Whether or not the action was a “point-scoring” exercise by the Prime Minister is besides the point. It was an intelligent move that saves Solomon Islands millions of dollars.
It also puts an end to the appointment of individuals, with major credibility problem, whose agenda is quite suspicious and potentially harmful to the future security of Solomon Islands.
Philip - you are wrong
Danny Philip (former PM)’s attempt to demonise the action and warning of future ramifications is nonsense and a clear reflection of a leader, who is out of touch with reality.
One of the issues that concerned many Solomon Islanders about the existence of these so called consultants is the involvement of Andrew Nori, Lesley Kwaiga and Alfred Sasako.
From a credibility point of view, this is a public relation (PR) night mare for the government. Yes – they are known as policy advisors, but yes – we have all good reasons not to trust them.
Two of the key advisors of this group are former leaders of the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF). They were not the foot-soldiers, no! They were the brain-power of the armed militant group.
Cost to the nation
No one can deny the fact that the office was an unnecessary financial burden to taxpayers. The salary scale of a government bureaucrat at Permanent Secretary or Political Appointee level is $90,000.00 per annum.
The total cost of the five political appointees, whom the former Prime Minister had personally recruited to the office of “Aid Coordination” was estimated to be around SBD$4.5m annually.
The question is: What qualification and expertise do they possess and bring to the table?
Surprisingly, they are the most unlikely candidates for the task of rebuilding Solomon Islands from the ashes of their own destruction. They are Alfred Sasako, Andrew Nori, and Lesley Kwaiga.
The task of the office was to coordinate, plan and implement government economic and reform programs. Surprisingly, none of them is an economist, let alone with an impressive background.
Waste of taxpayers money
The worrying issue about their appointment is the duplication of the roles similar to the ones now undertaken by other government ministries such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Of major concern is the expertise and capability of the staff. With the exception of Luma Darcy, a career public servant and Simeon Bouro, a former politician and diplomat with a squeaky clean reputation, the mention of the others is a curse to the country.
Let’s take a brief snap shot of the office bearers.
1. Andrew Nori – a lawyer graduated from UPNG, former leader of the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF), failed politician, former coup leader, former government minister. Allegations against him of pocketing millions of dollars and hashed money during the ethnic conflict are unresolved due to the amnesty that provides him immunity from prosecution.
2. Lesley Kwaiga – a lawyer graduated from UPNG and a former Deputy Leader of the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF). Amongst other major criminal activities he had committed during the MEF coup era, he was implicated in using armed militants to possess vehicles from car dealerships in Honiara during the conflict.
3. Alfred Sasako – a Public Relation spin doctor, former journalist, and former government minister. No one denies that Sasako is a Public Relation spin-doctor, but his tainted image over allegations of colluding with MEF thugs to capture former GRA warlord, Harold Keke, had made him an unfitting candidate for the position.
The most intriguing issue about the appointment of Nori is his job description as a policy advisor on “Land Reform”.
The danger of employing ex-MEFs
Everyone in the country and the international community is well aware of the role played by Nori and his assistant in crime, Kwaiga, during the ethnic conflict between 1998 and 2003.
Back then, they allowed their egos, without their thinking caps, to lead them and didn’t show any respect for the rule of law, so what guarantees us that they are going to act responsibly now?
Make no mistake, the Solomon Islands of today (i.e, ailing economy, political instability, social dislocation and uncontrolled corruption) is a byproduct of their action.
The efforts by the international community now to rebuild and rehabilitate our public institutions, is the result of the role played by these two political appointees.
The "credibility"of Nori and Kwaiga should have ruled them out of any prospective employment opportunity with the government.
Obviously, the former Prime Minister was sleeping on the wheels.
I’m sure victims and survivors of the Guadalcanal ethnic conflict are watching with horror the appointment of Nori and Kwaiga.
Whose land are they going to reform? – Hopefully not the land tenure system on Guadalcanal.
After all – Nori and Kwaiga are the most unlike candidates to engage in land reform in the country.
I’m sure Guadalcanal people are silently furious that the very individuals, who have inflicted them much pains over five years, are given the responsibility to advice the government on land matters.
Additionally, Sasako's political history of flattering from one government to another, hypocrisy, tax evasion and extra marital affairs, has made him the most unlikely candidate for the job.
The question is - what role does Sasako play in an “Aid Coordination Office”?
If there's any justification about the employment of Nori, Kwaiga and Sasako as advisors, it has to be that they were employed when Ronald Fugui, was secretary to the former Prime Minister.
The MEF connection
Fugui, Nori and Kwaiga were partners in crime during the ethnic tension. Back then, Fugui was the Lord Mayor of the Honiara City Council and also member of the MEF National Security Council.
In a sense, the appointees are part of the MEF’s All Boys Club, known in the Solomon Islands society as “Wantok System”. The frightening reality is – what are they planning in the name of reforms?
Guadalcanal leaders should start asking questions now or else, the Nori-Kwaiga land reform program is the reincarnation of the MEF agenda to take control of Guadalcanal and every province during the ethnic conflict. The plan failed to materialise due to the intervention of RAMSI.
We need to scrutinise the activities of these individuals because prior to the MEF coup of June 2000, no one, included the mainstream media, was bold and gutsy enough to ask hard questions.
In the end, our country pays the ultimate price for inaction.
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