Minister Derrick Manuari opens regional geohazard meetings in Honiara, focusing on early warnings, seismic monitoring and resilience. Honiara, 11 August 2026: The Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, Derrick Rawcliffe Manuari, yesterday officially opened three major regional meetings on geohazards and early warning systems at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara. The meetings are [...]
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BY IRWIN ANGIKI
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) is seeking $6,119,000 additional funds in the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026.
The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has cautioned MCILI not to duplicate roles of other ministries.
Appearing before PAC yesterday, the MCILI team led by Permanent Secretary Riley Mesepitu said the ministry has ongoing national initiatives and programmes that it is supporting.
MCILI is seeking $6.119 million in supplementary funding for 2026, divided between $3.119 million in recurrent expenditure and $3 million for development projects.
Mr Mesepitu said the recurrent funding will support corporate services ($1.27 million), immigration’s border management system ($1.75 million), and company house equipment ($99,000), ensuring essential services continue effectively.
“There is a need of the ministry especially for the essential service providers like the immigration office and other relevant offices that support it and work with other stakeholders like police and border security.
“In terms of the border management system, I think it is quite a very important function and engagement by our immigration division. Also, we all know that the border management system is now currently being implemented, so our immigration division really needs support,” Mesepitu said.
The development support budget will fund approved value-added and downstream processing projects supporting SMEs, indigenous businesses, agriculture, fisheries, commerce, technology, and forestry.
Mesepitu said the $3million is smaller than the total cost of all their projects approved by the Ministry’s tender board, however said they plan to add the remaining cost in next year’s budget.
“For the Ministry of Commerce, it’s an ongoing activity, and it’s actually in line of the policy priority areas. Most of them are in the support to businesses, indigenous businesses, how we can be able to support our SMEs and get our locals to come in and participate actively in activities. Our ongoing support under the subvention and grant is directly focused to supporting these initiatives.”
PAC Chairman Dr Paul Popora Bosawai, MP for North Guadalcanal, noted ambiguity in MCILI’s explanatory note under its submission for the $3million, questioning who ‘non-public servants’ referred to, cautioning MCILI on financing businesses which do not pay tax.
“Who are these individuals, and are they the owners of the indigenous businesses, and do you have a criteria that are they contributing to the tax? Or do you have tax written certificate that you give them this project? We have learned that there are businesses that continue to be financed without contributing to the tax.”
Mr Bosawai also cautioned MCILI on replicating roles of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAL) and Foreign Affairs ministry (MFAET).
“The [Ministry of] agriculture do the production, you industrialise it, and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the external trade access to market.
“You also replicate some of the things that the Ministry of Agriculture is doing, rather than you focus on industrialising. You also focus in growing, to which I think you should focus in industrialising than replicating what agriculture has done.
“You’re also replicating the mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade with market. They are the ones who should access markets, so that you can concentrate in industrialising like rice industry,” Bosawai said.
Mesepitu agreed that all the productive sectors need to work and align together to disseminate their functions and services according to what they’re supposed to do.
“Currently the ongoing consultation with our policy unit, plus the productive sectors, those are the areas that we are looking for and looking into improving,” he said.
In 90 days since change of government in mid-May this year, PS Mesepitu said their ongoing discussions have come up with five priority areas.
Priority 1 – national production and import substitution.
Priority 2 – land reform and productive partnership.
Priority 3 – indigenous enterprise development and business protection.
Priority 4 – national connectivity and market access.
Priority 5 – provincial growth corridors and investment zones.
“Under priority one, MCILI at the high level, we’re supposed to lead the import substitution policy, local manufacturing, SME development, value addition and industrialisation.
“Under priority number two, the Ministry’s involvement is to develop investment frameworks and public-private community partnerships to unlock productive investment.
“Priority number three is the indigenous enterprise development and business protection. What the Ministry is supposed to do is to lead the indigenous business protection, business reforms, procurement reform, SME financing and enterprise development.
“Under the priority four, national connectivity and market access, we try to see how best we can work and do the linking between other productive sectors, for instance the ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries. But what we’re going to do here is we support the e-commerce platforms, trade facilitation and domestic market access systems. So, our export and promotion division is working very closely with external trade, within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Priority number five is on the provincial growth corridors and investment zones. This is where the Ministry will lead the development of the investment zones, the industrial estate special economic zone for that matter, and investment promotion. So that’s at a high level and what we are currently working towards,” Mesepitu said.
