Solomon Islands’ foreign investment board makes public refute of SI Group Ltd’s legal status

BY IRWIN ANGIKI

The Solomon Islands Foreign Investment Division (FID) has publicly labelled the SI Group Limited as an ‘alien entity’.

FID in a public notice today says it has not approved the SI Group to do business in the country.

A statement by the Government Communications Unit (GCU) yesterday said in response to direct enquiries about the company, the FID says “the office of the Foreign Investment Division of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigrations wishes to advise the public that we do not have any approval issued to a foreign entity called SI Group Limited”.

The notice said that their presence in Solomon Islands carrying out commercial activity without foreign Investment approval or company incorporation violates the laws of this country, the GCU statement said.

“The individuals carrying out misrepresentation of this foreign entity are required to cease immediately,” the notice warned.

The so-called SI Group Limited controversially entered into an MOU with the Solomon Islands Government without cabinet approval, when the Minister of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) was coerced to travel and sign an MOU with the group’s Executive in Vietnam recently.

Minister MCILI Jamie Vokia had signed a MOU with the SI Group Ltd on June 2 this year in Vietnam – in what has transpired as an authorised act.

The SEZ Bill was passed by Parliament on May 26, 2025. The following day, Vokia and his delegation left for Hanoi, Vietnam.

Prime Minister Manele has since disassociated his government from Vokia’s action and the SI Group Ltd.

At a press conference last week, PM Manele said that Vokia would face consequences for his action. It is not clear what the penalty is.

A senior government political appointee who was part of the trip to Vietnam was last week replaced. A second government officer who was also part of the Hanoi trip has also resigned.

Opposition Leader Matthew Wale had raised a media complaint earlier, urging PM Manele to deal with this fiasco caused by his minister, Vokia.

Mr Wale described the incident as a reckless act of rogue diplomacy that by-passed Cabinet authority and exposed serious weaknesses in government discipline and accountability.

Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) spotlighted this issue in the media on June 4, when it raised concerns on Vokia’s signage of the MOU with the SI Group on June 2, just days after the unpopular SEZ Bill was passed in parliament.

“The ink on the SEZ Act has barely dried and Cabinet or Caucus have not signed this but Hon Vokia (minister) has already signed such an exclusive MOU, with a Chemical company,” TSI statement June 4 said.

TSI reported that the MOU Vokia had signed with the SI Group said that the company will be the Strategic Adviser and priority investor on major investment opportunities within the zone and its role will include:

•           Advising on SEZ development strategy, structure, and international best practice

•           Promoting SEZ to global investors and multilateral institutions

•           Facilitating capital mobilization and technical partnerships,

•           Supporting legal, financial, and regulatory alignment to attract long-term investment.

TSI posed the questions – What due diligent check has the Executive Government done to arrive at the conclusion that SI Group have got the resources and what it takes to successfully achieve these.  How much will the taxpayers of Solomon Islands will have to pay for the engagement of SI Group. 

Government has not responded to TSI’s questions.

SI Group, first established in 2001 as ESPECO (HK) Limited, is headquartered in Vietnam, according to TSI.

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