Wale calls on ROT to rectify HCC land registry, report those responsible to police

WALE CALLS ON THE REGISTRAR OF TITLES TO RECTIFY HCC LAND REGISTRY

Leader of Opposition Hon. Matthew Wale calls on the Commissioner of Lands and Registrar of Titles to quickly deal with the transfer of the controversial HCC Bio-security land and to report those responsible to the Police.

Documents cited do corroborate the allegations made by the Commissioner of Lands. Both the request for consent for the transfer to Excellent Resource Management Ltd and the Minutes of a meeting supposedly held by the HCC earlier, approving the initial sale appears to be in breach of a previous Council resolution prohibiting the sale of any HCC land, and had also been vehemently denied by some of the persons named as attendees in the Minute.

In putting together all pieces of the puzzle there is only one likely conclusion, all documentation providing the basis for the sale and eventual transfer had been cooked up by certain individuals in the Honiara City Council administration to deceive and knowingly facilitate a fraudulent deal.

This is a very serious matter which must not be brushed under the carpet.  Public assets must always be protected and applied to public use and where public officers or persons in high positions are found to have abused their official position to serve the interest of greedy third parties in respect of public assets, they must be dealt with accordingly. The allegations have all the hall marks of corruption played at the highest level of government and so it is in the public interest that appropriate steps are taken immediately.

While congratulating the Commissioner of Lands for commencing the resumption process, I encourage him to liaise with the Registrar of Titles to quickly investigate and consider using the Registrar’s powers under law to rectify the registry immediately. I also stress that in such dealings public funds should not be used to compensate fraudsters.

Ends///