THE prime witness in the case against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ulawa-Ugi, William Bradford Marau, accused of misusing 5million dollars in shipping funds, has passed away. Marau is facing trial on February 10 for one count of Conversion. On Monday, during an interim mention, the defence counsel Jillian Soaika sought at least a month’s adjournment due to the sudden passing of the prime witness, a former Constituency Development Officer (CDO). The defence needs time to pay respect, find an alternative witness for the trial and obtain fresh instructions from Marau. The prime witness, who was a prosecution witness, also played a crucial role in the defence case, given his involvement with Marau in the events alleged by the prosecution. Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea adjourned the matter to the next interim mention on February, with any application to vacate the trial to be heard on that date. The prosecution alleges that Marau converted SBD5million in shipping funds paid into the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Account with Bank South Pacific (BSP) in 2016. On 22 January 2016, Solomon Islands Government (SIG) paid the funds into the constituency account and on 17 February 2016, Marau allegedly instructed BSP to transfer the funds to his personal account with ANZ Bank. Furthermore, the prosecution claims that 65 withdrawals totaling up to $6, 023,326.70 were made from Marau’s personal account and an additional 10 withdrawals totaling $4, 550,000 were deposited into the business account of Aslan Stationeries, a private company owned by Marau. At the end of 2016, the balance remaining in Marau’s personal account was $27, 868.87. Public Prosecutor Olivia Ratu Manu is prosecuting this case. TRIAL of Member of Parliament (MP) for Ulawa-Ugi, William Bradford Marau, accused of misusing 5million dollars in shipping funds, has been tentatively rescheduled to June 2. The original trial dates, set to begin on February 10, were vacated due to the sudden passing of prime witness in the case. The defence made an application to vacate the trial to find an alternative witness for the trial and obtain fresh instructions from MP Marau. The prime witness, a crucial prosecution witness, also played a key role in the defence case, given his involvement with Marau in the events alleged by the prosecution. On 22 January 2016, Solomon Islands Government (SIG) paid the funds into the constituency account, and on February 17, 2016, Marau allegedly instructed BSP to transfer the funds to his personal account with ANZ Bank. Furthermore, the prosecution claims that 65 withdrawals totally up to $6, 023,326.70 were made from Marau’s personal account, and an additional 10 withdrawals totally $4, 550,000 were deposited into the business account of Aslan Stationeries, a privately owned company under the ownership of MP Marau. Jillian Soaika from the Rano & Company represents MP Marau, while Public Prosecutor Olivia Ratu Manu is prosecuting this case. 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ka’ra mai vakacegu tiko e na yabaki 2013 A sa qai mai vakagunuvi oqo ko Ratu Jone Rodonumaivanua na luvedra e na koro ko Nadakuni e na ika 12 ni siga ni vula ko Tiseba e na macawa sa oti Na soqo bibi oqo e mai qaravi kina na veisolisoli vakavanua me vaka ni taura tiko mai vakawawa na turaga na tamadra lailai ko Jone Tokairavua na itutu oqo ni bera ni soli vei Ratu Jone Rodonumaivanua me vakadeitaka na tutu oqo e na macawa sa oti E vakaraitaka ni taura tikoga mai vakawawa na itutu oqo me vaka ni tiko e na keba ni mataivalu na turaga ka se qai mai vakagunuvi oqo ka me rawa ni vakaitavitaki koya e na veika e qaravi e na vanua lomanikoro kei na itikotiko kei na veivanua tale eso Oqo na veika e vakaraitaka na nodra matanivanua na Goneturaga na Vunivalu ko Kolinio Namalo e na kena mai qaravi na soqo lagilagi ni veivakagunuvi ena macawa sa oti e sa duavata kina na vanua ena kena nanumi me tawani na itutu bibi oqo E ra solia na bilo ni veivakagunuvi e dua na tacidra na turaga na Vunivalu ko Ratu Penaia Rosaumaka me vaka ni veika oqo e sega ni dau tutaki vakaveitalia ka dau tutaka ga e dua vei iratou na turaga Oqo e sega ni kauta tani na kena sauvaki tiko na itikotiko vakaturaga E na vanua ko Waimaro vua na turaga na Vunivalu ko na itaukei Burelevu e lima na kena yavusa Na yavusa ko Soloira e nodra yavusa na Goneturaga na Vunivalu e Waimaro na itaukei Burelevu ka wili talega kina ko iratou na nona matanivanua Vakaraitaka ni taura e dua na vula na nodra vakavakarau na lewenikoro e na nodra sa vakanamata e na kena qaravi na cakacaka oqo e na macawa sa oti E ra marautaka na lewenivanua ka’ra duavata kina na lewe ni yavusa me ra sa vakagunuvi na gone turaga na Vunivalu me vaka ni nodra digidigi talega me vakatawani tale na itutu vakavanua ka lala tu mai e na dua na gauna balavu sara “Ni lala tu na vanua ka sega ni vakatamani e na veilecayaki na ka kecega ia qo e sa qai vakasukai tale mai na bibi ni itovo vanua kei na kena ivalavala kei na vakarau ni veivakaturagataki.” E kaya me vaka ni da lako curuma tiko oqo e dua na gauna bolebole ia kevaka me ra soro ko ira na noda turaga e da na lako curuma e dua na gauna dredre e na noda veidelaniyavu kece sara na itaukei Burelevu ko Ratu Jone Rodonumaivanua E ra tiko na soqo bibi oqo ko ira na vakalesilesi vakamatanitu mai vei iratou na tabana ni veitarogi vanua me ra laki vakadinadinataka na veika e mai vakayacori ka vakakina vei ira na veiwekani mai Naivurevure Wainawaqa kei ira tale e ra rogoca ga e ra lako yani me ra laki vakadinadinataka Vakaraitaka ko Kolinio ni levu vei ira na yaco yani kei ira na lewenivanua e ra se qai raica vakadua na veiqaravi vakavanua vakavinavinaka ni ra donumaka e so na soqo vakaoqo veilomani kei na cakacaka vata e na kena qaravi na itavi e da kacivi kina” Feedback: salaseini.guniyaga@fijisun.com.fj  By entering your email address you're giving us permission to send you news and offers Plans for a memorial after death of ‘local legend’ Friday, 24th November 2023 — By Izzy Rowley FRIENDS and family are fundraising for a bench to honour an Archway man who died from cancer at just 36 known affectionately to his friends as Mutz his friends hope to install the tribute by the reservoir in Dartmouth Park “We were walking to Archway centre together which would usually take me about three minutes going with him it took forever because he knew someone in every shop we passed,” said Mutsa Marau I used to be annoyed that his nickname was ‘Mutz’ because that’s short for my name but he told me he took it because he thought I was so cool and he wanted to have my name and his bench will be fittingly inscribed with “local legend who welcomed all and was loved by all” Alex Roots met Mr Marau in the Junction pub one evening and the two became instant friends “He was just someone that would welcome everyone to his house and it still is a place where people congregate Being able to sit at the bench in his presence is to commemorate that,” said Ms Roots “His laugh was just electric and infectious an invite round – he was just so warm and loving to everyone the safe space he gave to people to be completely themselves and make them feel loved Danielle Tonnar met Mr Marau when they were both three years old in nursery and we spent a lot of time up there as kids and young adults,” she said Ms Tonnar remembered Mr Marau as a “majestic” and selfless person he was just so concerned that everyone was concerned about him If I said ‘how are you?’ he’d always say ‘don’t worry about me Louis Doran met Mr Marau when he had just moved to Archway in primary school “I was walking down the street having moved from Stoke Newington There were a load of kids playing on our little dead-end street off Junction Road “They were playing football and I was walking past thinking ‘I would love to play,’ and this tall skinny kid with 80s adult glasses on came up to me and invited me to play “He introduced me to everyone on the street Every day I was out playing football with him nicking little bits of good East African food his mum used to cook for us.” If you woud like to help the collection for Mutz’s bench go to: www.gofundme.com/f/raise-funds-for-a-bench-in-honour-of-mutz You don't have permissions to access this page The Solomon Islands Basketball Federation (SIBF) and the Honiara City Council (HCC) has signed a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) for the Multi-Purpose Hall to be the official venue for the High School Basketball Competition (HSBC) 2024 The MOA was signed at the HCC Office between the HCC City Clerk Mr Justus Denni and the Vice President of SIBF Mr Douglas Marau SIBF Vice President Marau has expressed gratitude that the much anticipated high school competition will finally kick off following the signing to allow multipurpose hall as the official competition venue Marau has also thanked the City Clerk and his office for assisting in this endeavour that will be a moral boost to the high school basketball competition “This competition is very important for us (SIBF) because we will also be using this competition to select our development squad Multipurpose Hall had in the past been the home of basketball and we are encouraged by the trust and confidence given to us by the HCC to host the competition here again after somany years,” he said Marau said high school basketball as well as the senior basketball league had been missing out on a proper venue for many years and this is a positive step for the SIBF Board Chairman of the HSBC 2024 Mr Jefferson Patovaki has also welcomed the commitment made by HCC to support high school basketball He said the HSBC official opening is set for this Sunday 26th May at the Multi-Purpose Hall “This is an important meeting for all sports masters to inform them of the fixtures for this Sunday including the ground rules so it is advisable that everyone must attend,” he said The HSBC Chairman said fixtures for Sunday’s matches is expected to be published in the media and the SIBF facebook page.  “We are anticipating a very competitive tournament this year,” he said.A total of twelve high schools will be competing this year in two different pools for both boys and girls Solomon Islands Basketball Federation  Over 15,000 people will now have access to legal information advice and representation as the Public Solicitor’s Office (PSO) opens a branch in Marau The initiative was made possible through a collaboration between the Guadalcanal Provincial Government and the Access to Justice Project which is implemented by the UN Development Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs and the Public Solicitor’s Office with support from the Government of Australia While located on the island of Guadalcanal Marau still remains a remote area of Solomon Islands given its distance from a provincial capital expensive journeys to the capital to access legal services Clezy Rore officially opened the doors to the new PSO branch in Marau emphasized the close connection between accessing and securing justice and the peacebuilding process in the country and when we are able to satisfactorily resolve issues and disputes in our communities in a timely manner that is when we can achieve peace,” Hon Rore encouraged the people of Marau to “utilize the services that are provided through the PSO to protect the rights of the most vulnerable Deputy Premier for Guadalcanal Province Lazarus Alfred Rima stressed the importance of cooperation and expressed his gratitude to UNDP and the Australian Government for their continuous support “I thank the PSO for expanding your services to the communities of Marau as well as the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs for ensuring the administration of justice continues in our country I would like to acknowledge and thank our development partners the Australian Government and UNDP who have supported Solomon Islands towards achieving access to justice for all.” Deputy Premier Rima highlighted the importance of opening the PSO branch in Marau and enhancing accessibility of free legal services to the people of the Marau as “it has been a significant center of provincial and state services to the communities that are administratively unified into eight different wards.” the Public Solicitor of Solomon Islands said “The establishment of the PSO office in Marau is the second PSO branch that we launched in just one year It is a reflection of a collective effort that contributes to improving access to and securing justice at provincial and community levels.” “This day marks an important milestone for the Public Solicitor’s Office partners and stakeholders to be able to establish an office in this area but at the same time to the people of Marau and surrounding communities that will finally access justice services with ease and less expense.” Speaking on behalf of the UN Development Programme in Solomon Islands “Justice for everyone is at the heart of sustainable and inclusive development and is essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.” Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has graced the Guadalcanal 2nd Appointed Day celebrations in Marau the Prime Minister thanked the traditional owners of the land for inviting and accepting him and his delegation The Prime Minister said the theme “Inclusiveness and Sustainability: Harnessing Opportunities through Township reflects the importance of working together Prime Minister Sogavare said he recalled the premier’s speech last year when he highlighted the provincial government’s vision to make Guadalcanal Province a debt free province The Prime Minister said he is encouraged to note that the Guadalcanal provincial government have continued to strive to achieve its visions “I am impressed by the improvement in your revenue collection over the past years I have always believed that every Provincial Government revenue collection can be improved and you have proved this with your increase in revenue collection,” he said Prime Minister Sogavare also joined the premier in calling on every individual institutions and Churches to respect the people of Guadalcanal and pay to the Province all their property rates The Prime Minister also acknowledged all the issues raised by the premier and encouraged closer collaboration between the Guadalcanal province and the Government to address the issues raised “My door is always open for us to discuss ways to move our country forward together,” he said Prime Minister Sogavare also reiterated what he stated in Visale last year that Solomon Islands cannot move forward as a country or province if the national government and provinces work in isolation from each other “Together we can move mountains,” he said allow me to once again wish you and the people of Guadalcanal Province a happy 37th 2nd Appointed Day Anniversary May God Bless Guadalcanal and May God Bless Solomon Islands from shore to shore,” Prime Minister Sogavare said Member of Parliament (MP) for Ulawa-Ugi Constituency in Makira-Ulawa Province William Bradford Marau who allegedly converted $5 million of shipping funds will plea to the allegation on May 14 His matter was mentioned in the Honiara Magistrate Court and was further adjourned to May 14 for plea The adjournment was made to allow his lawyer to go through the bulk of disclosures and obtained instructions for plea from Marau Police charged Marau for allegations that he converted SBD5million of shipping funds that the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) paid into the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Account with Bank South Pacific (BSP) in 2016 SIG paid to the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Account with BSP the amount of SBD5million as Shipping Fund the former MP allegedly advised BSP Bank to transfer the SBD5million into his personal account with the ANZ Bank It has been alleged that 65 withdrawals were made from the accused’s personal account totalling SBD6,023,326.70 and a further 10 withdrawals totalling SBD4,550,000 were deposited into the business account of Aslan Stationeries with ANZ. Aslan Stationaries was a private company owned by the former MP. At the end of 2016, it was alleged that the balance remaining in Marau’s personal account was SBD27,868.87. Jillian Soaika of Rano & Company represents Marau whilst Public Prosecutor Olivia Ratu Manu appears for the Crown. By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN Solomon Star, Honiara Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare has arrived at Marau station, East Guadalcanal yesterday morning (01st August), ahead of today’s celebrations to mark the Guadalcanal Province’s 37th Second Appointed Day. Prime Minister Sogavare touched down at Marau airstrip after 9am to an anxious crowd, some their first time to see and meet their Prime Minister in person. A guard of honor was also mounted by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force upon his arrival. The Prime Minister was hoisted on a wooden chair by traditionally dressed strong men to a waiting canoe, where he was transported from the airstrip to Marau station where the Guadalcanal Provincial Executive in their rich red island outfit warmly welcomed him to rural Guadalcanal. The Prime Minister also visited the Marau Mini Hospital, where he thanked public servants serving as doctors and nurses serving in the mini hospital for their services to the Government and people. He further encouraged them to remain faithful in their duties. Projects visited today by the Prime Minister today included the new Marau market, which is still under construction and road infrastructure facility. Prime Minister Sogavare will host an official dinner this evening at Tavanipupu Resort. The core of the celebration will be today where the Prime Minister is expected to address the Provincial Government and People of Guadalcanal on the Theme: Inclusiveness and Sustainability: Harnessing Opportunities through Township, Culture and Tourism Development. Activities marking Guadalcanal Province’s 37th Second Appointed day at Marau included a Mini Trade Show, weaving, cooking, canoe, fishing and other competition. The four days activities conclude today 2nd August. We sincerely share grievance with the rest of East Guadalcanal Provincial business owners, Private or Communal, home stays out there, bungalows, Tavanipupu Tourist Island Resort, World Vision, health sectors & the travelling Public at large as we all are equally denied of the required Air services, by the Solomon Airlines Executive in its 7th months off flights hence unprofessional. In this publication, we go to Media to brief & produce facts on the cons & fabricated stories compiled by fewer third-Party Persons not based on any legal stance at all yet Airlines Executive had acted to boycott flights hence resulted in the Air Port closer which is a huge setback to this remote East Guadalcanal People in terms of Air services. Here is the narrative story of Solomon Airlines Executive’s failed mission. Some time in early March 22, we met & discussed with the Airlines Lawyer- Mr Gareth Remobatu & HR Manager Mrs. Monica U’tukana. We talked over a number of related and associated string of issues thereof. The main issue was the closer. It is our hope that the two would give instances to allow flight resume. On legal interests, we requested a copy of the flight halt written application submitted to Airlines by a So-Called Airport claim owners as we knew it was the basis upon which the Executive has called off the Air Services. Strongly, Mr Gareth & Mrs