Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as Head of the Commonwealth, has recognised current Miss Solomon Islands, Ms. Gladys Habu, as the 168th recipient of the Commonwealth Points of Light award in honour of her exceptional voluntary service raising awareness of climate change.

Gladys is an environmental activist who has campaigned for many years on a local and international level to advocate for increased awareness of the impact of climate change.

When she was 14 years old, Gladys first saw how rising sea levels were starting to affect an island near her home. Five years later, Kale Island, where her grandparents had lived, completely disappeared.

Gladys is now working with other young people from across the world ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) taking place in Glasgow in November this year to drive forward greater awareness of the effects of climate change for Pacific Island countries.

She is also a UNICEF Pacific Supporter, focused on improving child and maternal health and acting as a role model to young women on the island.

As part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London 2018, Her Majesty the Queen – as Head of the Commonwealth – is thanking inspirational volunteers across the 54 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond, by recognising a volunteer from each Commonwealth country every week.

By sharing these stories of service, the Commonwealth Points of Light awards celebrate inspirational acts of volunteering across the Commonwealth and help inspire others to make their own contribution to tackling some of the greatest social challenges of our time.

The reigning Miss Solomon Islands beauty pageant said:

Climate change is not just an environmental crisis. It is a health crisis and a social crisis as well. As much as it is affecting our men, it is leaving our women and most importantly our children, vulnerable every day. Nonetheless I will forever value the fighting spirit our people have, to wake up each morning and face the challenge. When I began my advocacy work, I did it with so much heart and passion.

In all honesty, to be granted this prestigious award by Her Majesty the Queen today, is more than I have ever imagined. In recognition of my work, you have also recognised our reality, living on the frontline of this climate crisis. Thank you for acknowledging the urgency in this issue.

I am humbled to be a Commonwealth Points of Light awardee and will continue to play my part. It is my hope that this award will also encourage our people to take the stand in leading this fight as a nation. Embracing nature has always been part of me. But the loss of our island, Kale, is my drive to fighting for protection.

Dr Brian Jones, British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru said:

Changes in our climate already impact people’s lives and livelihoods in the Pacific Islands. Already vulnerable to earthquakes and cyclones, intensive forestry and fisheries further affect traditional crops, coping mechanisms and biodiversity. Further changes from global warming will put some communities on the brink of devastation. Gladys is a powerful advocate of the need to act now and a positive example to young people of how to bring about change. I’m proud she has been awarded the Commonwealth Point of Light; it adds further prominence and power to her valuable message and work.

The Commonwealth is a diverse community of 54 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace. The Heads of Government meeting brought together leaders from all the 54 Member countries to reaffirm common values, address shared global challenges and agree how to work to create a better future for all citizens, especially young people.

Voluntary service is a vital part of this agenda, which is why Her Majesty The Queen has chosen to recognise outstanding volunteers across the Commonwealth in this special way.

Last year’s recipient of the Points of Light Award was Marilyn Ghedi founder of the Katupika, Wagina and Kia (Kawaki) Women’s Group. Read her story here

Further information

1. The Points of Light awards recognise outstanding volunteers every day of the week – people whose service is making a difference in their communities and whose story can inspire others to creative innovative solutions to social challenges in their own communities and beyond.

2. Points of Light began in America under President George H. W. Bush and today over 6,000 US Points of Light have been recognised. The scheme has the support of all living US Presidents.

3. Since 2014 the UK Prime Minister has been recognising a daily Point of Light from the UK, with over 1,500 volunteers now recognised.

4. Commonwealth Points of Light is a continuation of this programme with a special series of awards recognising inspirational volunteers throughout the Commonwealth, coinciding with the UK being the Commonwealth’s Chair-in-Office of for the next two years. One volunteer from each of the 54 Commonwealth countries was recognised in the days leading up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April 2018. Following the success of this programme, Her Majesty The Queen decided to continue this work and award one volunteer from each Commonwealth country every week.

