CUSTOMS officials stationed at the Ports area in Point Cruz were unhappy with the newly purchased Landing Craft (LC)for Savo-Russell constituency which sailed into the country without their knowledge.
Speaking to the Solomon Star yesterday, Operation officer Wesley Siamanu said it is really disappointing to learn that a landing craft sailed into the country with a foreign flag was never reported to Customs, two or three days prior to its arrival.
Mr Siamanu said he was unaware, neither his officers about the landing craft that arrive on Sunday and berthed at Point Cruz.
He said normally vessels that sails into the country will have to inform Customs in advance prior to their arrival,.
But this is not the case for the new Savo-Russell landing craft was never reported to them until the media seek comments from them for an interview yesterday.
He said any ship that failed to report their entry into Solomon waters will have to report straight to Customs via their agents in Honiara, but that is not the case here.
Thus, he said this had breach the provisions of Customs and is ought to be penalized for failing to report in two- or three-days’ time prior to the arrival.
Furthermore, Director of Solomon Islands Maritime Administration (SIMA) Jonah Mitau also told the Solomon Star this week that SIMA only know about the Savo/Russell vessel when it anchored at the Point Cruz wharf on Sunday.
Director said Savo-Russell Member of Parliament (MP) Dickson Mua and the agents he dealt with to bring the landing craft over has bypassed and undermine the rightful processes of SIMA, in bringing in foreign vessels.
Adding, the vessel would have been disqualified to enter Solomon Islands had the importer approach SIMA office, prior to its arrival, because the vessel does not meet the standard and requirement by SIMA.
“And probably too old. Since the MP for Savo-Russell start talking about refitting the newly arrived $4.1 million landing craft, at Avi’avi shipyard,” he said.
Thus, he said that is probably the reason for not informing SIMA to have the landing craft examined abroad by SIMA engineers, therefore have to brought it silently into the country, without anybody’s knowledge.
Brian Aonima of SIMA told the Solomon Star yesterday that they have not yet receive any documents about the landing craft from those responsible, before they decide whether it meets the standard to be registered here or not.
The landing craft arrived with a foreign flag at Point Cruz wharf only to surprise everyone, since the responsible authorities like SIMA and Customs were never informed, prior to its arrival.
Maritime Police too confirmed that they were unaware and never informed about the Malaysian flag carrier vessel arrived in Honiara with the name Savo-Russell already inscribed on both sides of the barge.
By AATAI JOHN LAUNGI