Monica both equally denied receipt copy of such application from any third Party. Hence, under such a cover up. Mr Gareth had requested from us to write a revocation appeal to the Air Lines Executive requesting to grant Airport reopen hence services resume. For heaven’s sake we did not want to be fooled because the Marau Airport MOU Lease agreements has already been dished on Mr Gareth’s table hence Solomon Airlines office Executive knows very well but acted on the opposite. Unbelievably, where already flights have cancelled hence must only be done under legal reasons or threats issued, we insisted seen that there was no appeals made we requested the grounds under which Air Lines Executive had sued instant flight cancelled effective. By then, Mr Gareth gave in his fishy explanations, he said that Executives action was only made upon a phone call received from a member outside of trustees who has called for Air Port closer, hence his action was a direct criminal threats issued against a Government State-Owned business Enterprise (SOE) quo. We asked Mr Gareth for the name of that caller on legal reasons, rather he defended, said that his office does not even know that caller in person or by name but sued instant actions for the safety of Air Craft & its staff officer there @ Marau. There was a conflict of interests noted here too, sued by Mr Gareth upon a not true info as he himself relied on a hearsay pending court case stands against the Airport Land Trustees by another third Party name Komupa’u Tribe as falsely claimed by their hired Spokesman Mr Solomon Houaisuta whom he was the signatory of the written flight halt application denied by Mr Gareth we found out. Above all, the most liar hence only fabricated stories which was the third Party member’s sole excuse reason actually penetrated through Air Lines Executive, Mr Gareth bases that there was a fight broke out between the Airport Land Trustees with them Komupa’u tribe under which Mr Gareth falsely dictated that the fight was Airport related incident. However, we crossed to the Ministry of Communication & Aviation-MC&A as a stakeholder where we met & discussed with Mr Trevor Veo a superior Staff officer hence from whom we found further proof of Mr Gareth’s Liars. We asked Mr Trevor if whether the MC&A board of Management have been also served with the copy of any application submitted by a So- Called Air Port Claim owners to withheld flight operations & if the MC&A- (MTB) was part of the decision taken by Solomon Air Lines Executive. However, we don’t exactly understand if it was a fishy game, but interestingly Mr Trevor Confirmed to us that MC&A has never received such an application or neither his Ministry has involved in the decision taken by the Air Lines Executive to withheld the Marau rout Air Services.  Further, Mr Trevor assured us not to write any instrument to revoke the action instituted by the third Party hence facilitated by the Air Lines Executive since his office(mc&a) does not even knew of the actions & more over he said it was the Air Lines Executive failed mission or conflict of interests. Rather, Mr Trevor gave us a copy of an email sent to him by Mr Gareth- (Airlines Lawyer) dated on the 11th/March/2022 @ 8:41 am title dictated as Attention: This email originated from outside of the organization(SIG). Do not click Link or Open attachments unless you recognizes the sender & know the content is safe. Seemed fishy the nature of Mr Gareth’s email with proof he was asking for confirmations from Mr Trevor if a copy of the Airport closure application Air Lines Executive had actioned was also copied to the MC&A office as well. We read along & confirmed that there were fishy games played between the outside trustees with Mr Gareth & Mrs Monica by way they were defending liars for denying receipt of the third Party application showed in Mr Gareth’s email. Why haven’t you Airlines Executive called on Police to further investigate these allegations on legal interest , or was he that Police officer(s) whom gave you directives on the incident your best friend or incited issues as well. Hence, the status and legal basis of the Marau Airport Lease agreements was dished on your table Mr Gareth, yet your negligence sued has costed Solomon Air Lines huge business lose we guess which dictated that you are not Competitive. Anyway, we are willing to work with the Solomon Airlines Executive & Ministry of Communication & Aviation with the Assistance of Police Commissioner to dig further into the threats issued against the Government SOE properties & its service provisions for the interest of East Guadalcanal People. By Raphael O’nanama For Land trustees MARAU SOUND    The Solomon Islands 2023 cruise season is off to a cracking start with seven ships already confirmed over the next four months. First off the rank is the 165-cabin MS Paul Gauguin which will arrive in Solomon Islands waters on 25 January with a full complement of 330 passengers with local ports of call including the capital, Honiara The visit by MS Paul Gauguin will be followed by Seabourn Cruise Line’s Seabourn Sojourn which arrives on 24 February at Tavanipupu Island Resort in Marau Sound before heading to Honiara. The resort which made headlines several years ago when it hosted the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their South Pacific tour. Expedition adventure cruise Heritage Adventurer is listed to arrive in March along with Lindblad Expedition’s National Geographic Orion. April will see three Hapag-Lloyd expedition class vessels – Ms Hanseatic Inspiration, MS Hanseatic Nature and MS Hanseatic Spirit – plying Solomon Islands waters and visiting some of the remotest villages and settlements across the 992-island archipelago. These include Santa Ana, Tinakula, Nendo and Tulagi. Tourism Solomons Head of Sales and Marketing, Fiona Teama said the Solomon Islands’ geography coupled with its unique culture offered huge potential for the international cruise market and particularly the shallow draft adventure/expedition-type vessels. The destination, she said, is very well prepared for the international cruising market, boasting a multi-million dollar, state of the art cruise terminal in Honiara. Local tourism authorities and international cruise companies have also identified several new ‘destinations within the destination’ which have the ability to manage visits by large cruise vessels including the key tourism corridor of Gizo in the Western Province, the deep-water harbour of Tulagi in Central Province, and Marau Sound in eastern Guadalcanal Province. Ms Teama said the national tourist office has in the past held regular meetings with key cruise operators and cruise associations in Australia prior to the pandemic but all plans to further develop the sector were put on hold when the destination closed its borders for more than 800-days. “But now we are fully re-open to international tourism, the time is right to rekindle the relationships we made with major cruise lines in the pre-COVID environment, and we are eager to get on with things” Ms Teama said. “We know many of our neighbours benefit from international cruise traffic and the positive impact they have on the local economy, from hotels, transportation providers and food and beverage suppliers to local cultural groups and even the craftsmen making souvenirs,” she said. “So the time is well overdue for the Solomon Islands to share in these benefits and to this end, Tourism Solomons, with Ministry of Culture & Tourism support and in conjunction with key local operators are already planning to re-establish our relationships with major cruise line representatives in short time. “We know that there are more than 1 million Australians and New Zealanders enjoying cruises predominantly in South Pacific waters every year. “If we were to attract just a small percentage of this key visitor arrival source, the benefits for our tourism industry would be exponential.” Pacific Islander seasonal workers are bolstering dampened community spirits.Samoan migrant workers stand together in front of a home they helped clear in flood-affected Lismore These Sikh volunteers drove 34 hours to provide a warm meal for NSW flood victims Flood victims have ‘lost everything’ in northern NSW disaster ShareGet SBS News daily and direct to your InboxSign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.Your email address *Morning (Mon–Fri) Unity and Responsibility (OUR) Party candidate for Ulawa-Ugi Constituency William Bradford Marau has been re-elected for a third term in Parliament Mr Marau was amongst the nine candidates who contested for the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Seat and polled a total of 1.162 votes He was first elected into Parliament in the 2014 National General Election Marau’s runner-up in this year’s NGE of the Joint Elections is Maesiola Stephen who polled a total of 939 votes The other candidates and the number of votes they polled are as follows: •           Titiulu George – 687 votes •           Takeli George – 429 votes •           Maemae Davis – 266 votes •           Rata Morrison – 93 votes •           Oli Raphael – 87 votes •           Sitana Malcolm F.M – 32 votes •           Matou Philip Rincon – 25 votes Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Commissioner Jasper Anisi when announcing the result of the election for the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Seat said a total of 3 726 votes were casted but six them of were rejected The total number of registered voters in the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency stands at 4,564 Media Association Solomon Islands (MASI) Vice-President Douglas Marau has taken the lead in encouraging journalists around the country to be vaccinated when their time comes Mr Marau