25 Nov 2013

Solomons' deposed auditor general warns of dangers of not signing off report

7:35 pm on 25 November 2013

Solomon Islands' former auditor general is warning that withholding a report into the controversial constituency development fund will be very dangerous for the country.

The comment follows Edward Ronia's forced departure from his job on the grounds that he has reached the official retirement age of 55.

Mr Ronia will not speculate as to whether his forced exit is a result of political motivations around the report but he says no one else is qualified to sign it off for public release and donors are keen to see it.

"But also the public will be very happy to see it and if they do not see it they will really feel bad about it because it's an area that the public is so concerned about. So that's an important report for the country to know what is happening with public funds that are issued to the...released to members of parliament and used under their discretion."

Edward Ronia says this is no time for Solomon Islands to be without an auditor general.