By Alfred Sasako

AUSTRALIA now appears certain to build a naval base in Solomon Islands, the first such undertaking by an Australian government since World War II.

The first hint on the secret arrangement came from the Australian High Commission in Honiara yesterday in response to earlier questions raised by Island Sun about the matter.

Island Sun understands the site being earmarked for the naval base is Sterling Island in the Shortlands along the Western sea border with the Papua New Guinea island province of Bougainville.

Details of funding arrangements for the facility are not immediately clear. Some believe part of the $1.4 billion announced earlier this year by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, could be used for building the military facility.

Others say the United States Government is likely to chip in towards the cost of construction.

A Naval Base proposal was first mooted by the Danny Philip Administration in 2010/2011. Canberra rejected the proposal after the head of a political party in the then Philip coalition government suggested the Sterling Island facility should be turned into a refugee processing centre.

Insiders told Island Sun China’s growing influence in the Pacific has forced Canberra’s hands to reconsider its initial position.

“Now the proposal for a Naval Base facility has been taken onboard by Canberra,” one official told Island Sun.

The Counsellor at the Australian High Commission in Honiara, Max Willis, was not giving away any details. In an email on Monday Mr Willis said:

“Australia listens closely to the concerns of the Solomon Islands Government and we are working very closely with the Government to assist its work to strengthen border security arrangements, including near the western border with Papua New Guinea.

On June 3, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Solomon Islands counterpart, Manasseh Sogavare stated this:

“In line with our bilateral security treaty, we commit to deeper cooperation on defence and security. Australia is providing technical assistance to help Solomon Islands develop a border security strategy, which will be used to inform possible future collaboration in this area.

“Australia is also pleased to provide infrastructure and communications upgrades to existing police outposts in the western border region.

“This support will be provided in accordance with the Solomon Islands’ three-phased approach to strengthening surveillance, response capability and protection of the country’s western border.”

Some observers said the move by Australia is a good one as it would nullify the perceived security threat from China.

“It will prove that China is not about military conquest in the Pacific. Rather, its interest particularly in Solomon Islands is about creating partnership in economic development,” the observer said.

“No other countries have the sort of economic resources that China has.”

Careless MPs rush to switch recognition from Taiwan without negotiation

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

AFTER their tax payer funded trip through the Pacific, pro-China MPs are rushing to switch recognition from Taiwan to China without negotiating anything in return.

According to a political insider, the China Task Force has already decided that the Solomon Islands should recognise China immediately, but the Chinese Government will not confirm what Solomon Islands will receive in return for switching.

According to the insider, Solomon Islanders should be concerned that China thinks our MPs are careless enough to give away our biggest bargaining chip for free.

“Once we switch, we have nothing to negotiate with. Taiwan has provided grants and development, health and education services for many years.

“If we decide to turn our back on them, we need a guarantee from China first. Our Government must negotiate and get the best deal for Solomon Islanders, rather than walking blindly into a trap.”

In Cambodia, China made promises of massive investment in return for switching recognition. But once the switch happened, it was discovered that the politicians had been bribed to switch, so China did not even need to negotiate. China now controls 20 percent of Cambodia’s coastline.

The insider revealed that unlike Taiwan, China is not offering significant grants, but will give loans that only benefit China. Chinese loans are given out easily, but they are expensive, three or four times the cost of the international rate.

“The public must be consulted before these huge loans are accepted. Our country will be paying these loans off for years to come, destroying our struggling economy. Corrupt MPs may agree to line their pockets, but this will change our culture and way of life forever,” the insider said.

“If the Government decides to switch recognition, China will offer high interest loans for big projects that don’t make money.”

In East Timor, ABC reported in July this year that China forced landowners to sell their land for US$3 a metre, sent Chinese labourers rather than providing jobs to locals, built bad roads and airports that don’t get used, and then left behind huge debt.

The insider said that when we cannot repay this debt, China will take our land without hesitation, just like they did in the small African country of Djibouti, where they have since built a military base. Now armed Chinese guards prevent landowners from accessing their land for the next 100 years.

He says that the Chinese Government has demonstrated, and this is obvious in their previous dealings with small nations, that they will not respect our government, our people or our land – we are just another business deal to them.

“We must think about this important decision, otherwise we will end up with nothing but bad roads, empty airports and crippling debt. If our Government announces a switch, it should announce at the same time what China will give us in return.”

Island Sun had earlier reported before the national general elections that certain candidates were being backed by China, now they are sitting members of parliament and are in government.

An interesting thing of note is that since government formation this year, there have been a significant rise in the number of China bound trips which included government ministers.

On Monday this week, the government Taskforce set up to probe the China-Taiwan issue left for PNG where they will then head for China.

Sources tell Island Sun that these trips which include government ministers were not sanctioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

WILLIE Tuhagenga is the new Premier of Rennell and Bellona Province.

It is understood that he was elected unopposed having only one nomination submitted to the Provincial Clerk.

Rennell and Bellona’s provincial assembly was given a lifeline by the Ministry of Provincial Government (MPGIS) last week to try and elect a new premier for the province.

This follows the 10-member assembly’s failure to make up their mind over who should be the new premier on July 24 and 25, having gone through four rounds of votes and reaching 5-5 ties in all.

The ultimatum was they should elect a new premier and executive on August 5 (yesterday), 2019; if not then the infant assembly will be dissolved.

These MPAs brought Rennell and Bellona province to the brink of being dissolved with their unprecedented action.

MPGIS decision to give a second chance to Solomon Islands’ tiniest province came by way of a Ministerial Order on July 31, instructing the Renbel Assembly that it has been given August 5, 2019 as the final date to elect a new premier.

Failure to do that would automatically result in the provincial assembly’s dissolution, and an ensuing re-election.

In their social media forum the ‘RENBEL NEWS FORUM’, the Premier election’s much anticipating locals congratulated their newly elect Premier.

“Finally we have a Premier. Big congratulations to Willie Tuha for being elected as our new provincial leader.

“Wish to also thank our nine other MPAs for listening to the cries and advices from our community.

“Honestly our province is very easy to run and manage. We ourselves have made it look so difficult to develop and grow our province,” said one comment on RENBEL NEWS FORUM.

Another congratulating the newly elect Premier said “May God guide you with wisdom to lead Renbel Province”.