The Native Iowan

I am picking up quotes from the TRC report. Much of what I read read makes me wonder… wonder if anyone is really, awake, aware, or even if anyone gives a shit… the lack of reality in what I read is striking.

from page 308…

The focus on investigation and arrests immediately after RAMSI‘s arrival has since shifted to
rebuilding community trust. Perceptions created during the tension that the RSIPF is corrupt or
biased towards Malaitans is difficult to uproot, hampering investigations. “Today we still have
problems collecting evidence,” reported one of the senior commanders. “There were people
killed during the crossfire and their relatives know very well they were killed by police weapons.
So it is very difficult for us to gain the trust of communities.”
To repair relations, the RSIPF has focused on community policing and tried to reform their
operations to emphasize accountability and transparency. They have also taken part in
customary and religious ceremonies of reconciliation. “We started already on Gold Ridge and
we’d like to do some more there this year and then move to the Weather Coast for some big
ones,” said another high ranking local police official. He continued,
We went to a very emotional reconciliation between the groups that allied themselves with the
Joint Operations and those that allied themselves with the GLF. And that sets the scene for the
Police Force to do our reconciliation with them, working with the Ministry of National Unity,
Reconciliation and Peace.
Efforts to purge ex-militants from the RSIPF have been handled by a combination of voluntary
leave and vigorous new recruitment. The special Constables were also given financial incentives
to leave and “they all left,” according to a senior commander with PPF. The RSIPF still has
many officers who benefitted from aligning themselves with militant groups during the tension.
For example, some of the promotions granted during that time have been called into question,
according to a senior police officer. However, another high-ranking officer stressed that the
police have found success in diluting any “bad blood” by recruiting officers “from remote
provinces . . . who were still in school” during the tension.

Bishop Terry hits back

Mr Panga (R) accused Bishop Terry (L) of acting illegally

Know the facts before you reconcile

TRUE reconciliation can only happen when people know the facts of the issue, an Anglican bishop says.

Bishop Terry Brown was responding to accusations Guadalcanal premier Stephen Panga levelled at him over his decision to release the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report.

Mr Panga accused Bishop Terry of acting illegally, adding the report should be released after reconciliation is held between Malaita and Guadalcanal.

But Bishop Terry said via email:

“It would be even worse to do reconciliation first and have all the facts come out later. That would reopen wounds and destroy the reconciliation that has taken place

“As the TRC Report was the one mandated document to provide the facts (the truth), the sooner it is in the public forum, the better.

“I have great respect for Stephen Panga and I do not want to engage in a public debate with him.

“I don’t quite know what he means by “there [are] issues [that] need to be settled” before the report is released.

“It seems to me that there are so many unknown facts that the TRC Report brings to light, that need to come to light, before true reconciliation is possible between Malaita, Guadalcanal and the national government.”

He added that the Report documents the failure of the “top down” or “high level” reconciliation process.

“A ‘bottom up’ process requires the people to know the facts and the TRC Report provides them.”

A former bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Malaita, Bishop Terry was the editor of the report.

He released the report online from his home country of Canada, where he now lives.

He said on previous occasions, he has requested the Government to release the report through parliament, but that was not done.

Bishop Terry also said he initiated discussion on social media network to get the public to pressure the government to release the report, but that too has not produced any results.

He said he decided to release the report after much prayer and reflection and was prepared to take personal responsibility for his decision.

Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo had held on to the report since February last year, citing sensitivity issues.

While the releasing of the report was unprocedural, most Solomon Islanders welcomed Bishop Terry’s decision, and instead urged the Government to act on the recommendations.

By Elliot Dawea

In fact, there are a couple reasons I don’t live in Iowa but… a snow storm on the 1st of May is a contributing factor…

Gotta state, maybe gloat, this Ssnake is one hell of a ride. Have done over 10 hours of driving over a 12 hour day. Started in southwest NSW and am now at Goondiwindi, QLD. Only 4 hours from home. It was a great, long, enjoyable and tiring ride…

I gotta stop for the night. Not that I am tired but rather the roos and big critters come out at night and make driving very dangerous. So I get to sleep one more night on the road.

The Ssnake is behaving admirably. What a set of wheels!

