">My Big World Of Crap

Ask Mick Shannon, of the Department of Finance, who was sent home to Australia from Honiara after an email he wrote providing a frank assessment of the Solomon Islands’ future was leaked. His email talked of Australia’s behind the scenes involvement in Solomons’ politics, and harshly judged the likely candidates for prime minister.

Solomons’ caretaker PM, Snyder Rini, criticised Australian High Commissioner, Patrick Cole, accusing him of meddling in local politics. Mr Rini, whose election sparked the recent looting and rioting in Honiara, said Australia had been quick to accuse Solomons’ politicians of corruption.

“They are branding us as corrupted. We didn’t call the Australian politicians corrupted,” he said. “We know what is happening with the oil for food program. Please respect us as we respect them.”

Low blow there about oil for food! Thats what dodgy dealings which should have been prevented had government ministers and departments been on the ball do for Australia’s reputation. Make us a cheap target and removes us from holding the high moral ground on corruption.

However, it stinks that Shannon gets sent home for his honesty and frankness. The Solomon Islands are a shambles, and there is entrenched corruption among its politicians. Most people say that, its just that Shannon, coming from Finance, is probably a straighter shooter than the diplomats from Foreign Affairs. Who leaked the email, too? Some high commission staffer trying to curry favour with the local politicians?

Australia gives plenty of financial assistance to countries like the Solomon Islands. In my books, this gives us plenty of rights to call the shots about cleaning up their shambles of political system and government institutions. Attach strings about reform to the aid, and withdraw it if the reforms aren’t happening as fast as we would like to see. No use giving money to countries so it can just be pissed down the drain.

Same applies to Papua New Guinea … its another shambles that needs cleaning up.

Technorati Tags: Solomon Islands, corruption, Snyder Rini, politics, Honiara riots, Papua New Guinea

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