To Lead Is To Serve
TRANSPARENCY, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
MyBlog believes that observing transparency, good governance and accountability is the way forward to a bright future for Solomon Islands.
As the country emerges from a dark age, the people look forward to a bright future ushered by those virtues. People especially leaders have a big responsibility to show the way forward by setting the standards and living these qualities.
GOVERNMENT BLOCKS INQUIRY
The Government has blocked the Papua New Guinea Defence Inquiry from coming into the Solomon Islands country to further investigate Julian Moti's secret flight into the country.
Foreign Minister Patteson Oti told a press conference in Honiara today that the PNG Defence Inquiry into the Moti affair is seen as an internal matter within PNG. He says both Governments of PNG and Solomon Islands agreed that the inquiry does not have the jurisdiction to extend its work into a sovereign state like Solomon Islands. Mr Oti says this conclusion was reached during his weekend visit to Port Moresby.
The board of inquiry, headed by PNG Justice Gibbs Salika, was to have flown to fly to Honiara today to further investigate Moti's escape from Port Moresby on a PNG military flight to the Solomon Islands in October.
Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability
The leader of Opposition Fred Fono urges the government to allow the PNG Inquiry team to enter Solomon Islands and do its job.
Mr Fono says government's decision to block the team from coming to investigate the escape of Moti should confirm government is serious on issues of transparency, good governance and accountability.
A moral issue
Former PNG Defence Force Commander and Deputy Chairman of the inquiry team into the Moti flight, Tony Huai has warned that any decision by the Solomon Islands and PNG governments to prevent the inquiry from completing its task could haunt them in the future.
Mr Huai says he does not believe the inquiry should be prevented from completing its tasks under the guise of diplomacy. He says the Solomon Islands government has a reciprocal obligation to PNG. Mr Huai says Papua New Guineans were used to transport Moti out, and the least the Solomon Islands government could do is allow the inquiry team in for an interview.
He says the issue is a moral one, not a legal issue which only the Solomon Islands government can decide to allow the team to come into the country.
MyBlog comments
The decision by both the Solomon Islands and PNG government has indeed raised some important issues.
The Solomon Islands government sees the issue as a legal case. Foreign Minister says both the Solomon Islands and the PNG Government relied on the Terms of Reference, TOR, of the Inquiry not permitting the inquiry to be extended into Solomon Islands. They see it as an internal matter of PNG. Whilst that argument may be true in relation to the TOR, MyBlog says it cannot be true that its an internal affair of PNG.
How could it be, when both PNG and Solomon Islands government officers were involved in the secret escape of Moti? When Moti was flown from PNG to Solomon Islands it became an international matter. It involved international Immigration, Customs and Excise and Civil Aviation laws.
On the other hand the Oppositions leader, Mr Fono raised issues of Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability. The Deputy Chairman of the PNG Inquiry cites the saga as a Moral one. These are the standards that the Sogavare government had been preaching since coming into power in April 2006.
Is the government putting into practice what it's preaching?
MyBlog believes Solomon Islands is in its present situation because of the lack of those issues raised by Messers Fono and Huia.
Over the years many leaders and people of Solomon Islands have turned a blind eye to those fundamental issues. The continued neglect of those issues had culminated in the social unrest that virtually brought Solomon Islands to its knees. Haven't we learnt from those past mistakes?
MyBlog believes Solomon Islands can only move into a positive future if leaders set an example for the people to follow. If not, history will repeat itself, and it could be worse than before. If thats the attitude of the government, then its transparency, good governance and accountability out the window.
MALAITA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
The new Malaita Premier, Richard Na'amo Irosae, has announced his Executive.
Mr Irosae is responsible for the Office of the Premier. Below are the other 15 members of the 16-member Executive.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Development Planning, Edwin Suibaea.
Minister for Finance and Treasury, Moffat George.
Minister for Commerce and Industries, Billy Abae.
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Senly Filualea.
Minister for Land, Housing and Urban Development, Robert Madeo.
Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Billy Farobo.
Minister for Culture and Tourism, Tony Silas Bobby.
