Kurukuru OFC qualifiers squad named

in Solomon Islands since this team will be bearing the hopes of the country in the attempt to qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup which will be held in Thailand in 2012.

The 2011 line-up is not very different from the 2010 team that clinched the 2010 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Futsal Championship title in style in Suva with wins against all their opponents including a 21 – 2 drubbing of minnows Tuvalu.

This time, however, the regional champions are aware of the preparations of their opponents and pressure is mounting from teams like New Zealand, Tahiti and Fiji who are eyeing the opportunity to steal the title away from the 3-time winners and represent Oceania in Thailand.

The two (2) goalkeepers Paul Huia and David Lafai have both retained their place in the team and so have 9 other players including captain Elliot Ragomo and forwards Micah Lea’alafa and Jack Wetney who are vital to the strength of the Kurukuru side.

The only new player in the squad is Samuel Osifelo who replaces Jenan Kapu who has been struggling with injuries in recent months and has been rested so that he can recover fully before returning to training.

Osifelo is new in the sense that he was not in the last 3 teams that represented Solomon Islands in the OFC championships but in 2008 he was among the players that brought the country to its first FIFA Futsal World Cup so his experience and ability with the ball are well shaped.

Source: SIFF

Historic Health Deal Signed

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the Minister of Health and Medical Services of Solomon Islands Hon. Charles Sigoto and his Vanuatu counterpart Hon. Steven Don Ken signifies an important milestone between the two Melanesian countries.

The MOU will now allow the Vanuatu Government to start recruiting Solomon Islands nurses to work in Vanuatu.

A total of 25 nurses will travel to Vanuatu this year as soon the Vanuatu Government finalizes their recruitment and travel arrangements.

Under the arrangement, the nurses will work on contract for three years before the next 25 nurses will be recruited as replacements on three year contract basis.

Minister Don Ken said Vanuatu is facing a critical nursing shortage which impacts negatively on health services to its more than 200,000 population for the last 10 years.

"I am proud and very pleased to sign this agreement on behalf of the Government and People of Vanuatu which is very important for our country's health sector".

"I would also like to thank the Government and People of Solomon Islands for listening to our cry for help in terms of nursing assistance," Minister Don Ken said.

He added that the response by Solomon Islands to provide nurses to work in Vanuatu shows the heart that Solomon Islanders have for their brothers and sisters in Vanuatu.

Solomon Islands Health Minister Charles Sigoto who is a nurse by profession for 30 years said the signing of the partnership is the beginning of greater things to come for the benefit of the two countries.

"I am very much grateful as a nurse myself that the enhanced cooperation between our two countries has began with the nursing profession," Minister Sigoto said.

He added that there are plans at government to government level in place for further collaboration between the two countries in terms of health services.

The signing ceremony was made in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka and senior officials from both Governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Minister Don Ken and his delegation will leave Honiara today

Source : SolomonTimes

MEDICAL STUDENTS IN CUBA AND ALLOWANCES

Authorities in Honiara say Solomon Islands medical students studying in Cuba should already be getting their allowances.

Dr Cendrick Alependava told the Public Accounts Committee hearing this morning that Solomon Islands Ambassador at the United Nations Collin Beck has travelled to Cuba with the students' allowances this week.

Dr. Alependava says all 74 medical students studying in Cuba will have been given their seven months allowances this week by Ambassador Beck.

The plight of the students were highlighted in the media and press in the past days, prompting the government to act quickly.

Dr Alependava told the committee that difficulty in sending money through to Cuba has been one of the reasons for the delay of the students' allowances.

He said the ministry of health is working closely with foreign affairs to ensure this problem does not happen again.

He further added that the health ministry is planning to send a further 26 students to Cuba.

Source: SIBC

UNION GIVES ULTIMATUM TO GOVERNMENT

The Public Employees Union, SIPEU, and the National Teachers Association, SINTA, have given the Government until Monday next week to respond to the payment of Public servants outstanding benefits.

The notice was issued to the Government on Monday this week after a meeting held earlier this month and it has until March 21st to respond.

The Solomon Islands National Teachers Association's Industrial Relations Officer, Johnly Hatimoana, says they have highlighted the Long and Dedicated Service and the Cost of Living Adjustment of 11.5 percent in their demands.

Hatimoana told SIBC News they are hoping the Government will agree to change the interpretation of Long Service Benefit so that a person upon redundancy,retirement or resignation receives his whole payment at once.

Source: SIBC

MSG LEADERS TO MEET IN FIJI NEXT WEEK

All Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders have confirmed their attendance at the meeting scheduled in Suva at the end of this month.

Fiji Sun reports say this means Prime Minister Sato Kilman of Vanuatu, Prime Minister Danny Philip of the Solomon Islands, Sir Michael Somare of Papua New Guinea and representatives of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front F-L-N-K-S of New Caledonia will attend.

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama will chair the meeting.

Fiji’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola was in Port Vila yesterday to brief Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister, George Wells and Prime Minister Sato Kilman of the status of preparation for the MSG Leaders Summit.