Photo credit: NPSI
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BY IRWIN ANGIKI
Solomon Islands does not have a database dedicated to the country’s labour workforce, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) has said.
MCILI told the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday that it is depending on data from the National Provident Fund (NPF) to give them an indication of the labour workforce.
PAC member, Peter Shanel Agovaka, MP for Central Guadalcanal, had asked MCILI if it had the database.
“Do we have data that tells us how many people in Solomon Islands are properly or officially employed so that we can have that data?” Mr Agovaka asked.
MCILI Permanent Secretary Riley Mesepitu said no.
“Currently I must say that I think there is no real data that we have to actually capture the labour workforce that we have in this country.
“What we based our or collect our information is from the Solomon Islands National Providence Fund data, but from labour division itself, no,” Mesepitu said.
Mesepitu however said a labour workforce database should be available soon, with the ministry’s labour division working to create one.
“We are working during our work programmes, policies have been put into place and our Commissioner of Labour and his team are working very hard to do the labour database survey.
“So as soon as that is completed, we will be able to start to see the labour data of this country.
“When it is ready, after it goes through the cabinet and through our Minister, we’ll share with everybody. But we are hoping to get that study completed,” Mesepitu said.
MCILI is seeking additional $6.119 million through the 2026 supplementary appropriation bill 2026 – $3.119 million in recurrent expenditure and $3 million for development projects.
The MCILI team led by PS Mesepitu presented their case before PAC on Monday this week.
In October 2025 the Fund announced nearly 62,000 active members.
Photo credit: NPSI
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BY NED GAGAHE
The GREAT Government has a total of 58 political appointees, according to an updated government document cited by the Island Sun.
The list covers political appointments within the Prime Minister’s Private Office, policy and Cabinet committees, Caucus, special envoys and ambassadors, and the Prime Minister’s specialist advisory team.
Secretary to Prime Minister Dr Melchior Mataki earlier told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the number of political appointees within the Government has increased to 54 positions, with 21 new positions created under the current administration.
However, the updated government document puts the total number of political appointees at 58.
The document shows that most of the 58 appointees have signed their contracts, with their contract dates recorded between May and August 2026.
However, four appointments are still being finalised, with the appointees listed as appointed but are yet to sign or have their contracts completed.
Among the political appointments are senior positions within the Prime Minister’s Office, including Special Secretary to the Prime Minister, Deputy Special Secretary, Press Secretary, Private Secretaries and National Security Advisor.
The Prime Minister’s policy machinery also has political appointees serving as policy secretaries and deputy policy secretaries across the Social, Resource, Productive, Fundamental, and Energy and Environmental sectors.
The list also includes appointments to the Cabinet Monitoring Cabinet Committee, Legal and Legislative Committee, Finance and Economic Committee and the Government Caucus.
The Caucus structure has a number of political appointees serving in research, political liaison, administration and logistics positions.
The list also includes four special envoys and ambassadors—Youth Ambassador Maverick Seda, Women Ambassador Regina Lepping, Ambassador and Special Advisor for Climate Change Diplomacy and Environmental Affairs Fred Siho Patison, and People with Disabilities Ambassador Grace Hilly.
The Prime Minister’s specialist advisers include Communications Specialist Harry Zoleveke and Health and Medical Specialist Dr Edgar Pollard.
The appointments come as the GREAT Government continues to establish its political, policy and administrative support structures following its formation.
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BY CHARLES STENNETT
Solomon Islands Media Fraternity will miss one its veteran member and a pioneer in independent media, George Atkin Aeta’i, who passed on in his home village, Tawatana, Makira-Ulawa province this morning.
The late Atkin was a veteran journalist in Solomon Islands, having worked in various mainstream media outlets in Solomon Islands such as the Solomon Star Newspaper, Island Sun Newspaper and the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, SIBC.
He pioneered the establishment of private and independent newspapers starting off with the Kiokio Nius followed by the Melanesian Nius weeklies which were short lived.
His third attempt was the Solomon Toktok Newspaper which he established in 1977, a year before the country’s independence in 1978 until it stopped its publications in March 1992.
In his earlier years he explained why he changed the names of his publication and settled with Solomon Toktok Newspaper.
“I chose the name Kiokio, a coastal kingfisher because the bird relay messages.
This evolved into Melanesia Nius, to cover the Melanesian group countries in the South Pacific as it was becoming a regional bloc to be reckoned with in the 970s. Fiji and Papua New Guinea had become independent while Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were in the process of gaining independence from their colonial rulers. But the scope was too wide for me to cover and so I decided to drop that name and focus on just the one country, my own. I founded Solomon Toktok,” Late Atkin recalled.