Upon end day inspection I find that the grill, the very cool grill, must have taken something somewhere and is pushed in a bit. I will leave it as is for now. The bug splatter and road dirt is impressive and suits a “roadster” that is honestly on the road. I won’t give it a clean until I get home. I get about 220ks to 20 litres of fuel so that about 24 miles to the gallon… or something like that. I did open it up, pushed it real hard at high-speed, to pass other vehicles on the long straight roads that are the Newell Highway. At 100ks you can down shift to 5th, stomp on it, and get impressive response.  I have not been conservative with my gas mileage.

And I have a big, dopey smile on my face.

So I sit in a decent motor lodge at the edge of town. I’m having a beer. Have ordered some soup n salad and a beer.

I have that floating feeling one gets after time on the ocean. Some 10 hours locked in the cockpit of the Ssnake… And “locked in” is the right term. Once I fold myself into the buggy there ain’t much room to shimmy or shake. But it is not uncomfortable. Not al all. The seats hold and support my fat-arse admirably. The forward and aft movement of the seat is minimal but it works. I admit to being very ungraceful crawling in and maybe more so crawling out but once in, it works and works well.

I note that when I stand next to The Ssnake the top come about to my waist line. So, once in, yer hairy back-side is literally inches from the ground.

So I sit in the pub at the Hotel. The pumpkin soup was great. The salad is magnificent, just what the doktor ordered. And the beer is, well y’all know me… the beer is a necessity and goes down cold and fast… Another please.

I was sitting here and an elderly, grandmotherly woman walked in. The place is empty. It was empty when I walked in. I sat and waited and someone showed up. So the new comer, she comes in and being polite asks me, “… do we just sit anywhere?” I answer, “I did, but then I’m an upstanding kinda guy. You on the other hand look a bit dodgy, so I dunno”. Of course I am sitting here in a no sleeve shirt with my ink hanging out. My hair is a mess from the open windows and I have bugs in my teeth from smiling too much while driving.

Luckily she got the joke and laughed with me. Otherwise we’d have had an upset granny to deal with.

Floating, floating… about done, more later

Life is good!

Very, very good.

I am sitting at the dealership waiting for the ssnake to come in from being prepped. I normally would have walked out and grabbed a taxi to the airport. My day should have gone faster and I would have hoped to be on the road by now. I guess the retarded nature of my life allows me to sit and watch the circus.

They have me sitting in a nice enough lounge area. The salesman dealing with me is in the next office and I can hear him doing his quick-step. I feel a stressed nature here. Some quotes as I write this… “we are selling so many cars”, “not enough salesmen”, “I don’t give a stuff, I buy, you sell”, “tell us what to do here”, “I don’t care, just do it”…

The show room is filled with eye candy.

The owner just rushed in and and in a cyclone of frenetic energy let me know I may be here for a while a longer.

Not sure my patience is suffering but the nature of the place is interesting at best. The tension in the air is palatable.

So my plans are askew… lets see where it leads… I would dearly love to get on the road.

Outside where I sit… a Ferrari, A Lamborghini and a McClaren…

Nice eye candy.

More later

I am starting this as a rather lengthy missive which shall ruminate on the art of becoming a retired old fart.

Background info: I have recently, officially retired. What this all means is still being worked out in my small brain but thus far it only means a couple things:

1) I do not have a job other than my domestic duties

2) I am not looking for a job

3) My time is basically my own, meaning that there are very few external demands on my time

4) I am financially secure enough to be able to be slightly, just slightly, frivolous and even a tad bit childish with my wants and needs

5) I am of such an age that my wants and needs are basic to the point of being quite simple

So, as a new member to the ranks of the retired elite, I quickly move to tick the boxes that old farts really must tick in order to be truly retarded, er, retired…

Boxes to tick:

1) Join a nice golf club that offers a killer course with heaps of other retarded guys whom are as free as you are

2) Buy that killer set of clubs you have always hankered for

3) Grow tomatoes in the back yard

4) Promise myself and those who will listen that I will ride my motorcycles more

5) Begin the search for new and cool recipes noting that with all this free time, cooking is as good a past time as anything

6) Buy a sporty car of some nature

I note fully that the above list will be constantly growing. Little things like taking lessons on your prefered stringed instrument, getting to know your neighborhood butcher and baker on intimate terms, researching the best toilet paper available, and perfecting my own style of flat-white coffee, also come in to play.

But today I am going to discourse on point 6) above, buy a sporty car of some nature.

