SOGAVARE AND WALE ON ONE CHINA POLICY

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SOLOMON Islands Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale says he is shocked by a statement issued by 15 Members of Parliament on their stand on the China/Taiwan issue.

This week a statement was issued by 15 MPs of the DCGA government, pledging their support for Taiwan.
However, Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale says the revelations clearly undermine the purpose of establishing a by-partisan task force. He said it appears the bi-partisan task force was merely a political gimmick by the Prime Minister to manage MPs in his government who prefer China.

Wale said the PM's political gimmickry also demonstrated he is willing to recklessly spend public money on the bi partisan task force while more pressing needs such as shortage of medicine in rural clinics and the Kongulai water source treatment continue to cry out for scarce resources. 

The Opposition Leader added that reliable sources within Government confirmed the whole bi partisan task force exercise will cost the government around SBD6 million dollars.

Wale said if there is urgent matter to do with China, the government should give priority to ensuring the country gets maximum possible price at international market rates for the country's logs and bauxite which are mostly exported to China. 

"The Prime Minister must immediately stop spending our scarce resources for the advancement of his insincere political games", Opposition Leader, Wale said. 

Wale further labelled the Pro-Taiwan group's statement as an outright lie stating it as an attempt to justify the bi partisan task force process as being part of a review process for all diplomatic relations.

"No reviews had been proposed and the Government's 100 day Policy program does not have any policy line on such a review", said Mr. Wale. 

PM Sogavare: Photo credit Koroi Hawkins/RNZ
Meanwhile Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has tasked the 15 Ministers who independently stated their pro-Taiwan stance prior to formal deliberation by Caucus and Cabinet to answer to the claims made by the Opposition Leader.

Sogavare said there is no intention by the government to dodge the concerns of the public on this very important policy.

The Prime Minister said government would welcome and encourage factual contributions and not one that is driven by emotions and hearsay.

"We would become innocent victims of these power struggles and continue to be in the doldrums of a stagnant economy amidst plenty" Sogavare said.

He said his government would like to approach this matter strategically so that they do not leave any stones unturned. 

"I would therefore encourage the public and the concerned citizens of this country to fully utilize the participation mechanisms to express themselves. Let us not allow emotions to take the best of us in the process", he said. 

ENDS///








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