OPPOSITION leader Mathew Wales has called for the sacking of the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Robson Djokovic.
He also calls on Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who is Djokovic’s uncle, to reconsider his position as prime minister.
Wale made the call after the Australian newspaper reported yesterday Djokovic is a convicted criminal in Australia.
The Australian reported Djokovic was convicted for burglary, fraud and drugs offences, which he did not deny when interviewed by the Australian newspaper, but referred to them as his past.
Other information have also revealed that Djokovic is an Australian citizen.
The Australian newspaper further claimed Djokovic sought an AUD700,000 “consultancy” payment from Axiom Mining Ltd through a Fijian lawyer in exchange for allowing Axiom to hold on to its Isabel nickel project.
But local lawyer Wilson Rano has since come out to clarify the report (see separate report in today’s paper).
This “consultancy” payment was to be made by Axiom to a company called Echelon consulting which Djokovic is revealed to have owned 50 percent shares.
Wale said information at hand also suggests Rano, the PMs Legal counsel and secretary of Our Party, is another shareholder.
Axiom Mining reportedly refused to comply with the demand by Djokovic.
“According to recent media publications suggesting that Axiom Mining has been hit with a lot of demands for favours, these recent revelations can easily be associated with the company’s rejection of Djokovic’s demand,” Wale said.
“The country is sick and tired of this corruption perpetrated at the highest level of government time and time again, right under the nose of the Prime Minister, at the expense of the people of Solomon Islands.
“The inference that can be made from the information at hand is clear, Djokovic and Echelon, and the Fijian lawyer were trying to personally benefit out of natural resources of Solomon Islands.
“These persons are close confidants and advisers of Prime Minister Sogavare.
“As the Chief of Staff takes direct instructions from the PM, it can also be inferred that the PM was either involved or has knowledge of matters canvassed in the allegations made by Axiom.
“It is unclear who the Fijian lawyer is, but it is of importance to the Solomon Islands that the identity of the Fijian lawyer be revealed,” Wale said.
He calls on the Australian Federal Police to investigate these serious allegations and to collaborate with the RSIPF.
“If these allegations are proven, the Prime Minister must reconsider his position and do the right thing by the people of this country and resign,” Wale.
Wale further calls on the Prime Minister to act decisively and sack his Chief of Staff immediately.
“Did the Prime Minister know about Robson Djokovic’s criminal convictions in Australia?” Wale asks.
“When did the Prime Minister know about these convictions? Did the PM know that these convictions were for fraud, burglary and drug offences?
“These are extremely serious offences indeed and Solomon Islanders are right to question the judgement of the Prime Minister in this appointment of his nephew.
“Does the Prime Minister consider it alright to have a fraudster, a burglar and drugs offender as Chief of Staff to the highest political office in the country?
“It is disgraceful that a foreign investor is being persecuted and ostracized by the government for refusing to pay a demand that has all the hallmarks of a bribe.
“These revelations explain a lot about how the government has been treating this investor.
“These revelations make it clear there is absolutely no national interest in the government’s treatment of this investor.
“It has all been to punish the investor for not listening to one of the Prime Minister closest confidants and advisors and to protect the individuals abusing public office and their close links to the Prime Minister.
“Why is Bintan Mining favoured by the Prime Minister and government, when it has a worse record than Axiom Mining?
“Is it because Bintan Mining has made ‘consultancy’ payments to the Prime Minister and his cronies?
“Solomon Islanders are right to ask the question.”
Wale said the Prime Minister has a lot to answer for.
“Solomon Islanders are watching what the Prime Minister will do in response to these very serious revelations.”
Djokovic on Tuesday told the Solomon Star any decision to sack him is the prerogative of the prime minister.
