A private investigation on the Sufferance wharf saga in Honiara uncovers former Minister of Finance and Treasury, Harry Kuma’s connection to Lee Kwok Kuen.
This came after critics accused the government of bowing to private interests.
They argued that Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele made a poor decision in reshuffling Kuma to the Ministry of Commerce, claiming Kuma was actively closing revenue leakages at sufferance wharves.
Kuma made the decision to suspend all sufferance wharves on 21 August 2025.
However, after his reshuffle, new Minister of Finance, Trevor Manemahaga, reversed a suspension less than a week into office.
A private investigation has allegedly uncovered ties between former Minister Kuma and Lee Kwok Kuen, the company that owns Leroy Wharf Port—the only port previously authorized to unload cement before the sufferance wharves reopened.
Sources claimed that Lee Kwok Kuen employees are currently constructing a warehouse for Kuma along Mbokona Road, Central Honiara valued at $11 million.
Workers are reportedly dressed in plain clothes and use unmarked vehicles to avoid public attention. The construction is said to have started two months ago.
The Leroy Wharf Port, owned by businessman Jason Lee, had cement unloaded at a much higher price point—around $105.
With the reopening of the sufferance wharves, the price dropped dramatically to $50, sparking allegations that Leroy Wharf sought to maintain a monopoly over cement imports.
Critics argue that Leroy Wharf’s exclusivity was maintained through Kuma’s suspension of other sufferance wharves. They suggested this created unfair market conditions and artificially inflated cement prices.
Sources alleged that the removal of Kuma was influenced by operators of both Goodwood and Penquin Sufferance Wharves, who reportedly had support from political allies within the current GNUT government.
The effort to remove Kuma allegedly began after he terminated Mr. Peter Hughes, former Controller of Customs, citing poor performance, incompetence, and failure to uphold customs protocols.
On the other hand, sources close to the Prime Minister argued that the reshuffle was necessary.
They claimed Kuma’s decision to restrict cement unloading solely to Leroy Wharf was detrimental to market competition and raised the cost of building materials for ordinary Solomon Islanders.
Leroy Wharf was officially declared an international port on 18 December 2023, through an amendment signed by former Minister for Infrastructure Development, Manasseh Maelanga.
Critics say, however, that to ensure fairness and transparency, unloading of essential goods like cement should be handled by the Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA), which is equipped with proper scanning and security systems and close all the sufferance wharves.
Minister Manemahaga defended his decision, stating that sufferance wharves play a vital role in handling break bulk cargo, such as cement, steel, reinforcement rods, and other materials essential for infrastructure development.
“Their continued operation has helped drive down prices and create economic efficiency that benefits ordinary Solomon Islanders,” he said.
He emphasized that all sufferance wharves must comply with customs and biosecurity regulations, including:
- Advance cargo manifests,
- Cargo inspections,
- Payment of duties and taxes.
As part of efforts to resolve the saga, Minister Manemahaga announced the formation of a special committee tasked with reviewing the operations and status of all sufferance wharves, including Leroy Wharf.
The committee—comprising senior officials from multiple stakeholder agencies—has already held its first meeting.
It is expected to submit a full report by the end of October 2025, which will then be presented to Cabinet.
The review committee was formed in line with a Cabinet directive issued on 3 June 2025, calling for a comprehensive assessment of sufferance wharves’ operations and their role in the country’s import infrastructure.