So, what kind of car to buy. Money is a constraint but mainly a self-imposed one. I simply cannot spend, go into debt, for the million bucks a RR drop dead convertible will cost. I think they are bitchn vehicles but, sadly, I am too conservative for such extravagance. Nor can I go the route of the modern quarter of mil fastback roadsters with a big name like a DB9. I’d love to go out and buy an Audi R8… if’n it be good enough for Iron Man its good enough for me but at 250k AUD, again, I am too conservative. I could fall into the “American Muscle” mentality but, as much as I love an old GTO and the sound of the big V8 with the thirsty quad carbie, I am too much of an engineer, too practical to buy something that does not have insanely good brakes.

I do confess to being very much an anglophile when it comes to sports cars. The british open roadster is a thing of beauty. I love the old cat hood ornaments on Jags, or the chrome grills of the older MGs, or the squat, flat nosed  elegance of a Morgan. (do people know Morgans still use a wood chassis? The wood flexes and offers the Morgan its special road hugging handling.) I do also have a “thing” for the older Triumph TR models.

But I  want an honest V8, front engined, rear wheel drive feel. I want at least 400hp that sounds deep and loud as it spins those back tyres. I just don’t want a 2-ton American Classic.

So a puzzle is posed: V8, front engine, rear wheel drive… So many to choose from. So many monstrous super cars built around the V8 of old. But which one offers a positive european driving experience (meaning it can do corners like it’s on rails, and stop impressively) but still have that heart thumping horsepower under the hood?

An easy answer begins to take shape… And it is the legacy of an American that needed to be able to beat the Europeans at their own game… Enter, please, Mr. Carroll Shelby.

Carroll Shelby raced all the great names… Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin. He eventually decided to “develop” a car that could beat the european big names at their own game… He somewhere convinced the British company, AC Motors, to place a 427 Ford big block V8 into one of their roadsters. This was the birth of the “Shelby” AC Cobra.

The AC Cobra has about all an aging motor head like me could want. The 2 seater open touring roadster feel that Americans simply do not understand. A big block V8 on a light and low frame that can corner, and most importantly, can stop quickly. Not a yank-tank at all, in fact, perhaps its in a class of its own? But indeed one hell of a ride.

So, where do you find an honest AC? The answer is you simply don’t. They are rarer than hens teeth and if you did find one, a real one, it’d go for the same prices as the RR drop dead convertible. Sad news, indeed.

The upside here is that there are hundred, thousands of ACs built from kits. Some are real good. Some are junk.

So the search begins, and ends quickly as I find the “Ssnake”…

Developed by an Aussie company, DRB, as a concept car. It could have been in production in 2009 and a common sight on the roads. But due to a global financial collapse this becomes nothing more than a cool and sporty oddity. The guy that built this was on a winner in 2008. He was selling cars throughout the world and Ford was keen to help him develop a “new” AC Cobra. But history shows us the great laid plans of mice n men oft-times go astray.

While doing my research here I spoke to the guy who owns DRB and built this car. I rang  and asked about any info on the car. The dude wet his pants. In an excited voice he told me his story. He spent a small fortune making it special. The man-hours are incalculable. He sold it to keep his company afloat. And it is, again, looking for an owner.

And, surprising, the buy-in price is quite pedestrian.

http://www.lorbek.com.au/recent_sales/gallery/lorbek_recent_sales/2009_Shelby_Cobra_Emerald_Green_5_Speed_Manual_Roadster/6352762/photo_40/?referer=Detail%20Page

The interesting thing about this car is they used a new 2009 Ford GT to build the concept car on. So it’s a full-blown factory made car (as opposed to a garage built kit using various bits n pieces from here n there) offering modern gigs like cruise control, central locking, ABS, etc. And, yep, a modern Boss 290 KW engine, upgraded to 330 KW or a rock’n 440 hp under the hood.

So I am in Melbourne to decide if I drive this buggy home. The dealer picks me up about 930 and by noon I’ll either be on the road heading north or back at the airport.

I’ll take more picts and expand the story more, later…

http://solomonstarnews.com/news/national/17612-hefty-awards

MPs terminal grants sky rockets from $100k to $400k

All the 50 Members of Parliament (MPs) will recieve a handsome payout of $400, 000.00 as terminal grant when they exit the house and complete their four years term by September next year.

This is one of the entitlements included in a new regulation amongst others that is likely to come into effect following the commission’s endorsement almost two weeks ago.

This payout is an increase of $300, 000.00. Previously MPs are entitled to get $100,000 as their terminal grant.