Late Atkin single-handedly ran Solomon Toktok, collecting and writing stories, soliciting for advertisement, delivering papers, taking photographs, administering accounts and banking, newspaper wrapping, paste-ups or lay-out, a job he hated most.
He did all these task as trial and error because his training background was on broadcast journalism.
The task was not easy and had to turn to others for help like the late Ashley Wickham and the late Welshman Teilo.
He had to recruit and train staff to fill the many roles the young paper was emerging into like the recruitment of his wife, a nurse by profession as the chief reporter.
The hardship of managing a new newspaper with a different perspective of being independent had its many difficulties, the late Atkin had to endure.
They include, lack of government support as it was viewed then as confronting for politicians, scarcity of people with professional media experience, high overhead costs as there were no computers then, insufficient revenue from advertising, subscriptions and sales, the lack of a chief reporter and the lack of news reporters and graphic artist workers who worked long hours with small salaries.
Despite the hardships, Late Atkin explored all avenues available to him to keep the paper running by sending cadet reporters for overseas training, securing a loan to buy printing machines, in-laws assist in funding a dedicated building for the paper to cut office rent and friends to do marketing.
The many challenges took a toll on him including his marriage.
“The effort needed to establish and sustain a business in such a challenging environment took its toll. I was exhausted and my marriage did not survive the journey.
After my family relocated to New Zealand, I stayed on and tried to keep Solomon Toktok for another eight years and with the competition with another emerging Newspaper, the Solomon Star, I finally decided to close down Solomon Toktok in March 1992 and rejoined the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, SIBC” late Atkin recalled.
But the impacts of independent media, pioneered by journalists like late Atkin had some effects in the region.
Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu followed on from the footsteps of Solomon Toktok with journalists setting up independent newspapers, as their countries’ governments like Solomon Islands in those days operated broadcast services and published information services publications.
In his line of service to media in Solomon Islands, Late Atkin was the first President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands, MASI from 1985–1989.
After the closure of Solomon Toktok, late Atkin worked with the mainstream media outlets in Solomon Islands like the Solomon Star, Island Sun and SIBC, and was the freelance reporter for AFP and wrote stories for Radio New Zealand International and Radio Australia and had been a political appointee.
He returned to his home province, Makira-Ulawa in the early 2020s and stayed home until his passing on the 11 th of August 2026 from a short illness.
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Minister Rick Houenipwela reaffirms Solomon Islands’ commitment to g7+ priorities on peacebuilding, resilience and development. Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Rick Houenipwela met with the Secretariat of the g7+ on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) headquarters in Honiara. The g7+ Secretary-General, Dr. Helder da Costa, is [...]
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外交与对外贸易部长霍恩·里克·霍恩尼普维拉(Hon. Rick Houenipwela)于周一在霍尼亚拉的外交与对外贸易部(MFAET)总部与G7+秘书处进行了会晤,重申了所罗门群岛对G7+在和平建设、韧性和发展的优先事项的承诺。
该文章最初发布在Tavuli News(所罗门群岛)上。
Member of Parliament for Shortland Islands Constituency, Hon. Isikeli Vave Jnr has joined the GREAT Coalition Government.
Prime Minister Hon. Matthew Wale, together with Member of Parliament for Marovo Constituency, Hon. Chachabule Amoi today welcomed Hon. Vave into the GREAT Coalition.
Prime Minister Wale acknowledged the Shortlands MP for his confidence and trust in the GREAT Coalition and its leadership.
The Prime Minister said he looks forward to Hon. Vave making positive contributions to the Government Caucus and supporting the Coalition’s reform agenda.
Hon. Vave has reaffirmed his full support to the GREAT Coalition and its leadership.
He will be chairing the Cabinet sub-committee planning for the 50 th Independence Anniversary.
With the inclusion of Hon. Vave, the Government’s numbers now stand at 32 Members of Parliament .
Ends//
– OPMC PRESS SECRETARIAT
The post HON. VAVE JOINS GREAT COALITION first appeared on Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) .
By Ednal Palmer The GREAT Coalition has confirmed 54 political appointees, with a further four appointments reportedly made but yet...
The post GREAT Coalition Confirms 54 PAs, Four More Await Signatures appeared first on In-depth Solomons .
