THE Former City Councillor, Henry Star Dora has called on Honiara City Mayor and the Chairman for Finance to immediately halt the directive of the City Clerk Rence Sore to issue a stop notice to locally owned registered ONE LINK PACIFICA.
Dora said the City Clerk’s directive is irresponsible and inconsistent with the Business License Ordinance and its regulations.
“The Business License Ordinance and its regulations require and stipulated that all businesses operating within the City are required to obtain a business license from the Council, that is the authority and it is the supreme mandate,” Mr. Dora explained.
He said to direct a refusal to obtain an appropriate business license from the council is inappropriate and is an insult to the ordinance itself and deemed to be seen as an ‘Act of Sabotage.’
“It’s an act of sabotage denying the firm of its right to operate and exist and significantly offer the many clients’ rights to invest and to receive the financial rewards of their investment,” he said.
Dora said so far many school children, young people, disabled people, and families have benefited from the model of business employed by One Link Pacifica.
He said it’s a homegrown initiative and supported by many of the very rural middle-class working population who are still struggling to make ends meet.
“So may I ask the City Clerk “Is One Link Pacifica not contributing to the well-being of individuals and families within Honiara and the country?
“Unless you may be living in the outer worlds or in the Galaxy then you might not know what is happening in the city.
“So why are you so concerned about someone or a firm who is doing good and contributing tangibly to the communities and people?” he questioned the City Clerk.
Dora said there are many illegal and illicit activities happening in the city which are threatening the happiness of many families in Honiara such as the illegal casino, illegal night clubs, illegal sale of beers and Kwaso and Marijuana.
“These illegal activities are occurring and happening right in front of your eyes and nose but you’re doing absolutely nothing to address these very issues. These are the very issues we the residents of Honiara City are more concerned about not One Link Pacifica,” he added.
Sore earlier stated that the operation of One Link Pacifica is illegal as it has no business license in the city though they have a certificate of registration for a business from the Company Haus.
“Even though they have a certificate of registration for a business from the Company Haus, they still need to have a business license from HCC to legally operate in the City,” Sore said.
He said since One Link Pacifica business activity is related to banking but have no banking license issued by the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, it would not be possible either for HCC to issue a business license without CBSI’s banking license as it operates in the Honiara city.
Meanwhile, a notice has been issued to One Link Pacifica (dated 24th February 2020) stated that OLP has been carrying on an unlawful business without a business license, and have committed an offence under s 3(2) of the Honiara City Council (Regulation of Business Licenses) ordinance 2011.
It further stated that failure to comply with the notice; they can be arrested without a warrant for committing an offence under the ordinance.
The notice also states that OLP will be liable upon conviction to a fine of up to $ 5000, plus $ 50 for each day on which the offence continues after the notice has been issued under s3(3) of the ordinance.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
