Suidani stands by Auki Communiqué, claims Asilaua acted alone to bring China into Baegu
THE news of the Baegu region of Malaita’s move in accepting China as a foreign investment has caught many Malaitans by surprise yesterday.
Solomon Star was told that Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Ward 11, Elijah Asilaua is behind the move.
In Auki yesterday, Premier Suidani was not a happy man.
Suidani said this move to bring in any China-led development on Malaita is a ‘big no’ citing the Auki Communiqué as a document that blocks China from his province.
“The stand against China-funded development in Malaita Province was a decision made by the Full Malaita Assembly,” Mr Suidani said.
He explained that when the MARA government came into power in 2019, all 33 Ward members signed the Auki Communiqué which disapproves any China-funded development on Malaita Province.
The Premier said the Ward 11 MPA also signed the Auki Communiqué.
“Should the Ward 11 MPA wish to revoke his signature and want to push for the China agenda in Malaita like he is actively doing, he should have brought his agenda for deliberation in the Malaita Provincial Assembly.
He said seeing someone who signed the Auki Communiqué actively working against the Communiqué is very disrespectful and only exposes the MPA’s ill-understanding of the Communiqué.
The Premier said the MARA government has been working together with the national government since taking office in areas it sees fit and are in line the wishes of the people.
He said the MARA government has signed four MOUs in total with government line ministries in the past three years which is a clear example of working together with the national government.
“Again, the signed MOUs’ are on areas Malaita province sees fit.
The Premier said it is funny that the Ward 11 MPA is going around misleading people that the MARA government is not working together with the national government.
With the China-funded projects, the Premier has made it clear that the Auki Communiqué still stands.
He said China should focus on developing other provinces in the meantime.
“To see an MPA whose signature is also included in the Auki Communiqué advocating for China development in Malaita is very questionable.”
“Maybe he was sleeping when he signed the Auki Communiqué or the usual suspicion is that his pockets are filled with money for allowing himself to be pulled on a string as a puppet.”
Since his resignation from the MARA government last year to move the second motion of no confidence against Suidani, Mr Asilaua continued to preach against the MARA government and the Auki Communiqué.
He is now earning himself a new title amongst Malaitans as a Chinese advocator in Malaita.
Claims have surfaced that Mr Asilaua was used by the DCGA government and China to try to remove Premier Suidani and the MARA government from power last year.
However, things turned the opposite way around when the Malaita public turned up in numbers and forced him to withdraw the motion which he did under public pressure.
The public turnout against the mover of the second motion against Premier Suidani speaks for itself that the people of Malaita are in support the Auki Communiqué.
The Ward 11 MPA did not stop by advocating against the MARA government even if some of his colleagues left him and reunited with the MARA government after the second failed motion.
Information reaching this paper claimed that the Ward 11 MPA recently bribed chiefs in Baegu to sign a petition revoking their earlier stand against China-funded development projects in Baegu.
This could not be independently verified yesterday, but comments are being sought from Mr Asilaua.
It was revealed that many tribal chiefs from the founding tribes in Baegu refused to be part of the signing after realising the MPA is becoming a China agent in Baegu with a hidden personal agenda.
This paper was told that those who signed the petition are only settlers in Baegu with no land attachment to their tribes and are only interested in the money offered by the Ward 11 MPA.
Information reaching this paper claimed those who signed the petition to revoke their earlier stand against China are Mr Asilaua’s close relatives and not the whole of Baegu as claimed.
In the meantime, big tribes like; Ausame, Wuo, and Masu are not included in this signing which raised the question which tribal land in Baegu is actually opened for China funded development.
By WILSON SAENI
Solomon Star, Auki
