BY GEORGINA KEKEA   A lot of interests are being shown by girls in ICT. For the second time Solomon Islands marked “Girls in ICT” since it was established in 2011. 2018 was the first time for Solomon Islands to commemorate “Girls in ICT” day. But within one year, a lot of interests had been displayed by students to participate in this event.  President of Women in IT Solomon Islands (WITSI) Alice Aote’e said the interest shown by the students is good especially to make them aware of careers they can pursue in ICT. She said the membership for WITSI has also increased significantly. Lisa Cleary, Head of Governance Program (L) Alison Ramsay, First Secretary AHC (R)  Alice Aote'e President WITSI (Center) posing for a photo with girls attending the activities   Aote'e says WITSI saw this day not only as one to promote ICT as a career path for girls but also to raise awareness on the dark side of ICT and its uses. “It is also very important that...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA AT the Pacific Resilient Meeting held in Suva, Fiji, from 1st to 3rd May 2019, the United Nation’s Market for Change project was highly commended by women vendors who are part of this project. Adi Bale, who is a vendor at Nadi Market says the project has changed the lives of market vendors like her not only in Fiji but in other countries which the project has reached.  (Audio) Adi Bale breaks down when she speaks of her experience She said being part of the Market for change project is an opportunity she is grateful for. Bale was part of a panel at the recent Pacific Resilient Meeting held in Suva and spoke of the need to have rural women included in decision making bodies that will affect their lives. She says she had been a market vendor most her life but was not recognized in her role as a market vendor. Adi Bale speaking at the PRM (Photo by Ariela Zibiah) “Not until UN Women came and started including us in the...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA THE recent operation by Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) to maintain peace and security did not come cheap. Speaking to local media, Police Commissioner, Mathew Varley says the local police force has encountered many challenges during the country’s elections. Varley says the whole election operation is in excess of 11 million dollars. ”That has been well funded by the Solomon Islands Government and we are grateful for the budget support to enable us to do our job”, Varley said. Audio Mathew Varley on support by Government The Police Commissioner said further unexpected costs were made during the riots on 24 th and 25 th April. “Of course when you see riots like that occur, obviously there is damage to business, there is a cost to the economy and people lose business and lose property and we also saw people stealing property”. Varley said 10 police vehicles had been brought in for repairs after being damaged by rocks and ...

BY PHILIP LILOMO Media & Communications SICCI ONE of the key objectives of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) is to build and improve the capacity and ability of local businesses to achieve their full potential in business, and therefore in contributing to growing the economy. To achieve this, the Chamber works with Government partners, interest groups and organizations both national and regionally to work through challenges local businesses face. One such partnership SICCI has utilized is with the Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) New Zealand. Over the past three (3) years SICCI has been facilitating the participation of locally owned businesses in the PTI New Zealand annual ‘Path to Market’ programme which is a multi-stage activity also known as the Pacific Path to Market business capability building programme. One part of the activity is where New Zealand businesses are brought into direct contact with Pacific businesses and their products, ...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA       The Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) is considering investing in another partnership with Nasfund and Lamana through Loloata Island Resort Ltd in Papua New Guinea. With the success of the Heritage Hotel partnership (Nasfund 60 percent, Lamana 20 percent and SINPF 20 percent), the SINPF Board has positively considered this partnership.       A statement from SINPF says the board will buy 15 percent shares for K12 million (about SBD30 million). The partnership will be as follows after the SINPF purchase. Nasfund 50 percent, Lamana 35 percent and SINPF 15 percent.             The SINPF is buying into the partnership when the facility is almost complete without having to wait out the risky construction phase of the new investment with strong business prospects from both local and international customers.  Funds for the acquisition will be from cash dividends earned ...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA Barava FM Investigation into the wrecked Solomon Trader has stalled because vital equipment needed for this process was removed from the ship before SIMSA had a chance to retrieve it from the vessel. SIMSA Acting Director, Jonah Mitau says work is progressing well with the salvaging process. However Mitau says his officers are finding it difficult to carry out their investigation without the equipment to back their findings. "What we hear about black box on the planes, for ship it is called VDR, Voyage Data Recorder. Somebody has already removed the VDR and it is now in Australia. Now they are inviting us to go over to be present when they download the data. There is a possibility they might tamper with the equipment and we might lose information", Mitau says. He says the Attorney General is currently working on this issue and how SIMSA can retrieve the VDR from Australia. He says only the investigating authority should remove the equ...

AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION THE first of six support helicopters arrived at Henderson Airport yesterday (14 March) as part of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces’ joint logistics support to Solomon Islands to help deliver a safe and successful election in April. New Zealand Defence Force NH-90 helicopter is delivered by an Australian Royal Air Force (RAAF) C-17 aircraft    At the request of the Solomon Islands Government, the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces are working together in a Combined Task Group to provide contingency logistics support to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC) for the election. The New Zealand Defence Force NH-90 helicopter, delivered by a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17 aircraft, was greeted at Henderson Airport by the Ministry of Communication and Aviation Chief Operating Officer, Mr Sylvester Kenatsi, and the RSIPF Aviation Liaison Team. New Zealand Defenc...