The former Prime Minister warned the Solomon Islands prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, to keep out of PNG politics after publicly backing Sir Michael Somare to win in forthcoming elections.

He says he finds it somewhat disturbing that a Prime Minister could publicly declare his preferred counterpart before elections were to be held. Mr Sogavare recently stated in a PNG newspaper that he wants to see Sir Michael return as prime minister following the upcoming elections.

The Opposition has also come out strong against the Prime Minister's recent public statement. Speaking on behalf of the Opposition group Hon. Edward Huniehu describes Prime Minister Sogavare's action as a bad precedent.

"He (Sogavare) is putting the Solomon Islands Government in an awkward situation in the event of a new Executive Government taking over power after the elections" said Huniehu. "

Such public outburst of support for Sir Michael was uncalled for"

As the Forums Representative Dr. Korovavala's role is to liaise and consult with the Solomon Islands Government on regional matters.

It is the first time the Forum has selected someone from one of its member countries as its representative in the island nation.

Mr Korovavala was a former Chief Executive Officer in the Fiji's Ministry of Home Affairs.

PACNEWS has reported that an office has been set up in the Forum Fisheries Agencies based in Honiara for Dr Korovavala.

Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party spokesman Peceli Kinivuwai was reacting to observations by Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Mr Sogavare had earlier stated that all eyes were on PNG and the result of the elections would be crucial not only for PNG but also for the leadership of Melanesian countries.Mr Sogavare stated in a PNG newspaper that he was hopeful for the return of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare as he would continue to chart the direction for Fiji, the Solomons and Vanuatu in his capacity as chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

But Mr Kinivuwai of the very popular SDL party of Fiji stated in the Fiji Times that Sir Michael has got enough problems in his own backyard in which he should focus on instead of trying to step into Fiji's affairs.

"We do not need external assistance as we can handle our problems in the Fijian way through dialogue," he said."We are aware of our culture and our prevailing religious groups so we understand our own systems better. To address our system we need people from within Fiji."

Mr Kinivuwai said the military needed to call on members of political parties to help map Fiji's path to democracy as this would comprise people who had a mandate.

Mr. Hughes said the challenge is 'how to do development better' and how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

"Learning from experiences - our own and that of others - drawing on new techniques and technologies without being swamped by them, being honest with each other, engaging with out regional neighbors and the world at large through trade, investment, foreign aid and international politics."

He then reminded the media representatives of their roles as builders of Pacific economies. "Your role is to provide the information people need to take charge of their own development - to empower the people by informing them".

He told delegates that much of what journalist are doing is excellent, but overall their impact is nowhere near as effective and valuable as it could be.He identified that media contribution towards development, if is to be effective, needs to address the following factors.

"Firstly, Journalists need to understand economic development thoroughly to be able to report it in a usable media format in a simple language" said Hughes. "Media reporting in economic matters is generally too passive, superficial, and heavily dependent on official handouts"

He said if it is not reversed, inequality and widening awareness of what is causing it will have disastrous consequences for Pacific nations. Persistent unfairness breeds bitterness, and unattended bitterness breeds an urge to destroy.

Unscrupulous political operators know this and can exploit it for their own purposes, as several countries represented here can testify, said Mr. Hughes.He said a contributing factor to this inequality is the way liberal capitalist economy tends to facilitate the concept of accumulation of wealth and economic power in the hands of progressively fewer persons and corporations, both nationally and around the world.

The other he claimed is the sordid reality of widespread corruption in the Solomon Islands."The misuse of public office for private gain- in its main forms is corruption. Together these two elements play a major part in the size and unsustainability of the widening gap between the Pacific's rich and poor." said Hughes

The EU had funded a fully equipped modern building for the Church of Melanesia’s Saint Nicholas Secondary School which was officially handed over to school authorities and students on Friday.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Mr. Barnabas Anga has expressed profound gratitude to the European Union for their continuous commitment and dedication in the Solomon Islands education sector.

He said the commitment and dedication by EU is evident in the completed classrooms and library building that is now ready for use by teachers and students.
Mr. Anga also highlighted the fact that because of the commitment and dedication of parents, guardians and friends of St. Nicholas School through their valuable labor, much has been achieved including the new building.

“I wish to commend all of you for the spirit of cooperation and partnership that enabled us to witness this timely handover of these properties to the School Management and Board of St. Nicholas Community High School,” Mr Anga added.

He pointed out that his Ministry advocates the principles of financial management and budgeting and it was this training amongst others, which has enabled the management of St. Nicholas, to better plan for effective use of its financial resources, which had culminated in the construction of the first phase of this classroom.

