Malaita Province to sign ‘Peace’ MOU with China’s Jiangsu Province in the dying months of Premier Fini’s short time in office
THE Malaita New Government for Fundamental Redirection (MNGFR) under the leadership of Premier Martin Fini is signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China’s Jiangsu Province.
Information on the proposed MOU signing came to light yesterday, three months after Premier Fini and his Deputy, Joe Heroau, visited China in May this year.
Since returning from the China trip, the Malaita Premier and his deputy have been silent over the trip, leaving the Malaita public in the dark as to what were the outcomes of it for Malaita Province.
Yesterday, the Malaita Human Resource Office issued a memo calling all Heads of Divisions – seconded and direct staff – to attend a special meeting today.
The agenda for the meeting is the MOU to be signed between Malaita Province and China’s Jiangsu Province.
The memo dated 01-08-2023 and titled “HOD meeting on Peace MOU between the New Malaita Government for Fundamental Redirection and Jiangsu Province,” was issued to all staff yesterday morning.
The memo circulated reads, “The HRM Office, on behalf of the Malaita Provincial Government Premier’s Office, would like to invite all Heads of Divisions – both seconded and direct staff – to attend a very important meeting to discuss the above subject at the Malaita Provincial Assembly Conference room.”
Following the exposure of the intended MOU between Malaita and the Chinese province on social media yesterday, many Malaitan commentators have expressed their disapproval over this development.
Many commentators expressed the view that the Fini Government should do away with the idea, given the fact that it only has two months left in office.
Some have called on the Fini Government to conduct a provincial-wide referendum to get the views of the people before signing what they describe as a ‘last minute MOU.’
The move by the Fini Government has long been predicted by the former Malaita Premier, Daniel Suidani, when he said the next government that would assume office after his MARA Government will serve the interests of China in Malaita.
After Premier Fini took office, he did away with the Auki Communique which the MARA Government put in place to counter Chinese influence in Malaita by shutting out any investment by China in the province.
Premier Fini had visited China in May this year, along with the Premier of Guadalcanal Province, a province which has a longstanding relationship with China’s Guangdong Province.
It is expected that the Fini government will sign the ‘Peace’ MOU with the China’s Jiangsu Province, following the footstep of Guadalcanal Province, the first Solomon Islands Province to have sister relations with a Chinese province.
By WILSON SAENI in Auki
