THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Lau-Mbaelelea Constituency in Malaita Province, Augustine Auga and his one-year rival, Ambrose Dolofera, have ironed out their differences in a traditional reconciliation ceremony at the former’s residence at Panatina Valley.
The reconciliation was held in Honiara on Wednesday.
The reconciliation ceremony also saw Auga reconcile his differences with a John Labuisi, a staunch critic of the MP and supporter of Dolofera.
MP Auga, who is also the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, exchanged traditional shell money – Tafuliae – and modern currency with the Dolofera amd Labuisi and thereafter hugged each other, apologised and vowed to bury their grievances and move forward.
The moving ceremony was witnessed by the Lau-Mbaelelea Constituency Development Office officers, chiefs, Anglican Priest, Father Onsban Augiria and other elders.
The Lau-Mbaelelea Constituency Development Officer, Samuel Lidia, explained that the reconciliation ceremony was between two parties, the party of MP Auga and the party of Mr Dolofera.
Mr Dolofera, a teacher by profession is a member of the constituency and a member of Mr Auga’s support team.
However, due to some disagreements between MP Auga and Mr Dolofera, the latter walked away.
When he walked out from MP Auga’s support team last year, Mr Dolofera started to raise issues about the Lau-Mbaelelea Constituency via the Lau-Mbaelelea facebook forum.
He even raised issues on the performance of the Lau Mbaelelea Constituency in terms of development, waging a cold war on the MP and other members of his support team in the forum.
Mr Lidia said this reconciliation was successful because of their mediator, Peter Lautalo, who has talked the two parties into reconciliation.
MP Auga during the reconciliation thanked Mr Dolofera and Mr Labuiasi for humbling themselves and coming forward to apologise to him for what they have done.
“We hated each other because of politics,” he said.
MP Auga told them that their differences were just between them and not their families in Malaita.
“Our differences don’t touch anything back at home. It is between you and me because of politics.”
In his response, Mr Dolofera said he was just a prodigal son who had wandered away along the way and finally returned to his father.
Mr Dolofera admitted his mistakes to MP Auga and people who attended the reconciliation ceremony.
After the reconciliation ceremony, the trio agreed to work together again and talk about the development aspirations of the constituency.
Three chiefs who attended the ceremony were Aterly Ramo, Lemuel Liukali and James Lalo.
Anglican Priest, Father Onsban Augiria, offered the prayer of reconciliation amongst the trio.
By LACHLAN EDDIE HOE
Solomon Star, Honiara
