Solomon man among six illegal immigrants in remand in Fiji

A Solomon Islands man (name not given) is one of six others from three Melanesian countries that the Fiji Immigration Department will deport shortly after they were found to be staying in the country illegally.

Director of Fiji Immigration Nemani Vuniwaqa said the men had been staying in Fiji illegally since 2008.

Mr Vuniwaqa said they had detained three from Papua New Guinea, two from Vanuatu and one from Solomon Islands until the next available flight back to their countries.

Mr Vuniwaqa said his department was working closely with the Fiji Police Force's intelligence bureau and transnational crime unit. Assistant police spokesman Suliano Tevita said two of the Papua New Guinea nationals were brothers who came in 2007 on student visas.

Source: Fiji Times

Solomon U12 and U15 Futsal teams impressive in Australian championship

The Solomon Islands junior futsal teams have preformed impressively in the recent futsal national championship in Canberra, Australia which ended last Friday.

The U12 boys managed to reach the grand-final after beating NSW Thunder by 5-4. They eventually went down to Victoria Magic by 3-10 in the final to collect silver and came second in their category.
Top: The U12 boys with their silver medals and national flag. Bottom: The U12 boys with the Victoria Magic team.

In the U15 category, the Solomon team came 4th after loosing to NSW Thunder in the semi-final. However, pride was restored after Alex (pictured below) was named as Player of the Tournament in the U15 category.

Indeed the young futsal boys have made the nation proud with their exceptional performances.

Source of Photos: Sae N. Eremae, ANU, Canberra

Meet Daudaulinga Mafrosi string band from Silolo in North Malaita

By Iroasi

It’s delicate yet harmonious; something worth lending ones ears to. I’ve seen it as an idyllic home grown pride, which in my view is fitting to be given a good shout on this growing news machine which we’ve come to acknowledge as our lifhaus of information.

I am talking about a local upcoming group, Daudaulinga, a modernized sort of string band from Silolo in North Malaita which is slowly finding its way into the local music industry with its first ever album.

Originally formed as a mere string band, Daudaulinga flew from the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Cooperation studios( SIBC), with which they’ve managed to record a few string tunes, to Mountol Sound Studios* in White River where they’ve decided to blend their unique sounds with modern instruments claiming “to suit today’s setting and taste.”

Their time with SIBC had as well seen a production of video clips one of which was shared for viewers on youtube.

Dudley, a prominent member of the Malaitan band, spoke with delight when Lifhaus met him and his team at the studios doing final touches to their songs.

Asked what’s the unique thing about their music, Dudley revealed that theirs is a one handed down by the old, “it’s pretty unique you know, we nick name it Mafrosi strings because this type of string playing can only be done with key F. Our old people used it before and it sounds great.”

And Dudley is not joking; Malaita, one of the tracks in the album, is a historic yet sad song that unveils one of the realities of the black birding era. It carries the cries of a north Malaitan mother and her children whom their father was a victim of the tragic massacre. It however turns the gloominess into a somewhat sweet reassuring tap-on-the-shoulder message that the endured suffering has however seen worthwhile changes in the areas they were taken to. Together, the content and the sounds have amounted to an intrigue clash between Mafrosi and modern sounds.

Iced with the famous distinguishable vocal style that the north Malaitans are locally famous for, Daudaulinga seems to be narrating its side of the love story perhaps with an aim to rock Solomon’s love world. They do have a set of love songs with sounds that can rock the mind of a genuine local music follower.

Their beat and style will never be another “One Tox” or “Sharzy”, but diversity wise they’ll surely be another choice in our music bag for interested listeners out there to choose from.

Locally I’ve come to hear of quiet admirers like Wilson Tuhumanu casting their admiral votes for the boys, “I like their style and harmony-quite fitting to go along something like a beer in the evening.”

Danny Dau, the Manager of Mountol Sound Studios, was excited at the release of Daudaulinga’s album with his studio, “their music is unique and it’s great working with them.”

Their album is now on the shelves in Honiara for sale.

*Mountol Sound Stedio is a locally owned recording studio situated at Laundry Valley at White River Honiara. They can be contacted on mountol@hotmail.com

Source: Lifhaus

Rendova Island suffers damage from earthquake in Western Solomons

Earlier yesterday, reports of two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 6.5 made global headlines. Although no tsunami warnings were put in place for the Solomon Islands, PFNet Communications Officer, Tony Matelaomao reported from the Western Province on the extent of damage in the aftermath. The report also underlines the important role PFNet continues to play with its far-reaching rural email stations. This is the report from Mr. Matelaomao.

PFNet rural email station of Rarumana was able to communicate with Baniata community clinic radio who reported some damages to their village following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake which struck this morning with epicentre not far from the village.

Within an hour of the quake Rarumana PFNet rural email station reported that Baniata community was able to establish communications with the station and reported that they have damaged residential homes, damaged dugout canoes, people running to higher grounds only to be stopped by landslides from the nearby hills.

People who were out early to their food gardens, those that went out fishing and those travelling between nearby Hopongo village could not immediately be accounted for but that otherwise their has not been any casualties/injuries.

Later detailed reoports were relayed about 16 homes completely shaken to the ground with 60 others "lamed" considered unsafe for habitation.

On contact, it was also reported that a helicopter has handed in the village, presumably to gather preliminary damage reports.

From the reports, it seems that a local tsunami has been established within the immediate surroundings of the epicentre.

Rarumana and Simbo Email stations have both reported "abnormal" tides immediately after the quakes that caused fear among villagers. On contact, the PFNet headquarters established contacts with the National Disater Management Office who advised that no tsunami warnings were forthcoming but that people should take necessary precautionary actions.

Biche village on Vangunu has also sent in a report through Bekabeka Distance Learning Centre that no damages or abnormalities to the ocean were experienced in the village apart from the quakes.

Source: Lifhaus

Tsunami activity in Honiara from twin Solomon quakes

A Tsunami was generated as a result of twin quakes that hit the Solomon Islands region with 49 minutes of each other.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunami threat existed for other coastal areas in the Pacific.

A gauge located in Honiara measured tsunami waves of 0.06metres or 0.2 feet occurring every 10 minutes.

The waves were measured at 11.04am (Solomon time), just under an hour and a half after the second quake (of 7.2 magnitude) occurred at 8.9 South, 156.6 East at a depth of 33km.

"It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter," the Center said.

It said if no major waves were seen for two hours local authorities could assume that the threat had passed.

But it warned "danger to boats and coastal structures can continue for several hours due to the continuing sea level changes and rapid currents".

It warned that some other areas could experience small non-destructive sea level changes lasting up to several hours.

Source: Fiji Times