was one of the first group of people that were vaccinated during the Vaccine Launch on Wednesday last week The MASI vice president said journalists should also be categorized as front liners as they always have to be at ground zero whenever something happens “Media people play an important role in Solomon Islands covering events and incidents day in and day out and it is no different in the work they are currently undertaking during this pandemic,” he said Mr Marau encouraged journalists to also take the vaccination when their time comes your families and our nation as a whole,” he said Mr Marau said there are incidents in other countries that journalists have also contracted Covid-19 in the line of duty the MASI vice president also requested that health authorities also consider our journalists to be amongst frontliners that are on the list to be vaccinated Mr Marau said ensuring our reporters’ safety also ensures that Solomon Islands can also stay informed Mr Marau has also acknowledged the important role media continue to play during the pandemic He said journalists including media personnel in the country have been at the forefront in ensuring our people are kept well informed “Keep up the good work,” the MASI vice president said CHAIRMAN of the Pacific Media Summit 2022 and Vice President of the Media Association Solomon Islands Douglas Marau has described the Media Summit as a success Mr Marau said more than 150 media participants from around the region have left our shores over the weekend and some leaving later this week the PMS Chair said it is the biggest media gathering in the region and it was even more significant having more than 30 media managers Mr Marau said he was encouraged to also see a lot of the young journalists freelancers and media practitioners involved and helping out during the Summit “I also acknowledge the support by our senior media people in the industry the likes of Johnson Honimae Ofani Eremae and our local experts that have accepted invitations to be speakers and moderators at the sessions,” he said The PMS Chair said this should be a challenge to our young media people to continue with the legacy carried not only by our local media veterans but also our regional media veterans that are still here and those that have gone before us “It was indeed interesting to listen to the ongoing challenges shared during the discussions during the Summit and the questions raised whether we are a free pacific media as we claimed to be,” he said He also acknowledged the discussions on the challenges from the analog era to a digital era and how digital technologies are increasingly being used by our digital generation in the Pacific Islands to harness influence and project political and social change “We should be inspired by one of our reputable media figures in the Pacific Mr Kalafi Moala’s reflection on how a few pacific islands came up with a conviction to establish a body to promote and defend freedom of expression in our region,” he said The PMS Chair would also like to thank the following for their support towards the successful hosting of the Pacific Media Summit 2022 Mr Marau also acknowledged the Minister for Education and Human Resources Development Hon Lanelle Tanangada for gracing the opening ceremony Minister for Provincial Government Hon Rollen Seleso Hon Leader of Opposition Matthew Wale for gracing our closing ceremony Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee Hon Peter Kenilorea Ruth Liloqula of TSI and members of the diplomatic corps for being part of this event And our very big and sincere thank you from MASI and our members to Makareta Komai and her team from the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) in Fiji for co-hosting and making this event a success Solomon Airlines has confirmed the temporary suspension of flights between Honiara and Marau effective today 7 January until further notice due to an ongoing dispute between local landowners The airline described the suspension as ‘regrettable but unavoidable’ to avoid any risk to passengers and aircraft “This is unfortunately yet another example of how the operations of Solomon Islands’ national airline can be interrupted by landowners prioritising their own interests above those of their communities and the travelling public,” said Brett Gebers “We are forced to suspend services irrespective of valid and existing agreements being in place which means members of the public are now deprived of air services that they are relying upon and tourism businesses are deprived of visitors and sources of income we simply cannot fly when we cannot guarantee the safety of our passengers Solomon Airlines confirmed Marau is one of Solomon Islands most popular holiday destinations and one of the top 3 selling destinations in the “Iumi Tugeda Holidays” domestic tourism program alongside Gizo and Munda Marau is also home to Tavanipupu Wellness & Spa Retreat and Milk Fish Bungalows “We hope that sense will prevail and there will be a swift resolution so that without risk things can get back to normal in the near future,” Mr Gebers commented Solomon Airlines is contacting all impacted passengers and will continue to advise passengers and the public of any further developments Head of School of Mechanic Engineering at the Fiji National University Joji Marau will be attending Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday celebration in May.  Marau will be no ordinary guest as he will be exhibiting his prestigious handiwork the authentic traditional ‘Drua’ or canoe which will be the centre piece during the Queen’s birthday celebration.  Marau said he never dreamt that he will be displaying his handiwork at the Queen’s birthday for the whole world to see.  The canoe named Adi Eta was designed and built by Marau and four other craftsmen He said the double hull canoe stands at 8 metres in length and 2.15 metres in width and is made from the Damanu tree found in the interior of Viti Levu in Nakorosule Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations Copyright © 2025 Communications Fiji Limited FM96 Legend FM Viti FM Navtarang Radio Sargam PNG Haus Bung Yumi FM Nau FM Legend FM Facebook TikTok Instagram X YouTube Threads So what did Joji Marau and Queen Elizabeth talk about Yesterday we pictured Mr Marau and Queen Elizabeth on Page 1 during her 90th birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle in England Here’s what happened from the man himself: “Actually I greeted her with ‘Your Majesty the Queen “She asked me whether I am enjoying the Pageant and I replied I didn’t want to say anything more than replying to her “The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip when we went down on our knees and up he jokingly said ‘You’ll get fit after all this’ “When Andrew shook hand with us I didn’t know that it was him because he joked with us and I thought he was one of those ordinary guys.” Mr Marau is the head of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Fiji National University He designed and built the traditional iTaukei drua (double-hulled canoe) that was used in the celebrations by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Feedback:  maraia.vula@fijisun.com.fj News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice. A hit-and-run driver who mowed down and killed a pedestrian in north London has been jailed for seven years. Tawanda Marau, 23, of Francis Terrace, Archway, demolished a traffic light before hitting Argon Gashi, 25, on March 1, Blackfriars Crown Court heard. Marau, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving, had lost control of his car, it was said. He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after failing to stop at the scene of the crash, at the junction of Camden Road and Royal College Street in Camden. Marau was caught after a police investigation traced the crash vehicle to the area where he lived. Handing down sentence, the judge also banned Marau from the roads for nine and a half years. Det Sgt Cheryl Frost, from the roads and transport policing command, said: "It is likely Marau was travelling at about 50mph through the red traffic signals when he struck Mr Gashi. Man arrested after 25-year-old dies in 'hit-and-run' in Camden Moped rider fleeing scene of Camden smash-and-grab hits police officer, breaking his leg, before crashing into wall Woman cyclist suffers 'life changing' injuries after crash with tipper truck in Camden "This is a very sad case for all those involved and I would like to thank the Gashi family for their support throughout this investigation." Marau was given six years in jail for killing Mr Gashi and another year for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in London 'shut down' by council over noise complaints David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash 'shut down' over noise complaints VE Day 2025 flypast and parade LIVE: King Charles and senior royals watch procession as crowds line the Mall King joined by senior royals to watch VE Day parade before flypast UK tourists face major travel shake-up as Dubai airport set to close Why are Newcastle still ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League table? Revealed: The real reason Brooklyn Beckham snubbed dad David’s 50th birthday amid family feud Revealed: Why Brooklyn Beckham snubbed dad David’s 50th birthday Further off in East Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, where Tavanipupu private island resort is situated, the people are tidying up its palm-fringed pathways ahead of a visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Photo: Mark BodeIt was a moment packed with poignancy - a chance encounter more than three thousand kilometres from home that reunited to former school friends and teammates