BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Leader of Opposition Matthew Wale is calling on the government to eliminate “state capture” which he claims has enslaved the country for far too long.
In a recent interview with Insight, Wale made the call, saying symptoms of state capture are still evident and urging that it must come to an end.
He defined state capture as a situation where the country’s leaders or elites are influenced by interests by certain individuals or organization that do not align with, or serve, the best interests of ordinary Solomon Islanders.
Wale pointed out that for many years the logging industry has been a key player in state capture, using its financial influence to control the government.
“They have the money, and they determine who becomes the Prime Minister, the Minister for Forestry, and the Commissioner of Forestry,” he said.
With that, Wale explained that the government leaders were unable to make decisions that went against the interests of those who supported them.
In this way, he said, the state was effectively “captured” by powerful interests, leaving the leaders unable to pass laws that would challenge them.
Wale emphasised that state capture continues to exist and that both the government and the country must work together to get rid of the practice.
“It has enslaved the government and the country, with leaders accepting to eat from the hands of those who control them,” he said. “This needs to stop.”
He warned that as long as state capture persists, decisions would continue to be made in the interests that don’t serve the best interests of Solomon Islanders.
Wale said while symptoms of state capture still surfacing, everyone must work together to ensure it stops ruining the country.