But the chairman of the parliamentary entitlements commission (PEC) Johnson Siapu has defended the increase describing it as geniune.

Other increases to the new entitlements of MPs included the ‘Discretionary Fund’, which doubled from $150,000 to $300,000.

Also featured in this year’s increase is fuel allowance from $4,000 to $4,500 a month for MPs entitled to official vehicle.

MP’s per diem when travelling overseas was also increased by USD$50 a day or SBD$400 a day.

This means the Prime Minister when on overseas travel is entitled to about SBD$3,200 spending money a day while for ministers and Leader of the Opposition SBD$2,800 and ordinary MPs SBD$2,400 a day.

Another major change was the $10,000 education grant for each MP a year to be paid directly to the MP, and not requiring the MP to produce supporting documents such as pro forma invoices from schools.

This means payments are not required to be paid to schools by Parliament.

But the Chairman explained the increases were made after thorough assessment by members of the commission.

“PEC does not endorse the increases alone. They were done after thorough considerations of the submissions from MP’s and the government caucus,” Mr Siapu explained.

With the MPs terminal grant, Government will dig deep next year to secure $20 million to meet its obligation for the 50 exiting MPs, something the finance minister Rick Hou is very conscious of.

“I told the commission this will be a hefty call on the government budget.

“It is quite a portion of the budget.

“The government will find ways to source funds to support it,” the finance minister said.

He said the government has the capacity to collect revenue and to sustain it.

Mr. Hou said some submissions were thrown off by PEC otherwise the increases could be much higher.

The PEC commission consist of the chairman Mr Siapu, the minister of finance and treasury Mr Hou, chairman of the public accounts committee Hon. Douglas Ete, retired Arch Bishop Sir Elision Pogo and Alfred Maetia, who is yet to take his oath.

Although Mr Maetia and Mr Pogo did not attend the deliberations of the commission, PEC did go ahead with the review because it has the quorum of three of its members.

I look after my skin. I somewhere in my journey have figgered out that your epidermis is important and requires special attention…

At least this is what I tell myself after I have been seduced into spending way too much at one of those dead-sea oil n lotion stations that are common in malls. As I walk away, my purchase in a fancy bag, I tell myself that I am clever and right to be looking after my skin and buying these ever so essential condiments for the epidermis…

Of course it has nothing to do with the quietly exotic babe with big dark eyes and a dangerous accent.

That too I keep telling myself, as I walk away. It had nothing to do with the babe with the dark eyes and a name like Fatima, or Valencia…

And I rationalize heavily by thinking that I did need to buy some body butter. We use a lot of oils and lotions and essences at home and the body butter they sell is real good.

So why do I have an array of old-man products for my wrinkly eyes, and sagging face and …  I am a bit perplexed.

I shall figger it out one day…

Speaking of good skin care products… I never miss an opportunity to make a plug for Lavender. If there is a swiss army knife for essential oils it is lavender. There is very little it does not do.  I swear by Tea Tree as an antiseptic and Citronella as an insect repellant, and others… But lavender be the most versatile. Never leave home without it.

And, NEWZ PHLASH, I have found something that is quite impressive… A local product, from just a short ways down the road from us…

http://drwheatgrass.com/

I am impressed by it.

And by the number of reasons I can come up with for the small bag of expensive gear I recently got from that dead-sea oil n lotions station at the local mall.

More later

Headlines in today’s Solomon Star are marketing what I feel is a neo-colonialistic attitude that, for some dumb reason, people far and wide think is great.

It is all about PACER Plus… Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus.

I was involved in the kickoff of PACER Plus in 2009. The Aussie Gov had come to the SI Chamber of Commerce and asked for our support. We reviewed the information and said, “hey wait a minute”…

The “Agreement” gave Aus advantaged access to Pacific wide markets while supposedly making it easy for PICs (Pacific Island Countries) to export to Aus.

Of course the long list of items that were acceptable to export from a PIC to Aus was restrictive and the reality of some of it was a joke.

I do not have the Pacer Docs any more but I recall that some export items were taro (big trade in taro from PICs to Aus) but the Taro had to be in approved packages, yep… you got it, which is available only from Aus.

Same with Kava, etc. I do recall sitting and exhaustively reviewing the list with some very smart Solomon Islanders and determining that there was nothing of advantage to SI gained through Pacer. In fact it opened SI’s markets up to more subjugation and neo-colonialistic attitudes.

