ‘Angel’. He made recognition on the music scene in 1993 with his debut album “Pure Pleasure” followed by “Bombastic” in 1995. “Bombastic” went certified Platinum, won a GrammyRead More


SIPA rice still being sold here: why?

COLIN Yow called it “leading reforms in Solomon Islands.” Others called it second grade rice, imported from Vietnam via Singapore. A Commission of Inquiry has since found the 1,500 tonnes of rice cost the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) some $10 million. Under his USD500,000-a-year tax-free salary, Mr Yow was entitled to three business class travels a year. He made more trips in 2015 and again at the beginning of 2016. Last April Mr Yow was sacked by the SIPA Board for alleged insubordination. But he never took his dismissalRead More


New airline CEO vows new strategy for national carrier

SOLOMON Airlines new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brett Gerbers said he will look at the problems that the airline faces, and come up with a set of new strategies. Speaking exclusively with the paper in an interview yesterday, Mr Gerbers said the airline has a number of problems, and one obvious one is the aging aircraft fleet. “I need to understand why things are done the way they are, I need to understand the people here, we need to look at opportunities that are available to this airlines, I willRead More


More actions and less talking this year: Sir Albert

THE pattern of much talking and less action must change this year, says Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer. “I think this pattern must change in this year and it must start with each one of us, to the point of not merely talking and discussing about it in workshops and seminars to have a better understanding and knowledge of it but we must come to the point where we not only hate corruption but will not tolerate it amongst ourselves,” Justice Palmer said. He said corruption deprives children of theirRead More


Four entities under PMO reinvigoration programmes

FOUR entities are currently on the Prime Minister’s Office table waiting for reinvigoration possibly this year. The entities are; Commodity Export and Marketing Authority (CEMA), Russell Islands Plantation Estate Limited (RIPEL), Development Bank of Solomon Islands (DBSI) and Gold Ridge Mining Development. PMO Chief of Staff Mr Robson Djokovic said four sub-committees have been established by the Cabinet to look into issues surrounding CEMA, RIPEL, DBSI and Gold Ridge. He said the sub-committees have been assigned to carry investigation and research on the issues and provide the government with documentsRead More


SIPA still suffering hiccups

THE new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA), Eranda Kotelawala, also arrived in Honiara over the weekend, except that he was put back on the Fiji-bound flight, which brought him and his wife. It would appear the new SIPA Management has failed to obtain Mr Kotelawala’s work permit prior to his arrival. As a result, he and his wife were denied entry and told to head back to Fiji until his work permit is sorted out. Insiders said, “We were expecting him in the OfficeRead More


More jetties to be built by SIMSA & SIPA

THE Office of the Solomon Islands Maritime Administration will cooperate with SIPA to build more jetties for the domestic wharf. This is to allow more wharfs to meet the increasing number of vessels in the country. Head of Operation Safe Boat – 2016 (dissolved on January 15, 2017) from SIMSA Office, Mr Derek Saru said the matter will be discussed between the two stakeholders soon. He said looking at the current number of jetties at the domestic wharf, the wharfs are not enough for the vessels. “And when it comesRead More


BLC hearings commence today

THE Bills and Legislation Committee (BLC) will commence hearings into two Bills today. The two Bills are the Wildlife Protection and Management (Amendment) Bill 2016 and the Ombudsman Bill 2016. It has been confirmed that a total of eight Bills have already been considered by the Committee toward the end of last year. The eight Bills are the Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill 2016, the Land Surveyors Bill 2016, the Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016, the Pacific Games 2023 Bill 2016, the Child and Family Welfare Bill 2016 and theRead More