Is minister Seth Gukuna standing in the way of this multi-million dollar project?
SOLOMON Islands risked losing a proposed multi-million dollar wharf at Honiara’s international seaport because one government minister refused to cooperate with the donor.
Japan, which is funding the project, wanted Infrastructure minister Seth Gukuna to reinstate the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) board he recently sacked.
This is so that they could fast-track project documents they need to sign with the board, submit the documents to the Japanese cabinet, which is meeting next month, for its final blessing, and allow work on the wharf to start mid next year.
“Time is not on our side,” explains Honiara-based Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) project formulation adviser, Naoko Laka. “If the project documents fail to go before the Japanese cabinet next month, then the project will have to be delayed for another time,” Ms Laka said.
The wharf, which will cater mainly for overseas ships, will be 200 metres long, and will be built on the edge of the SIPA coastline, Point Cruz.
When completed it is expected to dramatically reduce waiting time for international ships that normally wait for up to four days in the harbour when the port is busy.
It is also expected to bring Honiara’s seaport to international standard. But attempts by all those involved to get the project documents signed were not possible because Mr Gukuna has not cooperated.
An overseas team from JICA was here last month to sign documents with SIPA and the national government, but this could not happen because the board was already terminated.
The JICA team has since gone back to Japan, putting the project at greater risk. Mr Gukuna sacked the SIPA board after it refused to act on his directive to reinstate William Barile, whom the board terminated earlier this year.
Mr Barile is now back at SIPA, but the Solomon Star understands he has no contract, has not been paid, and that SIPA officials are refusing to work with him.
The Solomon Star understands that Mr Gukuna has been asked to immediately reinstate the SIPA board so that the project documents can be signed and sent to Tokyo.
It was also understood that the Attorney General has advised both Mr Gukuna and the Finance minister Rick Hou to reinstate the board. “While Mr Hou agreed to have the board reinstated, Mr Gukuna is refusing to cooperate,” a source from SIPA told the Solomon Star. JICA is also understood to have written to Mr Gukuna about the importance of having a board in place and the urgency of signing the documents. But Mr Gukuna has not responded to the letter.
Staff at Mr Gukuna’s office say the minister has not called into office for the past weeks.
The Solomon Star tried calling him on his mobile phone several times yesterday, but it was switched off. He has not replied to an email sent to him.
Meanwhile, an official from SIPA said it would be a sad day for the organisation and the country if we lose the funding.
“SIPA has been waiting for 18 years for Japan to finally approve this project,” the official said. “SIPA does not have the money to build a project of this size. The government does not have the money either. “This is our opportunity. And remember opportunities don’t come often. That’s what this government must understand.
“If we lose this project, we may have to wait for another 18 years. “If minister Gukuna is standing in the way of this project, the government must remove him immediately. “He is an obstacle to development. He is not the kind of leader we want. He is putting his own vested interest before national interest. “The nation needs to know about this type of minister and leader,” the SIPA official said.