All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAnd it set in motion a rugby league reunion at Dungowan this year as well as a potent left-edge combination that has helped propel the Cowboys into unchartered territory In Fijian centre John Marau and his countryman the Cowboys have a great story and one of the most lethal partnerships in Group 4 Last week the old friends celebrated their 27th birthdays (they were born a day apart in 1995) READ MORE: Fijian flyer Tevita Peceli honours his mum with every try they helped second-placed Dungowan record a sixth-straight win in what is the club's best season since their 2018 promotion to first grade Marau and Peceil boarded together at Nasinu Secondary School in Suva they were members of the school's rugby league side who won the under-19 national secondary school championship That side included Panthers star Viliame Kikau Marau arrived in Tamworth for work - a year after Peceli lobbed in the city for work Marau was outside Coles in the CBD when Peceli called out to him Peceil (left) and Marau in action against Kooty Photo: Mark Bode"I didn't know he was here," Marau said The 2020 Group 4 season was abandoned because of Covid-19 Peceli - a concreter- and Marau - an abattoir worker - played for North Tamworth and Dungowan with Peceli joining the Cowboys this season Peceli told Cowboys co-coach Luke Taylor that he would play for the Cowboys in 2022 "I was excited to play again in the same side [as Marau]." he said Peceli's competition-leading 13 tries this year included a six-try day against Manilla last month After the Cowboys beat the Roosters 34-16 at Dungowan on Saturday he said he wanted to "thank God for everything" and I love it playing with the boys," he said Peceli plays with "Mum" written on his wrist strapping He has not seen his Fiji-based mother since moving to Tamworth "But it's not only me: it's my friend John [too]," he said of being separated from Fiji-based family Our journalists work hard to provide local This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: I’m passionate about writing stories that resonate with people. And I’m genuinely interested in the people I interview; I want to know about them and present their stories in a meaningful way. Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords a dispute occurred leaving two people injured and a logging company destructed THE former Member of Parliament (MP) for Ulawa-Ugi Makira-Ulawa Province who allegedly converted $5million of shipping fund for his own use will be facing the Honiara Magistrate Court tomorrow William Bradford Marau will be facing court for the first time since his arrest on January 18 for one count of conversion contrary to section 278 (1) (c) (i) of the Penal Code The prosecution alleged Marau converted $5million of a shipping fund that the Solomon Islands Government paid to Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Account with Bank South Pacific (BSP) in 2016 SIG paid to the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Account with BSP an amount of $5million as Shipping Fund the former MP allegedly advised BSP Bank to transfer the $5million into his personal account with ANZ Bank It has been alleged that 65 withdrawals were made from the accused’s personal account totalling $6,023,326.70 and a further 10 withdrawals totalling $4,550,000 which were deposited into the business account of Aslan Stationeries with ANZ the balance remaining in the suspect personal account was $27,868.87 The matter was reported to Police on 27 April 2017 by representatives from the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency and an investigation was commenced Marau was arrested and charged on January 18 but was released on strict bail conditions If she had been hoping to put thoughts of the topless furore behind her As she arrived at the tiny village of Marau on the Solomon Islands she was greeted with a line-up of bare-breasted dancers And she burst into giggles as the smiling women in grass skirts presented her and William with shell necklaces Click here to watch video of Kate getting the giggles... William did his best to discreetly avert his eyes but failed spectacularly as he bent his head to receive the necklace. Visitors are welcome to wear ‘anything or nothing’, she said. ‘We don’t care what they do. There is only one rule: no rules.’ They were spending last night in a thatched leaf bungalow, one of only eight on the palm-fringed island. Today the couple depart for Tuvalu, one of the most remote islands on earth, on the last leg of their tour. They were the scene of fierce fighting between the Americans and Japanese during WWII before infighting broke out in the late 1990s. In 2007 they were struck by a major earthquake and subsequent tsunami. It's fair to say the Solomon Islands were in desperate need of this Royal boost. Lying east of Papua New Guinea there are nearly 1,000 islands in all covering around 11,000 square miles. They are still far from being a tourist destination, but some parts remain an undiscovered gem for divers and those looking for adventure. A wealth of coral reefs team with fish - and WWII wrecks - in the Central Province area, while to the west volcanoes bubble under the surface. Tonight Kate and William are staying on the five star private island resort of Tavanipupu, an ideal honeymoon destination.  The island had been a coconut plantation in the 19th century before English interior decorator Dennis Bellote and his late partner Keith Paske bought it in the 1970s. In 2010 the population of the Solomon Islands was just over half a million people. The majority are Christian but the worship of ancestors is still widely practised in village areas. Handicraft skills are also passed down through the generations as is the ability to play the pan pipes. The Duke and Duchess have received nothing but a warm welcome from islanders during their tour of the South Pacific, so it's hard to believe that up until the 1930s they were considered violent and dangerous head-hunting, cannibals who worshipped skulls. The Islands remain at a steamy 27C (80F) throughout most of the year, but there is some respite from June to August with cooler temperatures. November to April sees more, frequent rain - and the occasional cyclone. Mrs Kimberly said: 'The water is pretty safe, though there are reef sharks, but they never come close.' When they reached Tavanipupu, the couple were decorated with garlands, as pan pipers played and children danced. The laid back pair had arrived to the island barefoot before walking over quite rough ground. Among those who were there to see them were, remarkably, a British couple who were stopping off on a round the world tour. Earlier in the day the Duchess had spoken of the importance of her family with various women's groups on Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands. Kate had moved round the group, spending several minutes with each woman, telling them their cause was 'important'. 'She said that family life was very important to her especially now she's married.' 'It means a lot to us she has come to support our causes.' 'We are making some progress but it will take time.' Emma Garo, Deputy Chief Magistrate on the islands, told how Kate's visit had given the women's cause a huge boost. 'Her presence has motivated us further and also given encouragement, it's a huge boost to our cause.' The Duchess beamed at the tribute as she and William were cheered by thousands of barefoot well-wishers in the Solomon Islands. Closer to home a tawdry Italian magazine owned by Silvio Berlusconi is to publish the largest number of images of the naked Kate yet. Publications in the US, Germany and Australia were understood to be considering printing pictures. The group moved to the cabinet room where the ministers were arranged along one side of a huge table waiting to meet the royal couple who then chatted to each person in turn. Before leaving William took a seat at the head of the table for a group photograph flanked by the Prime Minister and Kate with the ministers behind.The Duke made the group laugh by banging the table with his hand and saying 'where's the agenda? The Duke turned to his wife and said: 'Look, they have gone all shy.' 'We use them for bartering for food and other things,' she explained. 'We only wear these necklaces on the most important of occasions.' The Prince proved he was a true Englishman as he suffered penalty heartache – against a 13-year-old boy. The Duke joined in a kickabout after telling local Solomon Islanders they should support Aston Villa. Lining up to take his first shot as hundreds of locals looked on, William said: 'this could go just about anywhere'. He tucked his first penalty into the bottom right corner – but then quipped: 'here we go again' as two shots were saved by young Philemon Fatai. Smiling Philemon said afterwards: 'He’s good – but not as good as me.' The prince was handed a cap and a football by the island's academy football team, youngsters between 6 and 12 into the sport. William tried the hat on, saying: 'First time a baseball cap and a suit. Excellent.' The prince told one young footballer he should support Aston Villa – before revealing his wife Kate is 'not so keen on the football'. 'How long did you take to make it. Twelve hours? Wow. It is amazing.' Afterwards the Duke and Duchess met some of the last survivors of the undercover war against the Japanese in the Pacific. The couple depart for Tuvalu, one of the most remote islands on earth, tomorrow on the last leg of their Diamond Jubilee tour. VIDEO: Kate gets giggles meeting topless locals in Soloman Islands VIDEO: Italian magazine to print FIFTY pictures of the Duchess topless    Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... 