Dear Editor,
I acknowledge receipt of $70,000 paid to me by your newspaper, as ordered by the High Court in Civil Case number 28 of 2022.
This case arose because the Solomon Star published ill-considered articles written by your journalist Alfred Sasako about me, which the Court found to be defamatory and the Court found that “there is no truth what Mr Sasako published about the Claimant” (me). The Court ruled that the articles are not “fair comment” as claimed by Sasako.
Clearly it is not right or fair to make up fake news in the hope that if you throw enough mud, some will stick.
Sasako’s attempts to tarnish my reputation ultimately failed, but it took me nearly one and a half years to clear my name. it would have been easier and less costly for your newspaper to publish a retraction of your articles soon after they were printed, but your failure to do so cost you dearly.
I trust this experience has been a learning one, and I stand ready to respond to any articles or media requests for comment in the future as I have recently been re-appointed as Commissioner for another three years.
Regards,
Alan McNeil
Commissioner of Lands
