Opposition Leader and Member of Parliament for East Choiseul, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare, has called on the Government to explain the Attorney-General’s involvement in a SBD64.68 million settlement awarded to Lever Solomons Limited over the long-running Hells Point land dispute.
Mr. Sogavare said court records show Attorney-General Gabriel Suri previously acted for Lever Solomons Limited when he was principal of Suri’s Law Practice. In December 2016, Mr. Suri prepared and signed the company’s claim against the State in High Court Civil Case No. 513 of 2015, relating to alleged trespass and unpaid rent at Hells Point.
According to court documents, Mr. Suri later signed a Consent Order on behalf of the State on October 19, 2026, after being appointed Attorney-General in May 2026. The order, sealed by the Court of Appeal on October 27, commits the Government to pay Lever Solomons SBD64,678,871.78, withdraws the State’s appeals, and prevents any future appeal on the matter.
Mr. Sogavare said the situation raises serious questions about a potential conflict of interest.
“The lawyer who drafted Lever Solomons’ claim against the State in 2016 is the same person who, as Attorney-General, signed the State’s agreement to pay that claim in 2026,” he said.
He argued that legal practitioners have continuing duties to former clients and should not act for opposing parties in the same matter. He also pointed to the Leadership Code provisions of the Constitution, which require public leaders to avoid conflicts of interest and maintain public confidence.
The Opposition Leader further noted that the Minister for Lands, Housing and Survey had previously served as a director of Lever Solomons Limited, adding that public confidence requires assurance that settlement decisions were made independently.
Mr. Sogavare stressed that the Opposition is not calling on the Government to breach the court-approved settlement or default on payment obligations. Instead, he is seeking transparency on whether conflicts of interest were declared, who advised Cabinet, whether independent legal advice was obtained, and how the settlement figure was calculated.
“The people deserve to know that when SBD64.68 million of public money was committed, the State’s legal advisers were acting solely in the public interest,” he said.
Source: Opposition Office