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Commenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Interim Chairperson of the JCSG & CC group The Joint Civil Society Groups & Concerned Citizens has called on parliament to immediately table and pass a motion-of-no-confidence on the Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo and accountability to the people of Solomon Islands and his recent desertion of the NCRA government in the election of the Governor-General Mr Lilo continues to show a lack of confidence in his own Deputy Prime Minister and his other senior cabinet ministers the Prime Minister’s actions shows himself as judge and executioner by undermining constitutional powers of his ministers and constitutional offices like the Attorney General’s Chambers Mr Henson says Prime Minister Lilo has proven that he has no regard for the principle of ‘separation of powers’ and has overstepped his jurisdiction on many occasions He says the current political scenario establishes that Mr Lilo no longer commands respect from members of the NCRA government Douglas Marau describes Mr Henson’s claims as “baseless and confusing” Mr Marau says Mr Henson has no right to call on Parliament for a no-confidence motion to be tabled against the Prime Minister He says Mr Henson must accept the fact that it will never happen adding it is not the first time Mr Henson has called on the Prime Minister to step down because he has his own personal vendetta the Prime Minister has the unconditional support of his government members and this has always been demonstrated since his election as Prime Minister On the Prime Minister sidestepping his jurisdiction Mr Marau says Prime Minister Lilo has always maintained respect for the three arms of government and never interfered with its functions Mr Henson clearly showed disrespectfulness to the democratic process of the Governor-General’s elections and therefore he should refrain from making unfounded claims Reiterating Namson Tran’s statement in yesterday’s paper the Press Secretary says NCRA remains solid and intact The Facebook page of the Forum Solomon Islands International. Photo: SIBC. Social networking group the Forum Solomon Islands International, FSII, has reminded Prime Minister Gordon ... Read More A Bauxite stone. Photo credit: Fine Minerals online. The Solomon Islands Indigenous People's Human Rights Advocacy Association (SIIPHRAA) has raised concern over media reports on ... Read More Acting ANSI CEO Mr. Henson says ANSI sees corruption as an issue of national concern. Photo: News pngfacts The Hograno, Havulei, Kia and Katova Advocacy ... Read More sibconline is on Mixlr Delivered by FeedBurner Douglas Marau has dismissed claims the fourth USP Campus is just another empty promise issued by the Government Communications yesterday said the NCRA government is devoted in honoring its commitment towards establishing the USP Campus at Doma Mr Marau said work at the Doma campus was delayed because of the need to clear unexploded ordinances found at the site He also clarified that the Office of the Prime Minister was just informed of the unexploded ordinances on the proposed site at Doma last week the Press Secretary called on individuals and groups not to mislead the public saying the government has a strong commitment towards this particular project Prime Minister Sogavare greeted by Rector Major Father Angel Fernandez Atime SDB. Photo credit: SIBC. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has said Don Bosco's aspiration to ... Read More Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Franco Rodie. Photo credit. OPMC. National Government through the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) ... Read More On 31 August, partners came together at San Isidro Care Centre and School for the Deaf to celebrate the launch of the Iumi Tugeda Helpem ... Read More Police are advising members of the public that checkpoints will be erected at strategic locations throughout the four policing divisions from today ACP Rusiate Tudravu says this is part of the ongoing Operation Gauna ni Marau as they anticipate an increase in criminal activities He adds this is the time when criminal elements try to take advantage of the festive season where people will be moving from their homes and doing shopping ACP Tudravu advises vehicle owners to call the nearest police station or community post immediately if they find the number plate of their vehicle missing the Solomon Islands government put restrictions on the media during and after the State of Public Emergency This included preventing journalists from attending militant peace meetings and Prime Minister Sogavare demanding that all media reporting of the conflicts/Tensions be approved by the Office of the Prime Minister The Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) fought back against the government – the media attended the peace conferences and they refused to buckle to PM Manasseh Sogavare’s illegal demands for him to approve their reports Now, this same Prime Minister is again trying to restrict the free media by banning Facebook – the most widely used social media tool used in Solomon Islands and also around the world It is reported that only other countries to ban Facebook are China So where is MASI Why the silence from our top media association When they received donations from China and USA they were quick to put out press releases But when the free media is threatened for all of us MASI goes silent Amnesty International and Transparency International immediately wrote reports condemning cabinet’s decision to suspend Facebook Chamber of Commerce and even the Visitors Bureau have publicly condemned the Facebook ban On one of MASI’s Facebook pages its states its “vision” is “the Solomon Islands media industry is a respected leader across the Pacific in the promotion observance and protection of human rights and liberties including the protection of the rights of access to information The world’s leading human rights organisation has actually stated cabinet’s decision is “a blatant and brazen attack on human rights” What about MASI’s vision of “rights to access of information” if Facebook is suspended we will not receive a lot of critical information including updates on covid-19 Why are they so quiet on such an important media issue was removed from the executive of MASI because of his perceived conflict of interest since he was an employee in the Office of the Prime Minister In July this year at a MASI general meeting, Douglas Marau made himself available again as the vice-president of MASI, with Georgina Kekea as president Before and after the announcement of cabinet’s decision to suspend Facebook I asked the MASI executive about their position on this major decision One of the basic rules of a free society is that the media must be separate from any and all forms of government so that they can freely report upon events it is stated in MASI’s own constitution that its objective is for MASI to be “an independent organisation” I call on MASI to consider and abide by your very own constitution vision and mission as an organisation and make your position clear about cabinet’s decision to suspend Facebook Please also take immediate action to remove conflicted members from the executive Makira-Ulawa Province will tomorrow celebrate the 140th anniversary of the arrival of the first missionary that brought Christianity to the island The three days historical occasion will mark the arrival of Clement Marau a Vanuatu missionary who first brought Christianity to Ulawa Island in 1878 It will include a historical story-telling of the events of 1878 and the celebration of the lives and work of the Anglican priests in Ulawa The 4th generation descendants of Clement Marau will also organise a ceremony in honour of their great grandfather Born about 1855 on Merelava Island in the Banks Group of Vanuatu Clement Marau was the youngest son of Qoqoe went to the Melanesia Mission School on Norfolk Island and was baptised and confirmed in 1875 He travelled to Ulawa with Walter Waaro from that island in 1877 to begin the first school Marau returned to Ulawa in 1878 for another year He battled very difficult conditions and after three years little progress had been made her family requested an exorbitant £50 for the bride wealth payment Clement Marau and Joseph Wate’ae’pule in 1890 Mr Wate’ae’pule is from Small Malaita the first Christian teacher on Malaita He learned to carve shell inlayed bowls and sold them to raise the money and they married later married Susie in 1883 Marau became a deacon in 1890 and a priest in 1903 by which about four hundred Ulawans had been baptised and supervised the building of a beautiful church from sawn coral rock which still stands and was considered the most substantial building in the Protectorate until the Catholics built their stone church at Visale on Guadalcanal in 1909 Marau was suspended for some years for faithlessness and returned to Merelava but he was later restored to the Mission and returned to Ulawa his son Martin Marau was put in charge of the Ulawa church Clement Marau lived quietly nearby at Su’u Taluhia until his death in 1920 Solomon Islands map. Photo credit: www.smartraveller.gov.au The Solomon Islands Meteorological Services has issued a Swell Advisory warning for parts of the country. Met Service Swell ... Read More The Makira Ulawa flag. Photo credit: Wikimedia. Makira-Ulawa provincial premier, Thomas Weape is calling on the National Coalition of Rural Advancment Government to improve infrastructure ... Read More Handcuffs. Photo credit: www.123freevectors.com Police in Kirakira have arrested six people in relation to an arson incident at Maro'u Bay in Ugi, Makira Ulawa province. ... Read More TWO Assistant Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet