Caretaker PM’s speech on national unity described as ‘mere propaganda’
Chairman of the North West Guadalcanal Subsistence Farmers Association (NWGSFA) Bernard Garo has described the Prime Minister’s speech on national unity as ‘mere propaganda’.
Mr Garo said he is surprised that the caretaker Prime Minister has the audacity to make mention of the ethnic crisis in 2000.
Garo said as a witness to the Townsville Peace Agreement, he is surprised that the caretaker Prime Minister as leader of Our Party said he is committed to address a united Solomon Islands.
“I was involved in the peace agreement and it is unfortunate that the government has failed in addressing the Townsville Agreement especially the cries of the people of Guadalcanal and Malaita provinces,” he said.
Garo said the caretaker Prime Minister with due respect is a seasoned politician and had been at the helm for four terms yet nothing has been done except empty promises.
“Successive leadership and governments have continued to preach propaganda on rehabilitation of victims and have continued to mishandle the underlying issues relating to the crisis,” he said.
Garo said one of the key factors within the Townsville Agreement was rehabilitating the lives of those who were affected; to date he said it proved nothing but sweet talk.
Garo also described the government’s push for state government as a political propaganda.
He said it is clear that the people of Guadalcanal would never see state government under this current leadership because of political rhetoric and no willpower to hear the cries of the people.
Garo said he is also surprised seven former Guadalcanal MPs in the DCGA Government have also chosen to be used as scapegoats and puppets.
“I am sad that our seven former Guadalcanal MPs have ignored the cries of our people for the last 20 years,” he said.
“Not only Guadalcanal but all other provinces. It will be business as usual because there is no political will to do these things but only sweet empty promises,” he said.
Speaking on corruption, Garo said the Prime Minister’s statement on fighting corruption is a joke.
He said the fight should start from the top down because a corrupt leadership corrupts good governance and the whole government mechanism.
“It is a pity that the Prime Minister is preaching the fight against corruption but a good number of the DCGA caretaker ministers and backbenchers have recently been charged for corruption,” he said.
“Who are you trying to fool make sure your backyard is clean,” Garo adds.
