TENANTS currently occupying the Auki plaza are demanding the Malaita provincial government to settle their repatriation package of $5000 before they vacate the building.
This comes after they received a matching-order from Malaita provincial government to vacant the Auki Plaza to allow the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) to take over the building and develop it.
A letter cited by the Solomon star in Auki stated the Malaita provincial executive has approved a repatriation package of $5000 in 2016 for individual business that vacate the building.
The package is part of Malaita government to help respective business operator’s repatriation program.
The promise was believed to have encouraged the business operators not to move out from the building.
A spoke-person on behalf of the tenants Esther Filia said they are still waiting for the Malaita provincial government to settle their repatriation as promised in the letter.
“We are surprise to know that Malaita Provincial Government is in a position to take an eviction order for us to relocate from the building.
“We can’t move out from this building unless the government pays our repatriation package as promised in the letter,” Ms Filia said.
She added they want the Malaita provincial secretary and the government to clearly explain the delay of repatriation payments.
Its understood a total of 11 tenant are currently occupying the run down Auki Plaza building.
This means that Malaita government needs to pay a total of $55000 to the tenants under the repatriation deal.
Most of the tenants are indigenous Malaitans who are currently engaging in local business activities in the province.
Meanwhile, early this week Malaita provincial government has forgiven the tenants who have incurred more than $400,000 in outstanding rental.
The provincial government has already completed the processes to transfer the run down Auki Plaza building to SINPF.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
in Auki