Speaking from Port Vila, Ratu Inoke told Pacnews both the Vanuatu leaders are looking forward to coming to Fiji at the end of the month.

This would be the second occasion that Fiji is hosting the MSG Leaders summit. The first was in 1997.

Founded in 1986, the MSG is made up of countries in the Melanesian region – Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the FLNKS in New Caledonia.

Ratu Inoke also confirmed that all MSG Leaders have agreed to invite Indonesia and Timor Leste at this year’s summit.

Source: SIBC

WESTERN AND CHOISEUL PREMIERS FACE NO CONFIDENCE MOTIONS

A series of No Confidence votes are expected in a number of provincial assemblies next week.

In Gizo, Western Province, a notice of a no confidence motion has been filed against the Provincial Premier George Solingi Lilo.

Assembly Speaker Jackson Piasi confirms the motion will be first on the agenda when the Provincial Assembly starts it's meeting next week.

The notice of the motion was filed by the provincial member for ward 15, Munda, David Kera.

While grounds for the motion against Mr George Solingi Lilo have not been made known, the Speaker,Mr. Piasi says such a motion under standing orders require seven days written notice to the speaker before it is presented in the Assembly.

Mr Piasi says the speaker must also be satisfied that no similar motion has been moved in the previous 12 months.

He says the motion shall be dealt with first before any other assembly agenda or as per order paper during the Assembly meeting.

The Western Provincial Assembly starts it's 2011-2012 Budget Meeting next Tuesday March 22.

Further down West in Choiseul Province, the Premier Jackson Kiloe is likely to also face a motion of no confidence when the Provincial Assembly meets next week.

Choiseul province's Clerk to Assembly Chris Makoni says the motion was filed by the member for Wagina ward Peter Tobire.

Mr Makoni says the only reason for moving the motion is lack of confidence in Mr Kiloe's leadership but no further details were provided in the document submitted to the provincial speaker this week.

He says the motion will be tabled during the upcoming full assembly and budget meeting scheduled for next week.

Source: SIBC

MILLIONS FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS LONG SERVICE BENEFIT

The Public Service Ministry has allocated six-point-four million dollars for its new and reformed long-service benefit formula.

Permanent Secretary Ishmael Avui told the Public Accounts Committee this morning, the new formular includes a 26-pay period plus the number of years served in public service.

Last year's allocation for this item was 780-thousand dollars.

Avui says the new long service benefit package is a retention measure and a measure to encourage loyalty to public service general orders.

Mr Avui made his presentation on the second day of the Public Accounts Committee hearing today, which covered another five ministries.

They are: Public Service Ministry, the Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the National Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Immigration.

The hearings continue tomorrow with seven government ministries.

They will include Education and Human Resources; Justice and Legal Affairs; Commerce, Industry and Employment; Lands, Housing and Survey, Infrastructure Development; Communication and Aviation; and Forestry.

Source: SIBC

SIG-SPONSORED STUDENTS AT USP CHALLENGED TO DO BETTER

Solomon Island Government sponsored students studying at USP in Suva, Fiji have been challenged to do their best in their studies this year as it costs the government millions of dollars to provide them with scholarships.

USP student Rickson Bau reports from Suva that the head of Solomon Islands High Commission in Suva, Moses Mose, made the challenge at a combine church service yesterday.

Mr Mose said the government spends 70-thousand dollars and 110-thousand dollars respectively each year for each student attending USP Laucala Campus and the Fiji School of Medicine.

SIBC News understands that more than 200 students were awarded government scholarships this year to study in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and other regional tertiary institutions in the Pacific. This includes both In-Service and Pre-Service awards.

Mr Mose told the students that they must use the opportunity they are given as they are more privileged than many who also struggled to get a scholarship.

Meanwhile, Solomon Islands Students Association, SISA, President David Diosi said the task now is for students to use the learning opportunity they have.

He said SISA want to less scholarship terminations or even no terminations this year.

The SISA president said his executive together with the National Training Unit’s representative in Suva will collaborate to ensure students’ academic performances improved this year.

The combine church meeting organized by SISA was attended by Mr Mose and family, Solomon Islands teaching staff at Laucala Campus and Suva-based working Solomon Islanders.

source: SIBC

EU PROVIDES BUDGETARY SUPPORT TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

The European Union will provide 2.8 million Euro to support Solomon Islands budget that will contribute to building resilience and adapt to the effects of climate change on the economy and country.

Prime Minister Danny Philip signed a programme for the help at a regional conference for the Joint Pacific-European Union Initiative on Climate Change in Vanuatu yesterday.

The conference was to provide political guidance to launch the implementation of the Joint Pacific-EU Initiative on climate change.

A statement from the Ministry of Environment says the conference is important for Solomon Islands participation with other Pacific Islands as climate change is crucial development obstacle.

It says these obstacles can be seen in the intensity of cyclones, unpredictable rainfall patterns, extreme weather patterns such as storms and floods that causes damages especially on the shorelines and land that impact on lives of the people.

source: SIBC