Minister for Forest, Environment and Conservation, Charles Jeffrey.
Minister for Infrastructure, Development and Communication, William Isui.
Minister for Education and Human Resources Development, Randall Sifoni.
Minister for Health and Medical Services, Isaac Houhiapa.
Minister for Mines and Energy, George Abana.
Minister for Sports, Youth and Women's Affairs, Jimmy Manewai.
Minister of Ecclesiastical and Regional Affairs, John Teehou and
Minister for Police and Justice is still unallocated.
Premier Irosaea's message to the people
New Premier Irosaea is encouraging people of Malaita throughout Solomon Islands to contribute towards the development of the province and the country.
Following his election as Premier last week and the swearing-in of his Executive today, Mr Irosaea has appealed to Malaitans in Solomon Islands whether working or not, that Malaita needs their contributions for its development programmes.
The Premier says his message to Malaitans is that they have to work to help themselves first, before they can expect others elsewhere in the world to help them. Mr Irosaea says this is the only way Malaitans can develop both their province and Solomon Islands.
MAKIRA-ULAWA POLITICS
Makira-Ulawa premier Stevenson Piringisau has been convicted and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for offences of false pretence.
The Minister for Provincial government Japhet Waipora has called for a meeting of the Makira provincial assembly to elect a new premier and a new deputy speaker. Mr Waipora says Piringisau is now disqualified from being premier and a provincial assembly member.
MyBlog says
The Minister says he has made his decision according to legal advice rendered to him.
The issue isn't quite finish as the Minister thinks, because sacked Provincial members are seeking legal ruling on the matter.
MyBlog says whatever legal outcome emerges from the political wrangling, one thing is clear, leaders especially elected leaders, must be accountable to the people. Solomon Islands leaders must follow the motto on the country's Court of Arms "To Lead Is To Serve".
Political wrangling appears to be present in provincial governments as well as the national government. MyBlog hopes other leaders can learn from this Makira-Ulawa political saga so that they can serve their people to the best of their abilities.
Cheers.
MyBlog believes that observing transparency, good governance and accountability is the way forward to a bright future for Solomon Islands.
As the country emerges from a dark age, the people look forward to a bright future ushered by those virtues. People especially leaders have a big responsibility to show the way forward by setting the standards and living these qualities.
GOVERNMENT BLOCKS INQUIRY
The Government has blocked the Papua New Guinea Defence Inquiry from coming into the Solomon Islands country to further investigate Julian Moti's secret flight into the country.
Foreign Minister Patteson Oti told a press conference in Honiara today that the PNG Defence Inquiry into the Moti affair is seen as an internal matter within PNG. He says both Governments of PNG and Solomon Islands agreed that the inquiry does not have the jurisdiction to extend its work into a sovereign state like Solomon Islands. Mr Oti says this conclusion was reached during his weekend visit to Port Moresby.
The board of inquiry, headed by PNG Justice Gibbs Salika, was to have flown to fly to Honiara today to further investigate Moti's escape from Port Moresby on a PNG military flight to the Solomon Islands in October.
Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability
The leader of Opposition Fred Fono urges the government to allow the PNG Inquiry team to enter Solomon Islands and do its job.
Mr Fono says government's decision to block the team from coming to investigate the escape of Moti should confirm government is serious on issues of transparency, good governance and accountability.
A moral issue
Former PNG Defence Force Commander and Deputy Chairman of the inquiry team into the Moti flight, Tony Huai has warned that any decision by the Solomon Islands and PNG governments to prevent the inquiry from completing its task could haunt them in the future.
Mr Huai says he does not believe the inquiry should be prevented from completing its tasks under the guise of diplomacy. He says the Solomon Islands government has a reciprocal obligation to PNG. Mr Huai says Papua New Guineans were used to transport Moti out, and the least the Solomon Islands government could do is allow the inquiry team in for an interview.
He says the issue is a moral one, not a legal issue which only the Solomon Islands government can decide to allow the team to come into the country.
MyBlog comments
The decision by both the Solomon Islands and PNG government has indeed raised some important issues.
