THE Leader of Opposition, Jeremiah Manele had urged Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare to explain to the people of Solomon Islands where he had sourced the $1.5 million he had used to purchase two plots of land and properties at the Henderson area, east Honiara.
The Opposition Leader made the call following revelations published by this paper yesterday indicating Prime Minister Sogavare paid the two properties adjacent to each other for a total sum of $1.5 million.
The Opposition Leader in a press statement said, the Prime Minister is obliged to explain to the people of Solomon Islands how he had obtained so much money to spend on privately owned wealth.
Since the transaction records of the purchase did not indicate payment in the form of a bank loan by way of a bank cheque payable to the owners of the properties, it is assumed the Prime Minister made payment in cash.
The Parliamentary Opposition Group therefore calls on the Prime Minister to clarify to the people amidst reports of his million dollar purchase for two parcels of land at the Henderson area in July this year.
The Parliamentary Opposition said the revelation in the Solomon Star is shocking and highly suspicious.
“The Prime Minister must tell the truth to this nation where he sourced the funding from or whether it is a personal loan,” it said.
The statement said, Members of Parliament cannot afford to have so much money unless it is from constituency funds or if MPs are businessmen or women.
Therefore, the statement said, as a leader of this country the Prime Minister must do the right thing and tell the truth.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Opposition has raised concerns over the management and use of more than $10m ROC funding which is under the Prime Minister’s discretion which was reported in the media to have been used to purchase the land.
The Parliamentary Opposition is also aware of disgruntled Minister’s questioning the use of this fund.
“The only right thing to do is for the Prime Minister to tell the truth because eventually the truth will surface,” it said.
