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Gov’t team returns empty-handed?

A top level Government delegation negotiating the buy-back arrangement of Hell’s Point on the outskirts of the city and related Russell Islands Plantation Estates Ltd (RIPEL) issues has arrived back rather tight-lipped about the outcome of the three-day talks.

The Government delegation which left last Sunday was led by Secretary to Cabinet, James Remobatu and included the Attorney General James Apaniai as well as the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office, Robson Djokovic.

All Mr Djokovic could offer in an email yesterday morning was, “Negotiations went well details of which will be made available in due course.”

But some who were privy to the talks said the negotiations did not go too well as Mr Patrick Wong and Mr van Vlymen were demanding too much.

Island Sun emailed a number of people including Mr Vlymen on Tuesday afternoon but there was no response. Special Secretary to the Prime Minister (SSPM), John Muria jnr had this to say.

“Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to comment on the matter as I have not received full instructions, but I can say that I am informed that the negotiations have progressed well,” Mr Muria jnr said in an email.

It is understood the talks in Brisbane were intended to settle the $50 million buyout arrangement of the Alligator Creek land or Hell’s Point on the outskirts of East Honiara.

The RIPEL issue runs deep. In recent years it drove a wedge between Mr Wong and his one-time co-financier, van Vlymen, resulting in a falling out in recent years.

Of particular interest is the report in recent months that the government in Honiara had stepped in to save Mr Vlymen from bankruptcy following a recent ruling in the NSW Supreme Court.

According to reports, a Good Samaritan from abroad had provided the bridging finance to the government in return for the title of the Hell’s Point land.

The position taken by the Attorney General Chambers in relation to a High Court ruling which awarded an $80 million payout against the government is also very interesting.

In his view the Attorney General has argued the government should never spend the amount awarded by the High Court. Instead, it could repossess the entire RIPEL land using the new amendment to the Lands and Titles Act.

His view had driven a wedge between Patrick Wong’s protégés such as former Finance Minister, Peter Boyers who used the issue to the point of almost breaking up the DCC government late last year.

Mr Boyers has since repented and is now a big supporter of the Government. He is the Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF), which recently provided the government a $150 million loan in the form of bonds in March this year.

In a statement issued at the time, the government said it was looking at the possibility of yet another loan of the same amount from the SINPF in order to pay for national projects identified in its development policy.

The Member for Savo/Russell, Hon Dickson Mua, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet subcommittee on RIPEL, was not included on the delegation. He was reportedly replaced by Mr Bradley Tovosia. It is not clear whether Mr Tovosia was on the delegation.

It is understood one of the reasons for the talks to be held in Brisbane is because Mr Wong is not allowed to set foot in Solomon Islands.



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