Member of Parliament for the Shortland Islands Constituency, Isikeli Vave Jnr, has joined the GREAT Coalition Government. A statement from...
The post Vave Joins GREAT Coalition appeared first on In-depth Solomons .
Shortlands MP Isikeli Vave joins the GREAT Coalition, boosting Government numbers to 32 MPs and supporting its reform agenda. Member of Parliament for Shortland Islands Constituency, Isikeli Vave Jnr has joined the GREAT Coalition Government. Prime Minister Matthew Wale, together with Member of Parliament for Marovo Constituency, Chachabule Amoi today welcomed Vave into the GREAT [...]
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PAC questions whether $1 million is enough to prepare for Solomon Islands’ Free Education Policy and urges stronger planning The Public Accounts Committee has questioned whether the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development has enough funding to prepare for the Government’s free education policy. The issue was raised during the committee’s examination of the [...]
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PM Matthew Wale meets G7+ leaders to strengthen Solomon Islands’ chairmanship, peacebuilding, economic development and advocacy PRIME Minister& Wale today& with the secretariat of the& the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC). Discussions were centred on strengthening Solomon Islands’ leadership of the organisation and expanding its role in peace building, mediation, economic development [...]
The post WALE MEETS G7+ SECRETARIAT TO STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP appeared first on Tavuli News (Solomon Islands) .
PM Matthew Wale meets Temotu Premier Stanley Tehiahua, discussing reforms, maritime connectivity, illegal logging and mining. Prime Minister Matthew Wale today received a courtesy visit from Temotu Province Premier Stanley Tehiahua and his executive. During the meeting, Premier Tehiahua reaffirmed the support of the Temotu Provincial Government and the people of Temotu for the leadership [...]
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PM WALE WELCOMES SATSOL INVESTMENT AND RURAL EXPANSION PLANS
PRIME Minister Hon. Matthew Wale today received a courtesy visit from the executive and shareholders of Satsol Company.
During the meeting, Satsol Chief Executive Officer Pawel Smalinksi updated the Prime Minister on the company’s current operations, achievements and plans for the future.
Mr Smalinksi also outlined some of the challenges faced by the company, while acknowledging the importance of providing reliable, affordable and up-to-date telecommunications services to the people of Solomon Islands.
“We welcome the new Government’s reforms in the telecommunications sector, especially efforts to encourage competition and affordable services,” he said.
Satsol Board Chairman Mr Antony Ferris also briefed Prime Minister Wale on the company’s investment plans.
He said Satsol is also looking to expand its services into rural communities and provide more affordable telecommunications services to people outside Honiara.
Prime Minister Wale welcomed the company’s investment and expansion plans.
He noted the important role of the private sector in improving telecommunications services across the country.
He also updated the Satsol delegation on the Government’s planned reforms in the telecommunications and communications sector.
The Prime Minister said the reforms will include a review of the Telecommunications Act and reforms involving the Telecommunications Commission of Solomon Islands (TCSI).
“The crux of our policy is we need more competition in the industry with the aim of having a more reasonable cost for our people,” Prime Minister Wale said.
He said the Government will continue to support companies that invest in the country and provide reliable, quality and affordable services to the people of Solomon Islands.
Ends//
SIAAA Career Connect Program Successfully Connects Alumni and Organisations
The Solomon Islands Australia Alumni Association (SIAAA) has successfully hosted its Career Connect Program, bringing together alumni, organisation representatives and professionals for a morning of networking, engagement and knowledge sharing.
Held on 11 August 2026 at the Mendana Hotel, the half-day program provided an opportunity for participants to connect with organisations, exchange ideas and explore professional and career opportunities.
The program opened with welcome remarks from the SIAAA President, who highlighted the importance of strengthening connections between alumni and organisations and outlined the association’s strategic priorities.
The main session featured an open-floor interaction, allowing participants to freely engage with representatives from participating organisations. The networking session continued over morning tea, creating further opportunities for participants to establish professional contacts and share experiences.
The successful event concluded with acknowledgements from the SIAAA Vice President, followed by a group photograph and informal networking.
SIAAA described the Career Connect Program as a successful initiative that strengthened professional networks and created a platform for alumni and organisations to build meaningful connections.
The association thanked all participating organisations, alumni and participants for contributing to the success of the event.
ENDS/////////
Preserving culture and tradition is becoming increasingly important as younger generations grow up in a rapidly changing world.
Communities are placing greater emphasis on passing cultural knowledge and customs on to young people, so they can carry them forward for future generations.
