Lilo, Abana Sacked For Working Against PM

Ministers Lilo, Abana Sacked For Working Against PM

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has terminated the new Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs, Gordon Darcy Lilo and the Minister for Development Planning and Aid Coordination, Steve Abana for lobbying support against his leadership.

Mr Sogavare announced the terminations at a Press Conference yesterday afternoon.

He said Mr Darcy Lilo who had been reshuffled from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs together with Mr Abana had worked aggressively to oust him from office following the reshuffle of the Gizo/Kolombangara MP last week.

Mr Sogavare said the reshuffle came after he received information that Mr Darcy Lilo had mismanaged public funds to seek favour from fellow politicians and private companies to support his own agendas and this was now being investigated.

"This information is supported by a report from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury showing that government cash reserves are almost exhausted due to excessive unaccounted spendings.

"Whilst the Grand Coalition for Change Government has promoted the 'Bottom-up Approach' development policy as a solution to the country's economic and development inefficiencies, it was not reflected in the delivery of government programmes and prioritization of funding allocations during Mr Lilo's term as the Finance and Treasury Minister," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Sogavare said Mr Darcy Lilo also failed as the Minister for Finance to make any significant progress in addressing the government's rehabilitation assistance programme for the earthquake and tsunami-stricken people of the Western and Choiseul Provinces and furthermore failed to provide any formal reconciliation on the disbursement of disaster-related funds that were so far provided by the government.

The Prime Minister said he had also received reports of attempted extortion against the MP for Gizo/Kolombangara from the executives of a certain logging company as well as his involvement in a scandal within the Solomon Airlines.

He said the intention of the Grand Coalition for Change Government was to achieve political stability and progressive development through its policy objectives and the actions of Mr Darcy Lilo were totally detrimental to the achievement of the policy objectives.

ENDS

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