SOLOMON FOCUS

BY GEORGINA KEKEA Work on the Traditional governance customs and facilitation bill is still on-going and a very much important work of the Solomon Islands government. The bill is seen as a very important one to regulate the traditional governance system in Solomon Islands. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecceslestical Affairs, Mr. Peter Mae says this is a flagship policy for the national government as it will formally establish a platform that will recognize, strengthen and empower the informal governing structures.  Mae said the bill will enable traditional leaders and tribal chiefs to play an active role in the decision making process in communities.  “For example, a resolve of theft of pig or theft of a thing within that line of thinking.  Here the leaders of the community, we call them traditional leaders or chiefs, have always been their role to oversee, and deal in terms of resolving those life  related disputes, aside o...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA “I am the eldest in the family and I feel a sense of responsibility to make something of my life so that I can be able to support my family”. The sentiment shared by Mike Toni from Veramogho village in South Guadalcanal is not far from what most Solomon Islanders are also thinking of when hoping to get into the Labor Mobility Scheme. The Labor Mobility Scheme is an objective of Pacific Island political leaders to increase access for Pacific Island Country workers to Australia and New Zealand. With this employment opportunity in higher economies, Solomon Islanders are looking into this scheme as an opportunity to improve their living standards and productivity. But the process to get into the system is not as rosy as it sounds. “I have been here since last week trying to get a passport,'' says Toni. Mike Toni from Veramogho, South Guadalcanal Most of those trying to get into the Labor Mobility Scheme are those trying to get a passport for the first time. The pr...

BY GEORGINA KEKEA  THE Guadalcanal provincial government is now in the process to claim the title of the Matanikau industrial area in Central Honiara. Premier Francis Sade says an offer letter was granted to the Provincial Government last year. On the occasion to mark the province’s second appointed day, he told the people that the transfer instrument was signed on 17 July 2021.  “The government plans to construct a building that will represent Guadalcanal province right in the center of the city. I thank the Ministry of Lands and in particular the Commissioner of Lands for continuously supporting Guadalcanal province addressing land overdue issues, including the Rita Eleven Headquarter land title”, Premier Sade said.  Since taking office in 2019, the Guadalcanal executive government led by Premier Sade has continued to pursue the issue of land in the province. The sale of customary land and Fixed Term Estate (FTE) titles are said to be the problems encountered by th...