OUR Party and its leader Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare hijacked the Democratic Alliance Party (DAP) foreign policy and use it for his gain in the name of greater good for the country.
Former Minister for Development, Planning and Aid Coordination and Member for South Malaita Constituency Rick Hou said after he was sacked by Sogavare last week.
“All the Coalition members inside the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) did not have this policy in fact the policy to review our diplomatic relation with Taiwan is DAP’s policy,” he said.
He further claimed that none of the coalition party in the DCGA during the campaign period talked about this foreign policy to the people prior to the national general election.
“Now when this foreign policy comes into play with Taiwan DAP was thinking of reviewing our bilateral relation with Taiwan (ROC) in terms of the assistance.
“And our aim is also to review the popular Rural Constituency Development Fund (RCDF),” Hou said.
He further explained that DAP aims to review this RCDF that Taiwan ROC will have to stop giving out cash as assistance.
“I tell you we can do it but unfortunately this was hijacked by people (leaders) who have other intentions and interest and so we didn’t have any control over it,” he said.
Its understood that Taiwan has been blamed for fuelling corruption with the RCDF assistance.
Hou also said that the policy has nothing to do with China or wanting to sever ties with Taiwan.
“In fact what we also meant by reviewing our foreign policy DAP wants to looked into this ‘Look North’ policy.
“So we were looking at getting our Asian countries to be really engaged but then generally what our party DAP also have in mind was to review all our overseas missions to see what kind of benefits our country gets from establishing missions in those countries,” he added.
Hou said that when doing such review only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade can do it which they do not need unnecessary taskforce to do it.
Hou was sacked by prime minister last week for abstaining from voting for the China switch resolution in the Caucus.
Three other ministers were also sacked for similar reasons while another resigned from her portfolio.
By ANDREW FANASIA
