Guadalcanal Province Premier, Francis Sade has reportedly signed a contract for the supply of exercise books for the Guadalcanal Provincial Schools in return for a commission, according to documents obtained by the Solomon Star.
The document, sighted by this paper showed Premier Sade signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with road construction firm, NAYA Company Limited last year to supply students’ exercise books for the province.
In the agreement both parties acknowledged and agreed that $0.50 of sale per book supplied under the contract to Guadalcanal Provincial Schools shall be paid directly to Francis Sade (Premier of Guadalcanal Province) as commission for facilitating the approval of the NAYA Company request to supply students’ exercise books to schools under the education authority of the province.
An insider said this arrangement is inconsistent with the procurement processes, thus questions the Premier’s integrity and his involvement in the contract.
Copy of the document has been sent to the Minster of the Provincial Government, leadership code as well as Transparency Solomon Islands, the informer said.
Solomon Star on Friday contacted Premier Sade who dismissed the report, saying “the arrangement was cancelled last year based on his advice when his government realised the intention of the MOU was not right.”
“Additionally, this whole arrangement was pushed by the suspended Chief Education Officer. The only arrangement that stand is we have allowed the company to print the books using the Guadalcanal Logo and flag,” he said.
He said this can be confirmed with the NAYA Company Limited.
But the Chief Education Officer, who is under suspension, when contacted yesterday denied that the Provincial Executive was not aware of the arrangement.
“I have received the two documents signed by the Premier and the Provincial Minister of education four months late they insisted that I signed with them the delivery of exercise books.
“They should have informed me about this in the first place. I can only say that my involvement here was to implement the MOU,” the Chief Education Officer said.
“I can confirm that this is a private contract by the Premier and nothing to do with the executive,” he said.
By FOLLET JOHN
Newsroom, Honiara
