LEADER of Opposition Hon Matthew Wale has questioned why discretionary exemptions have continued to be granted despite assurances by the Minister of Finance in Parliament to cancel past exemptions and halt future ones as of June 2024.
In a statement on Friday, Hon Wale said the Finance Minister was very animated in making this announcement in Parliament on June 11th 2024 that Cabinet had reviewed and disallowed exemptions as of June this year.
The Finance Minister in his speech in Parliament stated ‘the government will review the discretionary exemptions and disallow granting of exemptions from now on (June 2024), to any individual or company. These are tough actions.’
The Finance Minister in his speech highlighted ‘the total exemption forgone by the government in the first four months from January to April 2024, for both Inland Revenue and Customs, totalled $83.6million. This included $9.4million Statutory Exemptions.’
Despite the assurance made in Parliament, Hon Wale has criticized the GNUT government for misleading Parliament and the people of Solomon Islands.
Hon. Wale said, in the matter of discretionary exemptions, it is business as usual.
“The Government must reveal total exemptions forgone since June this year for both Inland Revenue and Customs as well as Statutory Exemptions,” the Opposition Leader said.
Hon Wale made the criticism following documents cited that the Finance Minister signed exemptions on separate occasions 29th August 2024 and 10th September 2024.
The exemptions were granted to Nature Product Limited – Nature Motel.
According to the Company Haus, the company is registered under a Mr Wang Bing but the email address is registered under Billy Wong.
“My office was reliably informed that GNUT through the Ministry of Finance continued to grant exemptions despite their dishonest statement in Parliament,” the Opposition Leader said.
Hon Wale said the Finance Minister told Parliament that the reason to cancel all exemptions is because ‘weare experiencing serious revenue leakages in areas that we can control and that makes it very serious.’
“Since making that animated announcement on the floor of Parliament in June, we have learnt that an exemption was granted to Lee Kuok Kwen & Anthony Veke for equipment, and now this exemption. We understand there are others done in secrecy even from Cabinet and Caucus. The hypocrisy is blinding,” Hon Wale said.
He said obviously it is not as serious to the Finance Minister contrary to his own statement, and it seems this was just another deceptive ploy by the GNUT regime; so much for transformation.
“This is the same deceptive tactic by the former DCGA and it is no surprise that GNUT administration is acting in the same way,” Hon Wale said.
The Opposition Leader called on the GNUT government to clarify to the people as to why they are still granting exemptions to individuals and companies, when government does not have cash to buy basic medicines, fix roads, and provide other essential services.
He said government services are at their lowest level ever, many of the line ministries are not implementing their budgets, because government does not have the cash.
“Many contractors and suppliers have not been paid for many months, yet revenue is being given away casually by the GNUT. There is no accountability in this matter,” Hon. Wale said.
He said the Prime Minister is simply too weak to put a stop to this nonsense.
The Opposition Leader said the economy is at a very precarious situation, government revenues are down, government cash flow is terrible.
“We have a weak Prime Minister who cannot make tough decisions that are in the best national interest of Solomon Islands,” he said.
“This business as usual attitude is only going to get worse, and Solomon Islanders must be very concerned,” Hon Wale adds.
Given that the Prime Minister is weak and is unable to make tough decisions, Hon Wale calls on members of Parliament within GNUT to put side personal political interests and force the accountability and changes that this country desperately needs.
“If this does not happen, then MPs in GNUT are part of the problem,” Hon Wale said.
