Councillors at war of words again
By IAN M.KAUKUI
HONIARA City councillor Billy Abae says that the statement by the City Mayor Wilson Mamae alleging that his action and that of his colleague Cr Reginald Ngati breached their bail conditions is “laughable”.
Mamae claimed that the attempt by the two councillors on Thursday of last week to convene a press conference at the HCC Chamber amounted to a breach of their bail conditions.
But Abae described Mamae’s statement as “childish and a denial of the rights of the people they represent in the Council”.
“His action shows how immature he is in politics as the bail conditions he referred to has nothing to do with entering the council premises,” he said.
Abae said the mayor should have asked for the content of the bail condition before making such statements.
“The bail condition does not restrict us from entering any HCC premises, rather it only stated that we must not at any time approach or interfere with the witnesses connected with our case and also to show good behaviour during the course of time as our case is pending before the court,” he said.
Abae alleges that the mayor’s action is an attempt at barring them from attending the full council meeting scheduled for next week.
“I know it’s a desperate attempt to stop us from attending the meeting because the two of us (Abae and Ngati) have some questions for Mamae and Sore and the best avenue to do so is during the full council meeting next week,” he said.
He said the meeting is important because it gives all councillors the opportunity to discuss financial reports as well as to attend to other matters such as executive papers for council deliberations and recommendations.
Abae said the three Members of Parliaments for the three constituencies in Honiara should also part of that meeting including the Premier of Guadalcanal province.
He added the meeting also gives councillors the opportunity to discuss and clarify doubts regarding the illegal borrowing from the Chinese businessman and appointed Councillor John Szetu and other issues highlighted in the media over the past weeks.
“This would be the opportune time for the Mayor to explain and prove to councillors that what they (Mamae and Sore) did is in compliance with the relevant acts,” he said.
He added the Mayor’s purported letter to the Attorney General seeking advice on the alleged breach of bail condition is simply seeking sympathy from an unknown quarter of the law.
“I guess seeking the AG’s advice is exactly what he should do before borrowing funds from his colleague councillor John Szetu.
“I also urge the AG Chamber to act as per the laws of the land on the illegal borrowing spree by the Mamae-led government rather than acting on his call for a possible sympathetic gesture pertaining to our bail conditions,” he added.
Abae said he and his colleague have already secured a lawyer and he has been duly instructed to write a letter to the Council regarding their bail condition.
