Friday, April 7th, 2017
Solomon Islands 2016 Visitors Survey provides “compelling” insights
SOLOMON Islands tourism sector is well on track to becoming an economic pillar for the country. Solomon Islands international visitor expenditure reached an estimated SBD233-million in 2016 and annual visitation continues to increase year on year. The positive news emanates from an intensive study commissioned by the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau and delivered by Sydney-based Stollznow Research to Solomon Islands government and industry representatives in Honiara. Key findings show that Australian visitation continues to dominate Solomon Islands tourism, accounting for more than half of all visitors (53 percent) with leisureRead More
To share experiance and help people: New JICA volunteers
JAPANESE International Cooperation Agency (JICYA) welcomes six new volunteers who will be serving in different sectors of the country. Speaking to the paper yesterday, the volunteers expressed much interest in working in the country. When asked why they chose to do volunteer work in the Solomons, to work abroad and help people, to share their experiences and learn new things stood out as the main reasons. The volunteers are Mr Kazuo Imai (SV), Ms Mayumi Yasuda (SV), Mr Yuta Motoi, Ms Masae Murashima, Ms Risa Shimizu and Mr Yasuharu Tamai.Read More
Logging in Solomon
DEAR EDITOR, as one of the SIG represented, I like to stress my views concerning the environmental effects of logging company in Solomon Island. The purpose of this letter is to highlight the need to the government to minimize the number of logging company migrating into the country. Logging activity has the major vulnerable effects on the environmental aspects. The logging has caused much devastation to our environment. It leads to many negative effects on the environment through exploiting the forest, soils and rivers. For instance, the large numbers ofRead More
Conservation and environmental protection awareness initiative highly commendable
DEAR EDITOR, the Island Sun yesterday (April 6) carried the story of the newly formed Taka Taka Eco-Village Conservation Foundation (TEVCF) which, with other partners, recently provided awareness of conservation talks to the people in the Taka Taka region in East Are’are. The awareness programme was jointly facilitated by TEVCF, Wai-Hau and the SI Environment Division under the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology. The Founder and Coordinator of TEVCF, Mr Andrew Taraha told the participants during the presentation that, based on the objectives of the organisation,Read More
Axiom’s presence in Isabel
DEAR EDITOR, Axiom KB Ltd presence in Isabel Province maybe numbered Two weeks ago the Solomon Islands Court of Appeal finally handed down its Orders. Amongst others the three panel justices ordered that Axiom KB Ltd Letter of Intent (LOI) for both Kolosori on Isabel Island and in San Jorge invalid. Because of this order the recent Prospecting License Axiom KB has for San Jorge is also invalid. The PL it has over Kolosori on the main land had also been ordered invalid despite Axiom KB recent announcement that itRead More
SIPPA clinic in Auki rededicated
SOLOMON Islands Planned Parenthood Association (SIPPA) clinic in Auki has been rededicated yesterday. The office and clinic had been in run-down states and had undergone major renovations in the last three weeks. During the rededication of the building, senior programme officer international Planned Parenthood federation sub regional office for the Pacific, Laisenia Raloka, congratulated SIPPA for the achievement of the opening of the renovated clinic in Auki. He said, “I believe more than 10 years the building is luck of proper facilities for it services including building renovation and otherRead More
UN to provide peacebuilding and economic livelihood skills training for marginalised youths
INVESTING in youth continues to be an important focus of the UN Peace Building supported project in Solomon Islands. A partnership agreement signed today between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Coconut Technology Centre (CTC) will enhance the knowledge and skills of marginalised youth in peace building and maximise their capability to capitalise on existing economic and social opportunities in their respective communities and villages. This catalytic and innovative approach is supported by the UN Peace Building Fund project in collaboration with the Coconut Technology Centre (CTC). It willRead More
PM disappointed
PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has expressed disappointment on members of Parliament (MPs) for non-attendance in important workshops that contribute to decision making and policy matters. The Prime Minister was referring to a workshop organised by the Electoral Reform Taskforce for members of parliament after the first white paper was tabled in August last year. This is to hear inputs from them regarding the proposed new election system for the Solomon Islands. “It is on that note I expressed my disappointment and what I observed to be a deliberate and continual non-attendanceRead More
Moving up round logs licence fee is no harm: Hon Talasasa
WESTERN Province MPA for Ward 16 Hon Ramrakha Talasasa Jnr said moving the round log export licence of the province up within its current range is no harm at all. Last week, it was passed in the Western Province Business Licence Amendments for 2017-2018 under page 4 that the round log exports licence fee for Western Province is between the ranges of $125,000 to $175,000 SBD. “Moving it up is no harm at all because after all, even though we indigenous locals take part in such operation, the companies belongRead More
POB clarifies loan repayments, arrears
WITH its commitment to ‘Empowering the Nation’, Pan Oceanic Bank (POB) wishes to clarify reports in the social media concerning the loan repayments and the arrears that customers are raising grievances about. This week, the bank has noted that a senior public servant is questioning why his fortnightly deduction was not paid, which have forced his loan repayment to transpire into arrears. The issue steered a big debate in the social media, on the Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII) Facebook page. Speaking on behalf of the bank in clarifying theRead More