Dear Editor – Please allow me space to briefly comment on the above petition purportedly delivered to DCGA by Honiara-based Malaitans.
At the outset, the one-page document appears frivolous and vexatious.
It was written unfittingly and discourteously on a piece of paper (without letterhead), with no formal address, no salutation, and worst still not signed.
Yet surprisingly, the petition was address to the political head of our Sovereign State. What a street joke that is! Undoubtedly, there are high profiles Malaitans who conspired in backing up our poor civilians on this purported sedition or treason as a stimulus to cause rebellion, and to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the land.
“Please Father forgive our poor civilians, for they know not what they were being ignorantly indoctrinated to pursue against our legitimate executive government.”
As a prominent and bona-fide, Malaitan myself, I am not aware of any called-for meeting(s) in the recent weeks, inviting all Honiara-based Malaitans to attend any meeting on a specific date, time and venue. So, I just wonder who the organizers who machinated this petition were. How can a total of 8, 210 signatories be obtained just overnight, or in just a short span of time? This is just so unbelievable and ridiculous!
Fellow organizers please do not conceal such sensitive political issue under-covered, using the wholesale name ‘Malaita’ to pursue one’s own frivolous agenda, at the expense of [Malaitan] mass, for their own personal political expediency and grievances.”
The majorities of Malaitans, residing out in the province, in Honiara city, and even abroad, no longer support the current political impasse between Malaita Provincial Government and the National Government. The political stand-off is becoming despicable and is taking it too long to be resolved. Obviously, it is not healthy for our happy isles, especially under these hard and trying times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the present new wave of the Delta variant now being sounded from afar.
Having said that, I think all Solomon Islands citizens should be appreciative and triumphant over such great leadership demonstrated by the DCGA Government, under the leadership of Hon. Manasseh Damukana Sogavare, in keeping our shores still safe and secured from the re-entry and escalation of the pandemic.
Thank God, our record is still one of the lowest in the region. As responsible and good-thinking citizens, what we should all be more serious and concern about now (today) is to work together with the government to maintain our COVID-19-free status. GET VACCINATED TODAY should be the sounding message in the country…..and not camouflaging the land with aggravating Petitions, only to satisfy a handful of egotistical political wishers.
The call for Honiara City Council to facilitate the petitioner’s application for a permit to stage a peaceful protest must be disallowed for reasons of national security; and the SOPE Regulations must be respected. In the past, peaceful protest marches or demonstrations ended up in a state of chaos or pandemonium. The general public, in particular, our young people always want to take advantage of protest marches, as an opportunity to advance their rioting and looting personal expediency.
So essentially, no protest march, under the pretext of ‘peaceful march’ should be allowed and condoned in any way. Although it may be seen as a suppression of people’s right but the current situation, and political climate, including the pandemic situation we’re currently in, does not warrant the exercise of such people’s right.
Thank you.
Concerned Malaitan
Honiara
