Solomon Islands

The sentiment was revealed by a business confidence survey conducted by the Solomons Chamber of Commerce.

Its chief executive Dennis Meone said while the majority of respondents were optimistic about 2018, delayed payments were causing problems.

"The biggest impediment that most of our members are having is getting paid on time," he said.

The Solomon Star reports the boat is one of three boats that were captured early last year at Rennel's Indispensable reef by the Maritime Police for illegal fishing.

The Supervising Police Commissioner said the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource was responsible for the destruction of the boat and police would assist.

The High Court ruled the three boats be destroyed and two were controversially burned at a passage near Gela, in December.

The group called 'Kingdom' is Christianity-based but holds some controversial beliefs.

The Solomon Star newspaper reports local Christian associations do not recognise the movement with one local pastor describing it as a cargo-cult because it reportedly tells members they will receive goods and money from the US.

He said the group believes the people of Malaita are descendants of Israel and that today the ground would open up and swallow all unbelievers and houses will spring up out of the ground for the faithful to occupy and be served by white women.

The Munda airfield, which has been developed with tens of millions of dollars of New Zealand aid over the past seven years, is close to completion.

The airport is being developed as an emergency alternate to Honiara and to try and foster tourism in Western Province.

The New Zealand high commissioner to Solomon Islands, Don Higgins, said that over the next couple of months the focus would be on installing navigational aids and ground lighting, and ensuring fire trucks and trained crew were in place.

He said once this was done, Solomon Airlines planned to fly in.

World Health Organisation figures show one third of children in Solomon Islands are stunted due to chronic malnutrition and almost half of under five year olds are anaemic.

Ms Namohunu said children needed to learn about the effects of skipping meals and eating processed foods rather than fresh local produce.

The Fijians thrashed Tuvalu 8-0 in Saturday's opening round, while Solomon Islands racked up the same scoreline against Tonga.

Fiji coach Christophe Gamel said despite the lopsided scoreline they made a number of big mistakes, which they couldn't afford to repeat against the Bonitos.

"We know their values, they are technical players. Let's see, it will be interesting for the youth also and for me to compete against this team, it's always interesting," Gamel said.

Solomon Islands coach Felipe Vega-Arango is taking more of a long term approach.

The non-binding agreement between Forum Fisheries Agency member states was signed in 2014 with the aim of preserving tuna stocks in the region.

The decision by Solomon Islands was announced today at a meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission in the Philippines.

Ferral Lasi of the Solomons' Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources told the Solomon Star the deal was rejected because it stood in the way of the country's fisheries development.

The Movement's secretary general Octo Mote last week travelled to Honiara to meet the new Solomons prime minister Rick Hou.

Rick Hou replaced Manasseh Sogavare after a vote of no-confidence, although Mr Sogavare is now deputy prime minister.

Mr Sogavare had championed the push for greater recognition of Papuan self-determination and human rights on the world stage.

After meeting Mr Hou, Mr Mote said the Solomons will continue to allocate the same level of resources to advancing the issue.

A delegation led by Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joseph Ma’ahanua submitted Solomon Islands bid host in Brisbane last week.

The delegation included Solomon High Commissioner to New Zealand Joy Kere, Helen Beck, George Tuti and Louise Ellerton from the Australian High Commission in Honiara.

The PLMAM meeting brought together responsible authorities from Australia and New Zealand, including their Departments of Immigration, Employment and Foreign Affairs and Trade. 

The former Central Bank governor was today elected by parliament 33 votes to 16 over the other candidate, Central Honiara MP John Moffat Fugui.

Speaking to the parliament, Mr Hou said he would continue with the policies of the government of Manasseh Sogavare, who was ousted in a vote of no-confidence last week.