Note: This TV News Package was first aired on 10/08/26.
...
保护文化和传统在年轻一代成长于快速变化的世界中变得愈发重要。
社区越来越重视将文化知识和习俗传递给年轻人,以便他们能够将其传承给未来的世代。
Note: This TV News Package was first aired on 10/08/26.
...
Financial constraints see SICF name one Open team for Samarkand campaign
BY RICHARD MENANOPO
Solomon Islands will field one Open team at the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after financial constraints forced the Solomon Islands Chess Federation (SICF) to scale back its original plans for the prestigious international event.
The five-player Team Solomon Chess squad will be led by an internationally experienced coach, with SICF confirming the selection of its players, officials and coaching staff in an announcement on its official social media platform.
Fred Resture, Chris Kaitu’u, Junior Lui and Jowie Temenga have been named in the playing squad, while Melanie Chottu has been selected as the reserve player.
SICF said it had initially planned to send both an Open team and a Women’s team to the Olympiad, but the high cost of international airfares, coupled with the limited number of available female players, made the plan difficult to sustain.
“The Federation made the difficult decision to send one Open Team, including one female reserve player,” the statement said.
The decision means Solomon Islands will still maintain a presence at one of the biggest events on the international chess calendar, with the federation now turning its attention towards preparing the selected players for the Samarkand campaign.
Adding experience to the team is United States-based coach Ke Chen, who has been recommended by FIDE to serve as Team Captain and Coach following the limited preparation period available to SICF.
Chen, known as Coach Kiki, brings more than two decades of experience in competitive chess, coaching, tournament organisation and coach education.
She holds the titles and qualifications of Woman FIDE Master, FIDE Trainer and FIDE Lecturer, while also serving as a tournament organiser, USCF arbiter and national coach. Her peak FIDE rating was 2149.
SICF said her appointment will provide Team Solomon with valuable technical expertise, leadership and international experience ahead of the Olympiad.
The team will be supported by SICF President Simon Chottu as Head of Delegation and Delegate, James Samu as Assistant Captain and Abel Puia as Team Official.
While the four selected players will carry the main playing responsibility in Samarkand, SICF has also retained a wider national squad as part of its longer-term development programme.
The wider male squad includes Leslie Puia, Solly Taesabe, William Kaitu’u, Brandon Tangaibasa, Simister Tangaibasa, James Baiango, Aloysius Shanel and Kelly Sanga, while Fostina Meke remains part of the women’s squad.
The federation said future national selections will consider players’ performance, participation, commitment, availability, character and the requirements of individual tournaments.
“The Federation remains committed to developing both Open and Women’s chess and creating greater opportunities for Solomon Islands players to represent our country internationally,” SICF said.
The 2026 Olympiad will also form part of SICF’s broader objective of establishing Solomon Islands as a consistent participant at regional and international chess events.
The Chess Olympiad is held every two years and brings together national teams from around the world, making the Samarkand event an important opportunity for Solomon Islands players to gain international experience.
With preparations now intensifying, SICF calls on the local chess community, families, supporters and partners to rally behind Team Solomon Chess as the squad prepares for its international assignment.
The Samarkand Olympiad is not only a tournament for the selected players, but another step in SICF’s longer-term effort to build a larger and more competitive national chess pool and create pathways for both established and emerging players.
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BY CHARLES STENNETT
The Ministry of Infrastructure Development, MID have once again appeared this morning before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to justify their budgetary requests for additional funding.
The Ministry is requesting nearly SBD$203-million dollars to provide services and meet obligations until the end of the year.
Under the Advance Warrant the Ministry is requesting more than 102 million dollars mainly for the CAUSE project of which more than SBD$15-million will be for payments to full time international and national consultants and another 15 million as consultancy fees.
MID’s Acting Permanent Secretary, Mike Qaqara said they will also need funds to maintain roads and bridges, thus are requesting nearly SBD$45- million dollars.
Under the Ministry’s recurrent budget, the ministry requested an additional SBD$11- million dollars to support its work on staff and executives’ overseas trips fares and to support the franchise shipping scheme.
Mr Qaqara said the ministry identified 7 uneconomical routes which fall under the scheme and contractors have been identified and the increasing price of fuel has resulted in the ministry seeking additional funds.
He said additional funds have been sought to carry out building maintenance to some government buildings and offices of other ministries.
In the development budget, the Ministry requested additional funds to support local ship building, agreements already signed with the Ministry and the construction of a new test lane of which a contractor has been awarded the contract.