have been terminated from their job Douglas Marau and Alex Akwai were axed from their job Their premature dismissal were issued yesterday although their contract still remains valid Marau yesterday in a social media post said that he was officially handed his termination “Today (yesterday) I was officially handed my termination letter as deputy press secretary to Prime Minister This is the second time I am terminated from this position,” he said According to his termination letter it stated that an assessment has been done on the level of commitment to work reliability and performance in the Press Office the government regrets to inform him that his services are no longer required Marau was bit disappointed with his superiors on the approach to his termination upon receiving my letter dated December 10 2021 it is unfortunate that none of my bosses have the guts to hand over my original letter and explain my termination although I already read the minutes and the crap I understand their intention not to consult me and give me the option to resign but opted to terminate me the second time to discredit my reputation I take this opportunity to thank the Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity to serve you and the Government and people of Solomon Islands I have left behind a landmark project for the Government to reintroduce the ‘gavman toktok’ newspaper you requested and many more “I have served three Prime Ministers and one Opposition Leader in the past nine years in the political office and I know my termination stemmed out of jealousy and hatred I humbly walkout with my heads high and accept this with greatest humility and looking forward to a prosperous 2022,” he said Solomon Star yesterday also attempted to get comments from him but he was out of reach Powered by PageSuite Guadalcanal Province successfully celebrated its 37th Second Appointed Day at Marau in East Guadalcanal over the weekend Tradition welcome by the Marau people to Prime Minister Manasseh SOgavare| Photo Credit: Gina Maka’a The celebration was attended by high-level delegations led by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and provincial leaders Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says the government is working together with all provinces to consolidate the country’s peace process to unite the country “The Townsville Peace agreement is very clear that we must develop townships outside of Honiara Honiara alone is not the Solomon Islands,” Mr He acknowledged the Guadalcanal Province for accommodating the country’s main city the DCGA is working closely with you to ensure Guadalcanal becomes a province of Providence for the entire country,” he says Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare also acknowledged Guadalcanal Province for taking the lead in exporting Noni and cassava He says such an undertaking has placed the province in a good position in contributing to the country’s economy Traditional Chupu Ceremony held during the Guadalcanal Second Appointed Day| Photo credits: Gina Maka’a Guadalcanal Provincial Premier says his people have gone through thick and thin times they can map the future development aspirations for his people we have achieved a lot and faced lots of challenges Its cost is so high and adversely impacted the entire nation An experience we never want to go through again we must learn from our past mistakes and make a peaceful and united Solomon Islands for our children,” Premier Sade says Guadalcanal Province is currently embarking on township development projects in the province starting with the Marau and Henderson Townships Guadalcanal Province gained its second appointed day on August 1st The Royal Solomon Islands Police Vessel (RSIPV) Patrol boat AUKI left Honiara yesterday to Australia. RSIPF Officers farwell salute for patrol Boat Auki|Photo Credit: Solomon ... Read More The National Government has officially transferred 97  Perpetual Estate land titles held by the government to the Makira Ulawa Provincial Government.         ... Read More New Zealand High Commissioner HE Georgina Roberts handing over the signed agreement to Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. Jimmy Roggers and Foreign Affairs Minister ... Read More Photo / Greg BowkerFormer All Black Sir John Kirwan has put his multi-million-dollar home in Auckland’s Mission Bay on the market for sale The four-bedroom house on Marau Crescent, has a CV of $6 million and is being brought to auction by Barfoot & Thompson agent Aaron Foss on June 22. Sir John and his wife Fiorella built the house ten years ago and are selling up with the intention of tackling another Grand Designs-style project. The pair's Wahi Beach bach featured in the Choice TV show The Bach That JK Built last year and shows they have the design chops. Their Mission Bay house was the couple’s first collaboration with architect Chris Tate, who also designed their bach. “I’m a passionate fan. I love houses,” Sir John told OneRoof, adding that with each house the couple aims to simplify their lives even more. “I just love design, I love to be pushing myself and doing projects. We ended up being good friends with Chris, he’s incredibly creative.” In fact, it was Tate who showed the couple, newly back from Italy, the land for their new home, near the sea – a condition stipulated by Fiorella for coming back to New Zealand. However, the site was tricky and had on it a leaky and asbestos-ridden home. Sir John estimates some $500,000 worth of seismically strengthened foundations and retaining walls (and 28 trucks of concrete) went in before Tate’s floating four storeys of super-modern white steel and glass boxes went on top. He called the top-floor master bedroom a “flying cloud”, one of those risky moves Tate does so well. But, he said, the architect was just as happy to collaborate with Fiorella on introducing traditional Italian touches, particularly in the kitchen. “They were in sync straight away. I just stayed out of the way,” he said. “Our whole life is spent in the kitchen, everyone around the table. The stove is the big centre of attention,” he said. The open plan room is fitted with a mix of old bricks, rough sawn timber and stone to moderate the clean white lines of Tate’s architecture. Tucked away from the living area are a quiet media room and an office. Kirwan and his wife Fiorella, who love cooking, designed the kitchen for bit Italian lunches. Photo / Supplied “We love it here. We can have 20 people for lunch and dinner.” Sir John, best known for his campaigning for mental health, said the house has two things most important for his wellbeing – access to fire and the sea. A wood-fired pizza oven on one of the two terraces (with fast gas ignition to spare the neighbourhood from smoke) is the scene of long summer lunches, the sea views are everywhere. “If I’m feeling flat, absolutely those two things are amazing for me, especially during Covid,” he said. A patio has a wood-fired pizza oven for fire-loving Kirwan. Photo / Supplied Below the top floor master suite, the middle floor has two bedrooms for the kids (daughter Francesca is living at home with her boyfriend), while the ground floor self-contained guest suite hosts numerous visitors from Italy – currently a winemaker whose range Sir John stocks in his online Italian wine and food store. “We will miss this, it’s absolutely world-class views,” he said. The terraces have views of the sea and Rangitoto. Photo / Supplied The open plan living and dining room can host dinners for 20 people. Photo / Supplied The house rises over four storeys. Photo / Supplied Photo / SuppliedWhen couple Ben and Sammi were looking for a family home around this area they felt like they’d found somewhere really out of the ordinary “We felt it was very unusual to find an old-world character home with modern functionality that would cater well for a family designed by prominent architect Basil Hooper was only the fourth house built in Mission Bay and is now the second oldest standing in the suburb Hooper made a name for himself designing Arts & Crafts-influenced homes in Dunedin 25 Marau Crescent in Mission Bay, Auckland, is on the market for sale by auction on May 31 two-bathroom property has a 2021 RV of $2.825 million and last changed hands at the end of 2020 for $2.56m storybook feeling and you can throw a towel over your shoulder and walk to the beach in two minutes,” says Ben He and Sammi had predominantly been based north of the Harbour Bridge before buying here two-and-a-half years ago to be closer to Meadowlands where Ben had been appointed to a role as a real estate branch manager Since living at this property one block back from Mission Bay’s waterfront they’ve had son Enzo The living room has plenty of natural light with native timber floors running through the kitchen giving good outdoor living and sun on the north-eastern side of the home “This property is in a great position because you feel so connected to the Bays’ lifestyle with all the cafes and restaurants and the beach,” says Ben “And yet it’s actually pretty peaceful as the buildings between us and the waterfront block out a lot of noise ambient sound on the weekends; seagulls and families enjoying themselves “We love walking around the waterfront and have also liked the fact we’re so close to Newmarket The owners before them had extensively renovated introducing modern liveability while retaining character features Ben and Sammi have repainted inside and out evolved the landscaping and added a spa pool which is included in the sale The property is fully fenced and its frontage incorporates a single garage with a single carport attached to that plus a picket fence incorporating a secure pedestrian gate in the south-western corner of the section so you