Hotel bills exposed

Editors Desk.

GOVERNMENT reportedly paid more than $1 million to Pacific Casino Hotel and Honiara Hotel for accommodation of MPs following the August 4 elections.

Last night, the Opposition issued a statement calling on the Philip-led government to provide a breakdown of the $1,103,742 it paid to the two hotels.

Opposition leader, Steve Abana said his office has documents to prove that the above sum of money was paid to the two hotels for accommodating MPs during the lobbying period.

“My office has established that the bill was not assessed for verification by the responsible accounting office, which is the National Parliament Office prior to its payment,” Mr Abana said.

He added he believed most costs factored into the bills were not incurred by parliamentarians but their relatives and cronies and the verification process is to ensure that the state pays what it is only obliged to.

“It amazes me that only the bill of the Opposition group for the usage of the Heritage Park Hotel during the lobbying process was subjected to the verification process and being a responsible group of parliamentarians, the Opposition MPs themselves paid for the costs incurred out of their entitlements,” Mr Abana said.

He said the fact that the entire cost for the accommodation of MPs at the two hotels was borne by the taxpayers, the NCRA Government must provide the nation with a breakdown of the hotel bill.

He said the Opposition is increasingly concerned about the NCRA Government’s handling of government finances after taking office only a month ago and it will ensure the Danny Philip-led regime will never get away with its shady dealings.

Asked how much the Opposition group incurred at Heritage Park Hotel, deputy leader Mathew Wale said it’s roughly $700,000.

“These are for room, food and drinks,” Mr Wale said.

But he said only $200,000 of their hotel bill came from tax payers, which was paid by parliament.

He said the $200,000 was to cover the cost of accommodating new MPs in the Heritage Park Hotel.

“Those of use former MPs who won back our seats received allowances because we are still caretakers,” Mr Wale said.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary, Alfred Sasako, when contacted last night said he is not privy to any figures.

“I don’t know anything about this area. However, normally it is a party arrangement,” he said.