IT has emerged that the Malaita Provincial Executive has ‘rejected’ renewing the contract of Premier Daniel Suidani’s chief political advisor, Celsus Talifilu, insiders told Solomon Star last night.
Mr. Talifilu’s contract lapsed last December, the insiders said.
“He and others have been working without contracts since then. This was due to an oversight by Premier Suidani in getting the contracts renewed before they lapsed,” they said.
The sources said that as a result, the legal advisor for the Malaita Provincial Government sought and received advice from the Attorney General’s Chamber on how to address the issue.
The advice from the Attorney General’s Chamber was that the Premier should seek approval for renewal of the contracts from the Executive.
“That’s where the Premier got stuck. He took a paper to the Executive which decided against renewing Mr. Talifilu’s contract in particular,” the sources said.
It is unclear as to why the Executive had allegedly rejected renewing the contract of a man who had stood with the Provincial Government through thick and thin.
Meanwhile Mr. Talifilu has confirmed having travelled to Australia to organise Premier Suidani’s medical visit there. The Premier reportedly requires urgent surgery.
Because of the on-going stand-off of sorts between Honiara and Auki, the Solomon Islands Government allegedly refused to organise Premier Suidani’s medical trip to Australia.
Mr. Talifilu denied the urgent medical surgery was an alibi as a cover for a visit to Taipei.
“He is in fact there now,” one insider insisted last night.
