MALAITA Provincial Assembly [MPA] Member for Ward 11, Elijah Asilaua, has rubbished claims that he bribed Baegu Council of Chiefs to reverse an earlier decision which blocked project funding by China and investment in the area.
Premier Daniel Suidani last week accused Hon Asilaua for influencing the Council of Chiefs to change their mind.
The Premier’s accusation is false, baseless and as usual, is coming from someone who is desperate to hang on to power, Mr. Asilaua shot back.
“As their representative in the Malaita Provincial Assembly, I am duty-bound to provide the Council of Chiefs correct information on any matter, including the falsehood that Premier Suidani is spreading across Malaita Province.
“The decision to amend the past resolution is the Council of Chiefs and not mine. The Council has the power as it represents all the people in the area,” Hon Asilaua said.
Hon Asilaua said the claim by Premier Suidani that all 33 MPAs of the Malaita Provincial Assembly signed the Auki Communique was untrue and misleading.
“The Communique itself was endorsed and approved under duress due to pressure from members of the public, including Celsus Talifilu, the Premier’s special advisor. The document never went through the normal scrutiny of the Provincial Executive nor was it debated by the full Malaita Provincial Assembly.
“The Auki Communique is a fraud because it never went through the due process,” Hon Asilaua said.
According to the Ward 11 MPA, the Auki Communique has derailed investor confidence on Malaita.
“The challenge is on the Premier to bring in investors. At the moment he has none and is going around blaming everyone for his own fault,” Hon Asilaua said.
“It is time the Premier owns up to the people of Malaita that he has nothing to offer and should seriously consider stepping down before all of Malaita goes down with him.”
By Alfred Sasako