The fun part of this story is that I was invited to an Economic and Trade Summit the Aussies put on. Quite a big marketing ploy on their part. Everyone that was anyone in government or commerce was there. I was asked to give a short key note speech. I sat next to (in the front row) the then Aussie and SI  Minsters of Trade, The High Commissioner for Aus to Solomons, and the big-dick for RAMSI (Regional assistance missions SI)…

My key-note speech was a rather long discussion on the Solomons economy that very much questions the validity of PACER.

After my speech the Aussie big wigs I was sitting with all moved a fair measure away from me.

1st… today’s article, then 2nd… my speech from 2009…

#1….

Foreign minister highlights challenges and benefits of Pacer Plus

#2….

Protocol:

The Hon Simon Crean, Australian Minister for Trade

Hon Francis Billy Hilly, Solomon Islands Minister of Commerce

Mr. Frank Yourn, Executive Director, Australian Pacific Islands Business Council

Mr. Gary Clifford, Vice-President, Australia Pacific Islands Business Council

Mr. Gane Simbe, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Solomon Islands

Official invitees, dignitaries, Ladies and gentlemen

I thank all involved for the honour of being here today. The SICCI is the voice of the Private Sector in Solomon Islands. With over 100 members we like to think we have our finger on the economic pulse of the Country.

The Solomon Islands Economy

There is much discussion in the Solomons right now that revolves around what comes “next” for our economy. Of course, Logging is no longer the future of the islands. There is much talk of mining, fishing, tourism or… something else that is required to fill the void that the fall in logging based revenues is creating.

As a “least developed country” the Solomons is both ahead and behind other countries in the Pacific region. Ahead in that, as I like to think, there are opportunities galore in the Solomons. Behind in that recent trends, occurrences and mishaps have made investing in our lovely island homeland difficult, at best.

Allow me to briefly review three main impediments the Solomons as a whole and investors in general currently face.

1^st : The Cost of Doing Business in the Solomons is prohibitively high…

h   Failing or nonexistent infrastructure means the cost of all commodities increase disproportionately every time they are handled or moved.

h   Of course the Security Issues we live with in the Solomons costs all companies extra. All business houses must hire, train and retain large numbers of expensive security guards… in my company one half of our 100 employees are security personnel. It is my view that our “Security Problems” will not go away quietly. 50% of our population is under the age of 25. If we do not develop a mechanism to engage, educate, employ and recognise this growing population the situation will not get better.

h   The failing, obsolete and poorly maintained public services cost all users too much. Currently a unit of electricity costs us USD fifty cents. This is in comparison to USD fifteen cents for an average unit here in Australia. There is a distinct need to get the SOE’s in the Solomons operating properly. This need is immediate if not over due.

2^nd : Land tenure in the Solomons is a difficult and sensitive issue…

h   Over 80% of our land is held under a “Customary Land System”. If you want to come and develop a new enterprise – outside the urban setting – you’ll have to deal with Customary Land owners. This can be time consuming, costly and, for the newly initiated, quite daunting.

h   Add to this: The National Lands Registry is poorly managed, susceptible to corrupt influences, and, sadly, has not received the attention, money or care that is required to make this system work in a modern society. I wish to comment here that “without security of tenure of Land” there can be little or no honest investment. We must get this right before we move forward.

3^rd : The tax regimen in the Solomons does not attract investment…

h   There has been a propensity for successive Governments to view the Private Sector as their very own “cash-cow”. When the Central Government needs more revenue… they target the Private Sector. They raised the Goods Tax from 8 to 10%. Then to 15%. This is a negative trend and simply is not sustainable. The tax regimen we currently live under is actually pushing business away. We live under a system of taxes on taxes. Sorta’ makes me wonder why or how we’d think investors would even consider the Solomons as a viable option.

h   It is this onerous if not draconian tax regime that forces doors of graft and corruption open. A fair and professionally implemented tax system will mean a broader tax base, easier regulation, better compliance and, in the long run, more revenue.

I know, it all sounds pretty negative. I can guess that many here today are asking themselves… “if it’s all that bad why is he still there?”…

The simple answer is that… Things have not always been this way. In the 80s corruption was nonexistent. Taxes were reasonable. The lifestyle was the best our planet offered. And, ladies and gentlemen, the Solomons is Home.

