Political Instability looms

• Sifoni falsely accused

• Claims MARA executive run by 2 men

• Top premier advisor defends role

 

FORMER Malaita Deputy Premier Randol Sifoni says he humbly accepted his termination after receiving a petition letter from the M4D regime and a termination letter.

Sifoni told the Solomon Star in an exclusive interview on Tuesday from his home in Auki that the termination came from the Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani who is currently in Australia.

“I am no longer the deputy premier and also no longer an executive member and I wholeheartedly accept it,” he said.

Sifoni’s removal is likely to cause instability within the current MARA regime, sources told the paper yesterday.

The ousted deputy premier said it should be known that there are two sides of the story, as he explained his termination and touched on some of the very important provincial matters.

Sifoni who is now serving his fourth term in the Malaita Provincial Assembly said he was falsely accused by his premier and his so called illegal advisor.

“But I know it’s just a ploy to kick me out from MARA,” he added.

Firstly, Sifoni was accused for giving a business licence to a Chinese business man in Auki which he out rightly deny it.

“Since becoming a Malaita Provincial leader I only know that only the executive can grant business license and not anyone else,” he added.

Secondly, Sifoni was accused for attending the Guadalcanal and Makira Provincial Appointed Day.

“This is again another childish accusation, as a deputy premier and acting premier I was invited by my counterparts from these two province to attend their 2^nd Appointed Day.

“It’s a normal government business matter,” he added.

Finally, he told this paper that he was falsely accused for going against the petition against Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare which was mastered by Malaita Honiara based Malaitans.

“The truth is I am not aware of any petition and even MARA Executive did not deliberate on any petition paper for Malaita people,” he said.

But he confidently told this paper that he had already accepted all these allegations for the good of his premier and his so called advisor.

Sifoni also told the Solomon Star that MARA government was controlled by only two person that is the current premier and his so called political advisor.

All the press releases were published in the name of MARA was not sanctioned by the executive, he said.

“In fact MARA Government removed the so called political advisor before he traveled overseas with our premier.

“But we are still confused and continue to ask why the so called advisor continue to speak on behalf of the premier of Malaita,” he added.

Its understood that only the Provincial Secretary (PS) can perform such duty and that is to speak on behalf of any Premier.

“I believe this is illegal because the so called advisor is not part of the MARA executive which shows that the so called advisor is using the ignorance of Malaita people with our Premier to push his agendas.

“This always saddens me because as a fourth term leader in the current Malaita Executive some of us cannot express our views because the premier and his so called advisor thought it’s not important,” he added.

He further questioned; “is this the democracy we always preached about or just few people running the show like a communist country.”

Sifoni also called on the ignorant M4D who are advocating for the so called advisor and the premier to live by democracy principles.

“Like I said I also accept their petition and resign from the deputy premier position and allow their wish to be carried on.

“My call is for them to respect democracy and its principles, respect the leaders who were democratically elected to serve their ward and our province Malaita,” he added.

When asked about the situation within the MARA Executive, Sifoni said he will not speculate but believes that something is going on.

“I will just leave it here for now as we continue to monitor the situation in the coming days.

“It is normal politics that maybe the premier or his advisor will say MARA is rock solid,” he added.

The Solomon Star was reliably informed that some resignation will likely to happen in the coming days.

“Some MARA executive members will resign soon,” some of our sources claimed.

It was understood that Malaita Premier is controlling the MARA Executive from overseas with his advisor in question.

Meanwhile, Celsus Talifilu on Tuesday has defended his role as an advisor to the premier and MARA government.

He said he was on a 6-month service contract with the province. Then there was a renewal for 6 months as well. After that, there was a discussion that the contract should be for 12 months and not 6 months.

“So when my contract expired I went and saw the PS whether I should continue or not. According to the PS, he said that he is working to review the contract and when it is ready I will sign the revised contract.

“In the meantime, he said the province will continue to meet my contract since it will be renewed and that it was the Executive who approved the contract in the first place. So renewal is just an administrative formality.

“However, when the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS) recalled the PS, he was under pressure and was unable to deal with the renewal.

“My renewal ended up with the executive and I know it was influenced by Honiara through the Deputy Provincial Secretary. There was also politics involved.

“I then accepted the decision of the Executive and since then no longer working for PARU,” he said.

In terms of his current engagement with MARA., he said he is no longer officially appointed by the province.

“I, however, have been asked by the premier to work on his health issue and so I did and I am still doing that. From time to time the Premier would ask for advice in which I am willing to provide to the premier,” he said.

By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom, Honiara