Watchdog says Solomons Govt funding 'ghost' companies
Transparency Solomon Islands has revealed what it says are ten non-existent companies that have received government funding.
Transcript
Transparency Solomon Islands has revealed what it says are ten non-existent companies that have received government funding.
The so-called ghost companies, supposedly in the shipping and infrastructure sectors, got, according to Transparency Solomon Islands, a total of $US1.9 million dollars of public money.
Transparency's executive officer, Ruth Liloqula, told Don Wiseman the organisation was tipped off by members of the public.
RUTH LILOQULA The information was given to us by those who are not happy with what is going on. So we did our own check to verify the information that has been given to us. Then we checked the company registration house to see if those companies were registered. Also who are their owners and who their directors are. We find that of the companies, 10 companies - there is no information about them.
DON WISEMAN Is the government involved? Is that what you're suggesting?
RL: The government is doing a lot of things that are not being questioned by the public, or anybody, because of no access to the information I'm sure they do know who the applicants are and whether or not they have registered companies and are giving all this money without any selection criteria. There is nothing to guide, and guidelines at all for applying for this available funding and the selection criteria.
DW: You're putting it down to incompetence on the part of government and government officials.
RL: When you really look at it, this is the government and their cronies are offering themselves for public funds, and questionable companies or non-existent companies - or under constituencies because even the constituencies once there is no company registered under those constituencies either.
DW:Transparency Solomon Islands wants what to happen?
RL: We would like to see, because not only in the shipping sector but also in the construction, in the road work sector, in government supplies, there are a number of ghost companies that are being awarded contracts or tender left right and centre. People are complaining about it, but given the absence of a dedicated institution to investigate this it goes unchallenged and leaders aren't held accountable. So what we're saying is we're getting all the reports and complaints about corruption and corrupt conduct that should have gone to a body to investigate. Like there is an anti-corruption - the bill went before Parliament and it didn't get past the first reading, so what we're saying here is that people are becoming very helpless, they're coming to us we're exposing this. But yes there are citizens being empowered but there are no support systems or mechanisms for citizens activism in the fight against corruption, to assist them and to take the cases through, investigate and hold the leaders accountable for the misuse and abuse of entrusted power that they are holding.
To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following:
See terms of use.