PAC Chairman calls on RSIPF to investigate allegations against Prime Minister

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Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has called on the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force to urgently start an investigation into allegations made against the country’s Prime Minister, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare.  

In his remarks on the 2016 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2017, Hon. Rick Hou says the PAC has recommended that the RSIPF urgently investigate allegations that the Prime Minister has been offered a political donation of $40 million by Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, a Chinese company awarded contract for the Optic Fibre Undersea Cable project.  He says the committee considers this a serious allegation as this is a crime in which the Head of the Executive is alleged to commit. 

Hon. Rick Hou (Photo Credit:  GCU)
He says this is a matter which shouldn’t be brushed aside, nor allowed to be swept under the carpet.  Mr. Hou says this does not reflect on the strong stance by the DCC Government especially the Hon. Prime Minister on anti-corruption. He says to remain indifferent on this will mean that any effort by the government to fight against corruption will be futile. 

Huawei is the world’s largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer.  In 2012 the Australian government had excluded the company from tendering for the construction of its national broadband network over security concerns.  The cable should be operational in the Solomon Islands in 2018.


ENDS///

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