Attorney-General Gabriel Suri says his directorship at Panatina Chemists Limited ended about eight years ago.
“In fact I ceased to be a director in 2018,” he told In-depth Solomons.
Suri was responding to calls by Opposition Leader Manasseh Sogavare for him and Prime Minister Matthew Wale to explain their business relationship in Panatina Chemists.
Panatina Chemists is one of the chemist shops operating in Honiara that sells health-care products.
Company Haus records show Prime Minister Wale holds 552 of the company’s 1,200 shares. The other two shareholders are Solfish Ltd (120 shares) and KLAA Global Solomons Ltd (528 shares).
Solfish Ltd, according to Company Haus, is owned by Antonio Lee, while KLAA Global Solomons, which is now deregistered, has Ranil Gomes, a Sri Lankan, as its sole director.
Company Haus also confirmed Suri’s directorship at Panatina Chemist has ceased, although his name still appeared in certain parts of the records.
“My directorship ceased when Australian Consultancy Excellence acquired substantial shares in Panatina Chemist Ltd,” Suri said.
“At that time Ranil Gomes was the authorised person to lodge Annual Returns.
“I had told this person several times to remove my name but he had not done so.
“Also, I had repeated my request to the Registrar of Companies to remove my name from the company register. The latest was January and February 2026.
“So, the maintenance of my name on the Company register is without my consent,” the Attorney General said.
Prime Minister Wale has not responded to the Opposition’s call.
Sogavare wants PM Wale to explain whether the relationship was disclosed and properly managed before Suri was appointed Attorney-General.
He said the relationship between the Prime Minister and the Attorney General raises legitimate questions about transparency and potential conflicts of interest.
“The issue is whether the relationship was disclosed and whether appropriate processes were followed,” Sogavare said.
He said any actual or perceived conflict should have been properly managed.
Sogavare said the matter was particularly important given Wale’s long-standing position on transparency and good governance.
“As Opposition Leader, Wale frequently demanded explanations over appointments and relationships involving senior government officials.
“He had previously argued that public officials must explain relationships that intersect with public decision-making.
“Wale applied that standard to previous governments led by Sogavare and former Prime Minister Rick Hou.
“Wale had publicly questioned relationships, appointments and government decisions under those administrations.
“The question now was whether the same standards applied to Wale’s Government,” Sogavare stated.
Responding to this, Attorney General Suri rejected the Opposition leader’s characterisation of the matter as a conflict involving his current position.
Suri instead accused Sogavare of pursuing a malicious witch-hunt without identifying any law or ethical standard he had breached.
“Searching for standards?
“The leader of the Opposition should be advised that the Attorney General of John F. Kennedy (former US president) was his younger brother Robert F. Kennedy.
“Robert became the leading figure in Civil rights enforcement and combating of organised crimes.
“Robert continued to serve under President Lyndon Johnson after assassination of John F. Kennedy,” Suri pointed out.
A senior lawyer with many years in private practice, Suri previously held the position of Attorney General when Dr Derek Sikua was Prime Minister in 2008.
He is also the President of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP), the political party led by Prime Minister Wale.
