LEADER of Opposition Matthew Wale has probed the Office of the Prime Minister & Cabinet and the Solomon Islands Chinese Business Council (SICBC) on the proposed plans to establish a Chinese Bank and Airline in the country.
The Leader of Opposition in a statement said he is aware there was a meeting on 3rd November 2021, between the SICBC and the Prime Minister at the OPMC.
Wale said amongst one of the agendas discussed was a proposal to establish a Chinese Bank and Airlines in Solomon Islands.
“It would be in the best interest of the people in this country and for transparency purposes for the OPMC and the SICBC to come clean with the proposed idea for the Chinese Bank and a China Airlines to be established in the country,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition said he is aware that the proposed Chinese bank is to cater for Chinese investors who are keen to invest in the country and the Chinese Airline is to operate direct flights from China to Solomon Islands.
Mr Wale said he is also aware that SICBC is working together to link the private sector here with investors in China.
“These undertakings must be done transparently and the OPMC and SICBC must make sure all due processes must be adhered to and that we should not allow bogus investors to come into the country,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition further adds the Prime Minister and his associates has a history of dealing with scam investors like the Skyline Investment Group, an Asian group that promised to build the Honiara International Airport and road upgrade in 2015.
“The fear of such to happen and the influx of Asian bogus businesses to operate in the country is a major concern and therefore such proposal should be clarified for the sake of transparency,” Mr Wale reiterated.