“The second phase was completed with support from the National Secondary School Infrastructure Programme of my Ministry, which is supervised by Pro Solutions,” Mr. Anga explained.

“I wish to put on record our sincerest appreciation for the fine efforts and advice from the management of Pro Solutions to Schools that are beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries of our National Secondary School Project,” Mr Anga added.

The EU funded two-storey classroom building will accommodate form seven classes and a fine library.

School Principal Mrs Christina Vunagi funding provided by the EU through the Ministry of Education under the Education Investment Reform Program (EIRP) has benefited her school since 2005.

According to Mrs. Vunagi, the school had received the first installment of $122,000.00 in 2005.

“This money initially was for the classroom building now occupied by the form six classes and the computer lab, however, when the money was made available the classroom had already been completed using the school’s own funds” Mrs Vunagi explained.

She added that after reprioritizing the school’s projects, the school board decided on a library since the school has already reached Form 7 level and this was when they utilized the EU money.

Saint Nicholas School had a long track record of endurance and Endeavour in as far as their commitment to the overall advancement of the school’s learning environment is concerned and this was the spirit that had enabled them to make contributions in terms of labor costs, furnishing and other finishing touches, which value up to more than $180,000-00.

Mr Ulufa’alu died at age 56 on Friday after a long battle with diabetes.
The government has accorded the greater leader a state funeral on Sunday before his body was taken for burial at his island home of Gwaula Walo in his native Langalanga lagoon.

The body of the late Prime minister arrived before midnight Sunday evening to a waiting crowd of mourners.

Minister of Police and Justice Isaac Inoke who represented the government said the Solomon Islands Government will miss the service of the late Ulufa’alu who has contributed a lot to the Progress of Solomon Islands in his lifetime.

He has led Solomon Islands through very difficult and hard times,” he said. “We cannot match him, and I am much honored to bring him back to you from where he started and now ended.

A tributary gift of Shell Money and Ten Thousand dollars was given by the Solomon Islands Government to the Chiefs and relatives on arrival.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare also said the late MP would go down in Solomon Islands history as a binding force during one of the most trying times.

He said the late leader made the supreme decision in sacrificing fame and fortune to relinquish the post of Prime Minister in 2000 in the interest of peace, stability and national unity when militants demanded his resignation as Prime Minister.

“I can without any reservation whatsoever say that it is this unselfish action by a person who cared about the continual existence of this country that paved a very important path in the country’s peace process.

“He is truly the man of peace.”

The Prime Minister said the late Ulufa’alu was the main brain behind the Grand Coalition for Change Government’s Bottom-up Approach development policy.

He said the late MP’s charisma and vision for sovereignty, rural development, good governance and transparency and economic reforms were outstanding and he would be missed by all.

The project will specifically target badly affected areas in West and Choiseul. The proposed project, which will be co-financed by the European Union, will be implemented from 2007 to 2009.

It will finance rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, including about 35 kilometres of roads, 29 bridges, about four wharves, one jetty, and the Gizo town water supply and sanitation system.

ADB has committed to assisting the Government by providing technical support in overall coordination, and drafting the Recovery Action Plan, in cooperation with other development partners.Robert Guild, Senior Transport Specialist from ADB's Pacific Department said that one of the main goals of the Emergency Assistance Project is to restore economic and social activities in the affected areas to pre-tsunami level.

Mr Urwin stated that the priority areas of the Pacific Plan are now under the management of the Pacific Plan Action Committee, chaired by the Forum Chair - currently Papua New Guinea. The committee is comprised of senior officials of all Forum member countries.

Mr Urwin says the Plan brings together the region's current development priorities under four overarching objectives of economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security.

He says the plan calls for strengthened regional cooperation and integration, recognizing that as the change brought about by globalisation intensifies, so should our ability to make our regional cooperation more relevant and effective.

Mr Urwin says that because regional organizations are also playing an active role in the implementation of the Plan, the Forum had committed to strengthening the cooperative abilities by developing a regional institutional framework that is appropriate for these new approaches to regionalism.

Willie Lai is ecstatic with the win, but Marist fans are calling foul. Within 10 minutes of the first half, Iniga was given the marching orders for a foul play on Takahama. The decision fueled the Marist bench who saw the red card as unnecessary claiming it was a fair challenge.

With a man-down Marist shifted to high gear and scored in a matter of minutes to the surprise of KOSSA. Benjamin Mela buried a free kick outside of the eighteen yard to the jubilation of Marist supporters. The celebration was short lived when in less then three minutes KOSSA's Luwi scored a cheeky goal, tipping the ball over Marist keeper Jr Samani.

