Solomons accused of cronyism in damage payout

Transcript

Transparency Solomon Islands is accusing the government of cronyism in its recent bid to pay more than $US450,000 in damages to a local boat operator.

The Sun Express was allegedly damaged when it was carrying MPs who were supporters of Manessah Sogavare on the eve of last year's prime ministerial elections.

The boat was allegedly shot at and set on fire.

Mr Sogavare was subsequently elected prime minister.

TSI's chief executive Edward Ronia told Koroi Hawkins his organisation is objecting to the proposed payment because it was a private members trip and the amount is excessive and unbudgeted for.

EDWARD RONIA: This just appeared on the paper actually like with a cabinet resolution that the Government has to pay for this $3.7 million damage for a ship that was used to go together by factions of the members of the parliament prior to the election of the prime minister and that was the issue. And nobody knows about whatever has happened except that we just saw it in the paper, that this is the solution of the cabinet for the Government to pay or to meet the damage cost, $3.7 million we believe is a bit too much for the claim.

KOROI HAWKINS: The other question of course is whether the Government should even be paying anything because this was a private sort of a trip before the prime minister's election and the shooting of the boat or whatever else happened at the time was probably not official Government business.

ER: It was not official Government business, it was not something that is budged for, and that's why I was saying if the Government had anticipated this and the Government in a normal practice by the Government according to sound regulations they would have provided a business case that would have caused approval of it and then incur it. But in this case there was nothing like that so it's [inaudible] private arrangements are all done by them outside of the Government approval and therefore I am questioning that as well so it shouldn't be born by the Government.

KH: So what is the actual call that TSI is making on Government for this particular issue.

ER: The actual call is for us not to pay for this, for the Government not to meet at all, if they do it would need, we are calling for an assessment, otherwise the current approach to just ask a Government to meet a huge sum of money that we know nothing about, that the Government has not initiated, it is not the right approach.

The leader of the independent group in parliament Manasseh Maelanga has also weighed in on the debate threatening legal action if the government goes ahead with the payment.

However the Solomon Star newspaper reports a statement from the Prime Ministers office says cabinet will stand by its decision to support the MV Sun Express.

A police investigation into the alleged shooting of the boat is still ongoing.