CASH DONATION DEPOSITED INTO GOV’T SYSTEM: DR SIKUA

By Editor's Desk

Member of Parliament for North East Guadalcanal Dr Derek Sikua has announced that the cash donation of one million Japanese yen he received on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government from the Japanese Solomon Islands Friendship Association (JSIFA) when he was Prime Minister was safely deposited into the government system.

Dr Sikua made the announcement in response to the headline of the Solomon Star last Saturday whereby the President of JSIFA, Mr Kiyoshi Takahama questioned the whereabouts of a cash donation the association handed over to him for a Solomon Islands students’ exchange programme with Japan when he was prime minister.

The former Prime Minister who is now a member of the Opposition Group in Parliament confirmed personally receiving one million yen in cash for a student’s exchange programme from Mr Takahama when the former Japanese Charge d’affaires in Solomon Islands and members of JSIFA visited the country in 2008 and paid him a courtesy call.

He said soon after receiving the money he directed the Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr Chris Hunupauro to convert the money into the local currency and he did so at the Mendana Hotel after being refused by all three commercial banks.

Dr Sikua said that one million yen when it was converted into Solomon Islands currency was only $75,000.00 and that money paid immediately to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury by the Deputy Secretary to the Prime Minister to be deposited under a particular head for travel under the Prime Minister’s Office upon advice from relevant government officials as it was insufficient to meet travelling expenses for four students to travel to Japan as proposed by the JSIFA.

“Being a responsible national leader I had done my part in ensuring the total amount of money received from the currency conversion was paid to the relevant government ministry to be deposited under the head it thought appropriate and I am pleased to be given this opportunity to clear my name off any assumption of misappropriation that may rise following the publishment of the news article questioning the whereabouts of the money,” the former Prime Minister said.