A withdrawn member of the West Rennell Resource Owners Association (WRROA) executive has allegedly accused Chairman Jonathan Tohuika receiving bribery from another interested investor.
To pursuing his own interest using WRROA into his agenda, making claims to represent the customary landowners of West Rennell.
Former secretary, William Tino said Mr. Tohuika has gone beyond extend and acted on his own interest, forgetting the primary role as the association chairman to represent the landowners.
“His no longer representing the landowners of West Rennell, what we expected of him whilst in Honiara instead he is acting on another investors interest with money given to him,” he said.
Jonathan Tohuika denied the claims.
He however admitted that he did receive financial assistance from another interested investor, Solomon Bauxite and Minerals but not Solomon Mining.
“It was a free offer pledged with no agreement or memorandum of understanding made, and that assistance has ceased since February 2015.”
Unmoved, Tino said, it’s a waste to the sole purpose of the association.
He explained that the association was formed as a platform for landowners in West Rennell to give ideas on whatever issues, developments for instance including mining.
“What we use to do then, prior to the mining saga was to travel around villages and communities making awareness on various issues.
“This however came to a halt with no funding available and so that is where the problem arises.”
Tino said, Tohuika consulted one of the interested investors to the province, Solomon Mining which was genuine in some sense but is tarnishing the association’s integrity to be neutral.
“He puts the association who should be neutral some bias act and is no longer acting on representing the rightful landowners’ issues.
“Instead is trying to please some investor who is financing his claim to go against the Asia Pacific Investment Development (APID) and other issues in Honiara.
“It is for that reason that I withdraw my membership as secretary because the association itself is no longer serving the interest of landowners’ but has become personalized,” he said.
He said Tohuika’s claim and fight for the landowners is a cover up and when the executive raise the matter he started to personalize the issue.
“It’s just not that type we expected of at the very beginning. What we, the executive expect was for him to do consultation on issues with members to the association, and whatever the decision be made, it must be the executive.
“To act alone making the decision is just not right as it had already stated in the associations constitution, and should maintain neutrality amongst interested investors always.”
By BRADFORD THEONOMI