Claims WPG Executive demands overdue allowance payment
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
Serious allegations of abuse of power and corruption have emerged within the Western Provincial Government (WPG) following a controversial letter issued to a foreign company, SINO OCEAN International Ltd.
The letter, dated December 4, 2025, and signed by Western Provincial Finance Minister Ronnie Ghemu, outlined conditions tied to the company’s application for a business license.
According to the document, SINO OCEAN International Ltd was informed that its application had not fully complied with required procedures, including failure to submit documents to the Mines and Minerals Board and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
However, the letter has sparked outrage due to a separate demand for payments to members of the provincial executive.
It states that during an earlier consultation, the company provided $500 to each executive member, but claims that the “normal amount” expected is $10,000 per member.
The letter then demanded an additional $142,500 to be paid to 15 executive members.
The payment request has been described by members of the Non-Executive Committee as a clear abuse of authority and an act of corruption.
The committee has further alleged that the actions implicate both Western Province Premier Billy Veo and Finance Minister Ghemu, raising concerns about governance and accountability within the provincial administration.
Despite the payment demand, the Business License Committee reportedly granted the company a pro-rata license covering the remaining four months of the 2025/2026 financial year.
The letter warned that failure to meet the stated conditions could result in immediate cancellation of the license.
The revelations have triggered calls for a formal investigation into the matter, with critics urging national authorities to step in and examine whether proper legal and ethical standards were breached.
At the time of publication, neither Premier Veo nor Minister Ghemu had publicly responded to the allegations.
Meanwhile, following the defeat of the motion of no confidence against Premier Billy Veo, Chairman of the Non Executive Government side Hon. Rence Sore said that they already filed a case and forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman of Solomon Islands (OOSI) regarding the allegations of misuse of funds and corrupted practices in his leadership.
“This is a serious breach of action some by the Premier and his Finance Minister.
“This is a corrupted practice and we are not letting this go away,” Sore told Solomon Star during Friday’s Press Conference.
The Non Executive Committee (NEC) after the Press Conference held at the Gizo Hotel conference room.