5. Read more information about the Commonwealth Points of Light recipients here

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An overhaul of the Prompt Payment Code (PPC) to crack down on delayed invoices owed to small businesses has been announced by the government today (19 January).

Under new reforms, companies that have signed up to the Prompt Payment Code will be obliged to pay small businesses within 30 days – half the time outlined in the current Code.

Despite almost 3,000 companies signing the Code, poor payment practices are still rife, with many payments delayed well beyond the current 60-day target required for 95% of invoices. Currently, £23.4 billion worth of late invoices are owed to firms across Britain, impacting on businesses’ cash flow and ultimate survival.

To help tackle the problem, businesses owners, Finance Directors or CEOs will be required to take personal responsibility by signing the Code, acknowledge that suppliers can charge interest on late invoices under the Code and that breaches will be investigated. Those signed up to the Code will redouble their efforts to ensure payments are made on time and breaches will continue to be publicised by the government in order to encourage compliance.

The move comes as the government seeks to strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner (SBC) to ensure larger companies pay their smaller partners on time. New powers proposed in a recently closed consultation include legally binding payment orders, launching investigations and levying fines.

Small Business Minister Paul Scully said:

Our incredible small businesses will be vital to our recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, supporting millions of livelihoods across the UK.

Today, we are relieving some of the pressure on small business owners by introducing significant reforms to the UK payments regime – pushing big businesses to pay their suppliers on time.

By signing up to the Prompt Payment Code and sticking to its rules, large firms can help Britain to build back better, protecting the jobs, innovation and growth which small businesses drive right across the UK.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), around 50,000 businesses close every year due to late payments, damaging Britain’s prosperity and threatening jobs.

Small businesses account for two-thirds of UK private sector employment and more than half of business turnover. Late payments impact their bottom line, which can hold back investment or job creation and, in the worst cases, lead to job losses and business closures.

The reforms will help to build a culture of prompt payment between companies and challenge UK businesses to change their practices and stand by small partners at a critical time for the UK’s economic recovery.

The changes coming into effect immediately are:

• requiring a company’s CEO or Finance Director, or the business owner where it is a small business, to personally sign the Code to ensure responsibility for payment practices is taken at the highest level of an organisation
• introducing a new logo for signatories to use in external communications to show their commitment to the Code, making it more damaging to a company’s reputation to breach it
• acknowledgement as a condition of signing the Code that suppliers can charge interest on late invoices
• enabling administrators of the Code to investigate breaches based on third-party information

In addition, the new requirement for signatories to pay 95% of invoices from small businesses (those with less than 50 employees) within 30 days will be effective from 1 July 2021. The target for larger businesses will remain 95% of invoices within 60 days.

Interim Small Business Commissioner Philip King said:

I am delighted to launch the reformed Prompt Payment Code. In addition to their current public commitment to pay 95% of all payments to their supply chain within 60 days, signatories of the reformed Code have committed to paying 95% of their small business suppliers within 30 days. I commend those signatories who make further individual commitments to go further and settle invoices sooner.

Late payment causes real hardship to small businesses, and the issue is more prevalent > than ever due to the continued impact of the pandemic. Code signatories of all sizes demonstrate their commitment to ending the culture of late payment and helping to increase business confidence. I encourage businesses of all sizes to implement ethical business practices and sign up to become a Code signatory and join us on our journey to aid business recovery post COVID-19”.

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chairman, Mike Cherry, said:

A late payment crisis was massively stifling the UK economy before Covid hit. The pandemic has deepened it. FSB has campaigned for good payment practice to become the norm across the UK economy, not least through a toughening of the Prompt Payment Code and the adoption of 30 days as the new maximum payment period.

It’s good to see the progress announced today by BEIS and especially the outgoing Small Business Commissioner that has driven this agenda. It’s now time for swift delivery, and for all existing and future PPC signatories to implement 30 days as the new maximum. Ending our pernicious poor payment culture for good over the coming months will be fundamental to turning our hopes of economic recovery into reality.