The Solomon Islands government sees the issue as a legal case. Foreign Minister says both the Solomon Islands and the PNG Government relied on the Terms of Reference, TOR, of the Inquiry not permitting the inquiry to be extended into Solomon Islands. They see it as an internal matter of PNG. Whilst that argument may be true in relation to the TOR, MyBlog says it cannot be true that its an internal affair of PNG.
How could it be, when both PNG and Solomon Islands government officers were involved in the secret escape of Moti? When Moti was flown from PNG to Solomon Islands it became an international matter. It involved international Immigration, Customs and Excise and Civil Aviation laws.
On the other hand the Oppositions leader, Mr Fono raised issues of Transparency, Good Governance and Accountability. The Deputy Chairman of the PNG Inquiry cites the saga as a Moral one. These are the standards that the Sogavare government had been preaching since coming into power in April 2006.
Is the government putting into practice what it's preaching?
MyBlog believes Solomon Islands is in its present situation because of the lack of those issues raised by Messers Fono and Huia.
Over the years many leaders and people of Solomon Islands have turned a blind eye to those fundamental issues. The continued neglect of those issues had culminated in the social unrest that virtually brought Solomon Islands to its knees. Haven't we learnt from those past mistakes?
MyBlog believes Solomon Islands can only move into a positive future if leaders set an example for the people to follow. If not, history will repeat itself, and it could be worse than before. If thats the attitude of the government, then its transparency, good governance and accountability out the window.
MALAITA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE
The new Malaita Premier, Richard Na'amo Irosae, has announced his Executive.
Mr Irosae is responsible for the Office of the Premier. Below are the other 15 members of the 16-member Executive.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Development Planning, Edwin Suibaea.
Minister for Finance and Treasury, Moffat George.
Minister for Commerce and Industries, Billy Abae.
Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Senly Filualea.
Minister for Land, Housing and Urban Development, Robert Madeo.
Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, Billy Farobo.
Minister for Culture and Tourism, Tony Silas Bobby.
Minister for Forest, Environment and Conservation, Charles Jeffrey.
Minister for Infrastructure, Development and Communication, William Isui.
Minister for Education and Human Resources Development, Randall Sifoni.
Minister for Health and Medical Services, Isaac Houhiapa.
Minister for Mines and Energy, George Abana.
Minister for Sports, Youth and Women's Affairs, Jimmy Manewai.
Minister of Ecclesiastical and Regional Affairs, John Teehou and
Minister for Police and Justice is still unallocated.
Premier Irosaea's message to the people
New Premier Irosaea is encouraging people of Malaita throughout Solomon Islands to contribute towards the development of the province and the country.
Following his election as Premier last week and the swearing-in of his Executive today, Mr Irosaea has appealed to Malaitans in Solomon Islands whether working or not, that Malaita needs their contributions for its development programmes.
The Premier says his message to Malaitans is that they have to work to help themselves first, before they can expect others elsewhere in the world to help them. Mr Irosaea says this is the only way Malaitans can develop both their province and Solomon Islands.
MAKIRA-ULAWA POLITICS
Makira-Ulawa premier Stevenson Piringisau has been convicted and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for offences of false pretence.
The Minister for Provincial government Japhet Waipora has called for a meeting of the Makira provincial assembly to elect a new premier and a new deputy speaker. Mr Waipora says Piringisau is now disqualified from being premier and a provincial assembly member.
MyBlog says
The Minister says he has made his decision according to legal advice rendered to him.
The issue isn't quite finish as the Minister thinks, because sacked Provincial members are seeking legal ruling on the matter.
MyBlog says whatever legal outcome emerges from the political wrangling, one thing is clear, leaders especially elected leaders, must be accountable to the people. Solomon Islands leaders must follow the motto on the country's Court of Arms "To Lead Is To Serve".
Political wrangling appears to be present in provincial governments as well as the national government. MyBlog hopes other leaders can learn from this Makira-Ulawa political saga so that they can serve their people to the best of their abilities.
Cheers.
posted by Myblog | 9:49 pm
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