by Tom Smith
In a stunning display of misplaced priorities and questionable allegiance, the new Minister of Finance Hon. Trevor Manemahaga used his first 96 hours in office to execute a single, devastating act: dismantling a key policy designed to protect the Solomon Islands from massive revenue leakages.
This move, which directly benefited foreign business interests, has exposed a corrupt network operating within the highest levels of the Government of National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) and revealed a government in service to private pockets, not its people.
The scandal, unfolding around the sufferance wharves, showcases a political system where integrity is punished and complicity is rewarded with powerful portfolios.
The Rightful Action and the Orchestrated Ousting
On August 21, 2025, the then-Minister of Finance, Hon Harry Kuma, acted with courage and a duty to the public purse. He issued a directive to close the sufferance wharves—a decisive move to curb well-documented corruption, smuggling, and revenue loss that has plagued the nation for years.
His reward for this act of good governance was a swift and brutal political demotion. On September 4, under the guise of a “routine reshuffle,” Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele removed Mr. Kuma from his post. The message was clear: in this GNUT administration, protecting national revenue is a fireable offense.
The Four-Day Betrayal: A New Minister’s First Act
The Prime Minister’s next move was to install a new Finance Minister, Hon Manemahaga. What followed was a breathtaking abdication of duty that has shocked observers.
In an almost unthinkable breach of ministerial conduct, Hon Manemahaga, within just four days of assuming one of the nation’s most critical offices, turned his back on his former colleague and the nation he swore to serve. His first significant act was not to familiarize himself with the nation’s fiscal challenges, but to immediately issue a formal directive to the Acting Comptroller of Customs, revoking Mr Kuma’s previous order.
This revocation, effective September 4, was not the result of a careful policy review or a discovered flaw in Mr. Kuma’s logic. It was a pre-orchestrated political hit. The urgency was driven by the schedule of two ships, owned by interests connected to this corruption, arriving on 6th September and 8th September 2025.
Minister Manemahaga’s first priority was not to serve the Solomon Islands, but to ensure these vessels could operate without hindrance, guaranteeing the continued flow of profits for a corrupt network and the continued leakage of state revenue.
The Masters of the Game: Johnny Sy, Harry Chen, and Their GNUT Patrons
This brazen reversal of policy did not happen in a vacuum. It was the direct result of pressure from powerful foreign businessmen who have cultivated influence within the GNUT.
At the center of this web are Mr. Johnny Sy and Mr. Harry Chen. These individuals operate as shadow power brokers, their influence purchased not through the ballot box but through financial inducements to compliant politicians. They are the alleged masterminds benefiting from the sufferance wharves operations.
They are enabled by a cohort of greedy GNUT leaders who have chosen personal enrichment over national service. These officials, holding high office, actively supported the revocation to protect the financial schemes of Johnny Sy and Harry Chen, demonstrating that the real government of the Solomon Islands is for sale to the highest bidder.
Conclusion: A Government Against Its People
The story of the sufferance wharves is a perfect metaphor for the GNUT’s betrayal. A minister who acted honestly was removed. A minister who acted corruptly was installed. And within four days, the new minister executed the wishes of his corrupt patrons against the interests of his nation.
The GNUT, under Prime Minister Manele’s leadership, has shown it is not a government of national unity, but a coalition of corruption. It is not a government of transformation, but of transgression against the people.
The question every citizen must now ask is not if corruption exists, but how deeply their leaders are enrolled in it. The actions of Minister Trevor in his first four days provide a damning answer.
It didn’t take long for the real reason for the reshuffle to surface. It shows a Prime Minister who is weak, indecisive, & held captive to vested interests who have used external interests to force their agenda.
This reveals where real power lies in GNUT govt decision making.