by Georgina Maka’a

Government has revoked a decision to suspend the use of sufferance wharves in the country after it removed Harry Kuma from the Ministry of Finance last weekend.

Kuma directed the acting Comptroller of Customs, John Lagi, on 21 August 2025, to suspend all unloading activities of imported goods at the seven sufferance wharves along the shores between Mamara, west of Honiara, to Alligator Creek in the east.

Two weeks later, he was removed from the Finance portfolio and placed at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration.

Trevor Hedley Manemahaga, the incumbent at Commerce at that time, was elevated to Finance.

Upon assuming the Finance role, Manemahaga directed Lagi on 4 September 2025 to revoke the suspension letter he issued earlier at Kuma’s instructions.

Lagi today told In-depth Solomons that in both cases, he acted on instructions from the two ministers.

“…..yes it was Kuma who gave instructions to issue the suspension letter,’ Lagi said.

“And it was Trevor  (Trevor Hedley Manemahaga) who gave the direction to revoke Kuma’s letter,” he added.

A sufferance wharf is any loading or unloading site not formally designated as a port, but where the Comptroller of Customs may permit operations under specific conditions.

On the western and eastern sides of Honiara, there were seven designated sufferance wharves operated mostly by Asian loggers.

Following Kuma’s removal from the Finance portfolio last weekend, it was claimed the decision was taken due to pressure from the sufferance wharf operators who were unhappy about his direction to suspend the use of sufferance wharves.

But Prime Minister Manele dismissed the claim.

“There’s no pressure from outside the government,” Manele told reporters when asked about the reshuffle.

“There’s no external pressure,” he added.

He said Cabinet reshuffles are a normal part of government operations, aimed at maintaining unity, stability, and effective service delivery.

He said the reshuffling of Kuma and Manemahaga demonstrates the Government’s commitment to ensuring key sectors of the economy continue to receive strong political leadership and support.

Kuma has declined to publicly comment on his removal but government insiders told In-depth Solomons he was disappointed, and had openly expressed his disappointment in Cabinet.

Kuma was given the Commerce and Trade ministry when the Manele Government came into power after the April 2024 national elections.

He was shifted to Finance in May this year after then Finance minister Manasseh Sogavare resigned and moved across to the Opposition – a move that nearly brought down the Manele government.

Comments are being sought from Manemahaga, who was previously Minister for Environment before being shifted to Commerce and Trade.