JAPANESE FUNDING FOR UNDP WORK

Japan backs UNDP Pacific parliamentary training

Quoting Radio New Zealand International – 6 March 2018

“New funding from Japan will allow the United Nations Development Programme to extend its parliamentary development work in the Pacific.

“Japan has made a grant of $US5.2 million, which will allow the Strengthening Legislatures in Pacific Island Countries Project to run for the next three years.

“With the aid the UNDP will provide new support to the parliaments of Samoa, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, and significantly scale up its ongoing support to the parliaments of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji.

“The Speaker of the Fiji Parliament, Jiko Luveni, said Fiji's MPs and parliamentary staff had benefited greatly from the UNDP scheme, which included exposure to the parliaments of Australia, New Zealand and Japan.”

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DIALOGUE ON A POSSIBLE NEW ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Honiara :  24 August 2016

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has launched a dialogue on a possible new electoral systems for the country.

He told a meeting of MPs the draft federal constitution already shows broad public support to move from First-Past-The-Post to a preferential voting system.

KOVILOKO SOLAR POWER NEEDS

Honiara :  1 September 2015

Letter to the Editor of the Solomon Star Newspaper.

Since I wrote my letter to your newspaper last week in which I outlined the solar power needs of the Koviloko community in Isabel Province, I have received further news from the community on their desperate plight for solar lighting.

One correspondent told me the community of 3,000, comprising of 13 villages, can no longer afford to buy kerosene costing S$7,00 for a 300 ml bottle and that a good number in the hillside villages people have resorted to using a white substance from local nut trees to try to get some illumination in their homes.

I am led to understand that in the past the Australian and Japanese Governments have aided local projects in the community in respect of water development and some basic village infrastructure and 120 10 watt solar power units supplied by way of a Development Assistance Program.

As I understand the present situation the community is really desperate for help with more solar power units and it is very much hoped by bringing their plight to the attention of your readers some early assistance will be given them.

I have said before, but worth repeating, supplying solar panels are technically feasible options for electricity production in the rural areas of the country and have been proven cost effective in the Solomon Islands, where distances are high and population densities and per capita demand for energy is low.

More needs to be done to encourage renewable energy supplies to raise the standard of living and educational needs of all people living in the remote regions of the country.

Please help.

Solomons government pledges to build 5000 new homes.

Honiara :  10 August 2015

"The Solomon Islands government says it will build 5000 new homes over the next four years, as part of its commitment to helping Solomon Islanders achieve a better standard of living.

"The Skyline Investment Group, through the Solomon Islands Development Corporation, is to build the new homes.