OK, We’ve had the negative, where’s the positive… there has to be a positive somewhere…

What does the Solomons have that can be the tool or tools we all put our hand to? The tool we can use to start digging our way out of the problems we are in?

h   Of course our idyllic island lifestyle is a marketable entity. Tourism can be “a savour” for us. But we need to solve many problems before we can “bank” on tourism.

h   There is no doubt that mining is viable in the islands. There is no doubt that there “is gold in them thar hills”. But, are we ready to move in that direction? Do we need to solve some associated issues before we move full speed into mining?

h   Agricultural Business offers a positive opportunity. At present there is an abundance of unexploited land in the Solomons. It may make sense for us to focus on the agriculture sector. Growth in agriculture will benefit the rural areas, where most of the population live. We already have a strong agricultural base. Agriculture will also create the required jobs that will encourage people to stay in the rural areas, rather than move into town to look for work.

h   Manufacturing, in contrast to agriculture, mining and fisheries, is very attractive as it enjoys increasing returns to scale.  As you manufacture in greater numbers your costs decrease. It is obviously premature to talk about Solomon Islands developing high tech industries at this point in time. However, at the very least the government must plan for greater manufacturing and industry in the economy. Looking at international experience, it is the manufacturing sector that pushes wages up. Something we need in the Solomons.

h   One last thought on Manufacturing: Manufacturing has the potential to absorb educated and skilled labour. In agriculture the majority of the jobs are unskilled. If a country educates its citizens without having the jobs available the inevitable consequence is “brain drain”. A situation where the country’s most skilled people move to other countries to find gainful employemnt. This is a problem we currently face. It is not acceptable to suggest that the Solomon Islands simply does not educate its population. It is also undesirable to spend valuable and limited resources on training people when they are likely to leave.

So we do have a few, limited options or opportunities. The only problem with relying on agriculture and raw materials export is that the result will be a low wage economy, little technological progress and a pattern of exporting raw materials and importing manufactured goods.

Protection versus Free Trade

Historically countries have protected industries that they recognise as desirable. They do this by setting high import duties for those goods that they wish to produce themselves. This gives any national business an advantage in the domestic market.

In the case of the Solomon Islands the domestic markets are small. With only 15% of our population living in urban centres the demand for goods that can be produced locally is small. Unlike other developing countries, even if a company is protected from foreign competition, we may never have enough local demand to become ultimately successful.

However, there are two reasons for contemplating protectionist strategies. Firstly, having an advantage in the domestic market may make the difference between a firm being profitable or not. The fact that jobs in manufacturing generally have higher wages is a good reason to desire a manufacturing sector. The question has to be asked whether, in opposition to comparative advantage theory, it is better to protect an inefficient manufacturing sector than to have no manufacturing sector at all.

PACER

My discussion on protectionistic opportunities logically leads us to PACER… The Australian government has stressed that the PACER negotiations will be conducted with a view toward development rather than an effort to capitalise on potential markets. If this is the case then PACER could be a better development tool than 10 years worth of aid.

I believe that the Solomons must be allowed and encouraged to protect those industries that are beneficial. That is to say those industries that have: increasing returns to scale, encourage innovation, are as high tech as possible, utilize inputs that are locally sourced, offer high wage levels, and/ or produce synergies and experience high growth.

However, all of this is insufficient to develop our country’s economy to its full potential. The Solomon Islands needs to have a long-term economic development plan. We need to be building infrastructure that encourages investment of the right or desired type. I have said this many times before… The SIG should not stimulate business development and growth through handing out grants. Build the infrastructure required and let the Private Sector manage the rest.

It would though seem that the PACER negotiations could well compel the Solomon Islands Government to start thinking of a long-term economic development strategy.

The Solomon Islands government really must start thinking in the long term. The Government and Private Sector must cooperate and share a positive forward focus. We will not develop unless we have carefully thought out plans, and combine them with the will to see such plans through to completion, despite any and all difficulties.

Again, one and all I very much appreciate the time granted today to the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

Thank you and g’day…

Some interesting stats available here…

Central Islands population as at 1999 was 22,000. Lets say 30,000 today.

Lets stretch it all and say half the population is registered to vote, knowing well the number are much lower.

Lets stretch it and say 75% of those registered vote…

So, we have about 12,000 votes to be spread over 10 candidates. Democracy in Action!

I like the fact that the outgoing guy can’t stand so his wife is running… note, it worked for Jimmy Rasta, member for Lau.

