The Native Iowan

Landowners caution

ORIGINAL landowners of Lunga/Tenaru may disturb any development happening on their land if Government fails to sit and talk with them.

A principal landowner Andrew Kuvu in his capacity as one of the original landowners of Lunga/Tenaru lands issued these words of caution in a statement last week after the Government failed to sort out the land issue surrounding the Russell Islands Plantation Estate Plantation Limited (RIPEL) land in Lunga/Tenaru.
The statement came more than a week after RIPEL and the Government settled for $26million package to revive the operations at Yandina, Russell Islands, Central Province.

Mr Kuvu said he applauds the Prime Minister Danny Philip for his fine effort in sorting out the long standing issue of RIPEL in the Russell Islands.

“He is true to his words by saying that 2011/2012 is our national years of our land.”

But whilst the Lavukal landowners of Russell Island now get what they have been dreaming of, the original landowners of Lunga/Tenaru lands are still waiting in vain, he said.

Mr Kuvu recalled that in the previous government, they have the strong assurance through the landowners resettlement scheme (‘scheme’) that Lunga/Tenaru lands would be returned to the original landowners.

“Since the enthronement of NCRA government, we are being left in suspense.

“No further meeting or work is done on the Lunga/Tenaru lands hence the scheme seems a scam,” he said.

As a result Mr Kuvu said had put forward a number of concerns relating to the $26m package to Patrick Wong and his supporters;

Does that package also include the release of Lunga/Tenaru lands from Patrick Wong and RIPEL?
Mr Wong and John Whiteside with their cohorts are still selling plots of lands within Lunga simply as piece of cakes. If the government is committed to returning the said land, what would have been left for the landowners at the end of the day pursuant to the said scheme?
Assuming there is another separate package to RIPEL and Mr Wong for the return of Lunga lands to its original landowners, then who is going to refund the bonafide purchasers’ monies (i.e those buying lands in Lunga from Whiteside and his cronies)? Maybe the tax payers’ money again, who knows!
Mr Wong should not yet be allowed to pack and go because the Lunga/Tenaru lands must be sorted out in settlement with the government and the original landowners.
Mr Kuvu said they want the government to get back to them to discuss the matter or otherwise they would interfere with any proposed development on the land.

“With the above queries, we the original landowners of Lunga/Tenaru lands are still looking forward as to when the NCRA government would convene an urgent meeting with us.

“Otherwise we would soon continue to disturb or interfere in anyway against the developers or intending developers within Lunga/Tenaru. We would not stop,” the landowner said in the statement.

Queries sent to the Prime Minister’s office since last week remain unanswered.

However Prime Minister Philip during the signing of the settlement package deal with RIPEL management more than a week ago said the issue surrounding Lunga/Tenaru land issue will be dealt with after the RIPEL issues in the Russell Islands are being resolved and the operations is back and running.

Watching the people. Another half hour or so to go. I am looking forward to being warm, even hot, again.

Young love sits across from me. They must still be teenagers. Running away for a few days on the slopes?

A couple big groups of school kids move around. They appear to be well behaved. All in uniforms. Looking like clones.

Most everyone is face-planted in a machine of some sorts. I do see a couple people reading books.

And I write. About what I see. What I hear. What I feel…

Life is way guud…

And about time. Should have been back Friday. Saturday was Mendozza’s 6th birthday. We had a big party by the pool. I so much enjoy kids parties… and I missed this one. Real bummed!

But as I get today totally open to planning… I am going to run south and get some more Moko work done. it’s amazing how much I look forward to the ink and the needles then after a few hours turn into a world class wimp.

Call me a puss…

Solair strikes again… 930 am flight for today, 24 June now is a 930 pm flight on Sunday 26 June.

Sure glad I checked the flight status before I went to bed at 1am… 200.00 for a car to pick me up at 630 am so, good news is I did not find out about the changes at the airport, and bad news is it still cost 200.00 as the car was here at 630am.

Bad, bad news is it suppose to start raining so no bike rides in the offing…

Tonight it’s going as low as 40f / 5c. Got my stocking cap on and am thinking about a hot bath and my heavy blanket… days are great here but I need a fire place if it’s going to be near freezing during the eve/ night…

Thats about 11 c…

Dumb move today, left the Solos without the power supply for my computer… dern… new computer is 900, power supply has got to be 200… dern, messed up this time…

Wonder who has one I can borrow?

…???

Preparing to spend a week in Queensland. Weather there is a bit cold but it will be OK. Solair, as usual, a bit confused… ticket says depart 245pm… front of today’s paper states departure at 1145am… who knows… go figure…

life is good

So much for education in the isles… I like the line about the fire truck not being functional…

Auki school blaze
WEDNESDAY, 15 JUNE 2011 04:36

ONE of Malaita Province’s historical icon, Auki Primary School (APS) was burnt down early hours of yesterday morning.

A double storey classroom was believed to have been torched to the ground.

The incident happened between 2am-3am.

Deputy head teacher Paul Totore said they were shocked and they were not aware of who was responsible for the burning down of the school.

“It look as if someone was responsible for the fire but we cannot jump to conclusions until an investigation is carried out”, he said.

Mr Totore called on parents not to take matters into their own hands but leave it to the police to deal with it.

But reports reaching the Solomon Star from Auki said it was the work of arsonists.

According to residents nearby, they saw two men walking into the school premises before the fire started.

A container containing fuel was also reportedly found at the scene in the morning.

It was understood Auki police were also handicapped with resources, thus they could not contain the fire.

The only fire truck in the province has no battery so it was useless as well.

Hundreds of students turned up for classes yesterday morning but to their dismay with only ashes left of what they had learnt over the years.

Meanwhile, Mr Totore described the school as the pride of Malaita Province.

APS is one of the first schools to be built in the province as well as the country.

“Some of the elites in the country with good educational backgrounds were once groomed from this very own school and it is a sad thing,” Mr Totore said.

A grieving parent Billy Sumani spoke on behalf of the parents of the school stating that the burning down meant that a lot of children would be deprived of their rights to education.

“It’s a sad thing for the province and I am not happy,” he said.