THE Parliamentary Opposition Group is shocked by revelations by Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) that the Government has allocated $14.8million to eight recipients of the shipping grants whom are ‘ghost companies’.
The eight ghost companies are part of the 25 recipients that the Government approved for funding under the shipping grant.
In a statement, the Opposition Group said out of the 25 recipients, seven are MPs mostly Government Ministers, eight are ghost companies, with the remaining 10 companies although registered, some have questionable company details.
The eight ghost companies as reported by TSI are;
· Logistics & Multi Investments – $3.5 Million
· Amwata Shipping & Boat Building – $2.5 Million
· Triple JMR Enterprises – $1 Million
· ST Shipping – $1.5 Million
· Island Link Shipping – $1.5 Million
· Ebtide Shipping – $1.5 Million
· Ressy Boat Shipping – $1.8 Million
· PS Shipping Transport Services – $1.5 Million
The Opposition Group said the Government through the Ministry of Infrastructure Development (MID) must tell the truth and reveal true identities of the recipients of the eight ghost companies.
“We are disgusted and shocked by this new revelation that the Government has given away $14.8 Million to ghost shipping companies which have no record of existence or whatsoever according to the Company Haus.
“Therefore, the Government through the MID must inform people of this nation why these companies have been allocated funding when they do not even exist.”
“This is broad daylight corruption and a slap on the face of citizens of this country and hardworking local and genuine shipping owners”, it said.
The Parliamentary Opposition also questioned what criteria’s have been used to select and determine successful applicants and how these companies were selected and on what grounds.
“The Government through the MID must speak up and tell the truth as this is highly questionable and raises a lot of questions of serious corruption within the ministry and the Government as a whole,” it said.
The Opposition Group calls on the Leadership Code Commission to look into this matter and investigate these serious allegations of corruption within the MID.
