PM Manele applies diplomatic skills to defuse instability threat over DPM post, announces first two political appointments, while DPM Tovosia downplays weekend report that he faces official corruption charges
PRIME MINISTER Jeremiah Manele has reportedly defused an internal row which could have torn apart his newly-formed government of National Unity and Transformation Coalition (GNUT) only days after it took office, sources have confirmed.
Having put down the threat, Prime Minister Manele last Friday outlined a road map for his CNUT Administration over the next four years. It was his first news conference as Prime Minister. It was a departure from the format, which his predecessor has followed, using officials to appear in news conferences on his behalf.
Among other things, the roadmap includes appointments of Political Appointees (PAs) expected after the first Cabinet meeting on Thursday, preparation for the election of a new Head of State and the adjournment of the next Parliament meeting to prepare for the election of new Governor General. The tenure of the incumbent is due to lapse on 7th July this year – the nation’s 47th independence anniversary.
Other announcements, include the adjournment of Parliament “to give Members of Parliament the opportunity to thank their voters in a sine-die motion.”
Prime Minister Manele also announced the renewal of contracts for two former OUR Party staffers – Albert Kabui retaining his post as SSPM and Ronald Fugui as the Prime Minister’s Private Secretary.
The two appointments are expected to cause problem for the new Malaita Provincial Government, with claims that the two gentlemen were against infrastructure development on Malaita during their term in the last Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA).
The first taste of what lies ahead was the “heated row” over the position of Deputy Prime Minister – the nation’s second top political post.
At least three senior politicians were known to have threatened a walk out from the coalition over the matter last week.
When the lot fell on Hon Bradley Tovosia, who is also the Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification last week – Prime Minister Manele’s diplomatic skills and vast public service experience kicked in.
“His diplomatic skills and vast public service experience helped save the day. The understanding shown by the alleged protagonists also helped, resulting in removing the potential internal threat to the new government,” according to insiders.
“The threat to political stability was so intense that even Prime Minister Manele had to double up in what to do, some insiders later told Solomon Star last weekend.
In the ceremony shut off from the public, Deputy Prime Minister Tovosia allegedly made appeasement payments in the form of shell money during a joint Caucus and Cabinet meeting, the first since CNUT took office on Thursday last week.
At a news conference last Friday Prime Minister Manele told journalists that a joint Caucus-Cabinet meeting was held the day before. The Government took the opportunity to brief CNUT Ministers of their duties and responsibilities before they set to work this week.
Prime Minister Manele did not elaborate except to announce the outline for the roadmap for his CNUT Government over the next four years.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Tovosia has downplayed a weekend newspaper report alleging the new DPM is facing official corruption charges.
The front-page article with the screaming headline, “DPM Tovosia faces official corruption” appeared in the Solomon Star newspaper on Saturday.
Asked about it, Tovosia simply said it was a “dead issue”.
The issue is over the use of dump trucks, according to Tovosia.
“APID, the owner of the dump truck authorized me to use it. We 24/7 all good.”
By Alfred Sasako