10 ready to contest Gela

Former Ngela MP Mark Kemakeza was disqualified and has fielded in his wife to contest in the by-election.

TEN candidates will contest the by-election for the Parliamentary seat of Gela in the Central Islands Province on February 27.
But the Electoral Commission said the former Member of Parliament for the constituency, Mark Kemakeza who lost the seat following a 14-month jail term, is not amongst the 10 candidates.Because he was disqualified, he fielded in his wife, who was one of the two women to contest the seat.

Kemakeza was jailed last year for stealing constituency funds.

The Electoral Commission said the candidates are qualified to contest the by-election after nominations closed January.

Meanwhile, the Commission reiterates that it has been doing its best to ensure voters will go to the polls freely.

The Gela by-election is the fifth since Solomon Islands held its national parliamentary elections in mid-2010.

Previous by-elections were held in the constituencies of Baegu-Asifola, Shortland Islands, North Malaita, and East Are’Are.

Ngella candidates warned

We have lovely small, pink bud roses in the back yard. Connie planted them. They remind me of my Grandmother, Nana. She always smelled of roses.

I was just out, caught a heady whiff, and thought of Nana… and her piano.

What a monster piece of furniture that piano was. I helped my  Father move it from Dubuque to Indee. It was a bear of a job, both ways. I was youngish, maybe 13 and Dad, being Dad, did not have a lot of helpers and though I was still a kid I was big enough to work. I recall the moving of the piano as a stressful exercise.

The piano comes to mind in that we’re just deciding that buying a piano may not be wise.

The story continues…

We’ve just set up part of the front area as our music/ game room.

What do we see here?

Mendozza’s drum kit,

Angelo’s Fender 6 string electric on the shelf,

Gracie’s Taylor acoustic down front

My 1/1 fiddle against it,

Mendozza’s 1/4 fiddle with Angelo’s 1/2 fiddle in the cases on the shelf,

My 1922 Martin mandolin almost in the pict to the right… the old mandolin is a story unto it’s self…

There is also Uncle Teddy’s big, old Sigma-Martin Dreadnought that’s in the shop getting it’s neck straightened.

Oh yea, the ukulele is in the case by the drums.

So, I guess it makes sense that we discussed buying a piano…

We are getting into the music and having a lot of fun doing so.

Mendozza has been a drummer since young but he confidently picks up most instruments and makes pleasing noises.

Angelo wanted a guitar for Cmas and Santa brought him more than a guitar. Santa brought him a Fender.

Grace has been playing Uncle Teddy’s ax but misses her smaller Tekenene Paul confiscated. I think Qalo has the nice little Hohner.

So we decided to look for a smaller guitar. Do you ever have enough guitars?

In the process of shopping for the Taylor I decided to throw a good mandolin on the shopping list in order to bring the price down. Why a mandolin, you may ask… it’s simple, the mandolin and the violin are cousins. They are tuned the same and are basically played the same.

This is the boys second year of violin lessons.  We went shopping a few weeks ago for good fiddles. We rented last year and the machines we got were nasty. Though they both did real well in the lessons they did it despite the instruments. The better the machine the easier to use. So we took the boys to a crazy German luthier I found and had them “fitted” for their instruments. Mendozza being small has a 1/4 size, Angelo has a 1/2.

As we were doing this I took it into my head to buy a 3rd machine thinking a) I will do the lessons/ at home practice with the boys, and b) as they grow we will need a full size machine eventually. So I brought the price down by mixing the pot, and everyone is happy.

A side note… the boys had their lessons today and we have new music to learn tonight. I do look forward to it.

So… ahhh, ummm, yes, indeed, this is about a piano…

So Gracie declares she really wanted a piano. We know a keyboard takes up almost the same space as a modern electric piano. And an electric piano is not much smaller than a decent upright. I checked on line and found hundreds of quality uprights for sale for a fraction of what a new one would cost. Looks like pianos are like boats… the first guy to buy it gets hosed. The second guy to buy it gets a bargain.

Gracie and I finally decided we’re probably good without the piano, for the time being.

And it takes me back to smelling the pink bud roses, and thinking of Nana and wondering what ever happened to her piano.

Life is good

And I mean that in the very essence of a southern YEEE HAWWW!!!!!

Just picked up a 1922 CF Martin mandolin…

I paid way too much but am way, way happy that I found this in the Land of Oz… the land where buying a quality mandolin is almost impossible. This one was in the store where I found it because,as they say, it’s an “ugly duckling”. And compared to the polished and new chinese shoe box models that sell for half or quarter the price, it is. But boy do it sound sweet.

