Malaita lose assets in suspected dirty deals: Report
By WILSON SAENI
In Auki
MALAITA Province has lost its lands and houses to those who previously held top positions in the previous provincial governments.
Information received indicates those previously holding on to top positions which include the premier, speaker, provincial secretary, deputy premier and head of boards in the provincial government acquired provincial lands and houses through sideline arrangements.
Records have it that one of the former premiers is responsible for selling most of the provincial lands during his time in office.
Records also have it that one of the former deputy premiers had awarded himself land and a house belonging to the province during his time in office.
It was also revealed that one of the former speakers served himself with a house and land which belongs to the province during his time in office.
It was also revealed that a former provincial secretary also earned himself a provincial house after his time in office laps.
It was revealed that Malaita Province over the years lost its properties in the hands of its former workers through sideline dealings.
The province has lost many of its houses and land through this process which resulted in a situation where the province is now renting private homes to accommodate its workers.
When Solomon Star Auki consulted Premier Daniel Suidani on Friday about the issue, he confirmed that it is true, stating that the province lost most of its properties to former workers through sideline dealings over the years.
Premier Suidani said it is sad to learn how the past top provincial workers helped themselves with provincial properties in a corrupt way.
Asked about what his government will do about the issue, the premier said MARA government is now in the process of revisiting the records of who owned the properties and how they got the ownership.
“If there is enough evidence to support that a provincial property was acquired through corrupt dealings without the approval of the provincial executive then the province will retain its property.
“We have a whole list of Malaita Provincial properties that are now under private ownership,” Suidani said.
The premier also assured this paper that his government will revisit land plots sold by a previous premier to see if they follow the right procedures or not.
Meanwhile, Suidani is calling on those who obtained provincial properties like houses through illegal means to do the right thing by surrendering the properties back to the province.
He said the province is coming around to take back its properties to serve its rightful purpose and it needs full assistance from those who occupied the properties over the years.
The premier said setting the province in order is not an easy task, therefore urges all Malaitans to work together to achieve a better Malaita that will be a model for future Malaitans.
