Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
Manele questions noninvolvement of MPs in anticorruption strategy consultations
HONOURABLE Jeremiah Manele has questioned why elected Members of Parliament were not engaged during the consultation of the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS). The Leader of the Official Opposition made the statement when contributing to the motion on the strategy this week. “Sir, while I acknowledge the provincial consultations that were undertaken in preparing the strategy, I wonder why we the elected people of this country have not been engaged in the consultations. “Or was it only those of us from this side of the house that have not been givenRead More
Public servants terms and conditions to be reviewed
A top-to-bottom review on the terms and conditions of public servants will be done. This was assured by the Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare in Parliament when moving the motion of the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS). The Prime Minister told Parliament that the salaries and conditions of service of public servants in Solomon Islands is considered low compared to the cost of living in Honiara and other urban areas. “When public officials are increasingly finding it difficult to meet essential household expenditures, there is then an incentive to commit corruption,”Read More
Seven fields to recruit more seasonal workers
SEVEN Fields is one of the biggest seasonal worker recruiters in Australia and will be in the country from the 13th to 17th this month to carry out another big recruitment exercise. Speaking to the paper yesterday, Ms Jenny Barile, the deputy director of external trade under the ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, confirmed that the group will be in the country next week to recruit 40 new workers. She added that this recruitment will the second round of recruitment from the company. In regards to the 40Read More
Stakeholder coordination in Anticorruption Strategy crucial
WHILST resources are highly important to implementing the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS), proper coordination with all relevant stakeholders is also equally important. Leader of the Official Opposition Hon Jeremiah Manele told Parliament this when contributing to the motion on the Strategy. Manele then added that he is well aware that a Steering Committee arrangement has been chosen and questioned whether this arrangement will replace the earlier idea of setting up an Independent Commission Against Corruption or not. The Leader of the Official Opposition affirmed his Group’s support toward measures andRead More
DCCG places roadmap to rigid public financial management
‘$72M of public funds had not been properly accounted for’ THE Democratic Coalition for Change Government has placed a road map to strengthening public financial management. This was confirmed by the Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare when moving the motion on the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS) in Parliament for deliberation before the Committee of the Whole House. Prime Minister Sogavare said the National Anti-Corruption Strategy wants to augment the roadmap with a sense of urgency in view of both the increased losses of public funds and the ineffective expenditureRead More
Govt to review forestry and mining sector
THE Government says it will review its policies on the forestry and mining sectors. Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare made the assurance when moving the motion of the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS). This promised review is in line with priority focuses of the strategy on fighting corruption in the country’s forestry and mining sector. He told Parliament that these reviews will be underpinned by the intention to provide more transparency in the processes required by law, leading up to the awarding of licences and doing mining and logging operations. TheRead More
Manele suggests more corruption definitions in NACS
THE Leader of the Official Opposition Hon Jeremiah Manele has suggested that the Government provide some definitions of the word corruption in the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS) to have people understand the seriousness of the issue and costs. Hon Manele made the statement in Parliament when contributing on the motion of the strategy moved by the Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare this week. The goal of the strategy and action plan is to reduce the opportunities for incidence of corruption in the country. “Sir, in terms of the structure ofRead More
Anticorruption citizen mechanisms expounded
THERE are two priority initiatives of the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) to be implemented this year in support of the national anticorruption strategy. They are the already functional and fully commended Janus Taskforce and the soon to be launched ‘Phone Against Corruption Project’. “The Janus Taskforce is doing extremely well and is already performing the role which the Solomon Islands Commission Against Corruption will play in the future,” the Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare said. The upcoming Phone against Corruption Project is a project that willRead More
Anticorruption strategy history in the making
THE National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS) document has been dubbed history in the making. Leader of the Official Opposition Hon Jeremiah Manele made the statement in Parliament when contributing to the motion on the strategy. According to Manele, the document contains information that sets out the processes through which corruption is to be tackled or addressed in the country. “It is also history because this Parliament will for the first time take a step towards fulfilling the wish of many Solomon Islanders to seriously address the scourge of corruption,” said HonRead More
Anticorruption strategy outlined
PRIME Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare has outlined the national anticorruption strategy priority areas. He outlined this on the floor of Parliament on Monday when moving the motion on the national anticorruption strategy for deliberation before the Committee of the Whole House. According to Sogavare, his Government is focused to deliver six priority achievements in the national anticorruption strategy. They are to; strengthen laws against corruption, harmonise anticorruption efforts across the public sector, fighting corruption in the forestry and mining sector, strengthening procurement and public financial management procedures, improve salaries andRead More