MALAITA SHALL NOT BE SOLD! NOT NEGOTIABLE!

By Rev Michael Maeliau

On the front page of ‘The Island Sun’, Issue 3291, dated Wednesday, 7th August 2019, appears a caption in bold Letters, ‘WE’LL BE SOLD SOON’, then under the caption, are the picture of the Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands and the picture of the Hon. Scott Morison, the Prime Minister of Australia. Then under the two photos of the 2 Prime Ministers is written the statement, ‘Australia to build naval Base in Solomon Islands’. That Caption alone tells the truth and the real whole story. But in the article accompanying the Caption is the discussion about being sold to China without negotiations in the switch of allegiance from Taiwan to China.

Then on page 3, appear the two articles, one above the other, about ‘Australia to build a naval base in SI and straight below is the article by Hon. Jeremiah Manele, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade. The article is headed, ‘Solomon Islanders will not need visas to travel to China’ anymore.

In the same article the Honorable Minister also mentioned that they are pursuing the intension to exchange notes with Japan later in September and then to resurrect the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer Scheme.

Then he goes on to state the Government’s intension to sign an MOU with India through its High Commissioner in Port Moresby. Furthermore, he said that the Government had had wider consultations with the Peace Corps scoping team who are currently in the country since July 19th 2019. In 3 weeks’ time we are expecting another delegation from the Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) Threshold Programme. The Peace Corps is from the United States of America while the MCC is from the United Nations but the US backing is vital to accessing the Threshold Programme through its Compact Funding.

All of these are normal Government Business in this modern world. So the Government, represented by its Minister (MFAET) has every reason to wear a big SMILE and congratulate himself for a splendid job well-done.

Now let us take a step back and have a look and evaluate what really is going on.

First of all let us realise that these are the modern super powers at play in the Pacific Region. They are no different from the Colonial Powers 100 years ago. They are all fighting for a piece of the Pacific Cake at any cost.

THEY ARE ALL NEO-COLONISTS!

We are saying that we will sell ourselves soon. I say that we have already sold ourselves, our beloved country, Solomon Islands. What we are really doing is now,

Prostituting ourselves, our beloved, Solomon Islands to the next bidder at a very cheap price or no cost all.

There is a Biblical saying which states,

‘What shall it gain a country if she should gain the whole world and lose its own Sovereignty?

The biggest Issue at stake now is, ‘Our Sovereignty’. The Central Bank of Solomon Islands released a report earlier in 2019 which revealed that the last Sogavere Government had already borrowed Five Hundred Million Dollars (SBD$500,000,000.00) from the Asian Bank. How are we going to pay that back?

And with all these MOUs and Agreements that our current Government is pursuing; What are the Terms and conditions and, Where is that all going to land us?

Now on the matter of allegiance, whether to Taiwan or China. I was, as one of the Minister of Government who travelled to Taipei to sign the MOU on our Allegiance to Taiwan. Since then Taiwan has since been faithfully supporting our country financially and technically with no strings attached. This was on the premises of respecting our Sovereignty. This will not be so with China. China’s track record around the world can testify to that. Projects promised to be funded by China had either not been delivered or when defaulted, had all resulted in Chinese take over. China will not respect anyone’s Sovereignty whether as a Government or by character as a people. This by the way applies to all Neo – Colonists.

So, Technically, Solomon Islands has already been sold out by The Sogavare Government. The strong reason that has prompted me to write and publicize this article widely is that I want the whole world to know that:

I, Rev Michael Maeliau on behalf of ALL Malaitans, Solemnly Declare that:

MALAITA, AS A PROVINCE OR A NATION, MEANING; A SOVEREIGN PEOPLE, SHALL NOT BE SOLD! NOT NEGOTIABLE!