get good outdoor living and sun on the north-eastern side of the home,” says Ben The current owners understand the 1930s home was designed by prominent architect Basil Hooper and was only the fourth house built in Mission Bay The kitchen has a separate laundry nearby which doubles as a scullery and French doors open out to tiered decks for alfresco entertaining or soaking in the spa An entry foyer with a cloakroom incorporates the feature timber staircase Native timber floors gleam in the kitchen-dining-living room the latter having a gas fireplace to bolster central heating “The living room’s really nice with plenty of natural light and quite a lot of exposure to the skyline because of the high stud,” he says The kitchen has a separate laundry nearby which doubles as a scullery and French doors open out to tiered decks for alfresco entertaining or soaking in the spa A bedroom and bathroom complete this level Upstairs three bedrooms accompany a walk-in wardrobe and another bathroom Now Ben has been made branch manager in Whangaparaoa their household is moving back to that area Barfoot & Thompson listing agent Aaron Foss says: “If you’re looking for a character home by the sea only footsteps to Mission Bay beach and promenade Ulawa Ugi and Central Makira constituencies have chosen new leaders Nestor Ghiro won Central Makira with a majority of 33 votes Willie Bradley Marau has won the constituency’s seat Mr Marau ran as a Peoples Alliance Party candidate who was a member of the United Democratic Party The Governor General Sir Frank Ofagioro Kabui made the announcement mid morning today MP for Small Malaita Rick Hou. Photo credit: GCU. The Member of Parliament for Small Malaita, Rick Hou says hosting the Yam Cultural Festival in ... Read More Member of Parliament for West Guadalcanal Moses Garu. Photo: National Parliament. Member of Parliament for West Guadalcanal recommends, his constituents to work together to fully benefit ... Read More ROC flag. Photo credit: SIBC. The Republic of China (Taiwan) has successfully delivered 10,000 units of solar lamps including sets of portable AM/FM radio receivers ... Read More Off the beaten path you'll find treasure in and around Papeete I’ve been a long time fan of French Polynesia and take a keen interest in its cultural legacy, especially when compared to Hawaii, my home state. On a recent visit to Tahiti a friend suggested we go off the beaten path to take in some “hidden” heritage attractions (In this case I would say they were practically invisible) “I bet you’ve never seen what I’m about to show you,” he said. As the author of Fijiguide and two travel guides to Tahiti — the original Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit to French Polynesia and Hidden Tahiti Most of the sites he had in mind were about 15 minutes outside of Papeete The other attraction was in the heart of the capital The first leg of our hidden heritage tour was the Royal Cemetery (Cimetiere Royal Pomare) populated by the Pomares which is located only about 5 kilometers from Papeete There’s a turnoff with plenty of parking so it’s easily accessed The big landmark nearby is the Ecole Arue1 Ahutoru (school) which is adjacent to the cemetery The Royal Pomare Cemetery has the remains of Kings Pomare I, Pomare II, Pomare III and Queen Pomare IV, as well as their descendants. Each royal tomb is marked by two sacred stones, oriented to the rising sun, which according to the Tahiti Heritage website “allows the mana to establish a link between the earth and the cosmos.”  across a patch of grass to get to the entrance of the graveyard which you approach from the right-hand side There’s a weather-worn gate with no lock so it’s easy to enter It’s not the best maintained cemetery which puzzled me for the dynasties of Kamehameha and Kalakaua One commentator speculated that contemporary Tahitians aren’t quite as enamored of their former rulers His theory is that the Pomare dynasty never produced a larger-than-life personage such as Kamehameha the First world renowned kingdom like the Hawaiians did ceded the land to the French on 29 June 1880 for a stipend independence fighters died in an effort to keep out the invaders which is laden with well maintained archeological treasures has a long history of autonomy and an near sovereignty Just speculating but perhaps that’s part of the discrepancy between the islands when it comes to preservation of archeological/cultural landmarks) We next visited the Bligh Breadfruit Tree which is conveniently located across the street from the cemetery we’re referring to the iconic Captain William Bligh of “Mutiny on the Bounty” fame To get there simply take the crosswalk over to the opposite side of the street It’s a busy thoroughfare with no stop sign or red light so take care Fortunately if you need to cross the cars often (but not always) will flash their lights to signal that it’s ok to do so.  The breadfruit tree is easy to see–it’s just the other side of the crosswalk but there is no signage indicating this historically significant site I’ve been visiting Tahiti since 1978 and didn’t know this monument even existed white gate followed by a few steps that descend into a small enclosure strewn with breadfruit leaves and even branches Next to the tree is an attractive stone sculpture and a boulder with bronze plaque The plaque explains that the breadfruit tree was planted from a shoot from one of the three surviving original trees brought by Bligh to Jamaica It’s one of these fascinating full circle stories In 1792 Commander William Bligh of the English Navy came to Tahiti to gather breadfruit trees to transplant in the West Indies The slaves working the plantations needed to be fed and breadfruit Bligh’s first voyage in 1787 however ended in disaster with the famous mutiny aboard the Bounty His second voyage to Tahiti (August 1791-Agusut 1793) was successful Bligh “sourced” his breadfruit trees mostly in Arue and arrived with them in Jamaica by February 1793 This tree is a shoot from one of the three surviving originals brought by Bligh to Jamaica all of which are the progenitors of the breadfruit trees now found in tropical America and a replica of the original Bounty voyaged to Tahiti and brought this very plant back to its land of origin It was planted by the National Geographical Society appropriately enough in Arue from where Commander Bligh gathered his plants My friend next directed me a few steps from the Bligh Breadfruit Tree to a dilapidated former elementary school now known as Fare Hotu He led me through a parking area illustrated with graffiti The concrete foundation of the building spilled into a path that had become a sort of moat filled with a few inches of rainwater Perhaps 10 feet from this wall was a fence covered with foliage The ground was carpeted with a luxuriant growth of weeds from which also sprang a withering palm tree Near the fence line were two shiny black boulders My friend waded through the weeds to the boulder closest to us and with the swipe of his hand brushed the weeds away to expose a petroglyph On the other boulder was a similar petroglyph these petroglyphs are associated with Hiro the mythical warrior to whom the gods had gifted their power.  Tahiti Heritage notes: “These symbols had real power. Even today divine forces emanate from these stones. However only the pure-hearted and God-appointed people feel their mana (power). In addition we find that these figures have been taken up in various fields such as tattooing or painting…” to Maison de la Reine Marauas or “Queen Marau’s Old Bungalow” as labeled on Google Maps equidistant from Boulevard Pomare IV which runs along the waterfront and the Territorial Assembly it couldn’t be more centrally located the owners don’t seem to be anxious for publicity It’s a marvelous example of 19th century colonial architecture and with the exception of a church or two there’s precious little left in Papeete daughter of Queen Marau described the house as follows: in a big wooden house which she had had built Pandanus roofs were no longer authorized in Papeete It’s a shame because these Pandanus leaves kept the interiors cool located on the old “Broom road” between the Pomare Palace and the sea replaced the house built with whitewash and covered with foliage that had long lived in ariimatai (the mother of Queen Marau) which enveloped him in their sweet perfume These verandas sheltered you from the reverberation and the heat so that one lived very little in the rooms My mother most often stood facing the sea; it was there that she received her close friends while the large living room with its walls covered with family portraits and furnished with what she had been able to save by buying back some of the palace furniture when it was sold at auction was only used to receive distinguished visitors there was the large dining room in continuation of the veranda to the right of which was another smaller dining room; open to the garden; on the other side a small veranda which gave access to the garden and through which one entered where my mother most often stood » I was able to take a few photos by pulling down the tarp and the building has clearly seen better days Termite damage is evident from the exterior The family has sold the house–they couldn’t afford the upkeep there have been several attempts over the years to protect this historic house and turn it into a museum a project was undertaken to classify the house at “the commission for natural monuments and sites the owners asking for an exorbitant price.” Several Tahiti residents I spoke to agreed that the home could be into a museum Rob Kay has just published a revised edition of Suva, A History and Guide and covers Fiji in FijiGuide.com Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email.