FORMER Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister and businessman Peter O’Neill has expressed interest in the controversial Tavanipupu Wellness & Spa Retreat located in Marau, East Guadalcanal.
Mr O’Neill, currently visiting Honiara, has been exploring some of the country’s iconic tourism destinations, including the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF)-owned Tavanipupu retreat.
SINPF General Manager Mike Wate confirmed Mr O’Neill’s interest in the resort.
However, he said the retreat remains closed due to a more than two-year suspension of flights to Marau Airport by Solomon Airlines.
Mr Wate said stakeholders are working closely with disputing landowners to resolve ongoing issues and facilitate the resumption of flights.
In the meantime, the resort is being maintained by its lessee in anticipation of the airport’s reopening.
The Tavanipupu loan has been a point of controversy in recent years.
In 2012, SINPF approved a $15 million loan to the Tavanipupu Island Resort to help upgrade the facility ahead of the visit of Prince William and Kate Middleton, then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
However, after the resort’s owners failed to repay the loan, the SINPF took ownership of the property in 2017.
Tavanipupu is a 13-hectare private island retreat, accessible by a 25–30-minute flight from Honiara.
The retreat boasts seven luxurious bungalows, each outfitted with king-sized beds, indoor and outdoor showers, private decks and stunning ocean views.
The island also has a fascinating history.
Once a 19th-century coconut plantation, it was owned by Norwegian traders who acquired the land from locals in exchange for ammunition. To this day, remnants of that era, including gravestones of the traders, can still be found hidden in the island’s long grasses.
Today, Tavanipupu is celebrated as a tropical paradise surrounded by a vast turquoise lagoon. Its manicured lawns, lined with coconut palms, are among the few reminders of its colourful past.
Mr O’Neill CMG was born on 13 February 1965.
He served as the country’s seventh Prime Minister from 2011 to 2019 and has represented Ialibu-Pangia as a Member of Parliament since 2002.
A former cabinet minister, he also led the People’s National Congress from 2006 to 2022.
Mr O’Neill stepped down as Prime Minister in 2019 to avoid a vote of no confidence and was succeeded by James Marape.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