The boys are watching Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. With their violins (fiddles), the collection of guitars we have around, and now the “Ug Duck”, we have a YEE HAWW band in the making…

Yeee Hawww…

We’ll be busking sooner than Mendozza thinks. Maybe we call our band the Sol-Hounds?

Just smiling here in regards to how much fun life can be.

The short version: The boys are doing violin at school. I want them to “learn music” so we’ve gone this route. Despite that fact we have drums, guitars, and ukes around. I see the formal lessons as a way to learn the language of music.

Last year we hired nasty, cheap instruments from the school. They did well, got good grades and enjoyed it for the most part.

This year we went to a violin-guy and bought decent, very good, machines. I was a bit flabbergasted over the price, and, the fact that Mendozza needs a 1/2 size, Angelo needed a 3/4 size and we bought a 1/1 size because we’ll need it later on and, big smile, so I can learn with the boys.

So I was a bit grumpy over the price tag but the boys really enjoy the exquisite instruments they have that sound oh so nice, and, importantly, their teacher commented how good their machines were. Made both very proud.

Last night I got my first official lesson. I can now very competently play “Mary’s little Lamb” as a trio with the boys.

Mendozza figures we’re about ready to go busking at the mall.

And I feel like a star…

Husband prime suspect in PNG sorcery killing

Death toll rises to 10

URGENT relief supplies are on the way to the earthquake and tsunami stricken island of Santa Cruz last night as the confirmed death toll stands at 10.

Patrol boat Lata and MV Anavon were loaded with food, water and tents and are due to arrive at Temotu provincial capital Lata today.

Sipuru Rove of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) said an assessment team was also on board the patrol boat.

The team comprised of doctors and officials from the ministries of agriculture, education and representatives from other non-government organisations.

“The assessment team is expected to spend two weeks in Temotu,” Mr Rove said.

He called on the public, groups and companies to come forward with whatever help they can give to support the victims of this latest disaster.

Meanwhile, reports from Temotu say people are still scared of going back to their homes because there’s nothing left, so they are residing in temporary shelters on higher ground.

Wednesday’s tsunami, triggered by a powerful 8.0 magnitude earthquake, generated 1.5-metre waves that damaged or destroyed several coastal communities and flooded Lata airstrip.

As they scrambled to reach smashed villages, disaster relief agencies warned the death toll was likely to rise.

Aid agency World Vision, which also dispatch relief supplies to Temotu yesterday, said some houses in the town of Venga were shifted 10 metres by the surge of water and 95 per cent of homes in Nela village were washed away.

“I’m currently walking through one community and I’m knee-deep in water,” World Vision emergency coordinator Jeremiah Tabua said.

“I can see a number of houses that have been swept away by the surge,” he told AAP.

Mr Rove said the national government had asked the Royal Australian Air Force to send a plane to survey damage to the island.

“We’re hoping for it to happen some time today, if possible,” he said.

Mr Rove said an estimated 3,000 people were homeless, with many villagers fleeing the coast for higher ground and taking shelter in makeshift camps in the rugged hills.

Red Cross disaster manager Cameron Vudi said reconnaissance flights were made over the island yesterday to assess the scale of the damage but initial reports indicated at least 460 homes had been destroyed.

He said the death toll was likely to rise as reports came in from isolated communities.

“We’re expecting changes. There are signs that there might be increases in the number of casualties,” he said.

“There are still reports coming in. Most of the reports are confined to areas that are accessible by road but there are a lot more communities that have been damaged.”

The US Geological Survey said the powerful quake struck beneath the sea about 76 kilometres west of the provincial capital Lata, on the large island of Nende, at a depth of 28.7 kilometres.

It was followed by dozens of strong aftershocks of up to 7.0 magnitude and the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre put several island nations on alert for two-and-a-half hours before declaring the threat had passed.

In 2007 a tsunami following an 8.0-magnitude earthquake killed at least 52 people in in Western and Choiseul provinces and left thousands homeless.

The quake lifted the island of Ranogga and pushed out its shoreline by dozens of metres.

The Solomons are part of the “Ring of Fire”, a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific that is subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

In December 2004, a 9.3-magnitude quake off Indonesia triggered a catastrophic tsunami that killed 226,000 people around the Indian Ocean.