It is unfortunate that the Leader of Official Opposition (LOO) has continued unashamedly to display to the general public the features of his motion of no confidence which judging by his statements are clearly weak, lacking substance and filled up with repetitions of petty issues.
The National Government made the statement in response to the claim by honorable Matthew Wale that People’s Republic of China (PRC) will pay each Members of Parliament $250,000 on condition that the MPs voted for Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to remain in power.
Denying the claim as outrageous including the alleged one million dollars for each MP, the government described Wale’s insinuations and baseless accusations as someone who is disillusioned and running out of ideas to garner support ahead of the motion of no- confidence.
“Any allegations should be verified with evidence before making public accusations on social media platforms unless the objective is simply to discredit leaders and officials for the sake of justifying criminal actions and political hooliganism,” the government stated.
The National Government further stated that the Leader of Opposition knows fully well that the National Development Fund (NDF) is not new and that the funding is a continuation of what has been initiated and started by Taiwan.
Government added that unlike Taiwan, PRC will discontinue the NDF next year onwards and this year’s payments are the final tranches of the fund.
“Leader of Opposition knows the nature of this funding as he used to enjoy it during his time as a minister of the crown, it is a further acknowledgement of his sheer ignorance that he decided to come up with this old and petty argument,” the National Government stated.
The Leader of Opposition also made reference to a $2m funding payment for Members of Parliament for East Guadalcanal constituency and Gizo Kolombangara constituency respectively.
“This was not a constituency funding it was rather a project funding where applicants apply for it and screening of applications took place to assess the merit of each project applications,” the National Government clarified.
Government added that two projects were selected, one for the refurbishment of a community school in Kolombangara and the other for East Guadalcanal constituency road improvement and extension project.
Government further stated if honorable Matthew Wale has taken time to read the Townsville Peace Agreement (TPA) he should know that building of road around Guadalcanal is provided for under the TPA.
“However, due to the reprioritization of government programs and projects, the funding for both projects were withheld long before the rioting and looting in Honiara,” government stated.
“The insinuation that former militants support the government is not a new allegation, the Leader of Opposition has been drumming the narrative in the past and all these times government encouraged Wale to use the court of law to test the validity of his wild claim, but he chooses to be ignorant and continue his rants in the court of public opinion” the National Government pointed out.
Government highlighted that it is clear by now that Wale’s public rants are purposely to incite hatred for people to view government as an enemy.
Government further pointed out that the outcome of Wale’s wild claims has resulted in the looting and burning of Honiara, to save what is left of his reputation if he has any, the Leader of Opposition should do the right by admitting his wrong judgement for associating closely with the architects of the Honiara’s destructive carnage.
“Everyone knows few days before the rioting and looting, Wale and his colleagues in the Opposition Office were with the very people who would board the ship from Auki to Honiara to start the pillaging of Honiara city and unlike other MPs from the Opposition Office, LOO never made a public statement to condemn the actions of those responsible for the rioting and looting”, government stated.
The National Government reiterated that the Leader of Opposition should own up by admitting his wrong judgement and if chooses not to then he is only confirming his direct role in the evil plan to destroy Honiara city.
“If evidence confirms his direct role in the looting and rioting, then that should compel Wale to invoke section 50 (b) of the national constitution and resign gracefully from his seat as MP for Aoke Langalanga”, the government concluded.
– OPMC