The score line remained 1 all till full time. KOSSA scored in extra time courtesy of a brilliant shot by Wahero. Gibson Hosea of Marist equalized in the last 15 minutes of extra time, only to see the goal canceled by the referee Mathew Taro. Taro cited an infringement inside the six yard box and canceled the goal.

Marist threatened to leave the pitch saying the referee was biased and intentionally 'handing the game' to KOSSA. The game resumed and KOSSA put the game beyond reach through the ever skillful James Naka.

The game ended 3-1 in favor of KOSSA but Marist fans, officials and players will only remember the game as a classic 'daylight robbery'. KOSSA will now play Kolale in the finals tomorrow.

Kolale were convincing winners over the Northern Warriors of Central Province, winning 7-1.

The mission’s Assistant Special Coordinator, Masi Lomaloma, said the film tells the story of people from the Pacific working with their Solomon Islands counterparts to rebuild the country.

“Changing Lives explores what the ‘R’ in RAMSI really means and at the same time asks Solomon Islanders: “How has your life changed since RAMSI came?”.

“The film presents a ‘snap shot’ of eight people working with RAMSI: on the beat as advisors to the Solomon Islands Police Force, out talking with the community, on patrol in villagers, or working with their Solomon Islands Government counterparts”, Mr Lomaloma explained.

Mr Lomaloma said the initial objective of the film was to capture the experience of different people from different countries working in the Solomon Islands with RAMSI - to find out what they are doing and what they have learnt from the experience of living and working in the Solomon Islands.

“The film helps to explain to people in Solomon Islands, but also in the Pacific region, what RAMSI is, what it does and the impact of the work of their citizens in three key areas in the Solomon Islands: law and justice, economic governance and machinery of government”, he said.

“What we have discovered in the process of making the film is that the experience of living and working in the Solomon Islands is changing the lives of both RAMSI personnel and the people they are working with”, he said.

“Building partnerships has always been a key focus of RAMSI in working together with Solomon Islanders. This film shows at a very personnel level how that is happening everyday on the streets, in government offices and in the provinces”, he said.

Mr Lomaloma said the film will be used for regional visits by RAMSI principals.
“It is important for people in the region to know and understand the contribution people from their countries are making to rebuild the Solomon Islands as well as building enduring relationships across the region”, he said.

National Disaster Management Office media officer Julian Maka'a says NGO groups have reported that these communities are reportedly waiting on government to rebuild the houses for them."These villagers need to know that we have to help each other in order to make things move faster, they all have to take up the responsibility and assist" Mr Maka'a said.

Mr Maka'a said that relief food supplies for those affected areas have stopped last month and a team from the Asian Development Bank are doing their own assessment on the damages. "In fact our team has already done our own assessment and we provided the figures" Maka'a said.

"Donors saw those figures but they wanted to see for themselves so they went down to the site" The National Disaster Management Office is continuing to coordinate the funds provided for the Tsunami victims in the Western and Choiseul provinces. Reports reaching the NDMO through SWIM said that a number of houses were being built with local materials assisted by members of SWIM team.

The NDMO is recommending the initiative by SWIM and people are asked to do the same thing to ensure things get back to normal as soon as possible.

The Honiara Action Plan was drawn up through British Government support during the 2007 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) convention.

The successful biennial convention was organised and hosted by Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) and held in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara.
The Honiara Action Plan emphasises the importance of economic and business journalism for development in the region. It sets out a series of practical steps to strengthen this, and highlights existing examples of best practice.

The Action Plan says that in too many news organisations across the Pacific Islands economic and business journalism continues to play a secondary role to political reportage.

The Action Plan says: "Vigorous, professional and independent economic and business journalism is crucial to the countries and territories the Pacific Islands news media serve. This is because it involves issues affecting the everyday lives and futures of all Pacific Islands people."

It adds that the economic and business challenges facing the nations of the region are many.

It says they include:
* Unprecedented moves towards regional and international economic integration and free trade.
* Fighting poverty.
* Overcoming corruption and inefficient governance.
* Promotion of private sector development.
* Resolving conflict over resource ownership and land rights.
* Resolving issues of resource development and sustainability.
* Climate change and its impact on land, agriculture and food supply.
* Reducing the growing gap between the haves and the have nots.
* Investment.
* Job creation and the constantly ticking timebomb of the unemployed young."

MASI’s theme for the biennial PINA convention was The Role of the Media in Developing Pacific Economies. It focused the attention of the region’s news media on this for the first time.