Funds were also requested for the road works in Auki Malaita province and initial work to establish a Public Works Department area.
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BY JOSES SAREN
THE Ministry of Communication and Aviation (MCA) is seeking $532,455.61 in supplementary funding, and has proposed shifting $4 million from its recurrent budget to development budget to fast-track provincial airport works.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry yesterday afternoon into the 2026 Supplementary Bill, Permanent Secretary Alwyn Danitofea said the ministry’s submission comprises of two components under Parts 2 and 3 of the bill.
The advance warrant totals $532,455.61 for the Solomon Islands National Computer Emergency Response Team (SolCERT).
Danitofea said the advance warrant is carried-forward funding sought from the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) Foundation in 2024, with implementation beginning in 2025 but not completed due to the procurement process.
“The 532,455 is from the support provided by APNIC carried forward for the hiring of consultants and infrastructure support for the National Computer Emergency Response,” Danitofea said.
He said the ministry has already established servers with an internationally required firewall using the funds.
Danitofea said about $500,000 of the amount will go towards hiring an international consultant to conduct a digital security audit of Solomon Islands and develop a stakeholder mapping and cyber-response strategy.
He said the procurement process for the consultancy is currently with the Ministry of Finance.
On the $4 million variation, Danitofea said the ministry identified savings in recurrent line items including electricity, telephone, water, house rent and security.
He said the ministry is transitioning traditional Henderson Airport functions, including security and specialised equipment maintenance, to Solomon Islands Airport Corporation Limited (SIAC).
He said MCA is also due to move back into its own office at Henderson, which will further reduce rental and utility costs for the remainder of the year.
Financial Controller Chris told the Committee that the revised recurrent estimates will be sufficient to cover the ministry’s operations for the rest of the year.
The $4 million will go towards the provincial airport program, covering the reopening of Avuavu, Atoifi and Malaita Outer Islands airports, and the new Vanikoro Airport.
Manasseh Sogavare, MP for East Choiseul and Leader of Opposition, questioned the $23 million increase in the airfield maintenance and airport terminals line item, from $24.57 million to $47.17 million, and asked whether the works will be completed this year.
Danitofea said construction at Avuavu is about 95 percent complete and at Atoifi, work is more than 80 percent complete, with work at Malaita Outer Islands expected to be completed this year.
He said Vanikoro is a greenfield airport that requires assessment and conceptual and detailed design work, and the ministry is recruiting an engineering firm to carry out the work.
Jimson Fiau Tanangada, MP for Gizo/Kolombangara Constituency, asked about a $10 million cut to Capex-Land, plus a further $2 million cut from another land item, and whether this meant planned airport land acquisitions had been cancelled.
Danitofea said the land acquisition funding was intended for Kirakira and Ballalae airports.
He said negotiations for Kirakira have stalled because one of three landowning groups do not agree to sell to the state, while two others have agreed.
He said the ministry has not received a response from Shortland Islands chiefs regarding Ballalae, and is separately in early-stage discussions to acquire Mono Airport.
Danitofea said the $10 million will not be of any use by the end of this year based on how negotiations are progressing.
The Committee is continuing its examination of the 2026 Supplementary Bill and budget allocations presented by government ministries and agencies.
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SDA Signing Strengthens
Church Women's MOU
Two representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist [SDA] Church, Delmay Dalipada, Coordinator of Adventist Women and Barbara Kyere, Youth Representative, have signed an addendum to the historic Memorandum of Understanding previously signed on 21 July by church women leaders at the Inter-denominational Christian Women's Leadership Forum on Gender Equality Theology.
In July women representatives from four Christian denominations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together towards reinstating the Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) Women’s Desk, approximately 12 years after it was formally abolished.
The signing was a major outcome of the inaugural Inter-denominational Christian Women’s Leadership Forum on Gender Equality Theology, held on 25 May 2026 in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
The forum brought together representatives from the South Seas Evangelical Church, Anglican Church of Melanesia, Roman Catholic Church and United Church.
The original article is available here: https://www.solomonstarnews.com/church-women-sign-mou-to-r.../
This marks an important step in strengthening inter-denominational cooperation among church women leaders in Solomon Islands, with all five church denominations represented within the Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) now included in the MOU.
The addendum affirms the SDA representatives' support for the shared commitments outlined in the original MOU, including the proposed reinstatement of the Women's Desk within SICA.
