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United Parcel Service bows to conservationists

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, Dec. 31, 2008) – America’s large cargo air transport service, United Parcel Service (UPS), has decided not to ship anymore live dolphins from the Solomon Islands in the future.

In a letter written by UPS to the Animal Welfare Institute obtained by Solomon Star; the airline’s CEO Scott Davis said they will to accept any more future charters to transport live dolphins.

UPS made the decision following pressure from animal welfare groups for the carrier to abide by its policy, which is not to transport wild and live animals.

The airline owned the cargo jet that transported seven live dolphins early this month from the Solomon Islands to the Philippines.

When contacted through email, Director of the Earth Islands Institute based in the United States Mark Berman said they have shown their disagreement with UPS, which the company respectfully adhered to.

"UPS is...

Cites 2003 outrage over sale of Solomon Islands dolphins

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, December 31, 2008) – Singapore has been warned by Mexico’s Congress not to accept bottlenose dolphins exported from Solomon Islands.

The Solomon Star newspaper reports that the warning came after the recent shipment of bottlenose dolphins from the Solomons to the Philippines, which will be later transferred to Singapore, as well as another consignment due to be shipped soon.

The Chairman of the Mexican Congress, Committee of Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries, Senator Jorge Legorreta, wrote to the Singapore Minister for National Development, Mah Bau Tan, cautioning about the planned export.

In the letter, which was copied to the Solomons cabinet, Mr Legorreta said negative publicity surrounding the export of 28 bottlenose dolphins to Mexico from Solomon Islands in 2003 tainted his country’s reputation.

Twelve of the dolphins...

The new pay rates were supposed to come into effect today

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Times, Dec. 31, 2008) – The new Wage Regulations Order will come into effect in February, says the chairperson of the Wages Council, Father Kevin Barr.

The order was supposed to come into effect tomorrow but Fr Barr said the short time allowed on the consultation resulted in the deferment.

He said the order would be "gazetted in January but come into effect on the first day of February, 2009, after some amendments and corrections have been made".

The council and the business community were at loggerheads over pay increases for several sectors.

The business community had warned that some operators would be forced to close as they would not be able to meet proposed pay increase.

This stand-off after the National Wages Council approved pay increases for nine industries, including garments, printing, building, hotel and catering, security, road transport, saw milling and...

Fight in Taiwan damaged store and injured policemen

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp., Dec. 31, 2008) – A Ministry Foreign Affairs officer who in November caused an international incident in Taiwan when he damaged a store and injured three policemen during a drunken fight has made a public apology.

The apology was published in today's Solomon Star.

William Marau who was in Taiwan to attend a training program said he was deeply sorry for his very unprofessional behaviour.

He said he had taken too much alcohol and misbehaved to a degree where be became aggressive to personnel of the military college where he attended a training course.

Mr. Marau said language and communication difficulties might have led to a woman from the store calling for police which led to his arrest and the punches he might have have made to one of the three police officers.

He said they all fell over a rack of magazines in the store which was...