PRIME Minister Manasseh Sogavare has dismissed accusations he had vested interests in the contractual jobs at Henderson Airport.
Former Aviation and Communication minister Commins Mewa claimed Mr Sogavare removed him from the ministry because of vested personal interest.
But Mr Sogavare told the Solomon Star in an exclusive interview yesterday he has no vested interest in the contracts and that he was not allocated one.
The prime minister said MPs who were allocated the contracts by the previous government include his deputy Manasseh Maelanga, East Guadalcanal MP Bradley Tovosia, North-East Guadalcanal MP Dr Derek Sikua, and others.
“Cabinet reshuffled Mr Mewa because of performance issues,” Mr Sogavare said.
“Mew failed to bring to cabinet in time a paper on the proposed submarine cable, he has failed to address the recent air impasse between Solomon Islands and Fiji, and that he has failed to attend to the poor state of the airport,” he added.
The prime minister said Mr Mewa was also told early this year to bring a paper to cabinet to address issues surround airport contracts but he also failed to do that.
From Aviation, Mr Mewa was moved to the Ministry of Police and National Security before he resigned and defected with others to the other side of the House.
But their attempt to oust Mr Sogavare and form a new government failed when members of the Independent Group in Parliament crossed the floor and joined the government.
Meanwhile, the Special Secretary to Prime Minister Andrew Donua Muaki explained Mr Mewa was earlier removed to ensure the DCC Government’s policies on aviation and communications are implemented.
He said claims Mr Mewa made as basis for his removal were alarming.
By ELLIOT DAWEA
