The Malaita Provincial Government (MPG) and the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Survey (MLHS) are alleged to have collaborated in fraudulently registering customary land encompassing the shoreline and Malu’u Market in North Malaita.
Landowners who took the matter to court in recent years have discovered that their boundary with the Commissioner of Lands has been extended to include the lower water marks and stretch along the shoreline.
They claimed this move was orchestrated by certain officials within MPG and Lands officers based in Auki and Honiara.
MPG Provincial Secretary (PS) George Eric admitted that they recently resurveyed and extended the boundary to the shoreline when consulted on the matter.
Spokesman for the Uala Tribe, John Deri Laungiomea, expressed frustration, stating that such actions are expected in a country with weak systems that can be easily manipulated by reckless public officers and politicians.
He revealed that in 2017, the Uala Tribe took a case to the local court in Auki regarding the land surrounding Malu’u Hospital, including the coastal stretch where Malu’u Market is located.
“Those lands bordered the plot held by the Commissioner of Lands (Malu’u Hospital), so the hearing proceeded in the local court,” Laungiomea explained.
In 2019, the Uala Tribe challenged the local court’s decision in the High Court after the ruling favored the defendant. According to Laungiomea, a lawyer from the Attorney General’s (AG) office, Ofanakwai—who was not even representing the Commissioner of Lands—argued in support of the defendant.
“At the time, there was no knowledge that the Commissioner of Lands would later extend the boundary to include the land in question.
“Furthermore, Ofanakwai did not provide any Perpetual Estate (PE) held by the Commissioner of Lands over the Malu’u Market site,” he added.
Following the High Court’s ruling (Civil Case No. 465 of 2019), which identified the Uala Tribe as the rightful landowners of Malu’u Market (Kakali), Laungiomea claimed that a network of corrupt individuals quickly mobilized to shift the crown land boundary from Malu’u Hospital’s fence to the lower water mark.
“This is an outright injustice to landowners who have already been deprived of their land through illegal registration,” he said.
Laungiomea further stated that if both the provincial and national governments refuse to work with the Uala Tribe, then they are not genuinely addressing Malaita’s issues but rather engaging in political manoeuvring and pursuing hidden agendas under the guise of development.
“Development that has no roots or connection to the land, ancestors, and people cannot meet the real needs of Malaitans. In other words, such development is fatherless,” he stressed.
MPG Lands Officer George Hotamauri said he was unaware of the shoreline being surveyed.
“If the shoreline is customary land, then the province must work with the landowners to access it for development,” he stated.
Hotamauri also maintained that the proposed market is on crown land, not customary land.
Attempts to reach MPG Provincial Secretary George Eric for further comments were unsuccessful, as he is currently in China and expected to return next week.
Despite their frustrations, the Uala Tribe remains open to working with any ruling government—whether national, provincial, non-governmental organizations, or international agencies—on proposed developments within Uala tribal land.
Recognizing the inevitable changes brought by globalization and external forces, Laungiomea emphasized the importance of ensuring that development is both legally and culturally binding.
“Development on Uala land must follow due process to be sustainable and truly benefit our people,” he concluded.