The signing was formally witnessed by representatives from the four other SICA member denominations, as pictured, together with Lady Vunagi, forum adviser and wife of the late Sir David Vunagi, former Governor-General of Solomon Islands and Julia Nho, co-host of the forum and PhD candidate.
In this significant moment of shared engagement, discussions focused on the way forward for reinstating the Women's Desk, including the development of Terms of Reference for the Women's Desk, clarifying its role in bringing churches together on gender equality, and exploring how the forum can best contribute to and support this work.
This signing further strengthens the collective commitment to support women, families, youth, and communities across Solomon Islands through church-led cooperation, paving the way for future generations and advancing gender equality in Solomon Islands.
Author: Inter-denominational Christian Women's Leadership Forum on Gender Equality Theology
//End//
Photo caption: Back row, left to right: Sarah Belende Manedetea, Women's desk, Catholic Archdioceses of Honiara; Lady Mary Vunagi, forum adviser; Delmay Dalipada, Coordinator of Adventist Women; Barbara Kyere, Youth Representative of Kukum Seventh-day Adventist Church Church; Florence Naesol, National Women's Coordinator, South Seas Evangelical Church; and Matilda Maneniaru, Chair Lady Catholic Women's Council.
Front row, left to right: Sandra Rollands, Former President of the Mother's Union, Anglican Church of Melanesia; and
Clara Ramofafia, Women's Representative, United Church.
NGOSSI WARD 1 PARTICIPATED IN TWO‐DAY FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING
Young people from Ngossi Ward 1 took part in a two‐day Financial Literacy Workshop held at White River in celebration of International Youth Day.
Participants engaged in practical money‐management lessons, including budgeting, saving, and planning for future goals, equipping them with essential skills for everyday financial decision‐making.
Organizers from Ngossi Ward said the initiative reflects their commitment to empowering young people with the knowledge and tools needed to build stronger, more sustainable livelihoods.
The training was supported by the Honiara City Council Youth Division and the TMC Foundation.
Photo: Shoreyann Ragoso for Isles Media News Desk
BY RODRICK DESURI
Auki
The Member of Parliament for West Kwaio Constituency, Claudius Tei’ifi, has commended the GREAT Government for reintroducing its free education policy, describing it as a flagship initiative that will help ease financial burden on families and constituency offices.
The policy is expected to be implemented from 2027.
Mr Tei’ifi made the statement during his response to the Speech from the Throne in parliament last week.
He said the policy will significantly reduce the pressure placed on his constituency office, which spends millions of dollars each year to support students with tuition fees.
“I really appreciate and commend the GREAT Government for reintroducing this free education policy as a flagship initiative, which will be implemented from 2027,” he said.
Tei’ifi said his constituency office spends millions of dollars annually on tuition assistance for students, particularly those attending tertiary institutions and rural training centres.
“This is only for tertiary education and rural training centres, and does not include students attending secondary and primary schools,” he said.
He said the Government’s free education policy will therefore help ease the financial burden currently faced by the constituency office and allow limited constituency funds to be directed towards other development priorities.
“Why I commend the GREAT Government for implementing free education from 2027 is because it will help ease the burden that my constituency office faces almost every year,” Tei’ifi said.
However, he stressed that while the policy will benefit students, families and communities across the country, its implementation must be carefully coordinated and aligned with existing education legislation, policies and preparatory frameworks.
He said proper planning will be important to ensure the policy is financially sustainable and effectively implemented nationwide.
Photo credit: NPSI
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BY DOUGLAS VAHIA
THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has reviewed a supplementary budget request of $321,729 from the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC), under Head 19 of the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill.
PAC Chair, Dr Paul Bosawai described it as one of the smallest requests to appear before the Committee this year, representing roughly 2.9 percent above the Ministry’s original budget.
MNPDC Permanent Secretary, Brian Lenga told the Committee that the funds are needed to cover housing and other allowances for three key contracted Level 13.1 positions that have remained vacant for more than a year; Director of Strategic Planning and Budget Allocation, Financial Controller, currently filled only in an acting capacity, and Director of the Program Quality Division.
PS Brian said recruitment for the posts was completed last year, but funding earmarked for the contract component was redirected to cover the teachers’ payback commitment in 2025.
He cited 2025 Cabinet decision authorising ministries to recruit Level 13 to SS3 positions on a contract basis.
Committee members queried why three separate $28,000 housing allowance line items appeared in the request. PS Brian explained the amounts are budgeted separately because the positions sit under three different established divisions, not due to duplication.
