Leader of the Opposition questions the legitimacy of the company and urges authorities to investigate potential breaches of sovereignty.
Opposition Leader Shocked by Singapore Offshore Account Linked to OUR Party
Matthew Wale, the Leader of the Opposition, expressed shock after discovering that the OUR Party reportedly holds an offshore business account in Singapore. He condemned the move, calling it a tragic example of leaders selling Solomon Islands’ sovereignty to foreign interests.
An investigative report by In-depth Solomons revealed that a company, OUR International Development Fund Pte Ltd, was established in Singapore in February. The company was registered with an initial capital of 100,000 Singapore dollars (about SBD 627,000). Documents show that Jimson Tanangada, president of the OUR Party, and Brandt Sogavare, the 23 year old son of Finance Minister Manasseh Sogavare, each hold 40 percent of the company. A Chinese national, Pan Jinglin, owns the remaining 20 percent.
Wale sharply criticized Tanangada’s claim that the company was a private venture. He noted that Finance Minister Sogavare had confirmed Tanangada’s plans to raise funds for the OUR Party through the company. Wale accused Tanangada of lying about the company’s purpose and questioned whether Sogavare knew about its formation.
“We have reason to doubt the truthfulness of Hon. Sogavare’s statement that he did not know anything about the Singapore Company beyond the discussions with Hon. Tanangada”.
Wale said it is most unlikely that Tanangada acted on his own in a matter of such gravity.
“It is most unlikely that he would have used Hon. Sogavare’s son without the father’s permission,” Wale said.
Wale emphasized that political parties raising funds from foreign sources undermines the sovereignty of Solomon Islands. He called on the government to make such activities illegal. In his view, the creation of the Singapore company reveals the OUR Party’s desperation to hold onto power at any cost.
Wale demanded that Tanangada release the company’s bank statements to ensure transparency. He also urged Tanangada to reveal the identities of the donors and the amounts donated. Wale warned that failure to do so would suggest an attempt to hide suspicious activities.
“Bad leadership leads to bad governance,” Wale stated. “The people of Solomon Islands deserve better than to serve foreign interests.”
Wale called on the Political Parties Commission, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Finance Intelligence Unit, and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) to investigate the company and its ties to the OUR Party.