The Confederation of British Industry’s Chief UK Policy Director, Matthew Fell said:

COVID-19 has once again highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy supply chains.

Small companies are the backbone of the economy, but remain the most at risk from a late or unpaid invoice – particularly after months of pressure on cashflow. Businesses have been making good progress to improve payment practices, but more can be done.

Introducing new rules to drive faster payments to smaller businesses will strengthen supply chains, benefiting the firms that need it most, and shortening the road to recovery.

The PPC currently has over 2,800 signatories, who are required to pay 95% of their invoices within 60 days or else be publicly struck off the Code until substantial changes to their payment practices have been made.

When a company is struck off the Code for poor practice, this is publicly announced by the Small Business Commissioner’s Office. A record of signatories and struck-off companies is maintained on the Prompt Payment Code and SBC websites.

The changes to the Code sit alongside a consultation on the powers of the Small Business Commissioner, which closed on 24 December 2020. The government will publish consultation responses and take forward proposed reforms in due course.

Thank you, Your Excellency. I want to congratulate you, Mr Chairman, and Tunisia, on organising this meeting with the League of Arab States. I would also like to thank the Secretaries-General for their briefings today. We agree with others that sustainable long-term peace and prosperity is best achieved through coordinated efforts to prevent and resolve conflict.

It is also only right in this, the 75th anniversary year of their foundation, to recognise the primary role of the United Nations, the League and other multilateral organisations in creating and supporting the international rules-based system that provides a foundation for coordinated and collective action to address our biggest challenges. An achievement that is brought into sharp relief in a year where we have all suffered, and continue to suffer, from a global pandemic.

The League has played and continues to play an important role in promoting regional peace and security. Enhancing cooperation and friendship between the Arab nations, and between the region and the rest of the world. Throughout its history it has been a voice of moderation and mediation during times of regional conflict. Building on this, and deepening inclusive political processes with female participation, will enable us all to confront the urgent challenges that we share in the region and that still demand the international community’s immediate attention.

Turning to some specifics and beginning with Syria, a negotiated political settlement remains the only sustainable solution to the conflict and the United Kingdom continues to support UN Special Envoy Pedersen’s efforts to that end. We will not consider funding reconstruction without a political process firmly underway, and we welcome the League’s continued suspension of Syria. Resolution 2254 requires: a nationwide ceasefire; unhindered aid access; releasing those arbitrarily detained; conditions for safe refugee return; and free and fair elections pursuant to a new constitution. Instead, the Asad regime’s policies continue to devastate the Syrian economy, deny aid to those in need, and endorse repeated violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

With regards to the Middle East peace process, the United Kingdom remains committed to a two state solution, leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State, based on the 1967 lines and with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states. The United Kingdom is clear that all actions that undermine this objective must cease, including terrorism, incitement, settlement expansion, and demolitions. The United Kingdom has welcomed recent Arab-Israeli normalisation agreements, which show that dialogue triumphs over hostility. The closer ties and benefits of these agreements must also be extended to the Palestinians. We encourage the parties to harness the new regional dynamic, and through dialogue and compromise, to move towards a lasting solution to the conflict.

In Libya, we welcome the UN-brokered ceasefire and continue to stand ready to support the political roadmap agreed by the Libya Political Dialogue Forum, working towards elections in December 2021. We welcome the efforts of the League to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict, including through their support to the Berlin process. It is clear that that the Libyan people have had enough of instability, violence, and external military interference in their affairs. It is incumbent on the international community to play our role in helping Libyans on their path to peace and stability.

The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict in Yemen and its devastating humanitarian crisis. We fully support the peace process led by the UN Special Envoy Griffiths, and urge all the parties to engage constructively. A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.

Finally, Mr Chairman, looking ahead, the region shares with the rest of the world two challenges in the short and longer term: COVID-19 recovery and reversing climate change. As we build back better towards a long-term, sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous future, we look forward to deepening and developing the relationship between the United Nations and the League of Arab States.

Thank you.