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
March 21, 2011
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
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
March 16, 2011
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
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
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
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
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
March 06, 2011
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
November 09, 2010
Move Away From "Cargo Mentality," says Abana
Opposition Leader, Steve Abana, has urged individuals and informal Malaita Movements to move away from the "Cargo Cult" mentality as development talks between Malaita and Israel representatives continues in Auki.
Opening the Malaita Economic Development Planning Conference in Auki, Mr Abana said the proposed Israeli-funded Malaita Economic Stimulus Package is not a "windfall of cash" to be given to Malaita.
He made the call in view of fresh misleading stories and beliefs circulating around Malaita that Israel will rescue Malaitans with cash handouts and boat-loads of cargo.
He instead clarified that the Israeli assistance package is aimed at "improving the livelihood of Malaitans that are renowned for their spirit of hard work."
He said under the arrangement, Malaita is now dealing with people "well renowned throughout the world for their hard work, ingenuity and survival."
The Conference will conclude its second day today.
A document to guide the stimulus package is expected to be discussed, developed and drafted throughout the conference.
It will be officially launched at the close of the workshop on November 10.
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