A member of the committee also questioned repeated references to “various allowances,” which Deputy Secretary Roy Mae clarified that it covers transport, communication, medical and education allowances specified in each contract officer’s terms.
The PAC Chair criticised the widespread use of acting positions across government ministries, saying the practice distorts budgeting and that government “must make decisions” rather than leave posts acting indefinitely.
PS Lenga also briefed the Committee on two new mandates given to the Ministry under the Great Coalition Government which are to establish a Resource Mobilisation Unit, and to promote the use of domestic consultants under the government’s “first bite” policy.
PS Lenga also updated the Committee on preparations for the 2027 Budget, saying the Ministry is converting the Great Coalition’s policy statement into a Medium-Term Development Plan, intended as a fixed midpoint “snapshot” of the 20-year National Development Strategy rather than a rolling plan.
He said the Ministry is pushing for results-based planning, requiring line ministries to support their 2027 budget bids with data.
Responding to concerns raised by a committee member about donor duplication, the Permanent Secretary pointed to the Ministry’s Aid Management and Development Cooperation Framework, which encourages donors to align with government priorities and the budget-support modality.
Her said the Ministry is already collecting 2027 data from development partners to map which donors are supporting which sectors.
The PAC Chair closed the hearing by commending the Ministry for a straightforward and low-friction session, but urged better planning, budgeting and service delivery ahead of the main 2027 Appropriation Bill hearing, which the Committee expects to run for three to four weeks, ministry by ministry.
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BY JOSES SAREN
THE Ministry of Home Affairs is seeking an additional $5 million in supplementary funding for a sports grant to host the Oceania Rugby Sevens tournament.
Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry into the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill, Acting Permanent Secretary Daniel Rore confirmed the request. He said the allocation lifts the ministry’s Sports Grant line from $2 million to $7 million, to support the tournament hosted by the Solomon Islands Rugby Union Federation (SIRUF).
Rore opened his appearance with a public apology to the Committee. He said the ministry had wrongly stated in a submission template that Cabinet had already approved the request through a cabinet paper. He said the cabinet paper was in fact still pending, and yet to be brought to Cabinet.
Dr Paul Bosawai, PAC Chair, clarified that a separate cabinet paper was not required. He said the $5 million was already contained within the full Supplementary Bill submitted for Cabinet endorsement.
Rore said the Ministry’s total 2026 budget stands at $90,504,563. He said about $70.3 million of that, or 78 percent, is sports-related. He said a three-year agreement signed in 2024 committed Solomon Islands to hosting the Oceania Rugby Sevens in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The 2024 tournament went ahead, but the 2025 edition did not take place.
National Sports Council (NSC) chief executive Alison Burchell said single-sport events such as the Rugby Sevens are typically allocated on an annual or two-yearly cycle by the event owner. She said this differs from multi-sport games such as the Commonwealth or Pacific Games, which have longer lead-in periods.
Peter Shanel Agovaka, MP for Central Guadalcanal, questioned why the ministry’s original request of $2 million had grown to $5 million. He asked whether there had been prior planning for the tournament. Rore said the NSC already holds about $60 million in its existing budget allocation, which is often not fully spent. He said the supplementary request might not strictly have been necessary if that funding could instead be directed to the tournament.
Bosawai asked whether the ministry could instead seek a virement from its already-appropriated 2026 sports budget. Burchell said the NSC has never received its full appropriation from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury. She said the NSC received only 30 to 40 percent of its approved budget last year. She said existing funds are needed to maintain Pacific Games facilities and meet fixed costs such as salaries. Rore confirmed the Sports Grant falls under the recurrent budget, while two other ministry sports projects are funded through the development budget.
Agovaka asked whether the tournament will generate gate revenue. Burchell confirmed gate takings would be collected and managed by the NSC to help offset event costs. She said this would be alongside venue-hire charges for facilities such as the National Stadium, the Aquatic Centre and the SINU gym.
Manasseh Sogavare, MP for East Choiseul and Leader of Opposition, asked for an economic-benefit analysis of the tournament. He also sought clarification on the ministry’s spending plans and audit and reporting obligations for the grant. Rore said the funding will go toward transport, logistics, accommodation, meals, venue hire, publicity and promotions. He said all government due processes will apply, based on the ministry’s experience hosting the tournament in 2024.
The Committee is continuing its examination of the 2026 Supplementary Bill and budget allocations presented by government ministries and agencies.
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