Welcome back to this blog 28 September 2018

To my valuable readers,

Over the past year, since the passing away of my uncle, Dykes Momoka Angiki, I decided - out of respect - not to engage in any shape or form of journalism. It was my form of respect during this time, to mourn the loss of someone, whom I had greater respect for him as an uncle, relative, father-figure, professional colleague, mentor, advisor and friend.  

Solomon Islands fatigue of corruption, what next?

Recently, Transparency Solomon Islands International revealed that the current government had paid less than $SID15m to a number of Members of Parliament (MPs) and bogus companies under a shipping project. The news had not only led to a strong condemnation by the Opposition Leader of the government but a request for the government to investigate the allegation.

Former logger in the Solomon Islands becomes Ozzie PM

Turnbull (left) and Abbott (right) in good time

A former logging operator in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands is now the new Prime Minister of Australia.

Malcolm Turnbull’s connection to the Solomon Islands logging industry began in the late 1980s . Turnbull and Nick Minchin, the former retired Finance Minister of Australia in 2002, were the principal investors in Axiom Logging Company.

The logging company was carrying out a logging operation in Vella La Vella Island, Western Province, Solomon Islands, and had its head-office in a building directly opposite, the current office of the Solomon Star English newspaper at New China Town, Honiara.

Miners accused of bribing former Prime Minister

The beauty of the 'Avatai o Mugava (West Rennell Coastline)

The former Prime Minister of Solomon Islands and former Minister of Energy, Mines and Minerals with top bureaucrats are accused of receiving briberies to grant prospect and mining licences to two Asian companies, including the one now the sole owner of West Rennell mining tenement.

Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID) has been accused in the local media and various social media forums of bribing former Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, of directing the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Minerals to grant the permits to APID, despite the abnormality of the process and the existence of fake document in the core applications of APID and a rival company, Bingtang.

Consultation on Pacific Trade ends today in Fiji

Consultations on solutions for growth in the Pacific Islands region has brought together wide range stakeholders of parliamentarians, private sector, civil society, government officials and policy makers to engage in a ‘Comprehensive Consultations on Pacific Trade at Shangri-La Fijian Hotel, Sigatoka, Fiji, which ends today.

Former sacked PS calls Bellonese administrators "leaches"



A pool of water in a recently dug up mining site by APID in West Rennell

The former provincial secretary of Rennell and Bellona Province, Willie Peseika has labelled the pre-dominantly Bellonese administration of the province as “leaches”.

Peseika made the sarcastic description, implying that Bellonese are sucking money out of the Province, in the Rennell and Bellona Province members’ only social media forum, where he had used the alias Agiki P Baiabe.

Pacific trade consultations underway in Fiji

More than one hundred trade and customs officials, the private sector, parliamentarians, non-state actors and development partners from the Pacific region will meet at Shangri-La Hotel, Sigatoka, Fiji, for series of trade related meetings from 17 – 21 August.

Islands' agencies meet in Suva to talk about Labor Mobility Scheme

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)  in Suva, Fiji, is hosting a one-day meeting of Regional Agencies Responsible for Implementing Labour Mobility today, Monday 3 August, 2015.

Media Ethics Forum generates debate in Colombo, Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan Press Institute will conclude a three-day conference on Media Ethics in the Age of Globalization in Colombo, Sri Lanka, today.

Prof Shunkantala Rao on the far right with colleagues

In the first session yesterday, Professor Clifford Christians of University of Illinoise and Professor Shukantala Rao of Department of Communication Studies, State University of New York, co-chaired the first session over the topic “Global media ethics and ethics within regional and local context.

The second session, Professor Shakuntala Rao co-chaired and moderate a panel with Dr Vipul Mudgal, Dr Ranga Kalansooriya and Mr U Myint Kyaw, over the topic “Media Ethics in Emerging Democracy”.

Renbel and Honiara City Council have elected new leaders

The Rennell and Bellona Province has elected a new Premier.