Preamble
Queensland-based John Meint Smith claims to hold the irrevocable Power of Attorney dated January 5th 1988, and subsequently claiming sole ownership over Anuha Island.
Former Executive Chef and former Acting General Manager of the Solomon Islands’ Anuha Island Resort and now living in Queensland, John Meint Smith claims to hold the irrevocable Power of Attorney dated January 5th 1988, and subsequently claiming sole ownership over Anuha Island.
John Smith maintains that he has NOT given any authority in person or through legal representative to rescind his rights as the “owner” of Anuha Island and properties and interests covered under the irrevocable Power of Attorney afforded to him by the late Priest Father Robert Pule.
The successive dealings to transfer Anuha Island to its present owners may all be deemed fraudulent under the Law of the Solomon Islands. A senior Pacific Island Legal mind once said recently that some previous Governments of the Solomon Islands believe it is their executive prerogative to wander in to the Solomon Islands National Title Office and alter the records without even weighing the consequence of their actions. A recent Court ruling against the SI Government may attest to this dictatorial attitude of some former SI Governments.
In this particular case, Solomon Islands very own Citizens of the Central Province have being denied millions of dollars in tourism revenue, loss of employment and of course National and Provincial Governments own loss in duty and taxes in millions of dollars!!
In the last 33 years Anuha Island has been lying dormant and it is near embarrassing that all attempts by successive Solomon Islands Governments to develop Anuha has been ironically thawed by their own actions of the alleged “fraudulent” dealing of Anuha.
It is on record that previous possible developers and foreign investors have shunned away when they sight or learn of an original copy of the “Irrevocable Power of Attorney” deposited in a safe deposit box of an Australian Bank.
A few of these possible developers visited John Meint Smith at his place of business in Brisbane, Australia requesting to view the “irrevocable Power of Attorney Document.” They then make their own decision after sighting the document.
John Meint Smith maintains that even in his demise his family will ensure the legacy of the donee of the “irrevocable Power of Attorney” late Priest Father Robert Pule is honoured.
In the presence of witnesses, Father Pule confided with John M Smith via a telephone conversation before he passed away that he was cajoled by a few of the very people who were aware of his Irrevocable Power of Attorney to breach the very terms of the document he executed under oath. Sadly, these same few people of interest officiated in the original questionable dealing that has now haunted the once 4 Star Anuha Island saga.
JE MAINTIENDRAI
John Meint Smith