A ONE day timber rights hearing recently held in Santa Cruz, Temotu province has costed $236,000 in allowance payment which was described as the most expensive hearing ever held in the province.
A source close to the ministry of forestry in Lata claimed officers and provincial executive members of the Temotu provicial government received between $8000 to $10,000 in allowance just for that one day hearing.
The hearing was held at Noipe village on Santa Cruz.
Participants described the allowance payment as ridiculous and lucrative.
Speaking from Lata, the source within the forestry office who wants his name withheld for security reasons revealed the total amount of allowance stands at $236,000.00.
“This is the highest allowances ever paid in any hearing held in Solomon Islands.
“Officers present in the hearing, such as police and forestry officers receive $8000 and the executive members, including the premier walked away with $10,000 each,” the source claimed.
The payment has forced non-executive members of Temotu Provincial Government to question why this payout at the hearing in Noipe supersedes other hearings held in the country.
“Even some police officers in Lata have received $8000. This has put into question the integrity of police,” they said.
Police authority in Lata was tight-lipped when asked to comment whether it is ethical for their officers to receive such payments at a timber hearing.
Temotuans have expressed their frustrations via the social media through the facebook page of the Temotu Public Forum.
Many have expressed their disappointment and questioned why officers and executive members who were present at the hearing received such amount compared to other timber rights hearing held in the country.
Its understood that, normally allowances paid to officers during timber rights hearing ranges from $100 to $200 per day.
By ELLIOT DAWEA
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