This was promoted in a series of convention sessions, as well as through the British Government-supported working group and pre-convention workshop attended by regional and Solomon islands journalists.

The Honiara Action Plan:
*Commends those news organisations in the region already focusing on developing economic and business journalism. It urges others to consider how they can better serve their communities by doing this. It especially notes the efforts of The National newspaper in Papua New Guinea and the regional news magazine Islands Business, of Fiji, and Pacific Magazine, Honolulu, as examples of what can be achieved.
* Urges all the region’s journalism education and training schools to include economic and business journalism as important parts of their programmes. It commends the willingness of Divine Word University in Madang, Papua New Guinea, to develop this. It welcomes the efforts of the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, to promote research on media and reporting on the economy.
* Thanks the British Government, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its High Commission in Honiara, for its support for the development of economic and business journalism. It suggests that as a followup activity consideration be given to funding development and publication of a handbook on Pacific Islands economic and business journalism to be used in newsrooms and journalism schools.
* Urges the incoming leadership of PINA to make expanding economic and business journalism training and development a priority. This should include training and development for all media, radio, television, print and new media.
* Congratulates the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat for its well established Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) regional workshop and coverage teams. It commends the Forum Secretariat for its constant support of the FEMM programmes.
It welcomes Forum Secretariat efforts to expand this to include the Forum Trade Ministers Meetings. It requests the Forum Secretariat to additionally seek further funding support to expand this to all Forum regional meetings on business and economic issues. It urges the Forum Secretariat to ensure these opportunities are equally available to journalists of all Forum Island Countries.
* Urges the European Union to promote better public understanding of its Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations and implementation with Pacific members of the African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) group. It requests the EU offices in Port Moresby, Honiara, Port Vila and Suva to work with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva to establish regional workshop/reporting teams on these along the same lines as the Forum Secretariat’s successful FEMM programmes.
* Welcomes the initiatives announced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Honiara. These include introducing Pacific Islands economic and business journalism training and additionally developing an easy-to-use electronic glossary of economic and business terms for Pacific Islands journalists. Use and mastery of these terms will help build economic understanding.
* Welcomes the willingness of the Forum Fisheries Agency, based in Honiara, to readily provide specialist help to economic and business journalists reporting on this key resource sector. It commends the moves by the Forum Fisheries Agency to expand its information officer role to include working directly with the news media.
* Commends the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI), through Governor Rick Hou and Deputy Governor Denton Rarawa, for their willingness to provide regular briefings on economic performance. It recommends these clear, easy-to-understand and up-to-date briefings as an example of best practice for other central banks in the Pacific Islands.
* Congratulates the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) for its outstanding efforts in promoting the role of the media in Pacific Islands economic growth. It recommends the MASI and Papua New Guinea Media Council secretariats jointly act as focal points for developing these economic and business journalism initiatives until a functional PINA Secretariat is reestablished by the incoming PINA executive.

The working group comprised:
Peter Lomas, editor-in-chief of the Pitt Media Group (Cook Islands Television, Radio Cook Islands, Cook Islands Herald, Cook Islands Times,

Johnson Honimae, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat media officer and previously general manager of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, president of PINA, and a longtime Solomon Islands and regional radio and print media journalist.

Justin Kili, MBE, executive officer and trainer for the Papua New Guinea Media Council and a longtime broadcaster with PNG FM and the National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea.

Patrick Lino, general manager and chief editor of the Broadcasting Corporation of Niue (Television Niue and Radio Sunshine).

Kevin Pamba, journalism lecturer at Divine Word University, Madang, Papua New Guinea, newspaper columnist, and former business editor of The National, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The publisher and director of Solomon Star Company, John Lamani, stated that while the paper can now look forward to a brighter future, it did not come without its fair share of challenges.

Mr Lamani stated that there are times when grueling conditions, not conducive to making business, arise. He cited the ethnic error as one of the most difficult times.

Guest of Honour at the celebration Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena praised Solomon Star Company and its hardworking staff for what he described as an excellent job in providing a medium of communication in sharing information to the public of Solomon Islands.

He says it is only when the country is well informed that its leaders and people are in a position to make better decisions.

The Solomon Star Newspaper is one of the few Newspapers within the Pacific region that is locally owned and managed.

In announcing the award, MASI president John Lamani said, "Tavake stands for everything that this award symbolises .

"He is making sure the people know what is really happening despite all the efforts by the government to try to silence him. He faces going to jail for this."

