McNeil refutes allegations supporting his suspension
The Commissioner of Lands Alan McNeil has confirmed his suspension, however, refuted the allegations supporting the suspension letter handed to him.
McNeil told SIBC News that he has received the suspension letter yesterday, saying he has enough evidence and solid grounds to argue against these allegations.
He claimed that the matter is an easy thing to address if the Permanent Secretary of Public Service has given him the opportunity to explain his part.
“I strongly refute all the allegations against me in the suspension letter. I have many solid grounds to argue against all the allegations.
“If the PS Public Service has given me the opportunity before handing in the suspension letter, it is easy for me to explain everything and refute all the allegations.
“It is a simple thing but he does not give me the opportunity to say anything,” McNeil said.
The local media, Indepth-Solomons reported that the allegations supporting the suspension letter are;
- Fraudulent execution of lease documents (RT 10 Form) and MOU on the 26th November 2023, knowing that the parties/trusties have been deceased relating to parcel 191-064-1 (Kongulai water source)
- Breach of High Court Order (Civil Case No. 463 of 2009)
- Misrepresenting a ‘Good Will’ payment by former prime minister (Manasseh Sogavare) to be a final payment to the disputed November 2023 lease agreement.
On the allegation of lease variation, Mr McNeil explained that the matter is now before the court and it is sub judice/ should not be used as a ground for his suspension.
“Actually it is sub judice for the PS to use that as an allegation as the matter is now before the court,” he claimed.
On the allegation of Breach of High Court Order (Civil Case No. 463 of 2009), McNeil said that he never saw such an order from 2009.
He said he was appointed the Commissioner of Lands in 2018, nine years after the High Court Order.
“I have never seen any Order from the 2009 High Court case. I don’t know anything about this.
“I was appointed as Commissioner in 2018, nine years later, so I don’t know anything about the older Court Order,” he added.
He further explained that his resignation from the Solomon Water board has nothing to do with the current suspension.
His resignation from the board linked to the sub-contractor for the Kongulai filtration plant while the suspension is about the lease variation.
McNeil is now seeking legal avenues to clear himself from the allegations reasoning for his current suspension.
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