Fusimalohi, the editor of the newspaper Kele’a, has been charged with sedition and criminal defamation by the royal Tongan regime ruling under emergency powers.
He is amongst three Tongan pro-democracy journalists and media executives facing sedition charges, and jail terms. It comes amidst a crackdown on the media since the deadly riot on 16 November last year after delays in reforms in the kingdom.

Tavake was unable to attend the PINA convention as he is not currently allowed to leave Tonga.

Fusimalohi is one of the Pacific’s most experienced media executives. He is a founder and former executive director of PINA and was a longtime general manager of the Tonga Broadcasting Commission.

After retiring from the Government-owned broadcaster he went into independent newspapering, as editor of Kele’a.

Honiara City Clerk, Mr. Joseph Huta revealed that the council is keen on seeing the re-development of Chinatown. "The destruction of Chinatown has resulted in the council losing about 51 percent in revenue.

The loss is a substantial one." Huta said.Huta told stated that the plan is now with the town and country planning board to decide on the implementation date of the re-development.

"The Town Council Physical Planning Board is on its own, in terms of decision making and the council cannot influence them," said the City Clerk.

But according to the Chief Physical Planner and Secretary to the Town and Country Planning Board, Mrs. Arlene Lingo, the plan to re-develop Chinatown is already in place and it is open to the former business people to start re-building their shops.

"The plan has already been finalized and the planning board is advising all the business owners to structure their buildings according to the requirements within the plan that the board gave out," stressed Mrs Lingo.

She also stressed that so far they have only approved one businessman to start rebuilding his shop. "The planning board approved the businessman's plan because he complied with the guidelines provided by the Town and Country Planning Board," explained the Chief Physical Planner.

"The planning board really wants the re-building of shops in Chinatown to be standardized as it will make the place look nice," said Mrs Arlene.

The Solomon Islands Government stated that Mr Ulufa'alu died after a long battle with diabetes. Mr Ulufa'alu was the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from 27 August 1997 to 30 June 2000."Solomon Islands today lost a great hero and a visionary," acting Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo said.

"The late Ulufa'alu was a man of great insight, inspiration, courage and personality".On May 5, 2006, Mr Ulufa'alu became finance minister of the Solomon Islands, and held that position until October 2006.

Early in June 2006 Mr Ulufa'alu was reported to be critically ill and had not been in his office for several weeks. After receiving medical treatment overseas Mr Ulufa'alu appeared to have made good recovery and was back in his role as finance minister.

Mr Ulufa'alu had been in politics since being appointed as a legislator in 1976. Mr Ulufa'alu founded the Solomon Islands General Workers Union and was leader at the time of independence in 1978.

He later founded the Solomon Islands Liberal Party and was the Parliamentary Leader after successfully winning the election last year.

Lilo announced that ANZ in collaboration with the Government will run ATMs on direct current (DC) from batteries powered by a solar panel.

"I must congratulate ANZ, and we look forward to working in partnership with them to deliver services to our rural population" said Lilo.

"The initial plan is to provide at least six solar powered banks to some of the main provincial centers"

Lilo stated that at least three new mobile services will also be made available sometime soon as part of the rural banking plan.

Lilo highlighted that the partnership will help to address the issue of distance when it comes to banking. Lilo stated that the government will support the rural initiative for at least three years. One of the delegates from PNG stated that people in remote areas of this country will finally have something to cheer about.

"For, even without power, they may soon be able to utilize the services of automated teller machines (ATMs) for their monetary transactions" the delegate said. "For this I must say Solomon Islands is a pioneer in the region"

IMF mission Chief Laura Papi says logging is occurring at extremely unsustainable levels in the Solomon Islands. "The sustainable rate was calculated recently by the forestry division of the Solomon Islands government and has been estimated at 250,000 cubic meters a year," Ms Papi said.

"Last year's logging was 1 million which that is four times the sustainable rates"An IMF team has finished an assessment of the Solomons' economy, and has warned that the country relies too much on logging and says it needs to broaden its economic base.

The team went on to say that the high dependence on logging has put the economy of the Solomon Islands in a very vulnerable position.

"The issue of vulnerability needs to be addressed urgently" the team said. "This year's logging is likely to go even higher, which essentially means higher dependence."

Concluding Wednesday's session and looking ahead to testimony Thursday by a computer expert, the judge told Ellison: "Will you ask him to keep it simple, we've got to start from basics."

The defendants, Younis Tsouli, 23, Waseem Mughal, 24, and Tariq al-Daour, 21, allegedly helped distribute Islamic propaganda over the internet in support of al-Qa'eda.Tsouli, who surfed the web using the name Irhabi007 - meaning Terrorist 007 - is said to have links with al-Qa'eda in Iraq.